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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.

In the '80s, I got tired of the rat race. It was a terrible time for music. I wasn't part of that whole MTV craze. I did 'Go Ahead and Rain,' which was Madeleine Stowe's first bit, but felt no...

Quotes by J. D. Souther

If you're graduating from high school, and you come from a lower income family, you're effectively given two options. One is get a four-year college degree; two is work at a low-wage job, potentially for the rest of your life....

Quotes by J. D. Vance

People have lost their faith that if they work hard, if they try to get ahead, if they play by the rules, then that will ultimately result in positive outcomes.

Quotes by J. D. Vance

Yes, sometimes I think that all my writing is nothing more than the compensatory work of a frustrated painter.

Quotes by J. G. Ballard

I would say that I quite consciously rely on my obsessions in all my work, that I deliberately set up an obsessional frame of mind. In a paradoxical way, this leaves one free of the subject of the obsession.

Quotes by J. G. Ballard

There were no museums or galleries in Shanghai, but I was very keen on art - I was always sketching and copying, and sometimes I think that my whole career as a writer has been the substitute work of an...

Quotes by J. G. Ballard

In some Old Testament books, it's very evident that an editor has been at work. That's quite all right. It's part of the process.

Quotes by J. I. Packer

I work with really hard-working people who are really good at what they do.

Quotes by J. J. Abrams

I have no style. There are certain people who just have a visual sense that defines their work. You could probably watch 30 seconds of anything they do and you'll know exactly who directed it. I don't have that skill.

Quotes by J. J. Abrams

Whenever I get an audition to do something that is sci-fi-related, it makes me really happy because I realize that I can continue doing the work that I'm doing and continue meeting people all over the world. It does baffle...

Quotes by J. August Richards

When you want to win, and you want to go to work every day, you want to work with high character people; you want to work with classy people.

Quotes by J. B. Bickerstaff

No matter what your job is, you know that you need to have a routine, that you need to be disciplined, you need to work.

Quotes by J. B. Bickerstaff

Grinding is a mindset and a willingness and commitment to work at it.

Quotes by J. B. Bickerstaff

It's hard to argue with a coach who says, 'I just want you to work.' What can you say to that without making a fool of yourself?

Quotes by J. B. Bickerstaff

My dad traveled so much for work that, when he was home, we always wanted to spend as much time with him as we could, so going to practices and doing stuff like that with him took precedence over Saturday...

Quotes by J. B. Bickerstaff

Trump can spend virtually an unlimited amount of his own money on this election, which makes him unlike any of the other candidates in the race. So those who oppose him will have to work very hard to make sure...

Quotes by J. B. Pritzker

When you're governor, you've got to step up to the plate; you've got to make a proposal for a balanced budget. That's the requirement. And then you've got to sit down and negotiate if the folks that you need to...

Quotes by J. B. Pritzker

My work in the House of Representatives, at this time in my life, is completed. It is time to return home.

Quotes by J. C. Watts

I always feel like it's two key ingredients when it comes to following your dreams, making something happen that the average person deems difficult. If you truly believe it, that's step one. Step two, is, you know, the hard work...

Quotes by J. Cole

The American people are not just being taxed to death; they're being taxed after death. But, no one should have to sell the life's work of a parent or a loved one just to pay the federal government.

Quotes by J. D. Hayworth

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.