--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't wait for, expect, or rely on…" description: "\"Don't wait for, expect, or rely on favors. Count on earning them by hard work and perseverance.\" — Marian Wright Edelman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/marian-wright-edelman-2216_earning_don-t-wait-for-expect-or-rely-on-favors_1313448.png" --- # Don't wait for, expect, or rely on favors. Count on… ![“Don't wait for, expect, or rely on favors. Count on earning them by hard work and perseverance.” quote by Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/marian-wright-edelman-2216_earning_don-t-wait-for-expect-or-rely-on-favors_1313448.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/marian-wright-edelman-2216_earning_don-t-wait-for-expect-or-rely-on-favors_1313448.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d1/marian-wright-edelman-2216_earning_don-t-wait-for-expect-or-rely-on-favors_1313448.png) > “Don't wait for, expect, or rely on favors. Count on earning them by hard work and perseverance.” [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One should not depend on others' goodwill; instead, earn respect and assistance through diligent effort and persistence. **In simple terms:** Earn favors by working hard, not by waiting for them. Key Takeaway Cultivate perseverance and self‑reliance. Themes hard work perseverance self‑reliance justice empowerment Mood motivational empowering pragmatic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career advancement - community organizing - education - activism Key Concepts effort resilience social equity Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help balance self‑effort with seeking help? - How can we support others while maintaining independence? A Different Perspective Relying on others can still be necessary in collaborative contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earning/) [Expect Rely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expect-rely-4352689/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Favors Count](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors-count-4352690/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Hard Work And Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work-and-perseverance/) [Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverance/) [Rely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely/) [Rely Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely-favors-4352688/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Work Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-perseverance-931449/) ## Related quotes > [“Hard work and perseverance trumps talent most of the time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-harrelson/hard-work-and-perseverance-trumps-talent-most-of-the-time/) [T.C. Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-harrelson/) > [I was never specifically associated with a part, I didn't have tons of money, I wasn't conventionally tall or handsome, so you know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-green/i-was-never-specifically-associated-with-a-part-i-didn-t-have-tons-of/) [Seth Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-green/) > [We are still a country where hard work and perseverance can earn you a better life... Yet we are rightfully troubled that many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/we-are-still-a-country-where-hard-work-and-perseverance-can-earn-you/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [“To achieve what 1% of the worlds population has (Financial Freedom), you must be willing to do what only 1% dare to do..hard work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-arora/to-achieve-what-1-of-the-worlds-population-has-financial-freedom-you/) [Manoj Arora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-arora/) > [Whether you want to be the top violinist or a CEO, strangely enough, hard work and perseverance can overcome a lot of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-clifford-hudson/whether-you-want-to-be-the-top-violinist-or-a-ceo-strangely-enough/) [J Clifford Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-clifford-hudson/) > [Success is not easy and I think everyone should know that hard work and perseverance and being open to giving back are so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/success-is-not-easy-and-i-think-everyone-should-know-that-hard-work/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Find out what your passions are and gauge your limit. Because success requires hard work and perseverance and sadly, not everyone has the two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nik-halik/find-out-what-your-passions-are-and-gauge-your-limit-because-success/) [Nik Halik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nik-halik/) > [“Overnight success is a myth. Dig into almost every overnight success story and you’ll find about a decade’s worth of hard work and perseverance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/overnight-success-is-a-myth-dig-into-almost-every-overnight-success/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/i-have-nothing-in-common-with-lazy-people-who-blame-others-for-their/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [“Blacks must learn that true freedom from poverty is available only through hard work and perseverance, not through affirmative action programs, protesting, or blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-jesse-lee-peterson/blacks-must-learn-that-true-freedom-from-poverty-is-available-only/) [Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-jesse-lee-peterson/) > [Life is difficult no matter what, but hard work and perseverance make it a lot easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/life-is-difficult-no-matter-what-but-hard-work-and-perseverance-make/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/great-things-come-from-hard-work-and-perseverance-no-excuses/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [Dig into almost every overnight success story and you’ll find about a decade’s worth of hard work and perseverance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/dig-into-almost-every-overnight-success-story-and-you-ll-find-about-a/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Hard work and perseverance trumps talent most of the time. Talent plus hard work? Virtually unstoppable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-harrelson/hard-work-and-perseverance-trumps-talent-most-of-the-time-talent-plus/) [T.C. Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-harrelson/) > [Expect nothing, rely on no one and never show how you're feeling...3 ways to avoid getting hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/expect-nothing-rely-on-no-one-and-never-show-how-you-re-feeling-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Marian Wright Edelman > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [It is utterly exhausting being Black in America - physically, mentally, and emotionally. While many minority groups and women feel similar stress, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/it-is-utterly-exhausting-being-black-in-america-physically-mentally/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Justice is not cheap. Justice is not quick. It is not ever finally achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/justice-is-not-cheap-justice-is-not-quick-it-is-not-ever-finally/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [I never thought I was breaking a glass ceiling. I just had to do what I had to do, and it never occurred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/i-never-thought-i-was-breaking-a-glass-ceiling-i-just-had-to-do-what/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [In my generation, we learned how to be leaders by being exposed to and involved with adults who empowered us and gave us a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/in-my-generation-we-learned-how-to-be-leaders-by-being-exposed-to-and/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [The old notion that children are the private property of parents dies very slowly. In reality, no parent raises a child alone. How many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/the-old-notion-that-children-are-the-private-property-of-parents-dies/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [When Jesus Christ asked little children to come to him, he didn't say only rich children, or White children, or children with two-parent families,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/when-jesus-christ-asked-little-children-to-come-to-him-he-didn-t-say/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [“Don’t feel entitled to anything you don’t sweat and struggle for”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/don-t-feel-entitled-to-anything-you-don-t-sweat-and-struggle-for/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [You can't tell parents to teach children the value of work when we don't have jobs and the jobs we have don't pay a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/you-can-t-tell-parents-to-teach-children-the-value-of-work-when-we/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [To all those mothers and fathers who are struggling with teen-agers, I say, just be patient: even though it looks like you can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/to-all-those-mothers-and-fathers-who-are-struggling-with-teen-agers-i/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [It really takes a community to raise children, no matter how much money one has. Nobody can do it well alone. And it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/it-really-takes-a-community-to-raise-children-no-matter-how-much/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Democracy cannot breathe, indeed will die, if those enjoined to protect it and uphold the laws snuff it out - with no consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/democracy-cannot-breathe-indeed-will-die-if-those-enjoined-to-protect/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [Hunger and malnutrition have devastating consequences for children and have been linked to low birth weight and birth defects, obesity, mental and physical health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/hunger-and-malnutrition-have-devastating-consequences-for-children/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [We're spending, on average, three times more for prison than for public-school pupils. That's the dumbest investment policy. It doesn't make us safer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-re-spending-on-average-three-times-more-for-prison-than-for-public/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [You'd better stay determined, because that's how our ancestors got us where we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/you-d-better-stay-determined-because-that-s-how-our-ancestors-got-us/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) [Explore all 179 Marian Wright Edelman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) ## More Earning quotes > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I was focused on The Hunger Games movie with my director, with the studio, and with the cast and crew. We all just focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-jacobson/i-was-focused-on-the-hunger-games-movie-with-my-director-with-the/) [Nina Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-jacobson/) > [I never knew an early-rising, hard-working, prudent man, careful of his earnings, and strictly honest who complained of bad luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-never-knew-an-early-rising-hard-working-prudent-man-careful-of-his/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [Paul Revere earned his living as a silversmith. But what do we remember him for? His volunteer work. All activism is volunteering in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-j-ellis/paul-revere-earned-his-living-as-a-silversmith-but-what-do-we/) [Susan J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-j-ellis/) > [If you don't like the idea that most of the money spent on lottery tickets supports government programs, you should know that most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/if-you-don-t-like-the-idea-that-most-of-the-money-spent-on-lottery/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Writing a book is a brilliant thing because once you've finished it, you've done it, and there's the potential for it to go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/writing-a-book-is-a-brilliant-thing-because-once-you-ve-finished-it/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [These Americans are among the working poor with full-time jobs earning $5.15 an hour. Millions fall into this boat, even more when you consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcy-kaptur/these-americans-are-among-the-working-poor-with-full-time-jobs/) [Marcy Kaptur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcy-kaptur/) > [If we would have anything of benefit, we must earn it, and earning it become shrewd, inventive, ingenious, active, enterprising.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/if-we-would-have-anything-of-benefit-we-must-earn-it-and-earning-it/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [After years of research, I discovered 25 differences in the work-life choices of men and women. 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Preferably it will have increased its earnings for the past five years and there will have been no deficits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cundill/the-company-must-be-profitable-preferably-it-will-have-increased-its/) [Peter Cundill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cundill/) [Browse all 655 Earning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't wait for, expect, or rely on favors. 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