--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The people who I thought would be the…" description: "\"The people who I thought would be the hardest to work with were the easiest, and the people I thought would be the easiest were actually the hardest.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/leo-fitzpatrick-31536_career_the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-ha_2789396.jpg" --- # The people who I thought would be the hardest to work with… ![“The people who I thought would be the hardest to work with were the easiest, and the people I thought would be the easiest were actually the hardest.” quote by Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/leo-fitzpatrick-31536_career_the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-ha_2789396.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/leo-fitzpatrick-31536_career_the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-ha_2789396.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/leo-fitzpatrick-31536_career_the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-ha_2789396.jpg) > “The people who I thought would be the hardest to work with were the easiest, and the people I thought would be the easiest were actually the hardest.” [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Assumptions about coworkers’ difficulty are often reversed; flexibility and empathy reveal true challenges. **In simple terms:** Expectations can be misleading. Key Takeaway Adapt and empathize. Themes workplace dynamics expectations empathy Mood thoughtful optimistic Type practical reflective When to use this quote - Team projects - leadership training - HR onboarding - remote work Key Concepts Organizational psychology conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess colleague strengths? - What steps foster mutual understanding? A Different Perspective Misjudgment can cause friction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [There is no labor from which most people shrink as they do from that of sustained and consecutive thought; it is the hardest work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-d-wattles/there-is-no-labor-from-which-most-people-shrink-as-they-do-from-that/) [Wallace D. Wattles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-d-wattles/) > [Sometimes - and I don't mean it disrespectfully - the easiest people to work in the wrestling business are the people in the locker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/sometimes-and-i-don-t-mean-it-disrespectfully-the-easiest-people-to/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [When we have a lot of the running, which we do on green screen, that is actually the hardest... I swear I have, like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiynan-lonsdale/when-we-have-a-lot-of-the-running-which-we-do-on-green-screen-that-is/) [Keiynan Lonsdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiynan-lonsdale/) > [I can accept anything, except what seems to be the easiest for most people: the half-way, the almost, the just-about, the in-between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/i-can-accept-anything-except-what-seems-to-be-the-easiest-for-most/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The libertarian worship of individual freedom, and contempt for social convention, comes easiest to people who have never really had to grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-libertarian-worship-of-individual-freedom-and-contempt-for-social/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [It's actually one of the hardest things for trans people, is to go to the bathroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/it-s-actually-one-of-the-hardest-things-for-trans-people-is-to-go-to/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [What's seemingly a simple thing can actually be the hardest to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/what-s-seemingly-a-simple-thing-can-actually-be-the-hardest-to-achieve/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) > [I thought that the hardest part would be the external - would be the - oh, nails and the hair and the makeup and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-tambor/i-thought-that-the-hardest-part-would-be-the-external-would-be-the-oh/) [Jeffrey Tambor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-tambor/) > [“I wanted, for so long, for someone to understand me better than I understood myself, to take control of me, to save me, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/i-wanted-for-so-long-for-someone-to-understand-me-better-than-i/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“She thought that one of the hardest parts of marriage was being loving when both partners were exhausted or wounded at the same time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/she-thought-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-marriage-was-being/) [Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/) > [I bet you never thought the hardest part of finding your ‘saviorʹ would be getting her mom to let her stay out past curfew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/i-bet-you-never-thought-the-hardest-part-of-finding-your-savior-would/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Marriage is the hardest work you're ever going to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/marriage-is-the-hardest-work-you-re-ever-going-to-do/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/thinking-is-the-hardest-work-there-is-which-is-probably-the-reason-so/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [The best artists are the ones that work the hardest, and if you work hard enough, you'll eventually experience the happy accidents that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/the-best-artists-are-the-ones-that-work-the-hardest-and-if-you-work/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [Housework's the hardest work in the world. That's why men won't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/housework-s-the-hardest-work-in-the-world-that-s-why-men-won-t-do-it/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) ## More by Leo Fitzpatrick > [Miramax didn't introduce the actors at any of the screenings. That's why a lot of people thought 'Kids' was a documentary. I still meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/miramax-didn-t-introduce-the-actors-at-any-of-the-screenings-that-s/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [Ray Johnson was a great innovator of mail art and photocopying and sending people photocopies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/ray-johnson-was-a-great-innovator-of-mail-art-and-photocopying-and/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I'm not an artist or a collector. I'm a skateboard kid with no one to tell me if I'm not doing things the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-m-not-an-artist-or-a-collector-i-m-a-skateboard-kid-with-no-one-to/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I was a very close friend of Dash Snow's, so whenever I get a chance to revisit his work, that's always amazing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-was-a-very-close-friend-of-dash-snow-s-so-whenever-i-get-a-chance/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I just thought it made sense to call a book 'Not Garbage,' even though the majority of it was going to be the scraps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-just-thought-it-made-sense-to-call-a-book-not-garbage-even-though/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I'm not an artist or a collector. I'm a skateboard kid with no one to tell me if I'm not doing things the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-m-not-an-artist-or-a-collector-i-m-a-skateboard-kid-with-no-one-to-2/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [Two of my favorite artists are Josh Smith and Joe Bradley. But I argued against them for years, until I grew to love them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/two-of-my-favorite-artists-are-josh-smith-and-joe-bradley-but-i/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [The last thing I wanna do is sit home and watch television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/the-last-thing-i-wanna-do-is-sit-home-and-watch-television/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I just figured out hustles to get by, like maybe selling my clothes. I wanted to travel around and be broke and live in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-just-figured-out-hustles-to-get-by-like-maybe-selling-my-clothes-i/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [Two of my favorite artists are Josh Smith and Joe Bradley. But I argued against them for years, until I grew to love them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/two-of-my-favorite-artists-are-josh-smith-and-joe-bradley-but-i-2/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I'm interested in the way each piece comes together to work as one bigger thing. But The whole point was for people to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-m-interested-in-the-way-each-piece-comes-together-to-work-as-one/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I never went to school for art or was told what to like or when. So every day is a learning process, like most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-never-went-to-school-for-art-or-was-told-what-to-like-or-when-so/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I had no money. I just figured out hustles to get by, like maybe selling my clothes. I wanted to travel around and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-had-no-money-i-just-figured-out-hustles-to-get-by-like-maybe/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I've known Larry Clark since I was fourteen. I've always skateboarded in Manhattan. Larry got into the scene in the early '90s, taking pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-ve-known-larry-clark-since-i-was-fourteen-i-ve-always-skateboarded/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) > [I met Roger Ebert at an independent-film awards or something. And he said, 'When I saw you just now, I wanted to punch you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/i-met-roger-ebert-at-an-independent-film-awards-or-something-and-he/) [Leo Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) [Explore all 16 Leo Fitzpatrick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/) ## 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 > [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": "The people who I thought would be the hardest to work with were the easiest, and the people I thought would be the easiest were actually the hardest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Fitzpatrick" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-hardest-to-work-with-were-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Career" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-hardest-to-work-with-were-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/leo-fitzpatrick-31536_career_the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-ha_2789396.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/leo-fitzpatrick-31536_career_the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-ha_2789396.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8e/leo-fitzpatrick-31536_career_the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-ha_2789396.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The people who I thought would be the hardest to work with were the easiest, and the people I thought would…” — Leo Fitzpatrick", "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": "Leo Fitzpatrick", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-fitzpatrick/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The people who I thought would...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-hardest-to-work-with-were-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-fitzpatrick/the-people-who-i-thought-would-be-the-hardest-to-work-with-were-the/#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 } } ] } ```