--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If your people had put as much effort…" description: "\"“If your people had put as much effort into your resources as you do at being assholes, then maybe you wouldn’t have to steal.”\" — Gabriel Common" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gabriel-common-46672_quote_if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-in_2154306.jpg" --- # If your people had put as much effort into your resources… ![“If your people had put as much effort into your resources as you do at being assholes, then maybe you wouldn’t have to steal.” quote by Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gabriel-common-46672_quote_if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-in_2154306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gabriel-common-46672_quote_if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-in_2154306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gabriel-common-46672_quote_if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-in_2154306.jpg) > ““If your people had put as much effort into your resources as you do at being assholes, then maybe you wouldn’t have to steal.”” [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People waste effort on negativity instead of constructive resource management, leading to harmful actions like theft. **In simple terms:** People focus on being mean instead of fixing problems. Key Takeaway Channel energy into building, not destroying. Themes responsibility resourcefulness ethics Mood critical motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - community projects - environmental stewardship - conflict resolution Key Concepts social dynamics resource allocation Questions to Reflect On - What could you improve with your resources? - How does negativity affect community health? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assholes Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assholes-maybe-4542851/) [Maybe Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-wouldn-480531/) [Resources Assholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources-assholes-4542850/) [Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal/) [Thief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thief/) [Wouldn Steal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wouldn-steal-1184648/) ## Related quotes > [“We wouldn't steal, which was paranoia- we would take, which was force.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darin-bradley/we-wouldn-t-steal-which-was-paranoia-we-would-take-which-was-force/) [Darin Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darin-bradley/) > [I wouldn't steal anything because stealing is wrong. If I had to, I'd steal a caged bird and set it free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-darvill/i-wouldn-t-steal-anything-because-stealing-is-wrong-if-i-had-to-i-d/) [Arthur Darvill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-darvill/) > [“You're right. Maybe it wouldn't change anything." His gaze shifted from the brightening ocean to me. I didn't need to look into his eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/you-re-right-maybe-it-wouldn-t-change-anything-his-gaze-shifted-from/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [“Maybe he wouldn't say anything, which is the worst thing men do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/maybe-he-wouldn-t-say-anything-which-is-the-worst-thing-men-do/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [“If we all knew what was coming, maybe we wouldn’t even stick around for it. Time present and time future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-heller/if-we-all-knew-what-was-coming-maybe-we-wouldn-t-even-stick-around/) [Peter Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-heller/) > [“You know it wouldn't kill you to walk, right, old man?" "Maybe not. Wouldn't kill you to keep your clothes on, either.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ockler/you-know-it-wouldn-t-kill-you-to-walk-right-old-man-maybe-not-wouldn/) [Sarah Ockler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ockler/) > [Maybe I wouldn't hit three fast food restaurants in a day, but I could hit one in a day. I try not to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/maybe-i-wouldn-t-hit-three-fast-food-restaurants-in-a-day-but-i-could/) [Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/) > [If life was so much easier then it is now, maybe we wouldn't have to fantasize about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-bui/if-life-was-so-much-easier-then-it-is-now-maybe-we-wouldn-t-have-to/) [Jay Bui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-bui/) > [“There would be consequences to this weekend, I knew that now and I wasn’t lying to myself anymore. But maybe they wouldn’t all be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-sheridan/there-would-be-consequences-to-this-weekend-i-knew-that-now-and-i/) [Mia Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-sheridan/) > [“Maybe he wouldn't end up the kind of man who needed to use his body for work. Maybe he'd be a new kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaa-gyasi/maybe-he-wouldn-t-end-up-the-kind-of-man-who-needed-to-use-his-body/) [Yaa Gyasi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaa-gyasi/) > [Too bad people can't always be playing music, maybe then there wouldn't be any more wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-benary-isbert/too-bad-people-can-t-always-be-playing-music-maybe-then-there-wouldn/) [Margot Benary-Isbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-benary-isbert/) > [If only I could talk as good as I can write, then maybe I wouldn't be all alone tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-boughter/if-only-i-could-talk-as-good-as-i-can-write-then-maybe-i-wouldn-t-be/) [Robert Boughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-boughter/) > [If all those words you said to me actually meant something, maybe we wouldn't be standing where we are today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-all-those-words-you-said-to-me-actually-meant-something-maybe-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Having no applicable skills, in any possible area whatsoever, effectively makes me the master of redundancy. But that info is obsolete, like my insults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/having-no-applicable-skills-in-any-possible-area-whatsoever/) [Will Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-advise/) > [“You give a guy a license to steal, you've got to expect him to use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/you-give-a-guy-a-license-to-steal-you-ve-got-to-expect-him-to-use-it/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) ## More by Gabriel Common > [“Emotions can be dangerous in the wrong hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/emotions-can-be-dangerous-in-the-wrong-hands/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) > [“It's always easy to cut someone out of your life, but the real challenge is cutting them out of you thoughts. If moving