--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of…" description: "\"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words.\" — Sanford Meisner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/sanford-meisner-16477_acting_an-ounce-of-behavior-is-worth-a-pound-of_378327.jpg" --- # An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words. ![“An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words.” quote by Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/sanford-meisner-16477_acting_an-ounce-of-behavior-is-worth-a-pound-of_378327.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/sanford-meisner-16477_acting_an-ounce-of-behavior-is-worth-a-pound-of_378327.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ea/sanford-meisner-16477_acting_an-ounce-of-behavior-is-worth-a-pound-of_378327.jpg) > “An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words.” [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actions speak louder than words; genuine behavior conveys truth more powerfully than mere speech. **In simple terms:** Behavior outweighs words. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic action. Themes communication authenticity acting expression truth Mood direct pragmatic thoughtful Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - interviews - public speaking - acting rehearsals - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology performance behavioral science Questions to Reflect On - When have you acted more than spoken? - How does behavior shape perception? A Different Perspective Words can be empty without sincere action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-teachers/) [Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior/) [Behavior Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behavior-worth-3437296/) [Best acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-acting/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Ounce Behavior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ounce-behavior-3437297/) [Pound Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pound-words-3437298/) [Pounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pounds/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Worth Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-pound-1791280/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest inspiration I draw upon is, is this city (New York) and riding the subway and watching people and I find that's kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-ryan/the-greatest-inspiration-i-draw-upon-is-is-this-city-new-york-and/) [Amy Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-ryan/) > [The word theatre comes from the Greeks. It means the seeing place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-adler/the-word-theatre-comes-from-the-greeks-it-means-the-seeing-place/) [Stella Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-adler/) > [“In a society as broken as ours, "antisocial" behavior is the only behavior worth defending.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-mclaughlin/in-a-society-as-broken-as-ours-antisocial-behavior-is-the-only/) [Lauren McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-mclaughlin/) > [“If all that you’re doing is going off at the mouth, a pound of words won’t make an ounce of sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/if-all-that-you-re-doing-is-going-off-at-the-mouth-a-pound-of-words/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Find in yourself those human things which are universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/find-in-yourself-those-human-things-which-are-universal/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [An ounce of sequins can be worth a pound of home cooking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-vos-savant/an-ounce-of-sequins-can-be-worth-a-pound-of-home-cooking/) [Marilyn vos Savant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-vos-savant/) > [An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-ounce-of-blood-is-worth-more-than-a-pound-of-friendship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An ounce of performance is worth more than a pound of preachment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/an-ounce-of-performance-is-worth-more-than-a-pound-of-preachment/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [An ounce of hypocracy is worth a pound of ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/an-ounce-of-hypocracy-is-worth-a-pound-of-ambition/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [He that will not stoop for a pin will never be worth a pound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-pepys/he-that-will-not-stoop-for-a-pin-will-never-be-worth-a-pound/) [Samuel Pepys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-pepys/) > [ “\[...\] one louing howre For many yeares of sorrow can dispence: A dram of sweet is worth a pound of sowre” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/one-louing-howre-for-many-yeares-of-sorrow-can-dispence-a-dram-of/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [“An ounce of wisdom is worth more than a pound of knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/an-ounce-of-wisdom-is-worth-more-than-a-pound-of-knowledge/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [An ounce of image is worth a pound of performance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lee-roth/an-ounce-of-image-is-worth-a-pound-of-performance/) [David Lee Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lee-roth/) > [An ounce of wit that is bought, Is worth a pound that is taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/an-ounce-of-wit-that-is-bought-is-worth-a-pound-that-is-taught/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [An ounce of hypocrisy is worth a pound of ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/an-ounce-of-hypocrisy-is-worth-a-pound-of-ambition/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) ## More by Sanford Meisner > [Life beats down and crushes our souls and theatre reminds us that we have one. At least the type of theatre that I'm interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/life-beats-down-and-crushes-our-souls-and-theatre-reminds-us-that-we/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [Don't be an actor. Be a human being who works off what exists under imaginary circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/don-t-be-an-actor-be-a-human-being-who-works-off-what-exists-under/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [WHY is the most important word in an actor's vocabulary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/why-is-the-most-important-word-in-an-actor-s-vocabulary/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/acting-is-behaving-truthfully-under-imaginary-circumstances/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [Being an actor is a religious calling because you've been given the ability, the gift to inspire humanity. Think about that on the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/being-an-actor-is-a-religious-calling-because-you-ve-been-given-the/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [Your acting will not be good until it is only yours. That's true of music, acting, anything creative. 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It's for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/as-a-convention-you-get-up-and-walk-to-the-window-to-make-the/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [Silence has a myriad of meanings. In the theater, silence is an absence of words, but never an absence of meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/silence-has-a-myriad-of-meanings-in-the-theater-silence-is-an-absence/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [With a developed imagination there's no place you can't go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/with-a-developed-imagination-there-s-no-place-you-can-t-go/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [Act before you think - your instincts are more honest than your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/act-before-you-think-your-instincts-are-more-honest-than-your-thoughts/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) > [The only way to deal with yourself as an actor is to follow the emotional truth of what you have to do under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-meisner/the-only-way-to-deal-with-yourself-as-an-actor-is-to-follow-the/) [Sanford Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) [Explore all 39 Sanford Meisner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-meisner/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. 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Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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