--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people work at keeping their job…" description: "\"Most people work at keeping their job, rather than doing a good job. If you're the former, you're leading a meaningless life. If you're the latter, kee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/george-lois-21482_career_most-people-work-at-keeping-their-job-ra_495822.jpg" --- # Most people work at keeping their job, rather than doing a… ![“Most people work at keeping their job, rather than doing a good job. If you're the former, you're leading a meaningless life. If you're the latter, keep up the good work.” quote by George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/george-lois-21482_career_most-people-work-at-keeping-their-job-ra_495822.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/george-lois-21482_career_most-people-work-at-keeping-their-job-ra_495822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/george-lois-21482_career_most-people-work-at-keeping-their-job-ra_495822.jpg) > “Most people work at keeping their job, rather than doing a good job. If you're the former, you're leading a meaningless life. If you're the latter, keep up the good work.” [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many focus on job security rather than excellence, leading to a hollow existence; striving for quality gives purpose. **In simple terms:** People often protect jobs instead of doing good work; aim for excellence. Key Takeaway Prioritize doing meaningful work over merely keeping a job. Themes career meaning excellence purpose Mood determined inspired Type advice motivational When to use this quote - job interviews - career planning - performance reviews - entrepreneurship Key Concepts ethics motivation identity Questions to Reflect On - Are you working for security or fulfillment? - What steps can you take to improve your work quality? A Different Perspective Changing jobs can be financially risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Doing A Good Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-a-good-job/) [Doing good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-good/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meaningless life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningless-life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [There are leaders. And there are people who have the job of leading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-pino/there-are-leaders-and-there-are-people-who-have-the-job-of-leading/) Jim Pino > [The RNC has made a concerted effort to work with their allies with a real focus on what we can do to equip candidates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/the-rnc-has-made-a-concerted-effort-to-work-with-their-allies-with-a/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Good food, good vibes. 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I don't want to be rich to the extent that all I care about is keeping my job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-don-t-want-to-be-poor-i-don-t-want-to-be-rich-to-the-extent-that/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Fortunately, our digital age has created some wonderful tools for finding employers and showing your strengths. But when it comes to discovering or keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/fortunately-our-digital-age-has-created-some-wonderful-tools-for/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Make your work to be in keeping with your purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/make-your-work-to-be-in-keeping-with-your-purpose/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Doing a job RIGHT the first time gets the job done. Doing the job WRONG fourteen times gives you job security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/doing-a-job-right-the-first-time-gets-the-job-done-doing-the-job/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [If you don't get a kick out of the job you are doing, you better kick it and look for another one. Love what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/if-you-don-t-get-a-kick-out-of-the-job-you-are-doing-you-better-kick/) RVM > [You'll never prove you're too good for a job by not doing your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-merman/you-ll-never-prove-you-re-too-good-for-a-job-by-not-doing-your-best/) [Ethel Merman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-merman/) ## More by George Lois > [The more creative you are the more trouble you're in. You have to be courageous!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/the-more-creative-you-are-the-more-trouble-you-re-in-you-have-to-be/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Follow your bliss. That which you love you must spend your life doing, as passionately and as perfectly as your heart, mind and instincts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/follow-your-bliss-that-which-you-love-you-must-spend-your-life-doing/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [In any creative industry, the fact that others are moving in a certain direction is always proof positive, at least to me, that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/in-any-creative-industry-the-fact-that-others-are-moving-in-a-certain/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Onwards and upwards, and never give your failures a second thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/onwards-and-upwards-and-never-give-your-failures-a-second-thought/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Creativity can solve almost any problem,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/creativity-can-solve-almost-any-problem/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Nothing comes from nothing. You must continuously feed the inner beast that sparks and inspires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/nothing-comes-from-nothing-you-must-continuously-feed-the-inner-beast/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Only with absolute fearlessness can we slay the dragons of mediocrity that invade our gardens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/only-with-absolute-fearlessness-can-we-slay-the-dragons-of-mediocrity/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Advertising, an art, is constantly besieged and compromised by logicians and technocrats, the scientists of our profession who wildly miss the main point about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/advertising-an-art-is-constantly-besieged-and-compromised-by/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [The accurate measure of a human being is what he or she actually gets done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/the-accurate-measure-of-a-human-being-is-what-he-or-she-actually-gets/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [To create great work, here's how you must spend your time: 1% Inspiration 9% Perspiration 90% Justification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/to-create-great-work-here-s-how-you-must-spend-your-time-1/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [If you don't burn out at the end of each day, you're a bum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/if-you-don-t-burn-out-at-the-end-of-each-day-you-re-a-bum/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Museums are custodians of epiphanies, and these epiphanies enter the central nervous system and deep recesses of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/museums-are-custodians-of-epiphanies-and-these-epiphanies-enter-the/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Never listen to music when you're trying go come up with a Big Idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/never-listen-to-music-when-you-re-trying-go-come-up-with-a-big-idea/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Creativity can solve almost any problem. The creative act, the defeat of habit by originality, overcomes everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/creativity-can-solve-almost-any-problem-the-creative-act-the-defeat/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) > [Working hard and doing doing great work is as imperative as breathing. Creating great work warms the heart and enriches the soul. Those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lois/working-hard-and-doing-doing-great-work-is-as-imperative-as-breathing/) [George Lois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) [Explore all 29 George Lois quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lois/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. 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Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people work at keeping their job, rather than doing a good job. If you're the former, you're leading a meaningless life. 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