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.

Some fatherlands are difficult. Germany is one of them. But it is our fatherland. Here is where we live and work.

Quotes by Gustav Heinemann

On my first days here I did not start work immediately but, as planned, I took it easy for a few days - flicked through books, studied Japanese art a little.

Quotes by Gustav Klimt

Through years of secret work, scientific and basic ground work was laid, in order to be ready again to work the German Armed Forces at the appointed hour, without loss of time or experience.

Quotes by Gustav Krupp

Discipline, work. Work, discipline.

Quotes by Gustav Mahler

To judge a composer's work, one must consider it as a whole.

Quotes by Gustav Mahler

Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

The artist must be in his work as God is in creation, invisible and all-powerful; one must sense him everywhere but never see him.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

You can calculate the worth of a man by the number of his enemies, and the importance of a work of art by the harm that is spoken of it.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

The author, in his work, must be like God in the Universe, present everywhere and visible nowhere.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

I love my work with a frenetic and perverse love, as an ascetic loves the hair shirt which scratches his belly.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

Style is as much under the words as in the words. It is as much the soul as it is the flesh of a work.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

The better a work is, the more it attracts criticism; it is like the fleas who rush to jump on white linens.

Quotes by Gustave Flaubert

This goal can and must be attained in this life. But even if this does not happen, remember that he who has found the way once, always returns to this world with an internal maturity that enables him to continue...

Quotes by Gustave Meyrink

I do not believe in inspiration, but I must have a title in order to work, otherwise I am lost.

Quotes by Guillermo Cabrera Infante

Many of my books have begun with the title, because naming a work already in progress makes no sense to me.

Quotes by Guillermo Cabrera Infante

I love Rob Zombie - I'd love to work with Rob Zombie or John Cameron Mitchell.

Quotes by Guillermo Diaz

It's important to work really hard to get what you want.

Quotes by Guillermo Diaz

I learned to really pursue things I really wanted. If it is just for the money, that's not going to work out. You have to like it.

Quotes by Guillermo Diaz

I am pleased that my work has been recognized, and I hope to be a role model.

Quotes by Guler Sabanci

I would like to work with brands I personally love, like Haider Ackermann, Chanel, or Off-White, to even newer brands like Rhude and A-Cold-Wall. It's easier and more organic when you know and love the brand already.

Quotes by Gunna

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.