--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not 'Who are you?' but 'What are you?' is…" description: "\"Not 'Who are you?' but 'What are you?' is the real question.\" — Vikrant Parsai" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/vikrant-parsai-70_friend_not-who-are-you-but-what-are-you-is-the_844888.jpg" --- # Not 'Who are you?' but 'What are you?' is the real question. ![“Not 'Who are you?' but 'What are you?' is the real question.” quote by Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/vikrant-parsai-70_friend_not-who-are-you-but-what-are-you-is-the_844888.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/vikrant-parsai-70_friend_not-who-are-you-but-what-are-you-is-the_844888.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/vikrant-parsai-70_friend_not-who-are-you-but-what-are-you-is-the_844888.jpg) > “Not 'Who are you?' but 'What are you?' is the real question.” [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity is defined by actions and purpose, not merely by external labels. **In simple terms:** Who you are is what you do. Key Takeaway Focus on actions that define you. Themes identity purpose self-definition Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - coaching Key Concepts existentialism agency self-concept Questions to Reflect On - What actions best reflect your true self? - Can purpose change over time? A Different Perspective Actions may not fully capture inner complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“So you see, the real question isn't how I left this world to go to the woods. It's how I made myself come back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/so-you-see-the-real-question-isn-t-how-i-left-this-world-to-go-to-the/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Who can work without any attachment? That is the real question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/who-can-work-without-any-attachment-that-is-the-real-question/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I think PCs are going to continue to shift in form factor. The real question is: What's a PC?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/i-think-pcs-are-going-to-continue-to-shift-in-form-factor-the-real/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [A real question will make a real explanation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-question-will-make-a-real-explanation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The real question is: How do you react? What do you do next? Evade responsibilities? Bury yourself in work? What do you do? All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/the-real-question-is-how-do-you-react-what-do-you-do-next-evade/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [“though the real question is whether or not I will make you immortal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/though-the-real-question-is-whether-or-not-i-will-make-you-immortal/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The real question, after all, is not the quantity of life, but its quality, its depth, its purity, its fortitude, its fineness of spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fort-newton/the-real-question-after-all-is-not-the-quantity-of-life-but-its/) [Joseph Fort Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fort-newton/) > [What is the real question is not whether to be, but how to be?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/what-is-the-real-question-is-not-whether-to-be-but-how-to-be/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [There's a real question at stake now. Is President Obama creating a civil war in our own country?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-voight/there-s-a-real-question-at-stake-now-is-president-obama-creating-a/) [Jon Voight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-voight/) > [I have no idea where I'm going but here's the real question: What am I doing here in the first place?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-have-no-idea-where-i-m-going-but-here-s-the-real-question-what-am-i/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [The real question is who will innovate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/the-real-question-is-who-will-innovate/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [The real question is what to live for. And I can't answer it. Except another one of your records. And another chance for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/the-real-question-is-what-to-live-for-and-i-can-t-answer-it-except/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [The real question is why am I still friends with you after all you've done...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-question-is-why-am-i-still-friends-with-you-after-all-you-ve/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The real question is, can you love the real me? Not the perfect person you want me to be, not that image you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/the-real-question-is-can-you-love-the-real-me-not-the-perfect-person/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [I'm not a spy, which is the real question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/i-m-not-a-spy-which-is-the-real-question/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) ## More by Vikrant Parsai > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [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/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A child who goes to school but learns nothing is like an anchor that is always in the sea yet doesnt learn to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-child-who-goes-to-school-but-learns-nothing-is-like-an-anchor-that/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [To follow good manners willingly is like paving the road and to tell somebody to follow them is like the road which is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-follow-good-manners-willingly-is-like-paving-the-road-and-to-tell/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We must live not as we like, but as we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-must-live-not-as-we-like-but-as-we-can/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Man is so intelligent animal on earth that if he was empowered as much as God, he would start battling with him to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/man-is-so-intelligent-animal-on-earth-that-if-he-was-empowered-as/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Societies that are disciplined to get what they want become dangerous when they don't get what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/societies-that-are-disciplined-to-get-what-they-want-become-dangerous/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [It is the thoughts that matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-the-thoughts-that-matter/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [It is a bad well into which you have to pour water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-a-bad-well-into-which-you-have-to-pour-water/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [You can stop speaking to someone, but you cannot stop being related.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/you-can-stop-speaking-to-someone-but-you-cannot-stop-being-related/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Pay what you owe and youll know what youre worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/pay-what-you-owe-and-youll-know-what-youre-worth/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [He who has no house of his own is everywhere at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/he-who-has-no-house-of-his-own-is-everywhere-at-home/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Explore all 1,642 Vikrant Parsai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. 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When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. 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