---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you aren't rich you should always look…"
description: "\"If you aren't rich you should always look useful.\" — Louis-Ferdinand Celine"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_money_if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-loo_137797.jpg"
---

#  If you aren't rich you should always look useful.

![“If you aren't rich you should always look useful.” quote by Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_money_if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-loo_137797.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_money_if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-loo_137797.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_money_if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-loo_137797.jpg)

> “If you aren't rich you should always look useful.”

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Value usefulness as a path to wealth; being indispensable can lead to financial success.

**In simple terms:** Being useful can make you rich.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate skills that others need.

Themes

wealth usefulness social value

Mood

pragmatic motivational

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- job market
- entrepreneurship
- personal development

Key Concepts

economics self‑reliance career strategy

Questions to Reflect On

- What skills are most marketable now?
- Can usefulness be measured objectively?

A Different Perspective

Not all useful roles are well‑paid or respected.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/)

## Related quotes

> [My aim is to make the poor look rich and the rich look poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/my-aim-is-to-make-the-poor-look-rich-and-the-rich-look-poor/)

[Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/)

> [Think rich, look poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/think-rich-look-poor/)

[Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/)

> [On the one hand, the rich look askance at our continuing poverty - on the other, they warn us against their own methods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/on-the-one-hand-the-rich-look-askance-at-our-continuing-poverty-on/)

[Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/)

> [“Look Below and You'll feel Rich, Look Above and You'll feel Poor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vineet-raj-kapoor/look-below-and-you-ll-feel-rich-look-above-and-you-ll-feel-poor/)

[Vineet Raj Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vineet-raj-kapoor/)

> [Rich Gang is a rich look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/birdman/rich-gang-is-a-rich-look/)

Birdman

> [Society tells men that if they aren't rich then they're worthless. Don't let society tell you who you are or what you're worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/society-tells-men-that-if-they-aren-t-rich-then-they-re-worthless-don/)

[Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

> [“Ach, darling, why aren't we rich? We have such marvellous ideas of what to do with it. There are so many rich people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/ach-darling-why-aren-t-we-rich-we-have-such-marvellous-ideas-of-what/)

[Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/)

> [You can tax the rich all you want. The problem is there aren't enough of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-packwood/you-can-tax-the-rich-all-you-want-the-problem-is-there-aren-t-enough/)

[Bob Packwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-packwood/)

> [If you know the wavefunction of the universe, why aren't you rich?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-gell-mann/if-you-know-the-wavefunction-of-the-universe-why-aren-t-you-rich/)

[Murray Gell-Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-gell-mann/)

> [“Farmers aren't rich. They have land but no money." Actually, my father didn't even have that much land. He had once stood on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/farmers-aren-t-rich-they-have-land-but-no-money-actually-my-father/)

[Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/)

> [For generations, Americans who aren't rich have been generous and admiring of their wealthy compatriots - want a country where people who work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-dee-myers/for-generations-americans-who-aren-t-rich-have-been-generous-and/)

[Dee Dee Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-dee-myers/)

> [“If you're THAT smart...why aren't you THAT rich?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-akomas-jr/if-you-re-that-smart-why-aren-t-you-that-rich/)

[George Akomas Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-akomas-jr/)

> [“I was asked once, 'you're a smart man,why aren't you rich?' I replied, 'you're a rich man, why aren't you smart?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/i-was-asked-once-you-re-a-smart-man-why-aren-t-you-rich-i-replied-you/)

[Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/)

> [One of the reasons people aren't rich is because almost everyone has more excuses than money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/one-of-the-reasons-people-aren-t-rich-is-because-almost-everyone-has/)

[Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/)

> [Many people aren't rich because they're liars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/many-people-aren-t-rich-because-they-re-liars/)

[Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/)

## More by Louis-Ferdinand Celine

> [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“All our misery comes from wanting at all costs to go on being Tom, Dick, or Harry, year in, year out. This body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/all-our-misery-comes-from-wanting-at-all-costs-to-go-on-being-tom/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“Now I know... we have at least two friends!... Cillie von Leiden and the hunchback... not bad in our situation... or, come right down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/now-i-know-we-have-at-least-two-friends-cillie-von-leiden-and-the/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [I hadn't found out yet that mankind consists of two very different races, the rich and the poor. It took me ... and plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/i-hadn-t-found-out-yet-that-mankind-consists-of-two-very-different/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“Lie, copulate, and die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/lie-copulate-and-die/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [Since life consists of madness spiked with lies, the farther you are from each other the more lies you can put into it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/since-life-consists-of-madness-spiked-with-lies-the-farther-you-are/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [In my room I'd barely closed my eyes when the blonde from the movie house came along and sang her whole song of sorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/in-my-room-i-d-barely-closed-my-eyes-when-the-blonde-from-the-movie/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [There's a point of poverty at which the spirit isn't with the body all the time. It finds the body really too unbearable. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/there-s-a-point-of-poverty-at-which-the-spirit-isn-t-with-the-body/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“You can be a virgin in horror the same as in sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-be-a-virgin-in-horror-the-same-as-in-sex/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [You can lose your way groping among the shadows of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-lose-your-way-groping-among-the-shadows-of-the-past/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“People cling to their rotten memories, to all their misfortunes, and you can't pry them loose. These things keep them busy. They avenge themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/people-cling-to-their-rotten-memories-to-all-their-misfortunes-and/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“He couldn't have explained this misery of his, it exceeded his education.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/he-couldn-t-have-explained-this-misery-of-his-it-exceeded-his/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“Hurry hurry, cram yourself full of dreams to carry you through the life that's waiting for you outside, when you leave here, to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/hurry-hurry-cram-yourself-full-of-dreams-to-carry-you-through-the/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [The poetry of heroism appeals irresistibly to those who don't go to a war, and even more to those whom the war is making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-poetry-of-heroism-appeals-irresistibly-to-those-who-don-t-go-to-a/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

> [“While he was cautiously preambling, I tried to form a picture of all he did each day to earn his calories, all his grimaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/while-he-was-cautiously-preambling-i-tried-to-form-a-picture-of-all/)

[Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

[Explore all 212 Louis-Ferdinand Celine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/)

## More Money quotes

> [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/)

[Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/)

> [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/)

[Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/)

[Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/)

> [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/)

[Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/)

> [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Maybe you can,t buy a big house.. A new car.. A huge diamond ring.. But if you have just one true friend who loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy/maybe-you-can-t-buy-a-big-house-a-new-car-a-huge-diamond-ring-but-if/)

Cathy

> [“Don't allow money to become the yardstick by which you measure the worth of the world around you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/don-t-allow-money-to-become-the-yardstick-by-which-you-measure-the/)

[Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/)

> [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/)

[Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/)

[Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/)

> [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/)

[Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/)

> [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/)

[Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/)

> [The man who works for the gold in the job rather than for the money in the pay envelope, is the fellow who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-french-johnson/the-man-who-works-for-the-gold-in-the-job-rather-than-for-the-money/)

Joseph French Johnson

[Browse all 45,172 Money quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you aren't rich you should always look useful.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Louis-Ferdinand Celine"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-look-useful/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Money"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-look-useful/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_money_if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-loo_137797.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_money_if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-loo_137797.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/487/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_money_if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-loo_137797.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you aren't rich you should always look useful.” — Louis-Ferdinand Celine",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Louis-Ferdinand Celine",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you aren't rich you should...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-look-useful/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/if-you-aren-t-rich-you-should-always-look-useful/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