on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/it-s-always-easy-to-cut-someone-out-of-your-life-but-the-real/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) > [“If you can't accept yourself for who you are, how can you expect others to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/if-you-can-t-accept-yourself-for-who-you-are-how-can-you-expect/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) > [“The problem with running is that eventually you’ll hit a dead end; and that problem you tried to ignore has now gotten bigger than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/the-problem-with-running-is-that-eventually-you-ll-hit-a-dead-end-and/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) > [“It's not the world that needs to change, it's people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/it-s-not-the-world-that-needs-to-change-it-s-people/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) > [“Without purpose we're just waiting to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/without-purpose-we-re-just-waiting-to-die/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) > [“Don't fear the possibility of a negative outcome; only the certainty of regret for not making the move.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/don-t-fear-the-possibility-of-a-negative-outcome-only-the-certainty/) [Gabriel Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) [Explore all 8 Gabriel Common quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/) ## More Steal quotes > [ “\[..\] we human beings are ready and willing to steal something that does not explicitly reference monetary value - that is, something that lacks… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/we-human-beings-are-ready-and-willing-to-steal-something-that-does/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [“The fact that I can get away with something is the very reason why I shouldn’t do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-fact-that-i-can-get-away-with-something-is-the-very-reason-why-i/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Every now and then we could steal somebody else's stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/every-now-and-then-we-could-steal-somebody-else-s-stuff/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [“Don't put your life in someone's hands They bound to steal it away Don't hide your mistakes 'Cause they'll find you, burn you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/three-days-grace/don-t-put-your-life-in-someone-s-hands-they-bound-to-steal-it-away/) [Three Days Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/three-days-grace/) > [I looked at Randy White... I looked at Klecko. I looked at Gino Marchetti. I looked at a lot of players. Bob Lilly. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-long/i-looked-at-randy-white-i-looked-at-klecko-i-looked-at-gino-marchetti/) [Howie Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-long/) > [Only two kinds of people exit in this world, those who steal and those who are stolen from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciel-phantomhive/only-two-kinds-of-people-exit-in-this-world-those-who-steal-and-those/) [Ciel Phantomhive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciel-phantomhive/) > [I think I probably have the philosophy of a poor man. You know, like maybe I'd steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-think-i-probably-have-the-philosophy-of-a-poor-man-you-know-like/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [“Life doesn’t make sense. It’s against the law for somebody to steal your bike but apparently it doesn’t matter if somebody tries to steal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-stratton/life-doesn-t-make-sense-it-s-against-the-law-for-somebody-to-steal/) [Allan Stratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-stratton/) > [“You give a guy a license to steal, you've got to expect him to use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/you-give-a-guy-a-license-to-steal-you-ve-got-to-expect-him-to-use-it/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [“The schizophrenic in the sleeping bag with a live chicken and a can of tomato soup spilling onto the sidewalk had no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-schizophrenic-in-the-sleeping-bag-with-a-live-chicken-and-a-can/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Having no applicable skills, in any possible area whatsoever, effectively makes me the master of redundancy. But that info is obsolete, like my insults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/having-no-applicable-skills-in-any-possible-area-whatsoever/) [Will Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-advise/) > [Beware of the man who will not engage in idle conversation; he is planning to steal your walking stick or water your stock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-emerson/beware-of-the-man-who-will-not-engage-in-idle-conversation-he-is/) [William Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-emerson/) > [I spent a lot of time drawing and writing little comic books, and my mom was a rapper, so I would steal her instrumentals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-thee-stallion/i-spent-a-lot-of-time-drawing-and-writing-little-comic-books-and-my/) [Megan Thee Stallion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-thee-stallion/) > [“If you don't take inventory of your blessings, ingratitude will try to steal them from you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-don-t-take-inventory-of-your-blessings-ingratitude-will-try-to/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) [Browse all 885 Steal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If your people had put as much effort into your resources as you do at being assholes, then maybe you wouldn’t have to steal.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gabriel Common" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-into-your-resources-as-you-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Steal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-into-your-resources-as-you-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gabriel-common-46672_quote_if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-in_2154306.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gabriel-common-46672_quote_if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-in_2154306.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/gabriel-common-46672_quote_if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-in_2154306.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If your people had put as much effort into your resources as you do at being assholes, then maybe you…” — Gabriel Common", "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": "Gabriel Common", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-common/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If your people had put as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-into-your-resources-as-you-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-common/if-your-people-had-put-as-much-effort-into-your-resources-as-you-do/#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 } } ] } ```