--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a difference between a job and…" description: "\"There's a difference between a job and purpose. If I did my job without purpose, I wouldn't have the intention to put things out there that should be h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jeannie-mai-7574_career_there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-p_680256.jpg" --- # There's a difference between a job and purpose. If I did… ![“There's a difference between a job and purpose. If I did my job without purpose, I wouldn't have the intention to put things out there that should be heard. But I have a purpose.” quote by Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jeannie-mai-7574_career_there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-p_680256.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jeannie-mai-7574_career_there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-p_680256.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jeannie-mai-7574_career_there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-p_680256.jpg) > “There's a difference between a job and purpose. If I did my job without purpose, I wouldn't have the intention to put things out there that should be heard. But I have a purpose.” [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Purpose transforms a job into meaningful contribution, aligning actions with values and impact. **In simple terms:** Purpose makes work meaningful. Key Takeaway Align work with personal values. Themes purpose meaning work motivation Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career planning - volunteering - personal development - leadership - entrepreneurship Key Concepts Values alignment intrinsic motivation mission Questions to Reflect On - How does purpose influence your daily tasks? - What sacrifices are you willing to make for purpose? A Different Perspective Purpose may clash with practical constraints like pay or job security. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Difference Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-job-1320449/) [Heard Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-purpose-5383498/) [Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intention/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Job Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-purpose-1704020/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-did-1875359/) [Purpose Wouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-wouldn-1339989/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) ## Related quotes > [If you really want to be successful and you really want to be happy, don't have a job, have a purpose. ...When you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/if-you-really-want-to-be-successful-and-you-really-want-to-be-happy/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [There are plenty of fools in the world; but if they had not been sent for some wise purpose, they wouldn't have been here;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-edmonstone-ferrier/there-are-plenty-of-fools-in-the-world-but-if-they-had-not-been-sent/) [Susan Edmonstone Ferrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-edmonstone-ferrier/) > [When you approach the world with such vulnerability and openness, people return that energy. It's draining, but it fills me with a purpose. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/when-you-approach-the-world-with-such-vulnerability-and-openness/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [Anyone can get a job, but do you have a purpose?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-butler-bowdon/anyone-can-get-a-job-but-do-you-have-a-purpose/) [Tom Butler-Bowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-butler-bowdon/) > [“It’s one thing to think that your job has a purpose, and it’s another to meet a specific person who cares, appreciates, and values…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/it-s-one-thing-to-think-that-your-job-has-a-purpose-and-it-s-another/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My burden is my purpose. Without it, I wouldn't be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/my-burden-is-my-purpose-without-it-i-wouldn-t-be/) [Solange Nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [There's a difference between a job and a career - if you're the boss you don't stop at six o'clock, you have to worry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-a-career-if-you-re-the-boss/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [“I want to make a difference. But get a job? I worry that will make the ordinary, like everybody else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-messud/i-want-to-make-a-difference-but-get-a-job-i-worry-that-will-make-the/) [Claire Messud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-messud/) > [The difference between a job and a career is the difference between forty and sixty hours a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-difference-between-a-job-and-a-career-is-the-difference-between/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [There is a difference between a job and the promise of jobs, there is a difference between economic development and the promise of economic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-bullard/there-is-a-difference-between-a-job-and-the-promise-of-jobs-there-is/) [Robert D Bullard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-bullard/) > [There was always a purpose in what I did on the court because at the end of the day, my parents, they sacrificed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-tiafoe/there-was-always-a-purpose-in-what-i-did-on-the-court-because-at-the/) [Frances Tiafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-tiafoe/) > [“Education: learning to find your purpose. Upon finding your purpose: what did I learn?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bauvard/education-learning-to-find-your-purpose-upon-finding-your-purpose/) [Bauvard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bauvard/) > [“What did she do that made her happy? The question implied action, a conscious purpose. She did many things in a day, and many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-bauermeister/what-did-she-do-that-made-her-happy-the-question-implied-action-a/) [Erica Bauermeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-bauermeister/) > [“You did that on purpose." "Did what on purpose?" "Wore the don't-touch suit and the sex goddess perfume at the same time just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-did-that-on-purpose-did-what-on-purpose-wore-the-don-t-touch-suit/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“His name was Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. He was a man with a purpose. Not a very good purpose, as he would have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/his-name-was-wowbagger-the-infinitely-prolonged-he-was-a-man-with-a/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More by Jeannie Mai > [Stop baby shaming people to make us feel like there's something wrong with us if we don't want children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/stop-baby-shaming-people-to-make-us-feel-like-there-s-something-wrong/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [I really love, honestly, just being with your best girlfriends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-really-love-honestly-just-being-with-your-best-girlfriends/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [I only wear underwear from Target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-only-wear-underwear-from-target/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [I was low-key abusing myself. The idea of being skinny became something that was most appealing to me. Even if you watch 'The Real,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-was-low-key-abusing-myself-the-idea-of-being-skinny-became/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [Some people are really, really attracted to looks first, or money, or things like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/some-people-are-really-really-attracted-to-looks-first-or-money-or/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [Everywhere you go somebody is on a diet. Everywhere you go in L.A. there is a no-carb option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/everywhere-you-go-somebody-is-on-a-diet-everywhere-you-go-in-l-a/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [My Aunt Linh had to reimagine her life after she was diagnosed with RMS, especially when she was faced with certain challenges related to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/my-aunt-linh-had-to-reimagine-her-life-after-she-was-diagnosed-with/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [I'm Asian. Anything Boba please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-m-asian-anything-boba-please/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [Now that I think about it, my 40th birthday was the most anxiety I've ever had, and my wedding was also the second time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/now-that-i-think-about-it-my-40th-birthday-was-the-most-anxiety-i-ve/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [My favorite memory was tubing with Mama Mai. We had never done it before, and we told the guy driving to go as fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/my-favorite-memory-was-tubing-with-mama-mai-we-had-never-done-it/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [Spring is all about looser garments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/spring-is-all-about-looser-garments/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [I love how it feels to go into the gym, crank all my favorite music and literally sweat out all of the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-love-how-it-feels-to-go-into-the-gym-crank-all-my-favorite-music/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [Nutmeg and cinnamon are my favorite fragrance enhancers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/nutmeg-and-cinnamon-are-my-favorite-fragrance-enhancers/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [My favorite thing about beauty and fashion in all seasons is that it's a way to reinvent ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/my-favorite-thing-about-beauty-and-fashion-in-all-seasons-is-that-it/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) > [I learned watching Sesame Street how to speak English, and Bert and Ernie were my best friends. I believed in them and I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/i-learned-watching-sesame-street-how-to-speak-english-and-bert-and/) [Jeannie Mai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) [Explore all 90 Jeannie Mai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [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/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a difference between a job and purpose. If I did my job without purpose, I wouldn't have the intention to put things out there that should be heard. But I have a purpose.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeannie Mai" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-purpose-if-i-did-my-job/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Career" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-purpose-if-i-did-my-job/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jeannie-mai-7574_career_there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-p_680256.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jeannie-mai-7574_career_there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-p_680256.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jeannie-mai-7574_career_there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-p_680256.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's a difference between a job and purpose. If I did my job without purpose, I wouldn't have the…” — Jeannie Mai", "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": "Jeannie Mai", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannie-mai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's a difference between a job...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-purpose-if-i-did-my-job/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannie-mai/there-s-a-difference-between-a-job-and-purpose-if-i-did-my-job/#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 } } ] } ```