--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People might not get all they work for in…" description: "\"People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get.\" — Frederick Douglass" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/frederick-douglass-859_certainly_people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-i_2100211.png" --- # People might not get all they work for in this world, but… ![“People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get.” quote by Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/frederick-douglass-859_certainly_people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-i_2100211.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/frederick-douglass-859_certainly_people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-i_2100211.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/frederick-douglass-859_certainly_people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-i_2100211.png) > “People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get.” [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work does not guarantee equal reward, but one must earn what they receive through effort. **In simple terms:** Work hard, earn what you get. Key Takeaway Earn through effort. Themes responsibility fairness work ethic Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - personal finance - entrepreneurship - volunteering Key Concepts Social justice economic disparity Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure fairness in reward distribution? - What role does privilege play in outcomes? A Different Perspective Hard work may not eliminate systemic inequities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Edmonton is not the end of the world but you can certainly see it from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordecai-richler/edmonton-is-not-the-end-of-the-world-but-you-can-certainly-see-it/) [Mordecai Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordecai-richler/) > [There's certainly more work for me in TV these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-quinn/there-s-certainly-more-work-for-me-in-tv-these-days/) [Aidan Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-quinn/) > [I certainly take work as a joyous responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-roberts/i-certainly-take-work-as-a-joyous-responsibility/) [Julia Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-roberts/) > [If absolute truth belongs to anyone in this world, it certainly does not belong to the man or party that claims to possess it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/if-absolute-truth-belongs-to-anyone-in-this-world-it-certainly-does/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Now that I live in Southern California, my current world certainly speaks to me, and I sense that my next book will have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lansens/now-that-i-live-in-southern-california-my-current-world-certainly/) [Lori Lansens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lansens/) > [Fortune favors the brave; and the world certainly gives the most credit to those who are able to give an unlimited credit to themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/fortune-favors-the-brave-and-the-world-certainly-gives-the-most/) [Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/) > [The Beatles changed the world. They certainly changed my world, and many, many other individuals as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/the-beatles-changed-the-world-they-certainly-changed-my-world-and/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [“The progress of the world can certainly never come at all save by the modified action of the individual beings who compose the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/the-progress-of-the-world-can-certainly-never-come-at-all-save-by-the/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people’s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/had-i-not-created-my-whole-world-i-would-certainly-have-died-in-other/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [People work hard all week at their jobs. I want people watching TV to have a good time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/people-work-hard-all-week-at-their-jobs-i-want-people-watching-tv-to/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [To work in the world lovingly means that we are defining what we will be for, rather than reacting to what we are against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baldwin/to-work-in-the-world-lovingly-means-that-we-are-defining-what-we-will/) [Christina Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baldwin/) > [The work of the world is common as mud. Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust. But the thing worth doing well done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marge-piercy/the-work-of-the-world-is-common-as-mud-botched-it-smears-the-hands/) [Marge Piercy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marge-piercy/) > [“Your work in this world is resurrection work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-langberg/your-work-in-this-world-is-resurrection-work/) [Diane Langberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-langberg/) > [Get leave to work In this world,--'tis the best you get at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/get-leave-to-work-in-this-world-tis-the-best-you-get-at-all/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [I am disabled because I live and work in a world that disables me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/i-am-disabled-because-i-live-and-work-in-a-world-that-disables-me/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) ## More by Frederick Douglass > [“A treacherous President stood in the way; and it can be easily seen how reluctant good men might be to admit an apostasy which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-treacherous-president-stood-in-the-way-and-it-can-be-easily-seen/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“But I should be false in the earliest sentiments of my soul, if I suppressed the opinion. I prefer to be true to myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/but-i-should-be-false-in-the-earliest-sentiments-of-my-soul-if-i/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A man who will enslave his own blood, may not be safely relied on for magnamity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-man-who-will-enslave-his-own-blood-may-not-be-safely-relied-on-for/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes, - a justifier of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the South is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes—a justifier of the most appalling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-assert-most-unhesitatingly-that-the-religion-of-the-south-is-a-mere-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-limits-of-tyrants-are-prescribed-by-the-endurance-of-those-whom/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/power-concedes-nothing-without-a-demand-it-never-did-and-it-never-will/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“We have all met a class of men, very remarkable for their activity, and who yet make but little headway in life; men who,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-have-all-met-a-class-of-men-very-remarkable-for-their-activity-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“The fatal poison of irresponsible power was already in her hands, and soon commenced its infernal work. That cheerful eye, under the influence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-fatal-poison-of-irresponsible-power-was-already-in-her-hands-and/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [A battle lost or won is easily described, understood, and appreciated, but the moral growth of a great nation requires reflection, as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-battle-lost-or-won-is-easily-described-understood-and-appreciated/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/knowledge-makes-a-man-unfit-to-be-a-slave/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I was broken in body, soul, and spirit. My natural elasticity was crushed, my intellect languished, the disposition to read departed, the cheerful spark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-was-broken-in-body-soul-and-spirit-my-natural-elasticity-was/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, that whenever my condition was improved, instead of increasing my contentment; it only increased my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my-2/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/at-a-time-like-this-scorching-irony-not-convincing-argument-is-needed/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) [Explore all 348 Frederick Douglass quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) ## More Certainly quotes > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [I'm certainly not a perfect mother, but I'm trying to be what my mother wasn't for me. My mother's battled depression, so I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-hamill/i-m-certainly-not-a-perfect-mother-but-i-m-trying-to-be-what-my/) [Dorothy Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-hamill/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [If we can send a guy to the moon we can certainly go a quarter of a mile and not get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-prudhomme/if-we-can-send-a-guy-to-the-moon-we-can-certainly-go-a-quarter-of-a/) Don Prudhomme > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Certainly it is not a democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-ibrahim/certainly-it-is-not-a-democracy/) [Anwar Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-ibrahim/) > [Spain are certainly one of the best teams in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-trippier/spain-are-certainly-one-of-the-best-teams-in-the-world/) [Kieran Trippier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-trippier/) > [I'm certainly not a white supremacist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stewart/i-m-certainly-not-a-white-supremacist/) [Corey Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stewart/) > [I certainly know that on our first tour of America in 1968, David Crosby came to see us backstage at the Fillmore East in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hayward/i-certainly-know-that-on-our-first-tour-of-america-in-1968-david/) [Justin Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hayward/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) Browse all 1,298 Certainly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick Douglass" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-in-this-world-but-they-must/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Certainly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-in-this-world-but-they-must/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/frederick-douglass-859_certainly_people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-i_2100211.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/frederick-douglass-859_certainly_people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-i_2100211.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/486/frederick-douglass-859_certainly_people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-i_2100211.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People might not get all they work for in this world, but they must certainly work for all they get.” — Frederick Douglass", "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": "Frederick Douglass", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People might not get all they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-in-this-world-but-they-must/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/people-might-not-get-all-they-work-for-in-this-world-but-they-must/#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 } } ] } ```