--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is work, work that one delights in…" description: "\"It is work, work that one delights in, that is the surest guarantor of happiness. But even here it is a work that has to be earned by labor in one's ea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/ashley-montagu-9564_comparison_it-is-work-work-that-one-delights-in-tha_2041207.jpg" --- # It is work, work that one delights in, that is the surest… ![“It is work, work that one delights in, that is the surest guarantor of happiness. But even here it is a work that has to be earned by labor in one's earlier years. One should labor so hard in youth that everything one does subsequently is easy by comparison.” quote by Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/ashley-montagu-9564_comparison_it-is-work-work-that-one-delights-in-tha_2041207.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/ashley-montagu-9564_comparison_it-is-work-work-that-one-delights-in-tha_2041207.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e7/ashley-montagu-9564_comparison_it-is-work-work-that-one-delights-in-tha_2041207.jpg) > “It is work, work that one delights in, that is the surest guarantor of happiness. But even here it is a work that has to be earned by labor in one's earlier years. One should labor so hard in youth that everything one does subsequently is easy by comparison.” [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding joy in one's work is the strongest path to happiness, but it requires early effort to make later tasks feel easy. **In simple terms:** Enjoy work for happiness; work hard early. Key Takeaway Invest effort early to enjoy later ease. Themes work happiness effort Mood motivational thoughtful Type self‑help philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - skill building - life balance Key Concepts career development psychology of fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What early habits foster later ease? - How to balance effort and enjoyment? A Different Perspective Early labor may lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comparison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comparison/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-work/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Labor Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor-hard-692925/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Earned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-earned-3799905/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-labor-3345221/) [Youth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youth/) ## Related quotes > [The average American family head will be forced to do twenty years' labor to pay taxes in his or her lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bovard/the-average-american-family-head-will-be-forced-to-do-twenty-years/) [James Bovard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bovard/) > [We live in a country that has profited for hundreds of years off the labor of individuals without having to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-rose/we-live-in-a-country-that-has-profited-for-hundreds-of-years-off-the/) [Jalen Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-rose/) > [“With intellectual labor your hard work is forever, while with manual labor your hard work is temporary and soon forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/with-intellectual-labor-your-hard-work-is-forever-while-with-manual/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [No labor is hard, no time is long, wherein the glory of eternity is the mark we level at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/no-labor-is-hard-no-time-is-long-wherein-the-glory-of-eternity-is-the/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [“I have two problems with hard labor: hard and labor. I prefer soft, and I’d prefer not giving birth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-have-two-problems-with-hard-labor-hard-and-labor-i-prefer-soft-and/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Instead of being satisfied to alleviate suffering, we shall labor hard and continually to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/instead-of-being-satisfied-to-alleviate-suffering-we-shall-labor-hard/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Emotional labor is the hard work of making art, producing generosity, and exposing creativity. 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No one can take my work from me and therefore no one can take my happiness from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-corelli/work-is-happiness-no-one-can-take-my-work-from-me-and-therefore-no/) [Marie Corelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-corelli/) > [You can always find happiness at work on Friday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-always-find-happiness-at-work-on-friday/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness and work rose up together with the sun, radiant like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/happiness-and-work-rose-up-together-with-the-sun-radiant-like-it/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [The reality is that fulfillment, success and all of these good things comes from trying to help those that we care about to achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/the-reality-is-that-fulfillment-success-and-all-of-these-good-things/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [“Most people chase success at work, thinking that will make them happy. The truth is that happiness at work will make you successful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-kjerulf/most-people-chase-success-at-work-thinking-that-will-make-them-happy/) [Alexander Kjerulf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-kjerulf/) > [“Happiness is when you do the work you love and earn from it as much money as you want and need, and you live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamuna-tsertsvadze/happiness-is-when-you-do-the-work-you-love-and-earn-from-it-as-much/) [Tamuna Tsertsvadze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamuna-tsertsvadze/) > [What I am looking for is not happiness. I work solely because it is impossible for me to do anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-giacometti/what-i-am-looking-for-is-not-happiness-i-work-solely-because-it-is/) [Alberto Giacometti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-giacometti/) ## More by Ashley Montagu > [Love is the supreme form of communication. In the hierarchy of needs, love stands as the supreme developing agent of the humanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/love-is-the-supreme-form-of-communication-in-the-hierarchy-of-needs/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [The whole of life is a journey toward youthful old age, toward self-contemplation, love, gaiety, and, in a fundamental sense, the most gratifying time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/the-whole-of-life-is-a-journey-toward-youthful-old-age-toward-self/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [Human beings are the only creatures who are able to behave irrationally in the name of reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/human-beings-are-the-only-creatures-who-are-able-to-behave/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [Human communication, 'as the saying goes, is a clash of symbols' it covers a multitude of signs. 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As the family is, so is the society, and it is human beings who make a family-not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/the-family-is-the-basis-of-society-as-the-family-is-so-is-the-society/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [I want to die young at a ripe old age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/i-want-to-die-young-at-a-ripe-old-age/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [The idea of "race" represents one of the most dangerous myths of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/the-idea-of-race-represents-one-of-the-most-dangerous-myths-of-our/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [The measure of man's humanity is the extent and intensity of his love for mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/the-measure-of-man-s-humanity-is-the-extent-and-intensity-of-his-love/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [To admit ignorance is to exhibit wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/to-admit-ignorance-is-to-exhibit-wisdom/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) [Explore all 71 Ashley Montagu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) ## More Comparison quotes > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 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