--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know I was a businessman for years, and…" description: "\"I know I was a businessman for years, and I stayed up countless nights worrying about having to let one person go. It's a terrible thing to do.\" — Jim ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jim-demint-5813_businessman_i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and_298457.png" --- # I know I was a businessman for years, and I stayed up… ![“I know I was a businessman for years, and I stayed up countless nights worrying about having to let one person go. It's a terrible thing to do.” quote by Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jim-demint-5813_businessman_i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and_298457.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jim-demint-5813_businessman_i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and_298457.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jim-demint-5813_businessman_i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and_298457.png) > “I know I was a businessman for years, and I stayed up countless nights worrying about having to let one person go. It's a terrible thing to do.” [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote expresses the difficulty and moral weight of letting an employee go after long service. **In simple terms:** Letting go of a long‑time worker is painful. Key Takeaway Weigh compassion with business needs. Themes leadership ethics decision‑making Mood empathetic serious Type leadership ethical When to use this quote - human resources - organizational change - employee termination Key Concepts employment morality business management Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives exist to layoffs? - How can leaders support affected employees? A Different Perspective Business constraints may limit empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Businessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/businessman/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) [Worrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying/) ## Related quotes > [I woke up nights, worrying that Lotus was out of control - that no one would know what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/i-woke-up-nights-worrying-that-lotus-was-out-of-control-that-no-one/) [Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/) > [“Be a FRIEND and stop worrying about having any”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-warren/be-a-friend-and-stop-worrying-about-having-any/) [John Paul Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-warren/) > [Late at night, thinking about you I was, So many countless nights and I still couldnt forget the last time you passed by So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/late-at-night-thinking-about-you-i-was-so-many-countless-nights-and-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I could trade all them countless nights with hoes for just a second with my first love...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/if-i-could-trade-all-them-countless-nights-with-hoes-for-just-a/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [It's nice to stay up nights worrying about the material, and not about the investors who gave you $10 million to do your musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/it-s-nice-to-stay-up-nights-worrying-about-the-material-and-not-about/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [“For a long time I spent my nights worrying how I was going to live with my unhappiness,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-a-long-time-i-spent-my-nights-worrying-how-i-was-going-to-live/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The people who have more money and goods than any people in the history of the world spend most of their time worrying about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wallis/the-people-who-have-more-money-and-goods-than-any-people-in-the/) [Jim Wallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-wallis/) > [Drumming is not worrying about what you can't do. It's about having fun with what you can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-adler/drumming-is-not-worrying-about-what-you-can-t-do-it-s-about-having/) Chris Adler > [“Worrying about not having food to eat today; is called artadhyan (mournful contemplation that hurts the self). And worrying about not having food a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/worrying-about-not-having-food-to-eat-today-is-called-artadhyan/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I don't sell cosmetics, I sell hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-arden/i-don-t-sell-cosmetics-i-sell-hope/) [Elizabeth Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-arden/) > [If I were in this business only for the business, I wouldn't be in this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/if-i-were-in-this-business-only-for-the-business-i-wouldn-t-be-in/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [It turns out the businessman knows more about how the economy really works than the chattering class. What a shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/it-turns-out-the-businessman-knows-more-about-how-the-economy-really/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [Musicians talk of nothing but money and jobs. Give me businessmen every time. They really are interested in music and art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/musicians-talk-of-nothing-but-money-and-jobs-give-me-businessmen/) [Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/) ## More by Jim DeMint > [It has always been my plan not to serve more than two terms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/it-has-always-been-my-plan-not-to-serve-more-than-two-terms/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [I'd like to see a Republican Party that embraces a lot of the libertarian ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-d-like-to-see-a-republican-party-that-embraces-a-lot-of-the/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Forget the consultants, the pundits and the pollsters; good policy is good politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/forget-the-consultants-the-pundits-and-the-pollsters-good-policy-is/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [So, the point I'm making is, we are not going to cut spending in Washington if we think it's the job of every congressman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/so-the-point-i-m-making-is-we-are-not-going-to-cut-spending-in/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [I've developed a lot of reform proposals myself and been accused of trying to destroy Social Security, when the whole point was to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-ve-developed-a-lot-of-reform-proposals-myself-and-been-accused-of/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Well, one of the most important things for Americans to be reminded of is that a lot of the exceptional nature of our country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/well-one-of-the-most-important-things-for-americans-to-be-reminded-of/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [The Democrats have essentially decided to move more toward central power, control of just about every aspect of our culture and economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/the-democrats-have-essentially-decided-to-move-more-toward-central/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Judeo-Christian