--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you work for others, you are at…" description: "\"When you work for others, you are at their mercy. They own your work; they own you. Your creative spirit is squashed. What keeps you in such positions ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/curtis-jackson-1957_alive_when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-thei_1630761.jpg" --- # When you work for others, you are at their mercy. They own… ![“When you work for others, you are at their mercy. They own your work; they own you. Your creative spirit is squashed. What keeps you in such positions is a fear of having to sink or swim on your own. Instead you should have a greater fear of what will happen to you if you remain dependent on…” quote by Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/curtis-jackson-1957_alive_when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-thei_1630761.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/curtis-jackson-1957_alive_when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-thei_1630761.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/curtis-jackson-1957_alive_when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-thei_1630761.jpg) > “When you work for others, you are at their mercy. They own your work; they own you. Your creative spirit is squashed. What keeps you in such positions is a fear of having to sink or swim on your own. Instead you should have a greater fear of what will happen to you if you remain dependent on others for power. Your goal in every maneuver in life must be ownership, working the corner for yourself. When it is yours, it is yours to lose - you are more motivated, more creative, more alive. The ultimate power in life is to be completely self-reliant, completely yourself.” [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying on others limits autonomy and creativity; true power comes from self‑reliance and personal ownership of one’s work and life. **In simple terms:** Dependence stifles; self‑ownership empowers. Key Takeaway Seek independence and own your outcomes. Themes autonomy creativity power self‑reliance Mood determined reflective Type advice motivational philosophical When to use this quote - starting a business - freelancing - creative projects - career transition - financial independence Key Concepts ownership motivation personal agency risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What would you risk to become fully independent? - How can you balance collaboration with ownership? A Different Perspective Self‑reliance can increase isolation and risk without support networks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Corners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corners/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-spirit/) [Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) [Every man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-man/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-having-297412/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Happens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happens/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Mercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercy/) [Motivated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivated/) [Motivated Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivated-creative-482088/) [Ownership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership/) [Ownership Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ownership-working-482087/) [Position](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/position/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self reliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-reliant/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Should have](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should-have/) [Sink or swim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sink-or-swim/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Swim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swim/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-power/) ## Related quotes > [Depending on where you're at or the ownership you're working for, some of the college jobs may be better than some in the NFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-stoops/depending-on-where-you-re-at-or-the-ownership-you-re-working-for-some/) [Bob Stoops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-stoops/) > [“My greatest fear is having to face God and explain to Him why I wasn't able to fulfill my purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yvonne-pierre/my-greatest-fear-is-having-to-face-god-and-explain-to-him-why-i-wasn/) [Yvonne Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yvonne-pierre/) > [You'll be scared! Sure you'll be scared. Who wouldn't fear having their head completely blown off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-douhet/you-ll-be-scared-sure-you-ll-be-scared-who-wouldn-t-fear-having-their/) [Giulio Douhet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giulio-douhet/) > [A Taurus Biggest Fear: Having everything and then losing it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-taurus-biggest-fear-having-everything-and-then-losing-it-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They did interviews with my wife and daughter-they were genuinely in fear of me having a heart attack, working 20 hours a day, eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-aames/they-did-interviews-with-my-wife-and-daughter-they-were-genuinely-in/) [Willie Aames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-aames/) > [“Your life, sir, is propelled By a dream of the fear of having nightmares; your love Is the fear of your single self; your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/your-life-sir-is-propelled-by-a-dream-of-the-fear-of-having/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [I'm constantly in fear of having a stroke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-m-constantly-in-fear-of-having-a-stroke/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“One of the universal fears of childhood is the fear of not having value in the eyes of the people whom we admire so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/one-of-the-universal-fears-of-childhood-is-the-fear-of-not-having/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [I quickly laugh at everything for fear of having to cry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-beaumarchais/i-quickly-laugh-at-everything-for-fear-of-having-to-cry/) [Pierre Beaumarchais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-beaumarchais/) > [“The fear that we will lose is different from the fear of having lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-provencher/the-fear-that-we-will-lose-is-different-from-the-fear-of-having-lost/) [Misty Provencher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-provencher/) > [As a parent, your biggest fear is having our