--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not enough to be a hardworking…" description: "\"It is not enough to be a hardworking person. Equally important is the job you are working at.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/henry-david-thoreau-20_enough_it-is-not-enough-to-be-a-hardworking-per_1753049.jpg" --- # It is not enough to be a hardworking person. Equally… ![“It is not enough to be a hardworking person. Equally important is the job you are working at.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/henry-david-thoreau-20_enough_it-is-not-enough-to-be-a-hardworking-per_1753049.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/henry-david-thoreau-20_enough_it-is-not-enough-to-be-a-hardworking-per_1753049.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/henry-david-thoreau-20_enough_it-is-not-enough-to-be-a-hardworking-per_1753049.jpg) > “It is not enough to be a hardworking person. Equally important is the job you are working at.” [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; the suitability of the work to one's values and purpose is equally vital. **In simple terms:** Hard work isn’t enough; choose meaningful work. Key Takeaway Seek work that aligns with your purpose. Themes purpose meaning work values Mood contemplative inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - volunteering - personal projects Key Concepts self‑actualization career fulfillment ethics Questions to Reflect On - What work feels purposeful to you? - How can you align current tasks with deeper values? A Different Perspective It may undervalue perseverance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Hardworking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardworking/) [Hardworking Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardworking-person-1297027/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-job/) [Job Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-working-585388/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) ## Related quotes > [I'm just a really hardworking person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anitta/i-m-just-a-really-hardworking-person/) [Anitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anitta/) > [I wouldn't have a No. 1 record or song if I wasn't a hardworking person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kesha/i-wouldn-t-have-a-no-1-record-or-song-if-i-wasn-t-a-hardworking-person/) [Kesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kesha/) > [It is not enough to be a hardworking person. Think: what do you work at?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/it-is-not-enough-to-be-a-hardworking-person-think-what-do-you-work-at/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I'm the only person in the world that, when he holds down two jobs, gets criticized for it; everyone else gets a pat on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-m-the-only-person-in-the-world-that-when-he-holds-down-two-jobs/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I'm a really hardworking person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sean/i-m-a-really-hardworking-person/) [Jay Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sean/) > [The first job I ever had was working for my dad, helping him out with some of his work as a translator - he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omid-djalili/the-first-job-i-ever-had-was-working-for-my-dad-helping-him-out-with/) [Omid Djalili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omid-djalili/) > [I am a very driven and hardworking person, and I am independent, and I feel that I have really good instincts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brynn-cartelli/i-am-a-very-driven-and-hardworking-person-and-i-am-independent-and-i/) [Brynn Cartelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brynn-cartelli/) > [What I try to do is to appreciate every job I have while I'm working on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-baldwin/what-i-try-to-do-is-to-appreciate-every-job-i-have-while-i-m-working/) [Adam Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-baldwin/) > [As an artist, you have the job of working out whatever is given you to work out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/as-an-artist-you-have-the-job-of-working-out-whatever-is-given-you-to/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [Our job is to keep what is working intact and not destroy what we have got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/our-job-is-to-keep-what-is-working-intact-and-not-destroy-what-we/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [My first job was working at Benihana as kitchen help. In college, I was a telemarketer for a company at the same time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/my-first-job-was-working-at-benihana-as-kitchen-help-in-college-i-was/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [Starting a job and working hard is how to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/starting-a-job-and-working-hard-is-how-to-be-successful/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“south of Golden Gate Park, and he took a job working for a finance company as a “repo man,” picking the locks of cars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/south-of-golden-gate-park-and-he-took-a-job-working-for-a-finance/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [By doing, you become employable. It doesn't matter what the job is; by working, you learn new things, meet new people and are exposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-reardon/by-doing-you-become-employable-it-doesn-t-matter-what-the-job-is-by/) [Kate Reardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-reardon/) > [The greatest job I ever had was working on my family farm. Each morning my father would come into my bedroom around 4:30 am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armstrong-williams/the-greatest-job-i-ever-had-was-working-on-my-family-farm-each/) [Armstrong Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armstrong-williams/) ## 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. 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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 Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. 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I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. 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