---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know this... a man got to do what he…"
description: "\"I know this... a man got to do what he got to do.\" — John Steinbeck"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/john-steinbeck-71_know_i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got_2775224.jpg"
---

#  I know this... a man got to do what he got to do.

![“I know this... a man got to do what he got to do.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/john-steinbeck-71_know_i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got_2775224.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/john-steinbeck-71_know_i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got_2775224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/john-steinbeck-71_know_i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got_2775224.jpg)

> “I know this... a man got to do what he got to do.”

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

States that people must fulfill their inevitable duties regardless of desire.

**In simple terms:** Do what you must.

Key Takeaway

Accept responsibility.

Themes

duty inevitability responsibility

Mood

serious reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- work
- family
- community service

Key Concepts

existentialism ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- What duty feels unavoidable to you?
- How do you reconcile duty with personal wishes?

A Different Perspective

Duty may conflict with desire.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-man-239926/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

## Related quotes

> [“I know this - a man got to do what he got to do, I can't tell you. I don't think they's luck or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got-to-do-i-can-t-tell-you-i-don/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I find it valid to understand man as an animal before I am prepared to know him as a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-it-valid-to-understand-man-as-an-animal-before-i-am-prepared/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [You know how we do man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daddy-yankee/you-know-how-we-do-man/)

[Daddy Yankee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daddy-yankee/)

> [If you wish to know what a man is, make him king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-wish-to-know-what-a-man-is-make-him-king/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [I know that man who forsakes Truth can forsake his country and his nearest and dearest ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-know-that-man-who-forsakes-truth-can-forsake-his-country-and-his/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“You show me how much you don’t know. He is more than a man. He is a monster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fanetti/you-show-me-how-much-you-don-t-know-he-is-more-than-a-man-he-is-a/)

[Susan Fanetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fanetti/)

> [What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-do-i-know-of-man-s-destiny-i-could-tell-you-more-about-radishes/)

[Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/)

> [To me all men are boy-men. I don't know any man that's actually mature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/to-me-all-men-are-boy-men-i-don-t-know-any-man-that-s-actually-mature/)

[Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/)

> [Some people don't even know my name, but they know I am the man with the red soles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/some-people-don-t-even-know-my-name-but-they-know-i-am-the-man-with/)

[Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/)

> [The bible says if you truly wants to know a Man, look at his Seed, his Fruits that he produce, his Kids!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/the-bible-says-if-you-truly-wants-to-know-a-man-look-at-his-seed-his/)

[Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/)

> [“The things I know, every man can know, but, oh, my heart is mine alone!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-things-i-know-every-man-can-know-but-oh-my-heart-is-mine-alone/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [If a Woman know how to take A Man ,for who he is. A Man know how to give A Woman what she deserves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/if-a-woman-know-how-to-take-a-man-for-who-he-is-a-man-know-how-to/)

[Frenchqueen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frenchqueen/)

> [Man, who thinks he knows everything. But what does man know...Man cares only for himself, in his fear and hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-clement-davies/man-who-thinks-he-knows-everything-but-what-does-man-know-man-cares/)

[David Clement-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-clement-davies/)

> [“I know him, that man walking- toward me up the crowded street of the city, I have lived with him seven years now, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-browne/i-know-him-that-man-walking-toward-me-up-the-crowded-street-of-the/)

[Susan Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-browne/)

> [“You know the legend, lady, but you don’t know the man. And damn if I’m not tempted to introduce you to the man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-know-the-legend-lady-but-you-don-t-know-the-man-and-damn-if-i-m/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

## More by John Steinbeck

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

[Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

## More Know quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [“To know someone, to be known. That matters more than he'd ever thought it would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/to-know-someone-to-be-known-that-matters-more-than-he-d-ever-thought/)

[Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/)

> [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/)

[Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/)

> [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/)

[Robert Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-preston/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [You will never know just how beautiful you are to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-know-just-how-beautiful-you-are-to-me/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/)

[Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [“Take your time to find and understand what you don’t know and in the end, you shall know that it is not all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/take-your-time-to-find-and-understand-what-you-don-t-know-and-in-the/)

[Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

[Browse all 22,299 Know quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I know this... a man got to do what he got to do.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Steinbeck"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got-to-do/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Know"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got-to-do/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/john-steinbeck-71_know_i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got_2775224.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/john-steinbeck-71_know_i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got_2775224.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9db/john-steinbeck-71_know_i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got_2775224.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I know this... a man got to do what he got to do.” — John Steinbeck",
                "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": "John Steinbeck",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I know this... a man got...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got-to-do/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-know-this-a-man-got-to-do-what-he-got-to-do/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
