--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may explain success mainly by one word…" description: "\"We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!!\" — Frederick Douglass" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/frederick-douglass-859_black-history_we-may-explain-success-mainly-by-one-wor_1252362.png" --- # We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is… ![“We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!!” quote by Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/frederick-douglass-859_black-history_we-may-explain-success-mainly-by-one-wor_1252362.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/frederick-douglass-859_black-history_we-may-explain-success-mainly-by-one-wor_1252362.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/95a/frederick-douglass-859_black-history_we-may-explain-success-mainly-by-one-wor_1252362.png) > “We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!!” [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 is presented as the singular key to achieving success and overcoming obstacles. **In simple terms:** Work is essential for success. Key Takeaway Prioritize diligent effort daily. Themes effort success determination self‑reliance Mood motivational determined pragmatic Type inspirational practical advisory When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - personal goal setting - overcoming adversity Key Concepts Protestant work ethic self‑improvement social mobility Questions to Reflect On - What does “work” mean to you personally? - How can you balance effort with rest? A Different Perspective Neglecting other factors like opportunity, health, or systemic barriers can oversimplify success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-history/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Self made man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-made-man/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [ \[...\] allowing only ordinary ability and opportunity, we may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! WORK!!!! Not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/allowing-only-ordinary-ability-and-opportunity-we-may-explain-success/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“Success is mainly the result of hard work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/success-is-mainly-the-result-of-hard-work/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [Our success was mainly due to the fact that we stimulated the nerves of animals that easily stood on their own feet and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-pavlov/our-success-was-mainly-due-to-the-fact-that-we-stimulated-the-nerves/) [Ivan Pavlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-pavlov/) > [Self-Made Men are the men who owe little or nothing to birth, relationship, friendly surroundings; to wealth inherited or to early approved means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/self-made-men-are-the-men-who-owe-little-or-nothing-to-birth/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [We succeed, not alone by the laborious exertions of our faculties, be they small or great, but by the regular, thoughtful and systematic exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/we-succeed-not-alone-by-the-laborious-exertions-of-our-faculties-be/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Self-Made Men are those who owe little or nothing to birth, relationship, or friendly surroundings; to wealth inherited or to early approved means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/self-made-men-are-those-who-owe-little-or-nothing-to-birth/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Opportunity is important but exertion is indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/opportunity-is-important-but-exertion-is-indispensable/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I do not think much of the good luck theory of self-made men. It is worth but little attention and has no practical value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-do-not-think-much-of-the-good-luck-theory-of-self-made-men-it-is/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [My theory of self-made men is, then, simply this; that they are men of work. Whether or not such men have acquired material, moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/my-theory-of-self-made-men-is-then-simply-this-that-they-are-men-of/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [Fortune may crowd a man's life with fortunate circumstances and happy opportunities, but they will, as we all know, avail him nothing unless he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/fortune-may-crowd-a-man-s-life-with-fortunate-circumstances-and-happy/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The man who will get up will be helped up; and the man who will not get up will be allowed to stay down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/the-man-who-will-get-up-will-be-helped-up-and-the-man-who-will-not/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“Be true to your word and your work and your friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyle-o-reilly/be-true-to-your-word-and-your-work-and-your-friend/) [John Boyle O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyle-o-reilly/) > [I have done nothing; the Word has done and accomplished everything… I let the Word do its work!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-have-done-nothing-the-word-has-done-and-accomplished-everything-i/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Creativity Is a fancy word for the work we have to do by Friday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/creativity-is-a-fancy-word-for-the-work-we-have-to-do-by-friday/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Creativity is a highfalutin' word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/creativity-is-a-highfalutin-word-for-the-work-i-have-to-do-between/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) ## 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 Black history quotes > [“Later that year, the Voting Rights Act opened the door for thousands to register for the first time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junius-williams/later-that-year-the-voting-rights-act-opened-the-door-for-thousands/) [Junius Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junius-williams/) > [“Any ministry to black people which is not designed to effect their empowerment is designed to perpetuate their enslavement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-ministry-to-black-people-which-is-not-designed-to-effect-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My horizon on humanity is enlarged by reading the writers of poems, seeing a painting, listening to some music, some opera, which has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/my-horizon-on-humanity-is-enlarged-by-reading-the-writers-of-poems/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [“The war that killed my grandfather and great-uncles and thousands of other blacks is only a footnote in our history books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-garc-a/the-war-that-killed-my-grandfather-and-great-uncles-and-thousands-of/) [Cristina García](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-garc-a/) > [When you have a large amount of the workforce being laid off, some of them have no other choice but to go out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daymond-john/when-you-have-a-large-amount-of-the-workforce-being-laid-off-some-of/) [Daymond John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daymond-john/) > [I didn't learn black history in school. I had to go find Malcolm X books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/i-didn-t-learn-black-history-in-school-i-had-to-go-find-malcolm-x/) [Rza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I do consider myself part of black history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-do-consider-myself-part-of-black-history/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [ \[W\]e are the heirs of a past of rope, fire, and murder. I for one am not ashamed of this past. My shame is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/w-e-are-the-heirs-of-a-past-of-rope-fire-and-murder-i-for-one-am-not/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Happy Black History Month everyone. I challenge you blacks to change how other races view us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-black-history-month-everyone-i-challenge-you-blacks-to-change/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That was when I realized we weren’t born to be slaves. It was ignorant for any man to think he could be the master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-grewal/that-was-when-i-realized-we-weren-t-born-to-be-slaves-it-was-ignorant/) [Jay Grewal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-grewal/) > [For children, diversity needs to be real and not merely relegated to learning the names of the usual suspects during Black History Month or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ridley/for-children-diversity-needs-to-be-real-and-not-merely-relegated-to/) [John Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ridley/) > [Unconditional love will have the final word in reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/unconditional-love-will-have-the-final-word-in-reality/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I was often filled with excitement to be given a platform to showcase Black history to others. I never questioned why Black history wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-love/i-was-often-filled-with-excitement-to-be-given-a-platform-to-showcase/) [Judi Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-love/) [Browse all 299 Black history quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-history/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We may explain success mainly by one word and that word is WORK! WORK!! WORK!!! 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