---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I made a handshake agreement with my best…"
description: "\"I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in college, Michael Shamberg, who is now a movie producer. We used to write shows together, and we sai..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/harold-ramis-4057_agreement_i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-bes_372570.png"
---

#  I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in…

![“I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in college, Michael Shamberg, who is now a movie producer. We used to write shows together, and we said, &quot;Let's only do what's fun. Let's never take a job where we have to dress up in a suit.&quot;” quote by Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/harold-ramis-4057_agreement_i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-bes_372570.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/harold-ramis-4057_agreement_i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-bes_372570.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/harold-ramis-4057_agreement_i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-bes_372570.png)

> “I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in college, Michael Shamberg, who is now a movie producer. We used to write shows together, and we said, "Let's only do what's fun. Let's never take a job where we have to dress up in a suit."”

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker values fun over formality, choosing work that aligns with personal joy rather than conventional expectations.

**In simple terms:** Prioritize joy, not dress code.

Key Takeaway

Seek work that feels fun and authentic.

Themes

career satisfaction authenticity friendship

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

career philosophical

When to use this quote

- choosing projects
- rejecting corporate attire
- building trust with peers

Key Concepts

values‑driven career creative collaboration

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance fun with responsibility?
- What boundaries define “fun” for you?

A Different Perspective

Fun‑first approach may limit professional opportunities in certain fields.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Agreement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/) [Best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-friend/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Movie Producer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie-producer/) [My best friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-best-friend/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [“Trust is more than a handshake. It’s the agreement, the bond, between users of digital services and the suppliers of those services that enables…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satya-nadella/trust-is-more-than-a-handshake-it-s-the-agreement-the-bond-between/)

[Satya Nadella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satya-nadella/)

> [“Why? Because, Michael whatever your middle fucking name is Ripton, there’s something about that boxer fist bump handshake - something about that agreement we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hildreth/why-because-michael-whatever-your-middle-fucking-name-is-ripton-there/)

[Scott Hildreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hildreth/)

> [“Over the decade that movie producer Menahem Golan had retained the rights for Spider-Man, he’d managed to involve half a dozen different corporate entities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-howe/over-the-decade-that-movie-producer-menahem-golan-had-retained-the/)

[Sean Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-howe/)

> [The fact is Jerry Weintraub, the handsome, bearish movie producer, the man with the long career, who worked with Arthur Godfrey and Elvis Presley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-cohen/the-fact-is-jerry-weintraub-the-handsome-bearish-movie-producer-the/)

[Rich Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-cohen/)

> [I'd really like to do a movie, either as a producer or director. My ultimate fantasy would be to direct a movie and produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/i-d-really-like-to-do-a-movie-either-as-a-producer-or-director-my/)

[Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/)

> [Food was always a big part of my life. My grandfather was one of 14 kids, and his parents had a pasta factory, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giada-de-laurentiis/food-was-always-a-big-part-of-my-life-my-grandfather-was-one-of-14/)

[Giada De Laurentiis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giada-de-laurentiis/)

> [“He handed me a card. On it were written the words “Billy Matrix, movie producer.” “Movie producer?” I frowned. “Yes,” he smiled. “I’m the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diary-wimpy/he-handed-me-a-card-on-it-were-written-the-words-billy-matrix-movie/)

[Diary Wimpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diary-wimpy/)

> [My grandfather was a movie producer, and so I grew up on movie sets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/my-grandfather-was-a-movie-producer-and-so-i-grew-up-on-movie-sets/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [My entire career is contemporary based, not by choice, but just by character. So, all the movies I've done, except for one in 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/my-entire-career-is-contemporary-based-not-by-choice-but-just-by/)

[Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/)

> [I will never become a director or a movie producer. I was always looking at picture directing because I didn't know what to do!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-will-never-become-a-director-or-a-movie-producer-i-was-always/)

[Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/)

> [I started working as a movie writer and a movie producer... all the way back to 'Teen Wolf' and 'Commando.' All of those experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeph-loeb/i-started-working-as-a-movie-writer-and-a-movie-producer-all-the-way/)

[Jeph Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeph-loeb/)

> [The difference between a reporter, a newspaper columnist, a paid speaker, a television personality, a radio talk show host, a blogger, a movie producer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-difference-between-a-reporter-a-newspaper-columnist-a-paid/)

[George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/)

> [I like writing dialog but don't think I'd be much good at a screenplay. I once had to write a treatment for a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-like-writing-dialog-but-don-t-think-i-d-be-much-good-at-a/)

[Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/)

> [I collected men with interesting names. I already knew a Socrates. He was tall and ugly and intellectual and the son of some big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-collected-men-with-interesting-names-i-already-knew-a-socrates-he/)

[Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/)

> [I see myself maybe being, like, a movie producer or screenwriter or a novelist or a scientist or mathematician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazz-jennings/i-see-myself-maybe-being-like-a-movie-producer-or-screenwriter-or-a/)

[Jazz Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazz-jennings/)

