--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not against work, I think work is…" description: "\"I'm not against work, I think work is great, I work a lot; but if you want to play, the consequences must not be important.\" — Keith Johnstone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/keith-johnstone-13430_consequence_i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-gre_2787795.png" --- # I'm not against work, I think work is great, I work a lot… ![“I'm not against work, I think work is great, I work a lot; but if you want to play, the consequences must not be important.” quote by Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/keith-johnstone-13430_consequence_i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-gre_2787795.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/keith-johnstone-13430_consequence_i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-gre_2787795.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/keith-johnstone-13430_consequence_i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-gre_2787795.png) > “I'm not against work, I think work is great, I work a lot; but if you want to play, the consequences must not be important.” [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work is valuable, but play must remain free from serious consequences to preserve its joy. **In simple terms:** Work is good; play should be consequence‑free. Key Takeaway Separate work from playful risk. Themes work play consequences balance creativity Mood lighthearted practical Type advice reflective When to use this quote - career decisions - hobbies - creative projects Key Concepts risk management psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep play light? - When does work become play? A Different Perspective Play can become stressful if stakes rise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [The most important step you have made or will make in your life is marriage. Its consequences are many, so important and so everlasting..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/the-most-important-step-you-have-made-or-will-make-in-your-life-is/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [The least and most imperceptible impressions received in our infancy have consequences very important and of long duration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-least-and-most-imperceptible-impressions-received-in-our-infancy/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [Do not falter or shrink; But just think out your work, And just work out your think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nixon-waterman/do-not-falter-or-shrink-but-just-think-out-your-work-and-just-work/) [Nixon Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nixon-waterman/) > [If you have several ideas that all seem pretty good, work on the one that you think about, when you're not trying to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/if-you-have-several-ideas-that-all-seem-pretty-good-work-on-the-one/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [I don't just work! I think about my work, reflect on my work and think of what changes can I make, how can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-don-t-just-work-i-think-about-my-work-reflect-on-my-work-and-think/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [I hope I'm building a record of being a good team player and not just standing for my principles but being willing to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/i-hope-i-m-building-a-record-of-being-a-good-team-player-and-not-just/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [When we think of work, we think of work as an act of service. We think of it as an act of love for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-rosenstein/when-we-think-of-work-we-think-of-work-as-an-act-of-service-we-think/) [Justin Rosenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-rosenstein/) > [I work. And I think about work, and I freak out about work, and I think about how much I think about work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/i-work-and-i-think-about-work-and-i-freak-out-about-work-and-i-think/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [At work, you think of the children you have left at home. At home, you think of the work you've left unfinished. Such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golda-meir/at-work-you-think-of-the-children-you-have-left-at-home-at-home-you/) [Golda Meir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golda-meir/) > [It's hard no to work, so I find a way to put myself back to work. And I think it's important, in between projects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/it-s-hard-no-to-work-so-i-find-a-way-to-put-myself-back-to-work-and-i/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [I travel a lot because of work. Also but because of that, I think I get inspired by what you're wearing, what everybody's wearing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-jung/i-travel-a-lot-because-of-work-also-but-because-of-that-i-think-i-get/) [Jessica Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-jung/) > [When we go out there, we have fun, but we get to work, and I think we're at our best when we're having fun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezekiel-elliott/when-we-go-out-there-we-have-fun-but-we-get-to-work-and-i-think-we-re/) [Ezekiel Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezekiel-elliott/) > [I have always believed in the fact that it's your work that is going to figure out things for you. As long as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barun-sobti/i-have-always-believed-in-the-fact-that-it-s-your-work-that-is-going/) [Barun Sobti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barun-sobti/) > [We built a business for ourselves just out of hard work, and I think people really want to hear from us about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-duplass/we-built-a-business-for-ourselves-just-out-of-hard-work-and-i-think/) [Mark Duplass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-duplass/) > [“Always work. And I think because you didn’t even have that in common with him he simply felt he had nothing to say.” It”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-beattie/always-work-and-i-think-because-you-didn-t-even-have-that-in-common/) Michelle Beattie ## More by Keith Johnstone > [Suppose Mozart had tried to be original? It would have been like a man at the North Pole trying to walk north, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/suppose-mozart-had-tried-to-be-original-it-would-have-been-like-a-man/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [An artist who is inspired is being obvious. He’s not making any decisions, he’s not weighing one idea against another. He’s accepting his