--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us be content to work To do the…" description: "\"Let us be content to work To do the things we can, and not presume To fret because it's little.\" — Elizabeth Barrett Browning" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/elizabeth-barrett-browning-102_inspirational_let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-thin_2204350.png" --- # Let us be content to work To do the things we can, and not… ![“Let us be content to work To do the things we can, and not presume To fret because it's little.” quote by Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/elizabeth-barrett-browning-102_inspirational_let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-thin_2204350.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/elizabeth-barrett-browning-102_inspirational_let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-thin_2204350.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/elizabeth-barrett-browning-102_inspirational_let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-thin_2204350.png) > “Let us be content to work To do the things we can, and not presume To fret because it's little.” [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting limits and focusing on what we can control prevents needless worry over trivial matters. **In simple terms:** Do what you can, ignore minor worries. Key Takeaway Focus on actionable tasks. Themes acceptance control mindfulness Mood calm thoughtful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - daily tasks - project planning - stress reduction Key Concepts philosophy self‑help Questions to Reflect On - What small things consume your mind? - How can you let go of minor concerns? A Different Perspective Over‑focus on control can hinder ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Fifteen years ago, nobody thought that content would ever work as a business. 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It is a consistent challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raoul-peck/i-have-always-tried-to-put-content-in-my-work-it-is-a-consistent/) [Raoul Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raoul-peck/) > [I'm very content with my work, and I never complain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumi-pednekar/i-m-very-content-with-my-work-and-i-never-complain/) [Bhumi Pednekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumi-pednekar/) > [After some of the most contentious years in state government, I've made it clear that I will, and can, work with anyone to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gideon/after-some-of-the-most-contentious-years-in-state-government-i-ve/) [Sara Gideon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gideon/) > [There are things I know I need to work on and things I can get better at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-randle/there-are-things-i-know-i-need-to-work-on-and-things-i-can-get-better/) [Julius Randle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-randle/) > [I just feel I shouldn't work too much, because there are so many other things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-von-sydow/i-just-feel-i-shouldn-t-work-too-much-because-there-are-so-many-other/) [Max von Sydow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-von-sydow/) > [My general idea about my work is that it's more about the work than the things that come with it. 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Some things you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-otto/some-scripts-you-read-and-say-i-ve-just-got-to-do-this-and-you-find-a/) [Miranda Otto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-otto/) > [Even though we have our ups and downs we mange to work things out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-though-we-have-our-ups-and-downs-we-mange-to-work-things-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I work at things I'm not good at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovince-saint-preux/i-work-at-things-i-m-not-good-at/) [Ovince Saint Preux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovince-saint-preux/) > [I try to make work about things that matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-try-to-make-work-about-things-that-matter/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [I'm just a simple man with the drive to accomplish the things I need with the ability to work and get the things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-just-a-simple-man-with-the-drive-to-accomplish-the-things-i-need/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Elizabeth Barrett Browning > [I should not dare to call my soul my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/i-should-not-dare-to-call-my-soul-my-own/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Many a crown Covers bald foreheads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/many-a-crown-covers-bald-foreheads/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [And lilies are still lilies, pulled By smutty hands, though spotted from their white.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/and-lilies-are-still-lilies-pulled-by-smutty-hands-though-spotted/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“The face of all the world is changed, I think, Since first I heard the footsteps of they soul Move still, oh, still, beside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-face-of-all-the-world-is-changed-i-think-since-first-i-heard-the/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Wall must get the weather stain Before they grow the ivy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/wall-must-get-the-weather-stain-before-they-grow-the-ivy/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the-ways-i-love-thee-to-the-depth-and/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [With stammering lips and insufficient sound I strive and struggle to deliver right the music of my nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/with-stammering-lips-and-insufficient-sound-i-strive-and-struggle-to/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [The charm, one might say the genius, of memory is that it is choosy, chancy and temperamental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-charm-one-might-say-the-genius-of-memory-is-that-it-is-choosy/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [The flower-girl's prayer to buy roses and pinks, held out in the smoke, like stars by day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-flower-girl-s-prayer-to-buy-roses-and-pinks-held-out-in-the-smoke/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [They say that God lives very high! But if you look above the pines You cannot see our God. And why? And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/they-say-that-god-lives-very-high-but-if-you-look-above-the-pines-you/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Men of science, osteologists And surgeons, beat some poets, in respect For nature,-count nought common or unclean, Spend raptures upon perfect specimens Of indurated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/men-of-science-osteologists-and-surgeons-beat-some-poets-in-respect/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [We can't separate our humanity from our poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/we-can-t-separate-our-humanity-from-our-poetry/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Happy are all free peoples, too strong to be dispossessed. But blessed are those among nations who dare to be strong for the rest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/happy-are-all-free-peoples-too-strong-to-be-dispossessed-but-blessed/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Suddenly, as rare things will, it vanished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/suddenly-as-rare-things-will-it-vanished/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) [Explore all 306 Elizabeth Barrett Browning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let us be content to work To do the things we can, and not presume To fret because it's little.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-things-we-can-and-not-presume-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-things-we-can-and-not-presume-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/elizabeth-barrett-browning-102_inspirational_let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-thin_2204350.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/elizabeth-barrett-browning-102_inspirational_let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-thin_2204350.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a15/elizabeth-barrett-browning-102_inspirational_let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-thin_2204350.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let us be content to work To do the things we can, and not presume To fret because it's little.” — Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "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": "Elizabeth Barrett Browning", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let us be content to work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-things-we-can-and-not-presume-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/let-us-be-content-to-work-to-do-the-things-we-can-and-not-presume-to/#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 } } ] } ```