## More by Harold Ramis

> [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [I've always thought that comedy was just another dramatic expression. I try to measure the amount of truth in a work rather than just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-always-thought-that-comedy-was-just-another-dramatic-expression/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [You can perceive life as tragic, or you can laugh at the tragedy of it and that turns it into comedy. It doesn't change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/you-can-perceive-life-as-tragic-or-you-can-laugh-at-the-tragedy-of-it/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-m-terrified-beyond-the-capacity-for-rational-thought/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [You can't not have feelings about country clubs, whichever side you're on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/you-can-t-not-have-feelings-about-country-clubs-whichever-side-you-re/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [That's one of the great things about DVD: In addition to reaching people who didn't catch the movie in theaters, you get to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/that-s-one-of-the-great-things-about-dvd-in-addition-to-reaching/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [It doesn't take any longer to improvise 10 takes than it takes to shoot 10 takes of the same thing. It turns out to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/it-doesn-t-take-any-longer-to-improvise-10-takes-than-it-takes-to/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [As much as I liked acting for its playfulness and the reward of hearing big laughs wash over you on a stage, I always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/as-much-as-i-liked-acting-for-its-playfulness-and-the-reward-of/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [I've never taken a script to the stage or to principal photography and said, "This is perfect. This is as good as it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-ve-never-taken-a-script-to-the-stage-or-to-principal-photography/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [I realized that my righteous indignation was a form of entertainment for me. I loved getting pissed off at injustice. I didn't do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-realized-that-my-righteous-indignation-was-a-form-of-entertainment/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/my-characters-aren-t-losers-they-re-rebels-they-win-by-their-refusal/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [The trick with sequels is, you have to give people what they liked before, yet be innovative enough so they don't feel like they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/the-trick-with-sequels-is-you-have-to-give-people-what-they-liked/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [Life doesn't care about your vision. You just gotta roll with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/life-doesn-t-care-about-your-vision-you-just-gotta-roll-with-it/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [I look for the meaning in what's funny, and I look for what's funny about things that are meaningful to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-look-for-the-meaning-in-what-s-funny-and-i-look-for-what-s-funny/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

> [You can't love somebody into a state of mental health. A lot of people get into serious relationships thinking they're going to heal someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/you-can-t-love-somebody-into-a-state-of-mental-health-a-lot-of-people/)

[Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

[Explore all 117 Harold Ramis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/)

## More Agreement quotes

> [Therefore, I see whatever exists as good, death is to me like life, sin like holiness, wisdom like foolishness, everything has to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/therefore-i-see-whatever-exists-as-good-death-is-to-me-like-life-sin/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/)

[Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/)

> [Biochemists and biologists who adhere blindly to the Darwinism theory search for results that will be in agreement with their theories and consequently orient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-paul-grasse/biochemists-and-biologists-who-adhere-blindly-to-the-darwinism-theory/)

[Pierre-Paul Grasse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-paul-grasse/)

> [In coming to that agreement, my party had a clear philosophy throughout. In Northern Ireland, we should have institutions that respected the differences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-coming-to-that-agreement-my-party-had-a-clear-philosophy/)

[John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/)

> [Identity is not negotiable. An identity you have achieved by agreement is always a prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-john-harrison/identity-is-not-negotiable-an-identity-you-have-achieved-by-agreement/)

[M. John Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-john-harrison/)

> [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/)

[Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/)

> [Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/because-countries-often-have-differing-political-and-economic-systems/)

[David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/)

> [As long as I sit at Henry Clay's desk, I will remember his lifelong desire to forge agreement, but I will also keep close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/as-long-as-i-sit-at-henry-clay-s-desk-i-will-remember-his-lifelong/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [Gaia's main problems are not industrialization, ozone depletion, overpopulation, or resource depletion. Gaia's main problem is the lack of mutual understanding and mutual agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/gaia-s-main-problems-are-not-industrialization-ozone-depletion/)

[Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/)

> [We recognize that NAFTA is a three-country agreement, and we need a three-country negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/we-recognize-that-nafta-is-a-three-country-agreement-and-we-need-a/)

[Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/)

> [At Ohio State University, to avoid being guilty of 'sexual assault' or 'sexual violence,' you and your partner now apparently have to agree on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/at-ohio-state-university-to-avoid-being-guilty-of-sexual-assault-or/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Whatever you perceive, you always make a story with yourself as the main character, and that dictates your life. Then when you read 'The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/whatever-you-perceive-you-always-make-a-story-with-yourself-as-the/)

[Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/)

> [ Look at what I am proposing, and we \[wih Bernie Sanders\] have a vigorous agreement here. We both want to reign in the excesses… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/look-at-what-i-am-proposing-and-we-wih-bernie-sanders-have-a-vigorous/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [I spoke on the phone with President Rouhani of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The two of us discussed our ongoing efforts to reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-spoke-on-the-phone-with-president-rouhani-of-the-islamic-republic/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Netanyahu made all sorts of claims. This was going to be a terrible deal. This was going to result in Iran getting 50 billion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/netanyahu-made-all-sorts-of-claims-this-was-going-to-be-a-terrible/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

[Browse all 1,138 Agreement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agreement/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in college, Michael Shamberg, who is now a movie producer. We used to write shows together, and we said, \"Let's only do what's fun. Let's never take a job where we have to dress up in a suit.\"",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Harold Ramis"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-best-friend-in-college-michael/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agreement"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-best-friend-in-college-michael/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/harold-ramis-4057_agreement_i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-bes_372570.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/harold-ramis-4057_agreement_i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-bes_372570.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/344/harold-ramis-4057_agreement_i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-bes_372570.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I made a handshake agreement with my best friend in college, Michael Shamberg, who is now a movie producer…” — Harold Ramis",
                "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": "Harold Ramis",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I made a handshake agreement with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-best-friend-in-college-michael/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-made-a-handshake-agreement-with-my-best-friend-in-college-michael/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