conservatism overcomes natural selfishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/judeo-christian-conservatism-overcomes-natural-selfishness/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [One of the greatest titles in the world is parent, and one of the biggest blessings in the world is to have parents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/one-of-the-greatest-titles-in-the-world-is-parent-and-one-of-the/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Well, we lost a lot of our independence already. We are dependent on China for credit. We are dependent on Middle Eastern countries for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/well-we-lost-a-lot-of-our-independence-already-we-are-dependent-on/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [You've got the Democratic Party that now depends on more government spending and actual building the dependence on government in order to increase their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/you-ve-got-the-democratic-party-that-now-depends-on-more-government/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Democrats are making it clear that they intend to use our economic crisis to rush through their longtime liberal goals without public scrutiny or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/democrats-are-making-it-clear-that-they-intend-to-use-our-economic/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [What happens in the Senate is the Republicans sink to the lowest common denominator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/what-happens-in-the-senate-is-the-republicans-sink-to-the-lowest/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [American exceptionalism requires understanding biblical view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/american-exceptionalism-requires-understanding-biblical-view/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) > [Too many Americans are dependent on federal government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/too-many-americans-are-dependent-on-federal-government/) [Jim DeMint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) [Explore all 100 Jim DeMint quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/) ## More Businessman quotes > [Musicians talk of nothing but money and jobs. Give me businessmen every time. They really are interested in music and art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/musicians-talk-of-nothing-but-money-and-jobs-give-me-businessmen/) [Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [It turns out the businessman knows more about how the economy really works than the chattering class. What a shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moore/it-turns-out-the-businessman-knows-more-about-how-the-economy-really/) [Stephen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moore/) > [If I were in this business only for the business, I wouldn't be in this business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/if-i-were-in-this-business-only-for-the-business-i-wouldn-t-be-in/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) > [I don't sell cosmetics, I sell hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-arden/i-don-t-sell-cosmetics-i-sell-hope/) [Elizabeth Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-arden/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We need to be clear when we venerate entrepreneurs what we are venerating.They are not moral leaders. If they were moral leaders, they wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/we-need-to-be-clear-when-we-venerate-entrepreneurs-what-we-are/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Greg Aloi Singapore Business Process Depending on the business, the business process specialist may be required to do more than assess and provide solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/greg-aloi-singapore-business-process-depending-on-the-business-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Donald Trump's a businessman, he's a very successful businessman. I think he's a marketing genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-ford-jr/donald-trump-s-a-businessman-he-s-a-very-successful-businessman-i/) [Doug Ford, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-ford-jr/) > [The most successful businessmen were often uneducated when measured by the scholastic standards of the teaching profession. But they were equal to their social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-most-successful-businessmen-were-often-uneducated-when-measured/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Even as a kid, I was a businessman. I figured out that if you plucked all the berries off my neighbor's tree and smashed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/even-as-a-kid-i-was-a-businessman-i-figured-out-that-if-you-plucked/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [I'm not a military general, a business guru, not a philosopher or author. It's only me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/i-m-not-a-military-general-a-business-guru-not-a-philosopher-or/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [“Nothing like an endangered pocketbook to help a businessman find his conscience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-carol-mccarthy/nothing-like-an-endangered-pocketbook-to-help-a-businessman-find-his/) [Susan Carol McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-carol-mccarthy/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [As a businessman, Frank Lorenzo gives capitalism a bad name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/as-a-businessman-frank-lorenzo-gives-capitalism-a-bad-name/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) [Browse all 753 Businessman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/businessman/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know I was a businessman for years, and I stayed up countless nights worrying about having to let one person go. It's a terrible thing to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim DeMint" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and-i-stayed-up-countless-nights/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Businessman" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and-i-stayed-up-countless-nights/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jim-demint-5813_businessman_i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and_298457.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jim-demint-5813_businessman_i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and_298457.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/jim-demint-5813_businessman_i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and_298457.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know I was a businessman for years, and I stayed up countless nights worrying about having to let one…” — Jim DeMint", "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": "Jim DeMint", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-demint/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I know I was a businessman...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and-i-stayed-up-countless-nights/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-demint/i-know-i-was-a-businessman-for-years-and-i-stayed-up-countless-nights/#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 } } ] } ```