--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Raising the standard of the work, not…" description: "\"Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about somebody not voting.\" — Denzel Washington" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/denzel-washington-1345_complaining_raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-com_2795650.jpg" --- # Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about… ![“Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about somebody not voting.” quote by Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/denzel-washington-1345_complaining_raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-com_2795650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/denzel-washington-1345_complaining_raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-com_2795650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/denzel-washington-1345_complaining_raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-com_2795650.jpg) > “Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about somebody not voting.” [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement urges raising work standards rather than focusing on others' voting choices, emphasizing personal excellence. **In simple terms:** Focus on improving work, not others' votes. Key Takeaway Elevate personal standards. Themes self‑improvement politics responsibility Mood inspirational assertive Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career development - public discourse Key Concepts work ethic civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How does personal excellence influence societal change? - What role should voting play in civic responsibility? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic voting issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Not voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-voting/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) ## Related quotes > [I remember a time when my parents made me feel like it was rude to ask somebody who they were voting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lainey-wilson/i-remember-a-time-when-my-parents-made-me-feel-like-it-was-rude-to/) [Lainey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lainey-wilson/) > [“A man does what must be done,' Karl said, trying to concentrate on his board-making. "But you never complain." 'What good would complaining do?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavyrle-spencer/a-man-does-what-must-be-done-karl-said-trying-to-concentrate-on-his/) [LaVyrle Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavyrle-spencer/) > [When you serve your mother and father it is okay to try to correct them once in a while. But if you see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/when-you-serve-your-mother-and-father-it-is-okay-to-try-to-correct/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I work in between complaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cazzie-david/i-work-in-between-complaining/) [Cazzie David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cazzie-david/) > [The fact that a man is to vote forces him to think. You may preach to a congregation by the year and not affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jay-chapman/the-fact-that-a-man-is-to-vote-forces-him-to-think-you-may-preach-to/) [John Jay Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jay-chapman/) > [I'm not voting for Hillary Clinton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-heck/i-m-not-voting-for-hillary-clinton/) [Joe Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-heck/) > [If you let the world roll on the way it's rolling, you're voting for death. I'm not voting for death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/if-you-let-the-world-roll-on-the-way-it-s-rolling-you-re-voting-for/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [Not voting is one of the worst things that could happen in our community. You can vote for whoever you want to, but choosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-moss-iii/not-voting-is-one-of-the-worst-things-that-could-happen-in-our/) [Otis Moss III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otis-moss-iii/) > [People who think I'm gay, some part of me thinks it's wonderful. Because I want to challenge people on their homophobia. I love seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/people-who-think-i-m-gay-some-part-of-me-thinks-it-s-wonderful/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) > [I don't know what's going to happen. But I will say this, you're going to have a lot of very unhappy people. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-don-t-know-what-s-going-to-happen-but-i-will-say-this-you-re-going/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/now-more-than-ever-the-people-are-responsible-for-the-character-of/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [The vote gives us the power to hire or fire governments. By not voting you diminish and weaken all of us. You reduce and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-danzig/the-vote-gives-us-the-power-to-hire-or-fire-governments-by-not-voting/) Jon Danzig > [Models: I'm not voting for you for any stupid magazine list! If you were really that Hot you wouldn't have to beg the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tosh/models-i-m-not-voting-for-you-for-any-stupid-magazine-list-if-you/) [Daniel Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tosh/) > [In reality, there is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/in-reality-there-is-no-such-thing-as-not-voting-you-either-vote-by/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [Normally when people say they haven't decided, they're being polite but they're definitely not voting for you. I think it's different this time. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/normally-when-people-say-they-haven-t-decided-they-re-being-polite/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) ## More by Denzel Washington > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [My father was a minister for 50 years with Pentecostal Church of God in Christ. We prayed about everything, every day, then he always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/my-father-was-a-minister-for-50-years-with-pentecostal-church-of-god/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Family is life; acting is making a living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/family-is-life-acting-is-making-a-living/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Talent comes from God. If you have been given some, then value it, cultivate it, work and develop it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/talent-comes-from-god-if-you-have-been-given-some-then-value-it/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [ I'll be working with Ridley's \[Scott\] brother, Tony, again, someone who needless to say we've had a great amount of success together. I trust… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-ll-be-working-with-ridley-s-scott-brother-tony-again-someone-who/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I found that nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-found-that-nothing-in-life-is-worthwhile-unless-you-take-risks/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I and haven't been unemployed for 20 years. I'm an exception to the rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-and-haven-t-been-unemployed-for-20-years-i-m-an-exception-to-the/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I'm very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That's my cultural historical background, my genetic make-up, but it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-m-very-proud-to-be-black-but-black-is-not-all-i-am-that-s-my/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [We'll all retire from life at some point. The great thing about acting is you don't necessarily have to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/we-ll-all-retire-from-life-at-some-point-the-great-thing-about-acting/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [It's strictly business. If I loan you $25 million, I want my money back. I don't want to hear about the social impact. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/it-s-strictly-business-if-i-loan-you-25-million-i-want-my-money-back/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [If you have an enemy, then learn and know your enemy, don't just be mad at him or her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/if-you-have-an-enemy-then-learn-and-know-your-enemy-don-t-just-be-mad/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [“He taught us that everyone has a good story and the more of others you understand, the better your grasp of human nature, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/he-taught-us-that-everyone-has-a-good-story-and-the-more-of-others/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Religion to me is when man gets ahold of spirituality: "My god is right, yours is wrong." Religion to me is the human condition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/religion-to-me-is-when-man-gets-ahold-of-spirituality-my-god-is-right/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I don't concern myself with award. I'd been to the party enough times to know it really didn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-don-t-concern-myself-with-award-i-d-been-to-the-party-enough-times/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [I've just directed a film called The Great Debaters, which is inspired by a true story about a young college debating team in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-ve-just-directed-a-film-called-the-great-debaters-which-is-inspired/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) [Explore all 253 Denzel Washington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) ## More Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about somebody not voting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Denzel Washington" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-complaining-about-somebody-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complaining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-complaining-about-somebody-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/denzel-washington-1345_complaining_raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-com_2795650.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/denzel-washington-1345_complaining_raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-com_2795650.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/denzel-washington-1345_complaining_raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-com_2795650.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Raising the standard of the work, not complaining about somebody not voting.” — Denzel Washington", "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": "Denzel Washington", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Raising the standard of the work,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-complaining-about-somebody-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/raising-the-standard-of-the-work-not-complaining-about-somebody-not/#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 } } ] } ```