Logo - Feel The Words

Work Quotes

Quotes on the meaning of work.

Several quotes here describe work as a solitary process, one that takes real effort to protect from distraction, while others connect a person's politics directly to the character of their work. Related reading includes Growth Quotes.

Tomorrow is the day when idlers work, and fool reform, and mortal men lay hold on heaven.

Quotes by Andrew Young

Sometimes I have to shake my head at how much work it can take to track down a handful of food. Perfect example: I spent a whole day in the Amazon rainforest, in Ecuador, scouring the trunks of dead palm...

Quotes by Andrew Zimmern

Remember for stir-frying not to use a wok bigger than 16 inches. Once it has food in it, you won't be able to work very efficiently.

Quotes by Andrew Zimmern

In the frequently-asked-question category, the question I get asked almost as much as 'What's the worst thing you've ever eaten?' is 'What's the best pair of pants to travel in, work in, trek in, and use on the road for...

Quotes by Andrew Zimmern

The biggest thing that I learned is when you're building something - especially a project that requires partners - you have to make sure that there is a lot of overlapping desire and a lot of overlapping alignment with the...

Quotes by Andrew Zimmern

I can tell everything about a restaurant through their mussels. You have to work so hard to keep them perfect.

Quotes by Andrew Zimmern

The work that I feel is most authentically mine is the one that is my first reaction, the first thing that feels like the truth. In aggregate, those choices, those series of decisions, create your point of view, your visual...

Quotes by Andrew Zuckerman

All of us in the field must remain constantly vigilant and fight against all types of inappropriate and hurtful behavior and continue the essential work of creating a fair and safe work environment for all classical musicians.

Quotes by Andris Nelsons

You must take care of your family, respect the music, and work intensely. Health and family come first, and then you can make much better music.

Quotes by Andris Nelsons

You have two choices when someone changes your work. You can either wash your hands of it or embrace it.

Quotes by Andrew Niccol

Slavery, first and foremost, was an energy institution. Shackling human muscle was about getting work done.

Quotes by Andrew Nikiforuk

The problem with cap-and-trade and programs such as carbon capture and storage is that they all assume that business as usual can continue. The financial meltdown and peak oil has pretty much demonstrated that business as usual's not going to...

Quotes by Andrew Nikiforuk

In Washington, I will never vote to raise taxes, I will fight to repeal healthcare reform, and I will work to balance the budget.

Quotes by Andrew P. Harris

Many counties in Maryland are above the average unemployment rate for both Maryland and the United States. We need representation in Congress who will make creating jobs the No. 1 priority so the people of Maryland can get back to...

Quotes by Andrew P. Harris

I always believed in my ability. I just had to work hard and be patient and, yeah, at times it didn't look likely. You need a wee stroke of luck but every chance I've been given, I've taken.

Quotes by Andrew Robertson

It's great being a dad. It's like anyone, if things aren't going well at work, and you go home and see your missus and kid, then it cheers you up straight away.

Quotes by Andrew Robertson

Everything I get praised for, I can still work on and get better.

Quotes by Andrew Robertson

One of the hard truths about the new digital world is that we have to be prepared to acknowledge when an experiment is not going to work, and to take action.

Quotes by Andrew Rosenthal

I got my start in the 'New York Times' because I used to read Stuart Elliot, the advertising columns. I still do. And I read him so religiously, I wanted to work for him before I died.

Quotes by Andrew Ross Sorkin

In the age of activism that is clearly not going away, it would seem that some form of engagement from directors with shareholders - rather than directors simply taking their cues from management - would go a long way toward...

Quotes by Andrew Ross Sorkin

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of quotes are on the "Work" page?
These lean toward the thoughtful side of work — the idea that "intellectual work is essentially a lonely process," the belief that one's politics and "the character of his particular work are inseparable," and an image of people unwinding after work all over the world talking about life's bigger questions.
Is there a spiritual angle to any of these?
While these particular quotes are secular, if you're looking for a spiritual perspective on work, see Prayers for that theme.
Do these quotes connect work to personal identity?
Yes, one of the strongest lines here argues that your politics and "the character of his particular work are inseparable" — the idea that what you do reflects who you are. If that resonates, Growth quotes explore a similar idea of work shaping the person.
Is there anything here about effort or persistence?
These specific quotes focus more on the nature and meaning of work than on effort itself, but Effort quotes cover that ground directly.
What about setting goals through work?
For that angle, Goal quotes is the better fit — the "Work" page here is more about the character and process of working itself.

There's also a lighter side - people unwinding after work to talk through life's bigger questions over drinks. See Effort Quotes and Goal Quotes for more on getting things done.