--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wish to suggest that a man may be very…" description: "\"I wish to suggest that a man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_i-wish-to-suggest-that-a-man-may-be-very_1216804.jpg" --- # I wish to suggest that a man may be very industrious, and… ![“I wish to suggest that a man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting his living. All great enterprises are self-supporting. The poet, for instance, must sustain his body by his poetry, as a…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_i-wish-to-suggest-that-a-man-may-be-very_1216804.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_i-wish-to-suggest-that-a-man-may-be-very_1216804.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/henry-david-thoreau-20_body_i-wish-to-suggest-that-a-man-may-be-very_1216804.jpg) > “I wish to suggest that a man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting his living. All great enterprises are self-supporting. The poet, for instance, must sustain his body by his poetry, as a steam planing-mill feeds its boilers with the shavings it makes. You must get your living by loving.” [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. Hard work alone is insufficient; one must align labor with purpose and passion to avoid wasting life. **In simple terms:** Work must be meaningful, not just busy. Key Takeaway Live by loving what you do. Themes purpose work meaning balance Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choice - artistic pursuits - entrepreneurship - personal development Key Concepts self‑actualization sustainability creative economy Questions to Reflect On - What activities truly nourish your spirit? - How can you integrate love into your daily work? A Different Perspective Hard work can become futile if disconnected from deeper values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [“A man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-may-be-very-industrious-and-yet-not-spend-his-time-well-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [It is remarkable that there is little or nothing to be remembered written on the subject of getting a living: how to make getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-remarkable-that-there-is-little-or-nothing-to-be-remembered/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [If we were always, indeed, getting our living, and regulating our lives according to the last and best mode we had learned, we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-we-were-always-indeed-getting-our-living-and-regulating-our-lives/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I hate the present modes of living and getting a living. Farming and shopkeeping and working at a trade or profession are all odious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-hate-the-present-modes-of-living-and-getting-a-living-farming-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [All great enterprises are self-supporting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-great-enterprises-are-self-supporting/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Falling down is part of life. Getting back up is living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/falling-down-is-part-of-life-getting-back-up-is-living/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Falling down is part of life, getting back is living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie/falling-down-is-part-of-life-getting-back-is-living/) [Julie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie/) > [Men for the sake of getting a living forget to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fuller/men-for-the-sake-of-getting-a-living-forget-to-live/) [Margaret Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fuller/) > [Replace your self-defeating thoughts with self-supporting thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/replace-your-self-defeating-thoughts-with-self-supporting-thoughts/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Being self-supporting is important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-bono/being-self-supporting-is-important-to-me/) [Chaz Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-bono/) > [I'm hoping I can get in a position where I'm self-supporting from my own work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ward/i-m-hoping-i-can-get-in-a-position-where-i-m-self-supporting-from-my/) [Bill Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ward/) > [Growing up means leaving home and becoming a self supporting adult. I think this the hardest task any human being hast to face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/growing-up-means-leaving-home-and-becoming-a-self-supporting-adult-i/) [John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/) > [. . . black women . . . are trained from childhood to become workers, and expect to be financially self-supporting for most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerda-lerner/black-women-are-trained-from-childhood-to-become-workers-and-expect/) [Gerda Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerda-lerner/) > [...I knew I wanted to be permanently self-supporting and I vaguely thought I might work somewhere in the realm of ideas. I felt that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rheta-childe-dorr/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-permanently-self-supporting-and-i-vaguely/) [Rheta Childe Dorr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rheta-childe-dorr/) > [The desire to be self-supporting and financially independent is a divine desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ponder/the-desire-to-be-self-supporting-and-financially-independent-is-a/) [Catherine Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ponder/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wish to suggest that a man may be very industrious, and yet not spend his time well. There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting his living. All great enterprises are self-supporting. 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