Business Quote by Alexis de Tocqueville
“Remember that life is neither pain nor pleasure; it is serious business, to be entered upon with courage and in a spirit of self-sacrifice.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville, 1835
Life is a serious undertaking requiring courage and self‑sacrifice, not merely pleasure or pain.
In simple terms: Life demands courage and self‑sacrifice.
Key Takeaway
Act with bravery and purpose.
Themes
courage
responsibility
philosophy
Mood
determined
serious
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- career decisions
- military service
- volunteering
- personal crises
Key Concepts
existentialism
ethics
civic duty
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you face daily responsibilities?
- What does self‑sacrifice mean to you?
A Different Perspective
Courage may not guarantee success or safety.
![“[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)