--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's hard to be free but when it works…" description: "\"It's hard to be free but when it works, it's worth it!\" — Janis Joplin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/janis-joplin-6558_freedom_it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-i_1660587.jpg" --- # It's hard to be free but when it works, it's worth it! ![“It's hard to be free but when it works, it's worth it!” quote by Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/janis-joplin-6558_freedom_it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-i_1660587.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/janis-joplin-6558_freedom_it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-i_1660587.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/janis-joplin-6558_freedom_it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-i_1660587.jpg) > “It's hard to be free but when it works, it's worth it!” [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Freedom is difficult, but its rewards justify the struggle. **In simple terms:** Freedom is hard but rewarding. Key Takeaway Pursue freedom despite challenges. Themes freedom effort reward Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - social activism - creative expression Key Concepts Existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What freedoms are you willing to fight for? - How do you measure the worth of freedom? A Different Perspective Freedom can bring unforeseen costs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-works-754203/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-free-754201/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Working it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-it/) [Works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works/) [Works Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-worth-754202/) [Worth it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth-it/) ## Related quotes > [Today, ... anything you can come up with that works is worth trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-laroche/today-anything-you-can-come-up-with-that-works-is-worth-trying/) [Adam LaRoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-laroche/) > [I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-mean-it-s-real-hard-to-be-free-when-you-are-bought-and-sold-in-the/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I think the Space Shuttle is worth one billion dollars a launch. I think that it is worth two billion dollars for what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-conrad/i-think-the-space-shuttle-is-worth-one-billion-dollars-a-launch-i/) [Pete Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-conrad/) > [I felt, that night, on that stage, under that skull, incredibly close to everything in the universe, but also extremely alone. I wondered, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-felt-that-night-on-that-stage-under-that-skull-incredibly-close-to-2/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I am a perfectionist but I know how to live life. When I'm working, it's 100%. When I'm with my friends, I put everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monique-lhuillier/i-am-a-perfectionist-but-i-know-how-to-live-life-when-i-m-working-it/) [Monique Lhuillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monique-lhuillier/) > [I always worked as an individual artist even when Group Material asked me to join the group. There are certain things that I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-gonzalez-torres/i-always-worked-as-an-individual-artist-even-when-group-material/) [Felix Gonzalez-Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-gonzalez-torres/) > [How our government works... it doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/how-our-government-works-it-doesn-t/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/life-is-too-short-to-wake-up-with-regrets-so-love-the-people-who/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [Dont worry, Roza, I'm not afraid. I'll take whatever heat they give me over being with you. It's worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/dont-worry-roza-i-m-not-afraid-i-ll-take-whatever-heat-they-give-me/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Do not value money for any more nor any less than its worth; it is a good servant but a bad master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-alexandre-dumas/do-not-value-money-for-any-more-nor-any-less-than-its-worth-it-is-a/) [Thomas-Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-alexandre-dumas/) > [But whether you stay or go, the critical decision you can make is to stop letting your partner distort the lens of your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/but-whether-you-stay-or-go-the-critical-decision-you-can-make-is-to/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [It was difficult, but it was also rewarding. When you have a chance to see kids get better, everything makes it all worth it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-brandt/it-was-difficult-but-it-was-also-rewarding-when-you-have-a-chance-to/) [Paul Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-brandt/) > [“Make sure he's worth it. She had thought it so many times it had become a part of her. Like her tongue filling her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccarty/make-sure-he-s-worth-it-she-had-thought-it-so-many-times-it-had/) [Colleen McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccarty/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) ## More by Janis Joplin > [Guess what, I might be the first hippie pinup girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/guess-what-i-might-be-the-first-hippie-pinup-girl/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [Gimme a pigfoot and a bottle of beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/gimme-a-pigfoot-and-a-bottle-of-beer/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [All my life I just wanted to be a beatnik. Meet all the heavies, get stoned, get laid, have a good time. That's all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/all-my-life-i-just-wanted-to-be-a-beatnik-meet-all-the-heavies-get/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [On stage I make love to twenty five thousand people; and then I go home alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/on-stage-i-make-love-to-twenty-five-thousand-people-and-then-i-go/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [I'm a victim of my own insides. There