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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.

Many people flounder about in life because they do not have a purpose, an objective toward which to work.

Quotes by George Halas

Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right.' Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.

Quotes by George Herbert

As a matter of fact, there was a period of time, especially in my first career, when that's the only one who would work out with me: my dogs. As you get better and better working out, there's no one...

Quotes by George Foreman

After you work out, you have your dog with you. There's no better companion. You've got to have a friend. I didn't like opponents who had dogs with them. Because you know they had a little edge. They have a...

Quotes by George Foreman

To build a character like Henry Warnimont required a few weeks and months of work. It turned out he was basically a very kind and generous man, which he covered up with his surface gruffness and surface bluster. And the...

Quotes by George Gaynes

Writing music is not so much inspiration as hard work.

Quotes by George Gershwin

All these tales of people sitting down and composing symphonies just as though they were writing a letter are very much exaggerated; at least, it isn't that way in my work.

Quotes by George Gershwin

It may be, however, that I am too much wedded to my own views in the matter, and as I have spent nearly eight years of the hardest work of my life in this department, I respectfully request that I...

Quotes by George Crook

I work through the actors, and the more successful I am, the less my work is apparent.

Quotes by George Cukor

Throughout the course of my life, I've been blessed to work with extremely talented people.

Quotes by George Dzundza

I just am grateful for every opportunity to go to work. I don't really focus on celebrity status.

Quotes by George Dzundza

I work so hard for the fans who watch our show.

Quotes by George Eads

A lot of movie stars don't want to go to TV because of how hard you have to work. You have to be a soldier.

Quotes by George Eads

Around '93, I had to get a couple of jobs. I had a job for a while working at a gym, just so I could work out for free, because I knew if I didn't exercise, I'd go crazy. It's...

Quotes by George Eads

I think my father's skepticism fueled me to work harder.

Quotes by George Eads

If a man has wealth, he has to make a choice, because there is the money heaping up. He can keep it together in a bunch, and then leave it for others to administer after he is dead. Or he...

Quotes by George Eastman

Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse. Murphy's First Corollary If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the next morning you will have a flat tire.

Quotes by George Edward Woodberry

The critic is genius at one remove; he is not unlike an actor on the stage, and incarnates in his mind, as the actor embodies in his person, another's work; only thus does he understand art, realize it, know it;...

Quotes by George Edward Woodberry

Art is expression; what is expressed is often the vision of a subtle and powerful soul, and also his experience with his vision; and however vivid and skilful he may be in the means of expression, yet it is frequently...

Quotes by George Edward Woodberry

The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men.

George Eliot

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.