--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Truth be told, I decided years ago not to…" description: "\"Truth be told, I decided years ago not to call it a job, because I know people who work - my mother worked, hard.\" — Heather Headley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/heather-headley-17117_hard_truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to_1785033.jpg" --- # Truth be told, I decided years ago not to call it a job… ![“Truth be told, I decided years ago not to call it a job, because I know people who work - my mother worked, hard.” quote by Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/heather-headley-17117_hard_truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to_1785033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/heather-headley-17117_hard_truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to_1785033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/heather-headley-17117_hard_truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to_1785033.jpg) > “Truth be told, I decided years ago not to call it a job, because I know people who work - my mother worked, hard.” [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) ## 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 chooses not to label her work as a job, emphasizing personal fulfillment over conventional employment definitions. **In simple terms:** She sees work as purpose, not a job. Key Takeaway Define work by purpose, not title. Themes purpose identity work Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - creative careers - family expectations - personal fulfillment Key Concepts sociology career development Questions to Reflect On - What defines your work beyond a title? - How does purpose shape your daily actions? A Different Perspective Labeling work as a job may limit passion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [My mother worked as a maid, cleaning the fraternity dorm of the local college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/my-mother-worked-as-a-maid-cleaning-the-fraternity-dorm-of-the-local/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [It's really hard to balance work and being a mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/it-s-really-hard-to-balance-work-and-being-a-mother/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) > [It's much more work for the mother of an autistic child to have a job, because working with an autistic child is such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/it-s-much-more-work-for-the-mother-of-an-autistic-child-to-have-a-job/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“Lots of women who have children work. Being a mother isn’t a disability. You're an educated man, you know I'm right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-a-king/lots-of-women-who-have-children-work-being-a-mother-isn-t-a/) [Alex A. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-a-king/) > [I would go to college and people would know me from the rave they went to at the weekend. So I would get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kano/i-would-go-to-college-and-people-would-know-me-from-the-rave-they/) [Kano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kano/) > [“Perhaps Jonas is learning that bread without butter is no better for the spirit than all butter and no bread. Jonas has always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-colver/perhaps-jonas-is-learning-that-bread-without-butter-is-no-better-for/) Anne Colver > [I tried to always include my children in everything that I did. I traveled with them, I brought them with me to work, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stuart/i-tried-to-always-include-my-children-in-everything-that-i-did-i/) Jill Stuart > [People ask me all the time what it's like to work with my mother. I feel completely blessed because, first of all, this has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-walton-hamilton/people-ask-me-all-the-time-what-it-s-like-to-work-with-my-mother-i/) [Emma Walton Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-walton-hamilton/) > [Get to work because Mother Earth needs you right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/get-to-work-because-mother-earth-needs-you-right-now/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [The future destiny of a child is always the work of the mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-future-destiny-of-a-child-is-always-the-work-of-the-mother/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I learned to work with my mother, who had an haute-couture business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianni-versace/i-learned-to-work-with-my-mother-who-had-an-haute-couture-business/) [Gianni Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianni-versace/) > [Sometimes the weekend gets hijacked by work, but as my mother would say, this is the right problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/sometimes-the-weekend-gets-hijacked-by-work-but-as-my-mother-would/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [The work of a mother is hard, too often unheralded work. Please know that it is worth it then, now, and forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-work-of-a-mother-is-hard-too-often-unheralded-work-please-know/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [I especially wish to praise and encourage young mothers. The work of a mother is hard, too often unheralded work... Do the best you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/i-especially-wish-to-praise-and-encourage-young-mothers-the-work-of-a/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) ## More by Heather Headley > [We put up these facades, of maybe strength of who we are, but inside there's this incredibly broken person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/we-put-up-these-facades-of-maybe-strength-of-who-we-are-but-inside/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [I just want to create amazing music that speaks and defines who I am. I want it to be based on my life and/or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/i-just-want-to-create-amazing-music-that-speaks-and-defines-who-i-am/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [I love music; I was never the type of singer to say, "This is my specific genre, or I only sing R&B music." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/i-love-music-i-was-never-the-type-of-singer-to-say-this-is-my/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [Whitney Houston, one of my biggest inspirations, also had that same mindset because her songs vary from R&B, hip hop, pop, and gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/whitney-houston-one-of-my-biggest-inspirations-also-had-that-same/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [I did three musicals in high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/i-did-three-musicals-in-high-school/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [I remember coming into 'The Lion King' and, oh forgive me Lord, but doubting it. The way that musicals are put together, we're kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/i-remember-coming-into-the-lion-king-and-oh-forgive-me-lord-but/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [Broadway's a lot of work, don't get me wrong. It's eight shows a week. You hardly ever see the sunset. I remember when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/broadway-s-a-lot-of-work-don-t-get-me-wrong-it-s-eight-shows-a-week/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [I like to think about the quality, content, and concept for my music because I think these are the most important things and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/i-like-to-think-about-the-quality-content-and-concept-for-my-music/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [I just have to give credit when it's due because there are some things that took place in my life that I couldn't explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/i-just-have-to-give-credit-when-it-s-due-because-there-are-some/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [My husband, children, and my family are my biggest supporters. I just pray to God to keep my family and I aligned at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/my-husband-children-and-my-family-are-my-biggest-supporters-i-just/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [The beauty of Broadway is that if I'm 60 or 70 years old, if they'll accept me back, I can go back. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/the-beauty-of-broadway-is-that-if-i-m-60-or-70-years-old-if-they-ll/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [My husband is very supportive and is there for the kids, especially when I'm in projects such as The Color Purple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/my-husband-is-very-supportive-and-is-there-for-the-kids-especially/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [I also call my family and see what's going on with them before I start my day with interviews, rehearsals, or anything else. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/i-also-call-my-family-and-see-what-s-going-on-with-them-before-i/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [And it's beautiful - the man that I married has never ever put just a limit on to what I could do and would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/and-it-s-beautiful-the-man-that-i-married-has-never-ever-put-just-a/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) > [My aim is to bridge Broadway and the R&B world; and to bring all my Broadway experience to the R&B world; and one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/my-aim-is-to-bridge-broadway-and-the-r-b-world-and-to-bring-all-my/) [Heather Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) [Explore all 38 Heather Headley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. 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The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) Browse all 29,826 Hard quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Truth be told, I decided years ago not to call it a job, because I know people who work - my mother worked, hard.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Heather Headley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to-call-it-a-job-because-i-know/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to-call-it-a-job-because-i-know/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/heather-headley-17117_hard_truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to_1785033.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/heather-headley-17117_hard_truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to_1785033.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/heather-headley-17117_hard_truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to_1785033.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Truth be told, I decided years ago not to call it a job, because I know people who work - my mother worked…” — Heather Headley", "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": "Heather Headley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-headley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Truth be told, I decided years...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to-call-it-a-job-because-i-know/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-headley/truth-be-told-i-decided-years-ago-not-to-call-it-a-job-because-i-know/#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 } } ] } ```