--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In activity we must find our joy as well…" description: "\"In activity we must find our joy as well as glory; and labor, like everything else that is good, is its own reward.\" — Edwin Percy Whipple" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_action_in-activity-we-must-find-our-joy-as-well_2431830.jpg" --- # In activity we must find our joy as well as glory; and… ![“In activity we must find our joy as well as glory; and labor, like everything else that is good, is its own reward.” quote by Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_action_in-activity-we-must-find-our-joy-as-well_2431830.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_action_in-activity-we-must-find-our-joy-as-well_2431830.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/edwin-percy-whipple-8845_action_in-activity-we-must-find-our-joy-as-well_2431830.jpg) > “In activity we must find our joy as well as glory; and labor, like everything else that is good, is its own reward.” [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labor should be rewarding itself, not just for glory. **In simple terms:** Work is its own reward. Key Takeaway Find joy in work. Themes work joy reward glory Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - daily tasks - volunteer work - career development - creative projects Key Concepts intrinsic motivation ethical labor Questions to Reflect On - How can you make mundane tasks meaningful? - What role does recognition play? A Different Perspective Not all work feels rewarding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) ## Related quotes > [Man, being essentially active, must find in activity his joy, as well as his beauty and glory; and labor, like every thing else that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-benjamin-whipple/man-being-essentially-active-must-find-in-activity-his-joy-as-well-as/) Henry Benjamin Whipple > [Losing a pound isn't necessarily a reward. Being healthy and feeling good about yourself is the reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-peterson/losing-a-pound-isn-t-necessarily-a-reward-being-healthy-and-feeling/) Nancy Peterson > [“It was justice,” Stannis said. “A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/it-was-justice-stannis-said-a-good-act-does-not-wash-out-the-bad-nor/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [A different set of incentives from rising in an economic establishment where the rewards system, again, the reinforcement, comes from being a truffle hound.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/a-different-set-of-incentives-from-rising-in-an-economic/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/two-are-better-than-one-because-they-have-a-good-reward-for-their-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...he never asked nor accepted any reward, because he was good and simple and did not think that one did good for a reward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/primo-levi/he-never-asked-nor-accepted-any-reward-because-he-was-good-and-simple/) [Primo Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/primo-levi/) > [“9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-smith/9-two-are-better-than-one-because-they-have-a-good-reward-for-their/) [William Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-smith/) > [A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-good-act-does-not-wash-out-the-bad-nor-a-bad-act-the-good-each/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiastes-4-9/two-are-better-than-one-because-they-have-a-good-reward-for-their-2/) Ecclesiastes 4:9 > [It is how we feel about ourselves that provides the greatest reward from any activity. It is not what we get that makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/it-is-how-we-feel-about-ourselves-that-provides-the-greatest-reward/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Some of us weren't born for rewards, Froi. We were born for sacrifices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/some-of-us-weren-t-born-for-rewards-froi-we-were-born-for-sacrifices/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I'm not a fan of endless mystery in storytelling - I like to know where the mythology's going; I like to get there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/i-m-not-a-fan-of-endless-mystery-in-storytelling-i-like-to-know-where/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) ## More by Edwin Percy Whipple > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [The minister's brain is often the "poor-box" of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/the-minister-s-brain-is-often-the-poor-box-of-the-church/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A true teacher should penetrate to whatever is vital in his pupil, and develop that by the light and heat of his own intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-true-teacher-should-penetrate-to-whatever-is-vital-in-his-pupil-and/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Felicity, not fluency of language, is a merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/felicity-not-fluency-of-language-is-a-merit/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A politician weakly and amiably in the right is no match for a politician tenaciously and pugnaciously in the wrong. You cannot, by tying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-politician-weakly-and-amiably-in-the-right-is-no-match-for-a/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A thought embodied and embrained in fit words walks the earth a living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-thought-embodied-and-embrained-in-fit-words-walks-the-earth-a/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Nature and society are so replete with startling contrasts that wit often consists in the mere statement and comparison of facts, as when Hume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/nature-and-society-are-so-replete-with-startling-contrasts-that-wit/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [The bitterest satires and noblest eulogies on married life have come from poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/the-bitterest-satires-and-noblest-eulogies-on-married-life-have-come/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Genius is not a single power, but a combination of great powers. It reasons, but it is not reasoning; it judges, but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/genius-is-not-a-single-power-but-a-combination-of-great-powers-it/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden gifts to lazy pets and luxurious darlings, but imposes tasks when she presents opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/nature-does-not-capriciously-scatter-her-secrets-as-golden-gifts-to/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Even in social life, it is persistency which attracts confidence, more than talents and accomplishments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/even-in-social-life-it-is-persistency-which-attracts-confidence-more/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [A nation may be in a tumult to-day for a thought which the timid Erasmus placidly penned in his study more than two centuries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/a-nation-may-be-in-a-tumult-to-day-for-a-thought-which-the-timid/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [God is glorified, not by our groans, but by our thanksgivings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/god-is-glorified-not-by-our-groans-but-by-our-thanksgivings/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [As men neither fear nor respect what has been made contemptible, all honor to him who makes oppression laughable as well as detestable. Armies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/as-men-neither-fear-nor-respect-what-has-been-made-contemptible-all/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [What a man does with his wealth depends upon his idea of happiness. Those who draw prizes in life are apt to spend tastelessly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/what-a-man-does-with-his-wealth-depends-upon-his-idea-of-happiness/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) [Explore all 77 Edwin Percy Whipple quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. 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Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. 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