---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But we've got to work. We can't just live…"
description: "\"But we've got to work. We can't just live on reputations at all - by any means.\" — Dan Gable"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/dan-gable-11120_career_but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live_2575721.jpg"
---

#  But we've got to work. We can't just live on reputations…

![“But we've got to work. We can't just live on reputations at all - by any means.” quote by Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/dan-gable-11120_career_but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live_2575721.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/dan-gable-11120_career_but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live_2575721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/dan-gable-11120_career_but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live_2575721.jpg)

> “But we've got to work. We can't just live on reputations at all - by any means.”

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reputation alone is insufficient; consistent effort and performance are essential.

**In simple terms:** Work beats reputation.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize action over image.

Themes

work ethic integrity performance

Mood

determined serious

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- sports
- business
- creative projects
- academic pursuits

Key Concepts

motivation goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you measure progress beyond external validation?
- What habits ensure you stay productive?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on reputation can lead to complacency.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/)

## Related quotes

> [ I've reached a certain age where I love to work. I could just live here \[at the studio\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-ve-reached-a-certain-age-where-i-love-to-work-i-could-just-live/)

[Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/)

> [Reputations are shaped not by facts but by prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-mertz/reputations-are-shaped-not-by-facts-but-by-prejudices/)

[Barbara Mertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-mertz/)

> [Reputations, like beavers and cloaks, shall last some people twice the time of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/reputations-like-beavers-and-cloaks-shall-last-some-people-twice-the/)

[Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/)

> [There is a constant ebb and flow in art historical reputations. The reputation of even the greatest figures like Picasso are in flux.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-deitch/there-is-a-constant-ebb-and-flow-in-art-historical-reputations-the/)

[Jeffrey Deitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-deitch/)

> [“It's a matter of dishonour, and when it gets out, which it's bound to, this will be the one act you'll be remembered for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-s-a-matter-of-dishonour-and-when-it-gets-out-which-it-s-bound-to/)

[Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/)

> [I read somewhere that writers, as they get older, become more and more perfectionist. Which may be because they think more highly of themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/i-read-somewhere-that-writers-as-they-get-older-become-more-and-more/)

[Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/)

> [I've always slightly envied other actors I know who have different reputations. I think, 'God, you don't get people coming up to you, going,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-ve-always-slightly-envied-other-actors-i-know-who-have-different/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [Reputations are made by searching for things that can't be done and doing them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-tyger/reputations-are-made-by-searching-for-things-that-can-t-be-done-and/)

[Frank Tyger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-tyger/)

> [Posthumous reputations have little to do with real lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/posthumous-reputations-have-little-to-do-with-real-lives/)

[Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/)

> [In politics people build whole reputations off of getting one thing right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/in-politics-people-build-whole-reputations-off-of-getting-one-thing/)

[Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/)

> [I consider a good reputation is a great part of the human happiness. Some people, if they are very, very rich can permit themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle-onassis/i-consider-a-good-reputation-is-a-great-part-of-the-human-happiness/)

[Aristotle Onassis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle-onassis/)

> [Budgets can make or break reputations and governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/budgets-can-make-or-break-reputations-and-governments/)

[Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/)

> [“What saves doctors' reputations is the fact that many illnesses are benign and that people can go on living with a large number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-chevallier/what-saves-doctors-reputations-is-the-fact-that-many-illnesses-are/)

[Gabriel Chevallier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-chevallier/)

> [I don't believe in destroying GOOD mysteries or adding to BAD reputations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-balance/i-don-t-believe-in-destroying-good-mysteries-or-adding-to-bad/)

John Balance

> [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/)

[Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/)

## More by Dan Gable

> [Greatness in the mat is achieved through training that make you push to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/greatness-in-the-mat-is-achieved-through-training-that-make-you-push/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [“Gold metals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find-alloy called guts!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/gold-metals-aren-t-really-made-of-gold-they-re-made-of-sweat/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [We, as a wrestling community, better remember it is more than one individual that makes a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/we-as-a-wrestling-community-better-remember-it-is-more-than-one/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [Wrestlers are a little more dedicated than, and are different from, the other people, which may be strange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/wrestlers-are-a-little-more-dedicated-than-and-are-different-from-the/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [If we don't progress, we backslide into bad habits, laziness and poor attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/if-we-don-t-progress-we-backslide-into-bad-habits-laziness-and-poor/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [When I lifted weights, I didn't lift just to maintain my muscle tone. I lifted to increase what I already had, to push to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/when-i-lifted-weights-i-didn-t-lift-just-to-maintain-my-muscle-tone-i/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [Freedom across the world is a result of many individuals working together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/freedom-across-the-world-is-a-result-of-many-individuals-working/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [There is no mat space for malcontents or dissenters. One must neither celebrate insanely when he wins, nor sulk when he loses. He accepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/there-is-no-mat-space-for-malcontents-or-dissenters-one-must-neither/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [Many of those who have paid the ultimate price for freedom have come through the wrestling ranks. We need to honor them and win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/many-of-those-who-have-paid-the-ultimate-price-for-freedom-have-come/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [Wrestling has been a way of life with me day in and day out. I won't get too far away from it. I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/wrestling-has-been-a-way-of-life-with-me-day-in-and-day-out-i-won-t/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [I’m a big believer in starting with high standards and raising them. We make progress only when we push ourselves to the highest level.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/i-m-a-big-believer-in-starting-with-high-standards-and-raising-them/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [There's nothing like success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/there-s-nothing-like-success/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [You can't ever work too much because there's no such thing as being in too good condition. You can't ever lift too many weights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/you-can-t-ever-work-too-much-because-there-s-no-such-thing-as-being/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/once-you-ve-wrestled-everything-else-in-life-is-easy/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

> [I never won anything by myself. I was always strong because of help that gave me extra strength to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/i-never-won-anything-by-myself-i-was-always-strong-because-of-help/)

[Dan Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

[Explore all 61 Dan Gable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/)

## More Career quotes

> [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/)

Alison James

> [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/)

[Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/)

> [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/)

[Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/)

> [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/)

[Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/)

> [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/)

[Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/)

> [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/)

[John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/)

> [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/)

[Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/)

> [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/)

[Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/)

[Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/)

[Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "But we've got to work. We can't just live on reputations at all - by any means.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dan Gable"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live-on-reputations-at-all-by-any/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Career"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live-on-reputations-at-all-by-any/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/dan-gable-11120_career_but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live_2575721.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/dan-gable-11120_career_but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live_2575721.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/974/dan-gable-11120_career_but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live_2575721.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But we've got to work. We can't just live on reputations at all - by any means.” — Dan Gable",
                "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": "Dan Gable",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gable/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "But we've got to work. We...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live-on-reputations-at-all-by-any/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gable/but-we-ve-got-to-work-we-can-t-just-live-on-reputations-at-all-by-any/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