first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/an-artist-who-is-inspired-is-being-obvious-he-s-not-making-any/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [I was crazy about silent comedy - in the old days, and crazy about Japanese movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-was-crazy-about-silent-comedy-in-the-old-days-and-crazy-about/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [The problem's always been to deal with the fear.Cos the fear is pretty . . . it ruins everybody really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/the-problem-s-always-been-to-deal-with-the-fear-cos-the-fear-is/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/none-of-us-really-grow-up-all-we-ever-do-is-learn-how-to-behave-in/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [Wherever you go it's the same fear. And the same protective devices. There is one big error I think and partly my fault which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/wherever-you-go-it-s-the-same-fear-and-the-same-protective-devices/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [Good improvisers seem telepathic; everything looks pre-arranged, This is because they accept all offers made—which is something no ‘normal’ person would do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/good-improvisers-seem-telepathic-everything-looks-pre-arranged-this/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [I left my theatre the Loose Moose almost twenty years ago, and I hardly ever go back. Sometimes I go back to do a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-left-my-theatre-the-loose-moose-almost-twenty-years-ago-and-i/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [There are people who prefer to say ‘Yes’, and there are people who prefer to say ‘No’. Those who say ‘Yes’ are rewarded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/there-are-people-who-prefer-to-say-yes-and-there-are-people-who/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [I don't even think you should tell the audience you're improvising. It's like an apology in case it's bad : 'we're just making it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-don-t-even-think-you-should-tell-the-audience-you-re-improvising-it/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [You can sort of trick people into being really good. Even if they didn't know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/you-can-sort-of-trick-people-into-being-really-good-even-if-they-didn/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [The best laughs are on the recognition of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/the-best-laughs-are-on-the-recognition-of-truth/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [If you have a good idea, open your mouth and say something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/if-you-have-a-good-idea-open-your-mouth-and-say-something-else/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [Enjoy things even when you’re screwing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/enjoy-things-even-when-you-re-screwing-up/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [My feeling is the moment the theatre is not full you have to do something else. But most people somehow think 'If we did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/my-feeling-is-the-moment-the-theatre-is-not-full-you-have-to-do/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) [Explore all 50 Keith Johnstone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) ## More Consequence quotes > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Actions have consequences... first rule of life. And the second rule is this - you are the only one responsible for your own actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/actions-have-consequences-first-rule-of-life-and-the-second-rule-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [There is no silver bullet. There are always options and the options have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/there-is-no-silver-bullet-there-are-always-options-and-the-options/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“Each day I learn that every single action we take has its own consequence – for either good or bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-dye/each-day-i-learn-that-every-single-action-we-take-has-its-own/) Ginny Dye > [Washington bureaucrats have classified the very air we exhale as a pollutant and have gone unchallenged in this incredible assertion. The logical consequence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/washington-bureaucrats-have-classified-the-very-air-we-exhale-as-a/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Any kind of restrictions put on free speech would have worse consequences than bullying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-starlight/any-kind-of-restrictions-put-on-free-speech-would-have-worse/) [Lady Starlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-starlight/) > [So, I'm not the only one who believes that there is such a thing as "the law of gravity," and if it's a law,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/so-i-m-not-the-only-one-who-believes-that-there-is-such-a-thing-as/) [Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/) > [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) [Browse all 3,099 Consequence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not against work, I think work is great, I work a lot; but if you want to play, the consequences must not be important.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Keith Johnstone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-great-i-work-a-lot-but-if-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consequence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-great-i-work-a-lot-but-if-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/keith-johnstone-13430_consequence_i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-gre_2787795.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/keith-johnstone-13430_consequence_i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-gre_2787795.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/keith-johnstone-13430_consequence_i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-gre_2787795.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not against work, I think work is great, I work a lot; but if you want to play, the consequences must…” — Keith Johnstone", "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": "Keith Johnstone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not against work, I think...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-great-i-work-a-lot-but-if-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/i-m-not-against-work-i-think-work-is-great-i-work-a-lot-but-if-you/#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 } } ] } ```