--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never work for money or power, be honest…" description: "\"Never work for money or power, be honest, don't feel entitled to anything you don't sweat and struggle for, [and] always finish what you start.\" — Ezra..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/ezra-edelman-63145_being-honest_never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest_1390064.jpg" --- # Never work for money or power, be honest, don't feel… ![“Never work for money or power, be honest, don't feel entitled to anything you don't sweat and struggle for, [and] always finish what you start.” quote by Ezra Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/ezra-edelman-63145_being-honest_never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest_1390064.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/ezra-edelman-63145_being-honest_never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest_1390064.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/ezra-edelman-63145_being-honest_never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest_1390064.jpg) > “Never work for money or power, be honest, don't feel entitled to anything you don't sweat and struggle for, \[and\] always finish what you start.” [Ezra Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-edelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work should be driven by integrity, not for or entitlement; finish what you start. **In simple terms:** Honesty and perseverance over greed. Key Takeaway Commit to honest effort and see tasks through. Themes integrity perseverance humility Mood motivational practical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - volunteer projects - career development - personal goals Key Concepts ethics work ethic goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What tasks have you left unfinished? - How can you honor your commitments? A Different Perspective External rewards can still tempt integrity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [Truth and, by consequence, liberty, will always be the chief power of honest men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/truth-and-by-consequence-liberty-will-always-be-the-chief-power-of/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [“Don't underestimate the power of a sincere and honest heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronit-galapo/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-a-sincere-and-honest-heart/) Ronit Galapo > [“Every finish is the start of a new beginning to Run Life's Course.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temeko-richardson/every-finish-is-the-start-of-a-new-beginning-to-run-life-s-course/) Temeko Richardson > [To be stronger, you finish everything you start. You can't take a break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-rockhold/to-be-stronger-you-finish-everything-you-start-you-can-t-take-a-break/) [Luke Rockhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-rockhold/) > [There are two kinds of people, those who finish what they start and so on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-byrne/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-those-who-finish-what-they-start-and-so/) [Robert Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-byrne/) > [“Finish Well; Anyone Can Start Well”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-anthony-smith/finish-well-anyone-can-start-well/) [Miles Anthony Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-anthony-smith/) > [I always finish what i start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/i-always-finish-what-i-start/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [In order to have a finish you must have a start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian/in-order-to-have-a-finish-you-must-have-a-start/) [Damian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian/) > [“Don’t feel entitled to anything you don’t sweat and struggle for”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/don-t-feel-entitled-to-anything-you-don-t-sweat-and-struggle-for/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Nobody broke your heart./ You broke your own,/ 'cuz you can't finish what you start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-smith/nobody-broke-your-heart-you-broke-your-own-cuz-you-can-t-finish-what/) [Elliott Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-smith/) > [You always have to finish what you start and I learned that some of life's greatest lessons come with disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/you-always-have-to-finish-what-you-start-and-i-learned-that-some-of/) [Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/) > [“Nobody broke your heart. You broke your own heart ‘cause you can’t finish what you start.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliot-smith/nobody-broke-your-heart-you-broke-your-own-heart-cause-you-can-t/) [Elliot Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliot-smith/) > [Finish what you start, no matter how painful it may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/finish-what-you-start-no-matter-how-painful-it-may-be/) [Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/) > [Write as well as you can and finish what you start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/write-as-well-as-you-can-and-finish-what-you-start/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Remember, itÂ’s the finish, not the start, that counts the most in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/remember-it-s-the-finish-not-the-start-that-counts-the-most-in-life/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) ## More by Ezra Edelman > [O.J. Simpson was primarily interested in O.J. His rise to fame in the late '60s coincided with the period where black athletes were more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/o-j-simpson-was-primarily-interested-in-o-j-his-rise-to-fame-in-the/) [Ezra Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-edelman/) > [Human beings are complicated. O.J. Simpson is a testament to that. Just because he stood on trial accused of murder doesn't mean he can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/human-beings-are-complicated-o-j-simpson-is-a-testament-to-that-just/) [Ezra Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-edelman/) > [O.J. Simpson existed in a bubble. So when Harry Edwards approached him about being involved in the Olympic Project for Human Rights, O.J.'s response…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/o-j-simpson-existed-in-a-bubble-so-when-harry-edwards-approached-him/) [Ezra Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-edelman/) > [I didn't wake up one day and say, I have to tell O.J.'s Simpson story. But what drew me to it wasn't what people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/i-didn-t-wake-up-one-day-and-say-i-have-to-tell-o-j-s-simpson-story/) [Ezra Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-edelman/) [Explore all 5 Ezra Edelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-edelman/) ## More Being honest quotes > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Let's be honest, if the Democrats didn't support ignoring our nation's immigration laws, there is no way they could win the presidency or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/let-s-be-honest-if-the-democrats-didn-t-support-ignoring-our-nation-s/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [An actor has to evaluate his own abilities and be honest with himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/an-actor-has-to-evaluate-his-own-abilities-and-be-honest-with-himself/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [The cultural integration of psychedelics won't happen overnight, and the question of young people is perhaps the most difficult involved. The first step is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-doblin/the-cultural-integration-of-psychedelics-won-t-happen-overnight-and/) [Rick Doblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-doblin/) > [I'm a person of change and I must be honest to my artistry and my creativity. That's part of the word 'jazz'... it's an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-ferguson/i-m-a-person-of-change-and-i-must-be-honest-to-my-artistry-and-my/) Maynard Ferguson > [I'm going to be honest, I would love for Flava Flav to be president. It would bring a lot of excitement to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/i-m-going-to-be-honest-i-would-love-for-flava-flav-to-be-president-it/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [The buildings that were in question, they said in the same report, which was - actually, it wasn't even a bad story, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-buildings-that-were-in-question-they-said-in-the-same-report/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I guess it has to be healthy, you have to be honest with yourself and I think that's when ego is okay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/i-guess-it-has-to-be-healthy-you-have-to-be-honest-with-yourself-and/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [ The opening for solid waste is very small \[in the space ship\]. It's not toilet-bowl size. And aim is critical. To be honest with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mullane/the-opening-for-solid-waste-is-very-small-in-the-space-ship-it-s-not/) [Mike Mullane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mullane/) > [We had 90 percent rates, but nobody paid them. And so you had all these exemptions, exclusions, shelters, all this kind of stuff. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-had-90-percent-rates-but-nobody-paid-them-and-so-you-had-all-these/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [I think, as a filmmaker, it's important to be honest with yourself at all times in terms of what's working and what's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-wingard/i-think-as-a-filmmaker-it-s-important-to-be-honest-with-yourself-at/) [Adam Wingard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-wingard/) > [We live in a world in which the only utopian visions arrive in commercial breaks: magical visions of an impossibly hospitable world, peopled by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-the-only-utopian-visions-arrive-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Browse all 1,333 Being honest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-honest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never work for money or power, be honest, don't feel entitled to anything you don't sweat and struggle for, [and] always finish what you start.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ezra Edelman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest-don-t-feel-entitled-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being honest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest-don-t-feel-entitled-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/ezra-edelman-63145_being-honest_never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest_1390064.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/ezra-edelman-63145_being-honest_never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest_1390064.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88e/ezra-edelman-63145_being-honest_never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest_1390064.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never work for money or power, be honest, don't feel entitled to anything you don't sweat and struggle for…” — Ezra Edelman", "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": "Ezra Edelman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-edelman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never work for money or power,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest-don-t-feel-entitled-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-edelman/never-work-for-money-or-power-be-honest-don-t-feel-entitled-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 } } ] } ```