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.

Well, I like to have fun at work.

Quotes by John Malkovich

The only way to play football is with reckless abandon, or they'll knock your beard off. And with acting, you have to pull all the stops to make it work.

Quotes by John Matuszak

I work for a Government I despise for ends I think criminal.

Quotes by John Maynard Keynes

I'm as frustrated with the French, I think, as anyone, but look, there's going to be other challenges and there are going to be other issues. As long as there's a war on terrorism going on, we're all going to...

Quotes by John McCain

Alas few socialists are either benevolent enough to work hard at these occupations out of benevolence or self-interested enough to work hard at them for money.

Quotes by John McCarthy

Writing is hard work: it is like doing homework for the rest of your life. You are always chipping away at it.

Quotes by John Lutz

Regardless of what dreams you have, work very hard, play very hard, and have fun.

Quotes by John M. Grunsfeld

I think it's absolutely essential that the people that work for a company need to feel that they're part of something bigger - that it's not just a job.

Quotes by John Mackey

A healthy society rests on three pillars: business, government and civil society, or non-profits. Each has a distinct and important role to play, and all three need to work together synergistically to create the most value for society.

Quotes by John Mackey

It started when I moved into a vegetarian co-op back in the '70s, and that's really when I had my food consciousness awakened. I learned how to cook, and eventually I became the food buyer for the entire co-op. Not...

Quotes by John Mackey

I'd like to work with kids in special education - younger kids.

Quotes by John Madden

If a guy doesn't work hard and doesn't play well, he can't lead anything. All he is, is a talker.

Quotes by John Madden

I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I never really had a job. I was a football player, then a football coach, then a football broadcaster. It's been my life. Pro football has been my life since 1967. I've enjoyed...

Quotes by John Madden

It is certainly good to have fans but I am always focusing on the next thing and continuing to do good work. Onward and upward.

Quotes by John Magaro

I don't take much from my own father, because he was a very austere, quiet, private man who would come home from work, go to his parlour and play Beethoven on his piano.

Quotes by John Mahoney

I have a huge admiration for the House of Lords, I have a huge admiration for the people who work in the House of Lords, they're great public servants and they do an absolutely tremendous job.

Quotes by John Major

In fact, things are moving along rather well in Iraq. Nothing is perfect, of course, and freedom is messy work. The cooperation of the three major interests in Iraq has been remarkable.

Quotes by John Linder

I probably did pack a lifetime's work into the 1980s.

Quotes by John Lloyd

Jokes are a lot about meaning. I think if we understand what jokes mean and why they work, we'd understand everything else. Genuinely I do.

Quotes by John Lloyd

All wealth is the product of labor.

Quotes by John Locke

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.