--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever the career, sales ability…" description: "\"Whatever the career, sales ability distinguishes superstars from also-rans.\" — Peter Thiel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/peter-thiel-1311_ability_whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distin_2745381.png" --- # Whatever the career, sales ability distinguishes… ![“Whatever the career, sales ability distinguishes superstars from also-rans.” quote by Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/peter-thiel-1311_ability_whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distin_2745381.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/peter-thiel-1311_ability_whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distin_2745381.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/peter-thiel-1311_ability_whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distin_2745381.png) > “Whatever the career, sales ability distinguishes superstars from also-rans.” [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sales skill separates top performers from average ones across careers. **In simple terms:** Sales skill creates superstars. Key Takeaway Develop sales ability for success. Themes sales performance career growth Mood pragmatic assertive Type business motivational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - corporate roles Key Concepts skill acquisition leadership Questions to Reflect On - Is sales always essential? - How to balance other skills? A Different Perspective Not all roles need sales. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ability Distinguishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-distinguishes-3058728/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Distinguishes Superstars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinguishes-superstars-3058727/) [Ran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ran/) [Sales Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sales-ability-2452874/) [Superstar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstar/) [Superstars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstars/) [Superstars Rans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstars-rans-3058729/) ## Related quotes > [There's a wide range of sales ability: there are many gradations between novices, experts, and masters. There are even sales grandmasters. If you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/there-s-a-wide-range-of-sales-ability-there-are-many-gradations/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [I like to think of sales as the ability to gracefully persuade, not manipulate, a person or persons into a win - win situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-to-think-of-sales-as-the-ability-to-gracefully-persuade-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Any star thinks it's out of reach until it falls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/any-star-thinks-it-s-out-of-reach-until-it-falls/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [You become megastars when superstars start reprising your roles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mithun-chakraborty/you-become-megastars-when-superstars-start-reprising-your-roles/) [Mithun Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mithun-chakraborty/) > [There is Carrie Underwood, of course Miranda Lambert, and Taylor Swift - the three blondes in country music. They inspire me a lot, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-bradbery/there-is-carrie-underwood-of-course-miranda-lambert-and-taylor-swift/) [Danielle Bradbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-bradbery/) > [I'm not hungry for success. I am only hungry for good work, and that is how it is with most superstars. Every day I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-m-not-hungry-for-success-i-am-only-hungry-for-good-work-and-that-is/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There are probably guys who could be superstars but aren't because they didn't work at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-singh/there-are-probably-guys-who-could-be-superstars-but-aren-t-because/) [Vijay Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-singh/) > [If you take a bunch of superstars and put them in a room where they don't have their assistants and entourage, it's funny to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/if-you-take-a-bunch-of-superstars-and-put-them-in-a-room-where-they/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [My mama told me when I was young we're all born SUPERSTARS!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/my-mama-told-me-when-i-was-young-we-re-all-born-superstars/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Superstars think like superstars long before the fans or the press anoint them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-eliot/superstars-think-like-superstars-long-before-the-fans-or-the-press/) [John Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-eliot/) > [There's stars, superstars, and then there's Bobby Orr.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-savard/there-s-stars-superstars-and-then-there-s-bobby-orr/) [Serge Savard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-savard/) > [You have Superstars, and then you have mega Superstars. Brock Lesnar is a mega Superstar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldust/you-have-superstars-and-then-you-have-mega-superstars-brock-lesnar-is/) [Goldust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldust/) > [I don't love the idea of three superstars coming together to form a dream team, I'd rather teams are built more organically, just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/i-don-t-love-the-idea-of-three-superstars-coming-together-to-form-a/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [It really takes likeable superstars to get the attention of the masses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-wyatt/it-really-takes-likeable-superstars-to-get-the-attention-of-the-masses/) [Jennifer Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-wyatt/) > [There is one common thing in superstars - enthusiasm and humility towards their work. Off sets, they are big stars for others, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-bachchan/there-is-one-common-thing-in-superstars-enthusiasm-and-humility/) [Abhishek Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-bachchan/) ## More by Peter Thiel > [People don't want to believe that technology is broken. Pharmaceuticals, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology - all these areas where the progress has been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/people-don-t-want-to-believe-that-technology-is-broken/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [If you think about basic science or coming up with new theories of mathematics, these are not the kinds of things which are necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-think-about-basic-science-or-coming-up-with-new-theories-of/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [I think we have a bubble in the US in government bonds, because of the quantitative easing and the negative real interest rates, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/i-think-we-have-a-bubble-in-the-us-in-government-bonds-because-of-the/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Time and decision-making themselves follow a power law, and some moments matter far more than others”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/time-and-decision-making-themselves-follow-a-power-law-and-some/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today, we exaggerate the differences between left-liberal egalitarianism and libertarian individualism because almost everyone shares their common indefinite attitude. In philosophy, politics, and business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-we-exaggerate-the-differences-between-left-liberal/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [When you already have $150 billion a year in revenues from the iPhone, it's very hard to come up with any new vertical that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/when-you-already-have-150-billion-a-year-in-revenues-from-the-iphone/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“CREATIVE MONOPOLY means new products that benefit everybody and sustainable profits for the creator. Competition means no profits for anybody, no meaningful differentiation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/creative-monopoly-means-new-products-that-benefit-everybody-and/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“we have given up our sense of wonder at secrets left to be discovered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/we-have-given-up-our-sense-of-wonder-at-secrets-left-to-be-discovered/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Today our society is permeated by the twin ideas that death is both inevitable and random.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/today-our-society-is-permeated-by-the-twin-ideas-that-death-is-both/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“if your company can be summed up by its opposition to already existing firms, it can’t be completely new and it’s probably not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-your-company-can-be-summed-up-by-its-opposition-to-already/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“Is a lukewarm attitude to one’s work a sign of mental health? Is a merely professional attitude the only sane approach?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/is-a-lukewarm-attitude-to-one-s-work-a-sign-of-mental-health-is-a/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [“If you’ve invented something new but you haven’t invented an effective way to sell it, you have a bad business—no matter how good the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-ve-invented-something-new-but-you-haven-t-invented-an/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [The business model piece is we're always talking about competing more effectively. If you're starting a company or career you don't want to compete.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/the-business-model-piece-is-we-re-always-talking-about-competing-more/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [If you invest in Microsoft or Oracle, or a number of other companies for that matter, you're fundamentally making a bet that there's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/if-you-invest-in-microsoft-or-oracle-or-a-number-of-other-companies/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [Our economy is broken. I'm not a politician, but neither is Donald Trump. He is a builder, and it's time to rebuild America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/our-economy-is-broken-i-m-not-a-politician-but-neither-is-donald/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) [Explore all 257 Peter Thiel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whatever the career, sales ability distinguishes superstars from also-rans.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Peter Thiel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distinguishes-superstars-from-also/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distinguishes-superstars-from-also/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/peter-thiel-1311_ability_whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distin_2745381.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/peter-thiel-1311_ability_whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distin_2745381.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6e/peter-thiel-1311_ability_whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distin_2745381.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whatever the career, sales ability distinguishes superstars from also-rans.” — Peter Thiel", "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": "Peter Thiel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whatever the career, sales ability distinguishes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distinguishes-superstars-from-also/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/whatever-the-career-sales-ability-distinguishes-superstars-from-also/#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 } } ] } ```