was a time when I wanted to know everything. It used to make me very unhappy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/i-m-a-victim-of-my-own-insides-there-was-a-time-when-i-wanted-to-know/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [“Tomorrow never happens. It’s all the same fucking day, man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/tomorrow-never-happens-it-s-all-the-same-fucking-day-man/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [All of a sudden, someone threw me in front of this rock and roll band. And I decided then and there that was it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/all-of-a-sudden-someone-threw-me-in-front-of-this-rock-and-roll-band/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [You are what you settle for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/you-are-what-you-settle-for/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [If you've got a today, don't wear it tomorrow. Tomorrow never happens. It's all the same day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/if-you-ve-got-a-today-don-t-wear-it-tomorrow-tomorrow-never-happens/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [This whole thing that's happened to me, you see, this whole success thing..it hasn't yet really compromised the position that I took a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/this-whole-thing-that-s-happened-to-me-you-see-this-whole-success/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [Like most girls I'm always really self-conscious about do I look fat, if my legs are short, if I'm weird shaped, but when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/like-most-girls-i-m-always-really-self-conscious-about-do-i-look-fat/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [You are what you settle for. You are only as much as you settle for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/you-are-what-you-settle-for-you-are-only-as-much-as-you-settle-for/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [It's not what isn't, it's what you wish was that makes unhappiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/it-s-not-what-isn-t-it-s-what-you-wish-was-that-makes-unhappiness/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [I'm tired of all these hippie jack-offs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/i-m-tired-of-all-these-hippie-jack-offs/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [At my concerts most of the chicks are looking for liberation, they think I'm gonna show 'em how to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/at-my-concerts-most-of-the-chicks-are-looking-for-liberation-they/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) [Explore all 98 Janis Joplin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) ## More Free quotes > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [If you love anything set it free unless it is a tiger..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kshitij-roshan/if-you-love-anything-set-it-free-unless-it-is-a-tiger/) [Kshitij Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kshitij-roshan/) > [I free slaves because I believe we are all created equal. I just can't think of anything that has a higher purpose than putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-williams/i-free-slaves-because-i-believe-we-are-all-created-equal-i-just-can-t/) [Virginia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-williams/) > [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“Why is it," she asked, snuggling closer, "that I so often imagine myself running away and running free?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/why-is-it-she-asked-snuggling-closer-that-i-so-often-imagine-myself/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [My work is a love for me; I'd do it for free, but don't tell my bosses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chick-hearn/my-work-is-a-love-for-me-i-d-do-it-for-free-but-don-t-tell-my-bosses/) [Chick Hearn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chick-hearn/) > [We want to free our citizens from the burden of excessive paper documents in every office. We want paperless transactions. We will set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/we-want-to-free-our-citizens-from-the-burden-of-excessive-paper/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“She felt wild and unruly, determined and free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/she-felt-wild-and-unruly-determined-and-free/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [Love doesnt stake claims. It is free for the giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/love-doesnt-stake-claims-it-is-free-for-the-giving/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Music is how I get free. It's a way to shut the rest of the world down and create your own world within it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-of-gab/music-is-how-i-get-free-it-s-a-way-to-shut-the-rest-of-the-world-down/) [Gift of Gab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-of-gab/) > [The dignity of man is in free choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/the-dignity-of-man-is-in-free-choice/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) [Browse all 6,143 Free quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's hard to be free but when it works, it's worth it!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Janis Joplin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-it-s-worth-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Free" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-it-s-worth-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/janis-joplin-6558_freedom_it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-i_1660587.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/janis-joplin-6558_freedom_it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-i_1660587.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/janis-joplin-6558_freedom_it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-i_1660587.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's hard to be free but when it works, it's worth it!” — Janis Joplin", "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": "Janis Joplin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's hard to be free but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-it-s-worth-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/it-s-hard-to-be-free-but-when-it-works-it-s-worth-it/#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 } } ] } ```