--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...there are people who try to look as if…" description: "\"“...there are people who try to look as if they are doing a good and thorough job, and then there are the people who actually damn well do it, for its ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/john-d-macdonald-8277_quality_there-are-people-who-try-to-look-as-if-t_1253232.jpg" --- # ...there are people who try to look as if they are doing a… ![“...there are people who try to look as if they are doing a good and thorough job, and then there are the people who actually damn well do it, for its own sake.” quote by John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/john-d-macdonald-8277_quality_there-are-people-who-try-to-look-as-if-t_1253232.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/john-d-macdonald-8277_quality_there-are-people-who-try-to-look-as-if-t_1253232.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/john-d-macdonald-8277_quality_there-are-people-who-try-to-look-as-if-t_1253232.jpg) > ““...there are people who try to look as if they are doing a good and thorough job, and then there are the people who actually damn well do it, for its own sake.”” [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Some people pretend to work hard for appearances, while others genuinely excel because they love the work itself. **In simple terms:** Pretending versus genuine dedication. Key Takeaway Value authentic effort over show. Themes integrity work ethic authenticity Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - team projects - creative pursuits - leadership - personal development Key Concepts motivation intrinsic reward quality Questions to Reflect On - Do you work for praise or for love of the task? - How can you recognize genuine effort? A Different Perspective True mastery still needs discipline and resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Thoroughness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoroughness/) [Work ethic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-ethic/) ## Related quotes > [Accept business only at a price permitting thoroughness. Then do a thorough job, regardless of cost to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accept-business-only-at-a-price-permitting-thoroughness-then-do-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like to look around and see who is doing a good job and what kind of football they are playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-marsch/i-like-to-look-around-and-see-who-is-doing-a-good-job-and-what-kind/) [Jesse Marsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-marsch/) > [“Do whatever you do, from eating fast food to living with mobile phones, But always question the way in which you do. Pause, look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gian-kumar/do-whatever-you-do-from-eating-fast-food-to-living-with-mobile-phones/) [Gian Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gian-kumar/) > [I am quite comfortable with the way I look and I am not doing anything to change people's perception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riya-sen/i-am-quite-comfortable-with-the-way-i-look-and-i-am-not-doing/) [Riya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riya-sen/) > [“Thinking about it, noticing it, is new. You do things and don't watch. Then all of a sudden you look and see what you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/thinking-about-it-noticing-it-is-new-you-do-things-and-don-t-watch/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Look to see what you are doing today. Is this how you choose to define yourself? Look to see what you are thinking today.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/look-to-see-what-you-are-doing-today-is-this-how-you-choose-to-define/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [The kids are so much fun. I'm always taking a look over at what they're doing because it reminds me of when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-kids-are-so-much-fun-i-m-always-taking-a-look-over-at-what-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Look up from what you're doing and look around for a minute. See what a beautiful world you're in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/look-up-from-what-you-re-doing-and-look-around-for-a-minute-see-what/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [And so I tell you this: be now and forever centered upon your Self. 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'Am I up to it?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-squier/at-all-points-you-have-to-look-at-what-you-re-doing-and-say-do-i-want/) [Billy Squier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-squier/) > [Whatever work you undertake, do it seriously, thoroughly and well; never leave it half-done or undone, never feel yourself satisfied unless and until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syama-prasad-mukherjee/whatever-work-you-undertake-do-it-seriously-thoroughly-and-well-never/) [Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) > [“It is interesting that this thoroughness, which is a virtue, is often misunderstood. When someone says a thing has been done scientifically, often all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-interesting-that-this-thoroughness-which-is-a-virtue-is-often/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The pace at eBay was frantic and urgent. We knew that if we didn't move fast, somebody would come into the market and quash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-skoll/the-pace-at-ebay-was-frantic-and-urgent-we-knew-that-if-we-didn-t/) [Jeffrey Skoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-skoll/) > [There was no mistaking her sincerity--it breathed in every tone of her voice. Both Marilla and Mrs. Lynde recognized its unmistakable ring. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-was-no-mistaking-her-sincerity-it-breathed-in-every-tone-of-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John D. MacDonald > [“Please not yet. Those are the three eternal words. Please not yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/please-not-yet-those-are-the-three-eternal-words-please-not-yet/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [...it isn't foolish or wicked to enjoy. Wickedness is hurting people on purpose. I love what you are and who you are and how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-isn-t-foolish-or-wicked-to-enjoy-wickedness-is-hurting-people-on/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“Ask for two, and they give you the third free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/ask-for-two-and-they-give-you-the-third-free/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“It was to have been a quiet evening at home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/it-was-to-have-been-a-quiet-evening-at-home/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [Now it stands to reason, mister, any damn fool stares into the sun long enough, he'll end up seeing exactly what some other damn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/now-it-stands-to-reason-mister-any-damn-fool-stares-into-the-sun-long/) [John D. 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MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) > [“She went inside and watched him walk back toward sixteen,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-macdonald/she-went-inside-and-watched-him-walk-back-toward-sixteen/) [John D. MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) [Explore all 80 John D. MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-macdonald/) ## More Quality quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. 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