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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.

I think that our primary concern is that the membership in our industry become active. I'm not talking about the candidates being active. I'm talking about the few hundred thousand people who work in the industry around the United States.

Quotes by Lew Wasserman

Forgiving is love's toughest work, and love's biggest risk.

Quotes by Lewis B. Smedes

Any lazy or biased fool can have opinions; making judgments is the hard work of responsible and compassionate people.

Quotes by Lewis B. Smedes

Seeing reality for what it is is what we call discernment. The work of discernment is very hard.

Quotes by Lewis B. Smedes

When I first started out, they were like, 'Is there anybody that you like that you want to work with, and we'll see what we can do?' And I went, 'I like Malay,' who's Frank Ocean's producer, and they were...

Quotes by Lewis Capaldi

We must ensure that we are hiring and retaining qualified, diverse candidates not only to teach in our classrooms, but to work at the DOE overseeing our students' education.

Quotes by Letitia James

Each day, millions of police officers do the selfless work of putting their lives on the line to protect civilians, frequently responding to or preventing crises completely with no recognition.

Quotes by Letitia James

Our justice system allows district attorneys to be charged with the great responsibility of prosecuting the very same police officers they work side-by-side with every day and whose union support they seek when running for reelection.

Quotes by Letitia James

No person should live in poverty after a life of hard work.

Quotes by Letitia James

No NYCHA resident should have to worry about the walk home at night through their neighborhood after they finish work. Yet for some NYCHA residents, worrying is a part of daily life.

Quotes by Letitia James

In my mind, I don't really see myself as being famous. I just think my work is being exposed to a bigger audience.

Quotes by Letitia Wright

I've always believed in staying in a positive frame of mind and allowing God to work and move. It's about having patience.

Quotes by LeToya Luckett

Although Freud said happiness is composed of love and work, reality often forces us to choose love or work.

Quotes by Letty Cottin Pogrebin

I have spent many, many hours reading J.K. Rowling's work. I am a known 'Harry Potter' fan.

Quotes by Lev Grossman

I love rare books. Not that I own a lot of them, mind you. You couldn't quite call me a rare-book collector. But I did once work in a rare-books library, and I wrote a novel about a rare book.

Quotes by Lev Grossman

I don't personally try to balance my work because I operate under the assumption that anyone reading or watching my stuff isn't having a particularly balanced day anyway. But negative attitudes just amuse me more than positive ones.

Quotes by Lev Yilmaz

A lot of hard work has to go into your career, and preparation, and being your best at all times.

Quotes by Leven Rambin

As the TiVos and the Replays are coming into our world - and they're coming - it's better to - be inside the tent and figure out what they're doing and to work hand in hand with them as opposed...

Quotes by Leslie Moonves

CBS is proud to have been the home of David Letterman since 1993. He is truly one of the great talents of our time, and we hope things work out.

Quotes by Leslie Moonves

I understand why creative people like dark, but American audiences don't like dark. They like story. They do not respond to nervous breakdowns and unhappy episodes that lead nowhere. They like their characters to be a part of the action....

Quotes by Leslie Moonves

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.