--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every time you worry that you could get…" description: "\"Every time you worry that you could get trapped in some kind of work you don't care about, you're dealing with the problem of meaningfulness. I guarant..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barbara-sher-7313_care_every-time-you-worry-that-you-could-get_951177.png" --- # Every time you worry that you could get trapped in some… ![“Every time you worry that you could get trapped in some kind of work you don't care about, you're dealing with the problem of meaningfulness. I guarantee that in the back of your mind is the thought that somehow you have to make a contribution to something, be acknowledged, do something that…” quote by Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barbara-sher-7313_care_every-time-you-worry-that-you-could-get_951177.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barbara-sher-7313_care_every-time-you-worry-that-you-could-get_951177.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barbara-sher-7313_care_every-time-you-worry-that-you-could-get_951177.png) > “Every time you worry that you could get trapped in some kind of work you don't care about, you're dealing with the problem of meaningfulness. I guarantee that in the back of your mind is the thought that somehow you have to make a contribution to something, be acknowledged, do something that matters-or you're just fooling around.” [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Worry about meaningless work reflects a deeper need for purpose and recognition. **In simple terms:** People fear work that lacks meaning. Key Takeaway Seek roles that align with your values. Themes purpose meaning career recognition Mood thoughtful motivational Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career planning - volunteering - skill development - goal setting Key Concepts psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What would make your current job feel meaningful? - How can you contribute without external validation? A Different Perspective Not all work can be meaningful; compromise may be necessary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Contribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contribution/) [Don-t-care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-care/) [Fooling around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fooling-around/) [Guarantees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guarantees/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Meaningfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningfulness/) [Meaningfulness Guarantee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningfulness-guarantee-1696634/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Problem Meaningfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-meaningfulness-1696632/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worry Trapped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-trapped-1696633/) ## Related quotes > [Shakespeare doesn't belong to the past. If his material is valid, it is valid now. It's like coal. The only meaningfulness of a piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brook/shakespeare-doesn-t-belong-to-the-past-if-his-material-is-valid-it-is/) [Peter Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brook/) > [“Our lives are a divine expression no matter how messy and weird they may be. How much more meaningful can it get? The source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enza-vita/our-lives-are-a-divine-expression-no-matter-how-messy-and-weird-they/) [Enza Vita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enza-vita/) > [“We have to hope that the people who love us and who know us a little bit will in the end have seen us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/we-have-to-hope-that-the-people-who-love-us-and-who-know-us-a-little/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“Tremendously meaningful outreach begins with how you choose to see the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/tremendously-meaningful-outreach-begins-with-how-you-choose-to-see/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [“It's a question of how we regard our situations, how we look and see where we are, and how we choose, if we can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/it-s-a-question-of-how-we-regard-our-situations-how-we-look-and-see/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“The trappings of success bring the opposite of success in the ways most meaningful to people's lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-trappings-of-success-bring-the-opposite-of-success-in-the-ways/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Intellectuals resist faith longer because they can: where ordinary people are helpless before the light, intellectuals are clever enough to spin webs of darkness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/intellectuals-resist-faith-longer-because-they-can-where-ordinary/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Man is in fact nailed down - like Christ on the Cross - to a grid of paradoxes . . . he balances between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/man-is-in-fact-nailed-down-like-christ-on-the-cross-to-a-grid-of/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [I’m actually trying to make sense of the world. There’s nothing cynical or absurd in what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yue-minjun/i-m-actually-trying-to-make-sense-of-the-world-there-s-nothing/) [Yue Minjun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yue-minjun/) > [“A principled life begins by accepting the evident truth that we must die. Death becomes us. Knowledge of the impermanence of our existence reassures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-principled-life-begins-by-accepting-the-evident-truth-that-we-must/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [Why are we reading if not in hope that the writer will magnify and dramatize our days, will illuminate and inspire us with wisdom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/why-are-we-reading-if-not-in-hope-that-the-writer-will-magnify-and/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [ Men in plural \[…\] can experience meaningfulness only because they can talk with and make sense to each other and themselves. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/men-in-plural-can-experience-meaningfulness-only-because-they-can/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [I can not 'make my mark' for all time - those concepts are mutually exclusive. 'Lasting effect' is a self-contradictory term. Meaning does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/i-can-not-make-my-mark-for-all-time-those-concepts-are-mutually/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [Please don't settle for happiness. It's not good enough. Of course you deserve it, but if that's all you have in mind - happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/please-don-t-settle-for-happiness-it-s-not-good-enough-of-course-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If someone hurt you, abandoned you, betrayed you..it says nothing about your meaningfulness but everything about their character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-someone-hurt-you-abandoned-you-betrayed-you-it-says-nothing-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Barbara Sher > [Imaginary obstacles are insurmountable. Real ones aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/imaginary-obstacles-are-insurmountable-real-ones-aren-t/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [A direct statement about yourself is considered objective only if it is negative. If it's positive, it is considered subjective. And 'objective' means it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/a-direct-statement-about-yourself-is-considered-objective-only-if-it/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“You just have to forget whatever you were taught about “meaningful work” and start noticing whatever has meaning to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/you-just-have-to-forget-whatever-you-were-taught-about-meaningful/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [We are like violins. We can be used as doorstops, or we can make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/we-are-like-violins-we-can-be-used-as-doorstops-or-we-can-make-music/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [What you love is as unique to you as your fingerprints. You need to know that because nothing will make you really happy but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/what-you-love-is-as-unique-to-you-as-your-fingerprints-you-need-to/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Human beings are not comparable. You can't compare us any more than you can compare roses and oranges, or mountains and the sea. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/human-beings-are-not-comparable-you-can-t-compare-us-any-more-than/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Sometimes life isn't about who you were or are, but it's about who you are becoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/sometimes-life-isn-t-about-who-you-were-or-are-but-it-s-about-who-you/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“Let’s end the notion that ideas have no value unless they turn into a business or have some other practical use.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/let-s-end-the-notion-that-ideas-have-no-value-unless-they-turn-into-a/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Find out what you love. Do it because you love it. Stick with it. Start now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/find-out-what-you-love-do-it-because-you-love-it-stick-with-it-start/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“Scanners can’t choose one direction. It’s like telling a parent to choose one child to feed. It’s just not possible. A parent knows she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/scanners-can-t-choose-one-direction-it-s-like-telling-a-parent-to/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [You must go after your wish. As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/you-must-go-after-your-wish-as-soon-as-you-start-to-pursue-a-dream/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Change is not only likely, it's inevitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/change-is-not-only-likely-it-s-inevitable/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Not fulfilling your dreams will be a loss to the world, because the world needs everyone's gift - yours and mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/not-fulfilling-your-dreams-will-be-a-loss-to-the-world-because-the/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [What you want is what you need. Your dearest wish comes straight from your core, loaded with vital information about who you are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/what-you-want-is-what-you-need-your-dearest-wish-comes-straight-from/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [“I imagine there are orderly, well-organized Scanners in the world, but there can't be very many of them. It's far more common to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/i-imagine-there-are-orderly-well-organized-scanners-in-the-world-but/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) [Explore all 92 Barbara Sher quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) ## More Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/) [James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [I don't care if you make a print on a bath mat, just as long as it is a good print.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/i-don-t-care-if-you-make-a-print-on-a-bath-mat-just-as-long-as-it-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) [Browse all 19,019 Care quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Every time you worry that you could get trapped in some kind of work you don't care about, you're dealing with the problem of meaningfulness. 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