---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not waste the vast majority of your…"
description: "\"Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. Y..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/adrian-tan-33122_comfort_do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-l_2592698.jpg"
---

#  Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing…

![“Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway. Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again…” quote by Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/adrian-tan-33122_comfort_do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-l_2592698.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/adrian-tan-33122_comfort_do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-l_2592698.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/adrian-tan-33122_comfort_do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-l_2592698.jpg)

> “Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway. Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons: you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.”

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

## About This Quote

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

Avoid spending most of life on work you despise; instead, repeatedly engage in activities you love, which builds skill and intrinsic value.

**In simple terms:** Do what you love repeatedly instead of hating your job.

Key Takeaway

Find joy, repeat it, become skilled.

Themes

purpose work play skill development intrinsic motivation

Mood

motivational pragmatic inspirational

Type

advice self‑help

When to use this quote

- career planning
- creative hobbies
- personal development
- life coaching

Key Concepts

growth mindset habit formation career fulfillment

Questions to Reflect On

- What passions could become sustainable?
- How can you balance play with responsibility?

A Different Perspective

The advice may ignore practical financial constraints.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/)

## Related quotes

> [“The truth is that I've never cared anything about sports. In PE, I do my best to get hit with the dodgeball on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-lloyd/the-truth-is-that-i-ve-never-cared-anything-about-sports-in-pe-i-do-2/)

[Natalie Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-lloyd/)

> [Gently resist the temptation to chase your dreams into the world; pursue them in your heart until they disappear into the Self, and leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/gently-resist-the-temptation-to-chase-your-dreams-into-the-world/)

[Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/)

> [I have found that people who can successfully resist temptation invariably lead depressingly stunted lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-d-payne/i-have-found-that-people-who-can-successfully-resist-temptation/)

[C.D. Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-d-payne/)

> [The experiments show quite clearly that, as you resist more and more temptation, you're actually more and more likely to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/the-experiments-show-quite-clearly-that-as-you-resist-more-and-more/)

[Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/)

> [By and large the United States has been able to resist the temptation to close its doors to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mahony/by-and-large-the-united-states-has-been-able-to-resist-the-temptation/)

[Roger Mahony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mahony/)

> [“I can resist anything except temptation." Ren, main character in Sherrilyn Kenyon's novel Time Untime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-can-resist-anything-except-temptation-ren-main-character-in/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [But often, it's easier to resist temptation with distraction, or to be so inculcated in doing the right thing that it's automatic, outside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-often-it-s-easier-to-resist-temptation-with-distraction-or-to-be/)

[Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/)

> [I never resist temptation, because I have found that things that are bad for me do not tempt me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-never-resist-temptation-because-i-have-found-that-things-that-are/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [Don't tempt me, I can resist anything but temptation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-hope/don-t-tempt-me-i-can-resist-anything-but-temptation/)

[Bob Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-hope/)

> [Resist the temptation to think what afflicts you is peculiar to you. Have faith that what is in your consciousness can be communicated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/resist-the-temptation-to-think-what-afflicts-you-is-peculiar-to-you/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [We should resist the temptation to identify our religious convictions with the platform of a party or the platitudes of favored politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-e-reed-jr/we-should-resist-the-temptation-to-identify-our-religious-convictions/)

[Ralph E. Reed, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-e-reed-jr/)

> [Resist the temptation to ascribe motive, because you really don't know - and it gets in the way of being able to reach a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/resist-the-temptation-to-ascribe-motive-because-you-really-don-t-know/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [“One thing I’ve learned is it’s better sometimes, in the weeds, to resist the temptation to stand up and follow the compass. \*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/one-thing-i-ve-learned-is-it-s-better-sometimes-in-the-weeds-to/)

[John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/)

> [We must resist the temptation of once again turning America into the traditional bogeyman of the left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-napolitano/we-must-resist-the-temptation-of-once-again-turning-america-into-the/)

[Giorgio Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-napolitano/)

> [Wish there was something that I could say or do, I can resist anything but the temptation from you. But I'd rather walk alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/wish-there-was-something-that-i-could-say-or-do-i-can-resist-anything/)

[Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/)

## More by Adrian Tan

> [“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinking-that-you-ll-have-another-40/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/you-will-find-that-when-you-have-someone-to-love-that-the-face-is/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [“There’s a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are “making a living”.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/there-s-a-common-misconception-that-work-is-necessary-you-will-meet/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/it-is-far-too-easy-to-be-liked-one-merely-has-to-be-accommodating-and/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [Find that pursuit that will energize you, consume you, become an obsession. Each day, you must rise with a restless enthusiasm. If you don't,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/find-that-pursuit-that-will-energize-you-consume-you-become-an/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [Life is complicated. It wtarts before we're ready, it continues while we're still trying to figure out the point of it. And it ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/life-is-complicated-it-wtarts-before-we-re-ready-it-continues-while/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [Don't work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone. You're going to have a busy life. Thank goodness there's no life expectancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/don-t-work-avoid-telling-the-truth-be-hated-love-someone-you-re-going/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [Don't expect anything. Erase all life expectancies. Just live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/don-t-expect-anything-erase-all-life-expectancies-just-live/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [“You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that you should expect to find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/you-might-be-looking-forward-to-working-falling-in-love-marrying/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/loving-someone-has-great-benefits-there-is-admiration-learning/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [Be hated. One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it’s often the case that one is hated precisely because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/be-hated-one-does-not-have-to-be-evil-to-be-hated-in-fact-it-s-often/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/it-far-easier-to-find-a-reason-not-to-love-someone-than-otherwise/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don’t, or you do with every cell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/finally-you-will-find-that-there-is-no-half-measure-when-it-comes-to/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

> [“So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you’ll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/so-here-you-are-in-your-twenties-thinking-that-you-ll-have-another-40-2/)

[Adrian Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

[Explore all 15 Adrian Tan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/)

## More Comfort quotes

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/)

[Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/)

> [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/)

[Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/)

> [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/)

[Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/)

> [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/)

[Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/)

> [Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/comfort-food-is-really-anything-you-want-at-that-time-that-said-i/)

[Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/)

> [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/)

[Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/)

> [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/)

[Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/)

> [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/)

[Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/)

> [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/)

[John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/)

> [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/)

[L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/)

> [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I think that comfort is underrated in a lot of ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/i-think-that-comfort-is-underrated-in-a-lot-of-ways/)

[Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/)

[Browse all 4,542 Comfort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway. Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons: you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Adrian Tan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-life-doing-something-you-hate/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comfort"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-life-doing-something-you-hate/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/adrian-tan-33122_comfort_do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-l_2592698.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/adrian-tan-33122_comfort_do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-l_2592698.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f5/adrian-tan-33122_comfort_do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-l_2592698.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small…” — Adrian Tan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Adrian Tan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-tan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Do not waste the vast majority...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-life-doing-something-you-hate/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-tan/do-not-waste-the-vast-majority-of-your-life-doing-something-you-hate/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
