--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An ordinary man will work every day for a…" description: "\"An ordinary man will work every day for a year at shoveling dirt to support his body, or a family of bodies; but he is an extraordinary man who will wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_an-ordinary-man-will-work-every-day-for_802467.jpg" --- # An ordinary man will work every day for a year at… ![“An ordinary man will work every day for a year at shoveling dirt to support his body, or a family of bodies; but he is an extraordinary man who will work a whole day in a year for the support of his soul. Even the priests, men of God, so called, for the most part confess that they work for the…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_an-ordinary-man-will-work-every-day-for_802467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_an-ordinary-man-will-work-every-day-for_802467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7b/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_an-ordinary-man-will-work-every-day-for_802467.jpg) > “An ordinary man will work every day for a year at shoveling dirt to support his body, or a family of bodies; but he is an extraordinary man who will work a whole day in a year for the support of his soul. Even the priests, men of God, so called, for the most part confess that they work for the support of the body.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical labor sustains the body, but dedicating time to nurture the soul yields deeper fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Body work vs. soul work. Key Takeaway Prioritize soul‑nurturing activities. Themes spirituality purpose balance Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily work - personal reflection - volunteering - creative pursuits Key Concepts Existentialism self‑care Questions to Reflect On - How can you schedule time for soul‑nurturing? - What small act feeds your spirit? A Different Perspective Soul work can be harder to quantify than physical labor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Clergy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clergy/) [Dirt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirt/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Man of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-of-god/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Of God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-of-god/) [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) [Priests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priests/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Support](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/support/) ## Related quotes > [Our humanity is trapped by moral adolescents. We have too many men of science, too few men of God. 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