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.

I didn't pursue acting as a career until I got my first job. I didn't think I could make a living at it. You hear such horror stories about how hard it is to get work as an actor. It...

Quotes by Mary Page Keller

The more I think about the Olympics, even from afar, its mere concept stuns me. I can't think of any other line of work where, every four years, people gather to be ranked one, two, and three, then are more...

Quotes by Mary Pilon

It's still thrilling, even if my work is something that people even pretend they're interested in on a first date or at a cocktail party.

Quotes by Mary Pilon

Much like film, authors spend a fair amount of time alone in the creative process, tossing their work out into what can feel like an abyss, void of real people.

Quotes by Mary Pilon

I liked my skirts short because I wanted to run and catch the bus to get to work.

Quotes by Mary Quant

I didn't get fat even when I was pregnant. You have to work very hard at staying slim, and it's a bore. But it's worth it.

Quotes by Mary Quant

I can't imagine not working, really. I just think work's more fun than fun.

Quotes by Mary Quant

I divide my time between all the mud and open space in Surrey and the social life and work in London, particularly Chelsea, which still has the same village feel that it had in the swinging Sixties.

Quotes by Mary Quant

Have you ever struggled to find work or love, only to find them after you have given up? This is the paradox of letting go. Let go, in order to achieve. Letting go is God's law.

Quotes by Mary Manin Morrissey

The communication is in the work and words are no substitute for this.

Quotes by Mary Martin

You musn't force sex to do the work of love or love to do the work of sex.

Quotes by Mary McCarthy

I'm from durable stock. I'm made to work. I'm Irish.

Quotes by Mary McCormack

I always want to work.

Quotes by Mary McCormack

I think it's good for moms to work. I have three daughters, so I like them to see me working and doing something I'm passionate about.

Quotes by Mary McCormack

It's phenomenally important to me that, if I'm going to be spending years on a project, I need to be interested in the whole thing. I'm not there to be on my own. And if I'm going to be with...

Quotes by Mary McDonnell

I love to work. I love to have complexity.

Quotes by Mary McDonnell

Critics will tell you the 'meet cute' is a tired old writing cliche, but the thing is, cliche's work - because they ring true with the reader.

Quotes by Mary Kay Andrews

I had never thought about writing a novel. But I had two young kids, and I realized that if I could write a novel, I could work at home.

Quotes by Mary Kay Andrews

For years, I swore I couldn't work out because my own sweat gave me a rash.

Quotes by Mary Kay Andrews

Give yourself something to work toward - constantly.

Quotes by Mary Kay Ash

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.