--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Buying's easier, selling's hard - [it's]…" description: "\"Buying's easier, selling's hard - [it's] hard to know when to get out.\" — Seth Klarman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/seth-klarman-1979_buying_buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard_684466.png" --- # Buying's easier, selling's hard - \[it's\] hard to know when… ![“Buying's easier, selling's hard - [it's] hard to know when to get out.” quote by Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/seth-klarman-1979_buying_buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard_684466.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/seth-klarman-1979_buying_buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard_684466.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/seth-klarman-1979_buying_buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard_684466.png) > “Buying's easier, selling's hard - \[it's\] hard to know when to get out.” [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Investing requires different skills for entry and exit; timing exits is harder than entering. **In simple terms:** Buying is easy, selling is hard. Key Takeaway Focus on exit strategies. Themes investment risk management timing Mood analytical cautious Type financial practical When to use this quote - stock trading - real estate - business exits - portfolio rebalancing Key Concepts finance behavioral economics market cycles Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide when to sell? - What signals indicate a good exit? A Different Perspective Exits can be unpredictable despite analysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) ## Related quotes > [Getting 10,000 listeners for a free podcast novel is a lot easier than selling 10,000 hardcover novels at $25 a pop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-robinson/getting-10-000-listeners-for-a-free-podcast-novel-is-a-lot-easier/) [Jeremy Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-robinson/) > [To some extent, the act of creation and the act of selling are hard to disentangle. If you create something, whether it's a painting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/to-some-extent-the-act-of-creation-and-the-act-of-selling-are-hard-to/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [“Selling is hard to teach because it is about what exists in your head and what goes on in your whole life. The objective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-delves-broughton/selling-is-hard-to-teach-because-it-is-about-what-exists-in-your-head/) Philip Delves Broughton > [Damn that shit even the odds now. You better off selling this hard now. You call it living out your dreams. You can't fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pusha-t/damn-that-shit-even-the-odds-now-you-better-off-selling-this-hard-now/) [Pusha T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pusha-t/) > [The near absence of bargains works as a reverse indicator for us. When we find there is little worth buying, there is probably much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/the-near-absence-of-bargains-works-as-a-reverse-indicator-for-us-when/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [I was happy buying and selling gold in bars, as it is easier and profitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-kundra/i-was-happy-buying-and-selling-gold-in-bars-as-it-is-easier-and/) [Raj Kundra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-kundra/) > [It is crucial to have a strategy in place before problems hit, precisely because no one can accurately predict the future direction of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/it-is-crucial-to-have-a-strategy-in-place-before-problems-hit/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [I wish we didn't live in a world where buying and selling things seems to have become almost more important than either producing or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-wish-we-didn-t-live-in-a-world-where-buying-and-selling-things/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Business is not financial science, it's about trading.. buying and selling. It's about creating a product or service so good that people will pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/business-is-not-financial-science-it-s-about-trading-buying-and/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [“We all need salespeople with humility, honesty, integrity, empathy and an old-fashioned work ethic that ensures the job gets done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/we-all-need-salespeople-with-humility-honesty-integrity-empathy-and/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [Well, capitalism is a big problem, because with capitalism you're just going to keep buying and selling things until there's nothing else to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/well-capitalism-is-a-big-problem-because-with-capitalism-you-re-just/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The perfect mystic is not an ecstatic devotee lost in contemplation of Oneness, nor a saintly recluse shunning all commerce with mankind, but "the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-sa-id-abul-khayr/the-perfect-mystic-is-not-an-ecstatic-devotee-lost-in-contemplation/) Abu-Sa'id Abul-Khayr > [And I also think it's a violin when you're selling it and a fiddle when you're buying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-shires/and-i-also-think-it-s-a-violin-when-you-re-selling-it-and-a-fiddle/) [Amanda Shires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-shires/) > [What is the focus of the new image infrastructure? Attention. It's all designed for capturing, tracking, quantifying, manipulating, holding, buying, selling and controlling attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mau/what-is-the-focus-of-the-new-image-infrastructure-attention-it-s-all/) [Bruce Mau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mau/) > [“If you have half a nothing - sell it for a double something, resell half at double-price, and buy another something and a half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/if-you-have-half-a-nothing-sell-it-for-a-double-something-resell-half/) Will Advise ## More by Seth Klarman > [Unlike return, however, risk is no more quantifiable at the end of an investment that it was at its beginning. Risk simply cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/unlike-return-however-risk-is-no-more-quantifiable-at-the-end-of-an/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Because investors are not usually penalized for adhering to conventional practices, doing so is the less professionally risky strategy, even though it virtually guarantees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/because-investors-are-not-usually-penalized-for-adhering-to/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Value investing is risk aversion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/value-investing-is-risk-aversion/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Be focused on process and not outcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/be-focused-on-process-and-not-outcome/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [There is an old saying, "How did you go bankrupt?" And the answer is, "Gradually, and then suddenly." The impending fiscal crisis in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/there-is-an-old-saying-how-did-you-go-bankrupt-and-the-answer-is/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [In