--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I come from a background where people…" description: "\"I come from a background where people have had their own business, where it has been incredibly tough for a long period of time, and you are only as go..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/esther-mcvey-8493_business_i-come-from-a-background-where-people-ha_864750.jpg" --- # I come from a background where people have had their own… ![“I come from a background where people have had their own business, where it has been incredibly tough for a long period of time, and you are only as good as the last contract you have got, as the last job you have done, where the notion of a precarious existence does exist, as it does for a lot of…” quote by Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/esther-mcvey-8493_business_i-come-from-a-background-where-people-ha_864750.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/esther-mcvey-8493_business_i-come-from-a-background-where-people-ha_864750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92b/esther-mcvey-8493_business_i-come-from-a-background-where-people-ha_864750.jpg) > “I come from a background where people have had their own business, where it has been incredibly tough for a long period of time, and you are only as good as the last contract you have got, as the last job you have done, where the notion of a precarious existence does exist, as it does for a lot of people.” [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People are judged by their latest contract; precarious work creates constant insecurity. **In simple terms:** Job security depends on recent work; instability persists. Key Takeaway Build resilience and diversify skills. Themes economy job security precarity Mood concerned determined Type analytical advice When to use this quote - career planning - financial budgeting - mental health support - networking Key Concepts labor market psychology social policy Questions to Reflect On - How can you create a safety net in a gig economy? - What policies could reduce job precarity? A Different Perspective Systemic factors often limit individual control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business Incredibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-incredibly-890769/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Good Contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-contract-780245/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Notion Precarious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion-precarious-890768/) [Precarious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precarious/) [Precarious Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precarious-existence-890767/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) ## Related quotes > [Anybody who has had a great treasure has always led a precarious existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/anybody-who-has-had-a-great-treasure-has-always-led-a-precarious-2/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [“Anybody who has had a great treasure has always led a precarious existence,” she said reflectively.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wyndham/anybody-who-has-had-a-great-treasure-has-always-led-a-precarious/) [John Wyndham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wyndham/) > [“Chance knows not of the divine, nor the strands of fate. It is but a ripple in our precarious existence, easily overseen, seldom noticed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-heller/chance-knows-not-of-the-divine-nor-the-strands-of-fate-it-is-but-a/) [A.C. Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-heller/) > [On a more practical level, anyone out there who wants to be a writer should clearly recognize that this is a brutal business, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-a-salvatore-2/on-a-more-practical-level-anyone-out-there-who-wants-to-be-a-writer/) [R. A. Salvatore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-a-salvatore-2/) > [I think you have to humble yourself before the process of starting and running a business. Only the incredibly fortunate achieve their success quickly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-grant/i-think-you-have-to-humble-yourself-before-the-process-of-starting/) [Patrick Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-grant/) > [Running a business is incredibly hard, especially as a creative person, because you're extricated from the creative very quickly, and that is really hard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/running-a-business-is-incredibly-hard-especially-as-a-creative-person/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) > [Trying to move the volume of products we're talking about from place to place to get it ultimately into the customer's hands, to price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lampert/trying-to-move-the-volume-of-products-we-re-talking-about-from-place/) [Edward Lampert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lampert/) > [I had a good contract at Southampton, the managers in the Premier League are very well paid, but in football you need ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/i-had-a-good-contract-at-southampton-the-managers-in-the-premier/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [The old idea of a good bargain was a transaction in which one man got the better of another. The new idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/the-old-idea-of-a-good-bargain-was-a-transaction-in-which-one-man-got/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [In my lifetime, as a younger man, you were assumed to be an honest person. Your word was your bond, and a handshake was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/in-my-lifetime-as-a-younger-man-you-were-assumed-to-be-an-honest/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [I have a lot of options to sign when I left UFC, when I go a different way. The PFL called me, the season…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabricio-werdum/i-have-a-lot-of-options-to-sign-when-i-left-ufc-when-i-go-a-different/) [Fabricio Werdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabricio-werdum/) > [If you offer a player a new contract, and a good contract, that means you want to keep the player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-koeman/if-you-offer-a-player-a-new-contract-and-a-good-contract-that-means/) [Ronald Koeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-koeman/) > [But I'm good to go through my contract with Childress, and my determination is to win races and try to win that other championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt/but-i-m-good-to-go-through-my-contract-with-childress-and-my/) [Dale Earnhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt/) > [Regarding my pay, my salary, that I don't 'earn a lot,' these are things that are a result of two years ago when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauro-icardi/regarding-my-pay-my-salary-that-i-don-t-earn-a-lot-these-are-things/) [Mauro Icardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauro-icardi/) > [“Because he had a good agent, he had a good contract. Because he had a good contract, he was in Singapore an hour after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/because-he-had-a-good-agent-he-had-a-good-contract-because-he-had-a/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) ## More by Esther McVey > [Where I come from, from a very different point of view, it's a Labour heartland, it's a trade union heartland, and I'll have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/where-i-come-from-from-a-very-different-point-of-view-it-s-a-labour/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [We all have dreams, whether it be about success in our careers, improving our relationship with family and friends, or sorting out our finances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/we-all-have-dreams-whether-it-be-about-success-in-our-careers/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [That is what we should be doing: liberating everyone's potential, whether it's a self-made individual, whether it's someone taking the university route, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/that-is-what-we-should-be-doing-liberating-everyone-s-potential/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [Labour parades compassion for the poor, but it practised casual cruelty by consigning millions to benefits. Yet there's nothing compassionate about being trapped on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/labour-parades-compassion-for-the-poor-but-it-practised-casual/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [I've had other friends who had such a burning desire to have children: they have this biological ticking clock. I don't know what happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/i-ve-had-other-friends-who-had-such-a-burning-desire-to-have-children/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [That's what you've got to be to be an MP: a problem solver. How can I help you? How can I engage? What do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/that-s-what-you-ve-got-to-be-to-be-an-mp-a-problem-solver-how-can-i/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [Politicians themselves, every one of us, has a responsibility to make sure that we send out a message that it is a good place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/politicians-themselves-every-one-of-us-has-a-responsibility-to-make/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [We never have been closed to immigration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/we-never-have-been-closed-to-immigration/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [People shouldn't have to lose their accents to get a fair crack at the whip at a job or move up within a sector…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/people-shouldn-t-have-to-lose-their-accents-to-get-a-fair-crack-at/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [One of my best friends was the first U.K. female fighter pilot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/one-of-my-best-friends-was-the-first-u-k-female-fighter-pilot/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [My friends have always known there was this more serious side to me, and all my life, I've had Conservative values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/my-friends-have-always-known-there-was-this-more-serious-side-to-me/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [First and foremost, we have to ensure that we have to get our own kids ready for work so that employers want to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/first-and-foremost-we-have-to-ensure-that-we-have-to-get-our-own-kids/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [Universal Credit claimants who refuse to accept a zero hours contract job offer, without good reason, can be subject to a sanction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/universal-credit-claimants-who-refuse-to-accept-a-zero-hours-contract/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [Politics is all about trust. Trust is like the soul: once gone, it never returns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/politics-is-all-about-trust-trust-is-like-the-soul-once-gone-it-never/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) > [I guess, as a young girl growing up in Liverpool in the '80s, when unemployment was high, my ideal job would have been to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-mcvey/i-guess-as-a-young-girl-growing-up-in-liverpool-in-the-80s-when/) [Esther McVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) [Explore all 80 Esther McVey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-mcvey/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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