Skip to content

Do not work primarily for money; do your duty to patients…

“Do not work primarily for money; do your duty to patients first and let the money follow; our life is short, we don't live twice; the whirlwind will pick up the leaves and spin them, but then it will drop them and they will form a pile.” quote by John Hersey
Download Open image
“Do not work primarily for money; do your duty to patients first and let the money follow; our life is short, we don't live twice; the whirlwind will pick up the leaves and spin them, but then it will drop them and they will form a pile.”

John Hersey

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Prioritize patient care over profit; life is brief, so focus on duty and let rewards arise naturally.

In simple terms: Put patients first, money follows; life is short.

Key Takeaway

Serve patients, let earnings follow.

Themes

ethics professionalism mortality priorities

Mood

reflective serious

Type

ethical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • clinical practice
  • hospital administration
  • personal career decisions
  • financial planning

Key Concepts

deontology humanism impermanence

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance financial needs with patient care?
  • What values guide your professional decisions?
A Different Perspective

Money may not always follow duty, especially in underfunded systems.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by John Hersey

Explore all 34 John Hersey quotes

More Duty quotes

Browse all 5,178 Duty quotes