a rising market, everyone makes money and a value philosophy is unnecessary. But because there is no certain way to predict what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/in-a-rising-market-everyone-makes-money-and-a-value-philosophy-is/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Ultimately, nothing should be more important to investors than the ability to sleep soundly at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/ultimately-nothing-should-be-more-important-to-investors-than-the/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [The best protection against risk is knowing what you are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/the-best-protection-against-risk-is-knowing-what-you-are-doing/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Warren Buffett once wrote that value investing is like an inoculation--it either takes or it doesn't--and when you explain to somebody what it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/warren-buffett-once-wrote-that-value-investing-is-like-an-inoculation/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [It is important to remember that value investing is not a perfect science. It is an, with an ongoing need for judgment, refinement, patience,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/it-is-important-to-remember-that-value-investing-is-not-a-perfect/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Value investing is at its core the marriage of a contrarian streak and a calculator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/value-investing-is-at-its-core-the-marriage-of-a-contrarian-streak/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [The avoidance of loss is the surest way to ensure a profitable outcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/the-avoidance-of-loss-is-the-surest-way-to-ensure-a-profitable-outcome/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Do not suffer interim losses, relish and appreciate them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/do-not-suffer-interim-losses-relish-and-appreciate-them/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [Ratings agencies are highly conflicted, unimaginative dupes. They are blissfully unaware of adverse selection and moral hazard. Investors should never trust them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/ratings-agencies-are-highly-conflicted-unimaginative-dupes-they-are/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [It is crucial to have a strategy in place before problems hit, precisely because no one can accurately predict the future direction of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/it-is-crucial-to-have-a-strategy-in-place-before-problems-hit/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) [Explore all 193 Seth Klarman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) ## More Buying quotes > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Corporations invest in sophisticated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, programs to effectively oversee their relationship with their customers at every point during the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/corporations-invest-in-sophisticated-crm-or-customer-relationship/) [Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/) > [I'm being called in by all the great casting directors. It's no longer based on a headshot. I realize now what they're buying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-gonzalez/i-m-being-called-in-by-all-the-great-casting-directors-it-s-no-longer/) [Nicholas Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-gonzalez/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [There's a whole generation of women who never really heard the word investment before, when it came to fashion. They've been buying things because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/there-s-a-whole-generation-of-women-who-never-really-heard-the-word/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [I think buying a home is the best investment that any individual can make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paulson/i-think-buying-a-home-is-the-best-investment-that-any-individual-can/) [John Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paulson/) > [The more a prospective customer clicks on you and your stuff, the easier it is for them to make a buying decision in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/the-more-a-prospective-customer-clicks-on-you-and-your-stuff-the/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [“If you have half a nothing - sell it for a double something, resell half at double-price, and buy another something and a half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/if-you-have-half-a-nothing-sell-it-for-a-double-something-resell-half/) Will Advise > [Every kid looks forward to buying their first JanSport backpack for school - you know my kids did!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/every-kid-looks-forward-to-buying-their-first-jansport-backpack-for/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [What is the focus of the new image infrastructure? Attention. It's all designed for capturing, tracking, quantifying, manipulating, holding, buying, selling and controlling attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mau/what-is-the-focus-of-the-new-image-infrastructure-attention-it-s-all/) [Bruce Mau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mau/) > [It’s always going to be easy to live like others or other’s life, because creating or innovating something of own is always difficult in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/it-s-always-going-to-be-easy-to-live-like-others-or-other-s-life/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [The truth is, if I was maybe better or funnier or prettier, wouldn't I have starred in a movie? I can see it objectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/the-truth-is-if-i-was-maybe-better-or-funnier-or-prettier-wouldn-t-i/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) [Browse all 1,598 Buying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Buying's easier, selling's hard - [it's] hard to know when to get out.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Seth Klarman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard-to-know-when-to-get-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Buying" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard-to-know-when-to-get-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/seth-klarman-1979_buying_buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard_684466.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/seth-klarman-1979_buying_buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard_684466.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/267/seth-klarman-1979_buying_buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard_684466.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Buying's easier, selling's hard - [it's] hard to know when to get out.” — Seth Klarman", "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": "Seth Klarman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Buying's easier, selling's hard - [it's]...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard-to-know-when-to-get-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/buying-s-easier-selling-s-hard-it-s-hard-to-know-when-to-get-out/#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 } } ] } ```