child not loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-trotz/as-a-parent-your-biggest-fear-is-having-our-child-not-loved/) [Barry Trotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-trotz/) > [“Fear not death; fear not having lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-focke/fear-not-death-fear-not-having-lived/) [Kevin Focke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-focke/) > [My father taught me to not fear anything. Having said that, much of my addiction to alcohol and drugs was tied to fear: fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sanderson/my-father-taught-me-to-not-fear-anything-having-said-that-much-of-my/) [Derek Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sanderson/) > [There's no fear when you're having fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-thomas/there-s-no-fear-when-you-re-having-fun/) [Will Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-thomas/) > [The fear of not having enough prevents many from seeing that they already are enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/the-fear-of-not-having-enough-prevents-many-from-seeing-that-they/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) ## More by Curtis Jackson > [The more my fans know about my past, the more they'll be able to predict and understand some of the moves I make in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/the-more-my-fans-know-about-my-past-the-more-they-ll-be-able-to/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [If you consider yourself a part of the culture, then finances can't allow you to be bigger than the actual art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/if-you-consider-yourself-a-part-of-the-culture-then-finances-can-t/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [The only thing that I'm scared of is not livin' up to the expectations of Dr. Dre and Eminem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/the-only-thing-that-i-m-scared-of-is-not-livin-up-to-the-expectations/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [You can do all them push-ups to pump up your chest, I got a 12 gauge Mossberg to pump up your chest, Have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/you-can-do-all-them-push-ups-to-pump-up-your-chest-i-got-a-12-gauge/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [Just be confident. Confidence is the most attractive part of a person. Because if they're not confident enough to show you who they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/just-be-confident-confidence-is-the-most-attractive-part-of-a-person/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [Anybody who says that money don't change you - they only say that because they don't make enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/anybody-who-says-that-money-don-t-change-you-they-only-say-that/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [The greatest fear people have is that of being themselves,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/the-greatest-fear-people-have-is-that-of-being-themselves/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [Ya'll know what you need to do? Get together, make a We Are The World record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/ya-ll-know-what-you-need-to-do-get-together-make-a-we-are-the-world/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [I'm a track star running through life, chasing my dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/i-m-a-track-star-running-through-life-chasing-my-dream/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [I'm really sensitive. And they don't understand that, because my most comfortable feeling is anger. So I'll get angry if you said something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/i-m-really-sensitive-and-they-don-t-understand-that-because-my-most/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [At that age, it's one of the worse things in the world to wake up and not see your bike where you left it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/at-that-age-it-s-one-of-the-worse-things-in-the-world-to-wake-up-and/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [I love funny women, and just being around them talking is fine with me. I love an interesting mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/i-love-funny-women-and-just-being-around-them-talking-is-fine-with-me/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [I'M PISSIN' ON GROWN WOMEN. R. KELLY DO IT TO CHILDREN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/i-m-pissin-on-grown-women-r-kelly-do-it-to-children/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [You grimy as birds shittin' on the top of ya Fords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/you-grimy-as-birds-shittin-on-the-top-of-ya-fords/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [Just be confident. I think confidence is the most attractive part of a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/just-be-confident-i-think-confidence-is-the-most-attractive-part-of-a/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) [Explore all 195 Curtis Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you work for others, you are at their mercy. They own your work; they own you. Your creative spirit is squashed. What keeps you in such positions is a fear of having to sink or swim on your own. Instead you should have a greater fear of what will happen to you if you remain dependent on others for power. Your goal in every maneuver in life must be ownership, working the corner for yourself. When it is yours, it is yours to lose - you are more motivated, more creative, more alive. The ultimate power in life is to be completely self-reliant, completely yourself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Curtis Jackson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-their-mercy-they-own-your-work/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-their-mercy-they-own-your-work/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/curtis-jackson-1957_alive_when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-thei_1630761.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/curtis-jackson-1957_alive_when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-thei_1630761.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7a/curtis-jackson-1957_alive_when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-thei_1630761.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you work for others, you are at their mercy. They own your work; they own you. Your creative spirit is…” — Curtis Jackson", "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": "Curtis Jackson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you work for others, you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-their-mercy-they-own-your-work/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/when-you-work-for-others-you-are-at-their-mercy-they-own-your-work/#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 } } ] } ```