Business Quote by Alain de Botton
“When work is not going well, it's useful to remember that our identities stretch beyond what is on the business card, that we were people long before we became workers - and will continue to be human once we have put our tools down forever.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Course of Love by Alain de Botton, 2016
Our professional roles are only one facet of identity; we remain multifaceted humans beyond work.
In simple terms: Identity goes beyond job titles.
Key Takeaway
Remember your broader self beyond work.
Themes
identity
work
humanity
purpose
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- career setbacks
- personal reflection
- life transitions
- post‑career planning
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you define yourself outside your job?
- What non‑work activities nurture you?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on work can still dominate self‑perception.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)