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Hard Look Quotes

The moment you finally stop looking away.

These quotes are about the moment someone forces a long, hard look — at big data's promises, a broken publishing contract, or one's own life choices.

The Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice should take a long, hard look at the standard publishing contract.

Quotes by Thomas Hauser

You know it's time to step back and take a long, hard look at yourself when a New York City cabbie is giving you life advice.

Quotes by Stephanie Ruhle

I've addressed this before, and I'll say it again: The league has to take a long, hard look at full-time officials. The officiating has been inconsistent all season long.

Quotes by Ron Jaworski

I think that if the novel's task is to describe where we find ourselves and how we live now, the novelist must take a good, hard look at the most central facts of contemporary life - technology and science.

Quotes by Richard Powers

Depth Quotes

If you really want to step up your team's creative thinking, take a hard look at how many people you're putting in a room together. More than three to five is probably too many.

Quotes by Patrick Lencioni

We must continue working to build trust between communities and law enforcement. We must continue working to guarantee every person in this country equal justice under the law. And we must take a hard look at the ease with which...

Quotes by Loretta Lynch

The promoters of big data would like us to believe that behind the lines of code and vast databases lie objective and universal insights into patterns of human behavior, be it consumer spending, criminal or terrorist acts, healthy habits, or...

Quotes by Kate Crawford

If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take the long hard look and just believe that if you're consistent, you will succeed.

Quotes by John Lewis

In California, we've had a series of millionaires and billionaires and CEOs and movie stars. We need to take a hard look at how we define legitimate and credible candidates.

Quotes by Elizabeth Emken

Emotion Quotes

There's a common misconception about running for office. People think it's dreadful, morally compromising work. But I've found the opposite is true. It made a better person and a better feminist. It forced me to take a hard look at...

Quotes by Brianna Wu

We are always taking a hard look at how life was in the past in coming up with interesting subject matter for our various series, and remembering how much I used to want an encyclopedia as a kid made me...

Quotes by Benny Fine

After you do a joke a few times, you have material that you know works. Although sometimes I have a joke that has worked a bunch of times and then one night it'll flop. And that's when I really take...

Quotes by Aziz Ansari

Pictures get manipulated, pictures get dropped into accounts. We've asked an internet security firm and a law firm to take a hard look at this to come up with a conclusion about what happened and to make sure it doesn't...

Quotes by Anthony Weiner

I'm at the point in my life where I don't want to work as hard. Actually, I've had to take a good hard look at workaholism and it's effect on one's mental health.

Quotes by Alan Ball

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'taking a hard look' mean in these quotes?
It means pausing to honestly examine something — whether that's a business practice, a broken system, or your own life — instead of accepting things at face value.
Why do people search for hard look quotes?
They're often shared as a nudge toward self-reflection or accountability, useful for posts about personal growth, business ethics, or honest self-assessment.
Is there a quote about scrutinizing a specific industry?
Yes — one calls on the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division to seriously examine standard publishing agreements, applying the idea to corporate fairness rather than personal reflection.
Is there a quote about getting life advice from an unexpected source?
Yes — one recalls realizing it was time for honest self-examination after an ordinary New York City cab ride turned into an unsolicited life lesson, a wry take on humbling moments.
Do any quotes connect a hard look to staying hopeful?
One does — arguing that taking the long, hard look only works if paired with hope and consistency, framing honest self-examination as a step toward success rather than despair.

A New York City cabbie handing out life advice or a call to scrutinize a standard contract both prove a hard look is where real honesty and reflection begin.