Business Quote by Robert Louis Stevenson
“Everyone lives by selling something.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Treasure Island, 1883
Everyone must exchange something of value to survive.
In simple terms: All life involves trade.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the exchange in every interaction.
Themes
economics
ethics
survival
Mood
analytical
pragmatic
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- business negotiations
- daily bartering
- career networking
Key Concepts
trade
value
exchange
Questions to Reflect On
- What do you trade daily?
- How does this shape relationships?
A Different Perspective
May ignore non‑material exchanges.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)