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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.

For years, Lebanese have known that Palestinian camps like Nahr al-Barid and Ain al-Helwe - hopeless slums crowded with generations of disenfranchised Palestinian refugees who can't go home because of Israel, and can't work because of Lebanese laws - are...

Quotes by Richard Engel

In recent years, more and more of my time has become absorbed by administrative work for the research council of ETH-Z of which I am presently the president.

Quotes by Richard Ernst

The principle of acting in good faith is at the heart of decent work.

Quotes by Richard Eyre

I'm wary of artistic directors who say, 'Here is my vision', because it's empirical. Basically it's about who you work with and what plays you put on; the vision comes out of that.

Quotes by Richard Eyre

I work really hard at these books, and when colleagues write nasty reviews of them, I take it very personally.

Quotes by Richard Ford

For a writer, children make life needlessly hard. I've muddled through a lot of things, but I have not muddled through my writing life. I work absolutely flat out, giving it my all.

Quotes by Richard Ford

There is no work of art that has ever been made that is absolutely truthful about life.

Quotes by Richard Foreman

Leadership is an act of submission to God. To be a leader means listening to all kinds of people and situations. Out of that listening, we are hoping to discern the mind of God as best we can. This is...

Quotes by Richard Foster

I always wanted to be a writer... 'Critical Care' was my first published work. I was 34 when it came out. I was accumulating 'Critical Care' for years. I would go for a whole year and not touch it. And...

Quotes by Richard Dooling

I don't think it's the case that 'posh actors' get more work than others.

Quotes by Richard E. Grant

Actors always think that others are getting more work than them. In my case, they usually are.

Quotes by Richard E. Grant

I always panic on the first day of work. You can do all the Stanislavsky-backstory homework, but when that moment arrives and you are in the clothes, hair, and makeup of somebody else, and you're saying the words created by...

Quotes by Richard E. Grant

Even with flexible time off to vote, it's still difficult for our people to juggle work, polls, childcare, and other responsibilities.

Quotes by Richard Edelman

I take the subway to work. I fly coach back and forth to Chicago.

Quotes by Richard Edelman

Israeli ingenuity was never more evident than in the Ayalon bullet factory built during the British occupation of Palestine. It was constructed underneath an urban kibbutz. The workers had a bakery and laundry which provided constant clatter to disguise the...

Quotes by Richard Edelman

People go to work at Wall Street firms to make a lot of money. They may not love what they are doing, but the punishing hours and travel are incredibly well-compensated. By contrast, the engineers at technology firms do believe...

Quotes by Richard Edelman

It may be fine for an artist to be indifferent to the reaction of the viewer to a work of art. A vigorous debate on issues is also beneficial. But the dark vision of a world without truth cannot be...

Quotes by Richard Edelman

We've very steadily and single-mindedly been building the bureau so that we can do the work that, quote, Congress required us to do and that the American people have every reason to expect, and deserve, that we will do.

Quotes by Richard Cordray

Our job, which Congress gave us, was to protect consumers. That work needs to be done in our communities for people regardless of what happens with elections, regardless of what happens with particular people and particular offices, and that is...

Quotes by Richard Cordray

As governor, I'll reverse cuts to the Local Government Fund and will work cooperatively with communities across the state to combat the challenges they face.

Quotes by Richard Cordray

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.