--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever your life's work is, do it well." description: "\"Whatever your life's work is, do it well.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/martin-luther-king-jr-127_honor_whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well_1966069.png" --- # Whatever your life's work is, do it well. ![“Whatever your life's work is, do it well.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/martin-luther-king-jr-127_honor_whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well_1966069.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/martin-luther-king-jr-127_honor_whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well_1966069.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/martin-luther-king-jr-127_honor_whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well_1966069.png) > “Whatever your life's work is, do it well.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes dedication and excellence in one's vocation **In simple terms:** Do your work well Key Takeaway Commit to excellence in your work Themes work excellence purpose Mood inspirational determined Type motivational ethical When to use this quote - career - volunteering - craftsmanship Key Concepts dedication integrity service Questions to Reflect On - What does “well” mean in your field? - How can you improve quality daily? A Different Perspective Great work may not be recognized without effort ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-work/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Unborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unborn/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work related](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-related/) ## Related quotes > [We honor life when we work. The type of work is not important: the fact of work is. All work feeds the soul if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/we-honor-life-when-we-work-the-type-of-work-is-not-important-the-fact/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/if-you-succumb-to-the-temptation-of-using-violence-in-the-struggle/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whatever your life's work is, do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well-a-man-should-do-his-job-so/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-only-way-to-be-truly-satisfied-is-to-do-what-you-believe-is-great-2/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [“You know what you like. You know what you want. So all you have to do is find some work related to that stuff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novala-takemoto/you-know-what-you-like-you-know-what-you-want-so-all-you-have-to-do/) [Novala Takemoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novala-takemoto/) > [Focused, hard work is the real key to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carmack/focused-hard-work-is-the-real-key-to-success/) [John Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carmack/) > [A drawing is essentially a private work, related only to the artist's own needs; a 'finished' statue or canvas is essentially a public, presented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/a-drawing-is-essentially-a-private-work-related-only-to-the-artist-s/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [The FBI also discovered several thousand work-related e-mails that were not in the group of 30,000 that were returned by Secretary Clinton to State…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-comey/the-fbi-also-discovered-several-thousand-work-related-e-mails-that/) [James Comey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-comey/) > [Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work. 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This is something else.” Silence. “Work related,” he added. “I’m at a crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-griffin/you-agreed-not-to-bug-me-that-s-not-why-i-m-calling-this-is-something/) [Laura Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-griffin/) > [ I provided all my emails that could possibly be work related \[to FBI\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-provided-all-my-emails-that-could-possibly-be-work-related-to-fbi/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I think you can accomplish anything if you're willing to pay the price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/i-think-you-can-accomplish-anything-if-you-re-willing-to-pay-the-price/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Success in business requires training and discipline and hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rockefeller/success-in-business-requires-training-and-discipline-and-hard-work-2/) [David Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rockefeller/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Honor quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [This is what I say about the scorn of the media elite: I wear their scorn as a badge of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-quayle/this-is-what-i-say-about-the-scorn-of-the-media-elite-i-wear-their/) [Dan Quayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-quayle/) > [Just being in a video game is an honor, and being on the cover, I can't really describe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-judge/just-being-in-a-video-game-is-an-honor-and-being-on-the-cover-i-can-t/) [Aaron Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-judge/) > [Spade! Thou art a tool of honor in my hands. I press thee, through a yielding soil, with pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/spade-thou-art-a-tool-of-honor-in-my-hands-i-press-thee-through-a/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [“He put his forehead against hers. “Alannah, my heart is yours.” He said softly. “And yet, I must hand it over to someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-morin/he-put-his-forehead-against-hers-alannah-my-heart-is-yours-he-said/) [B.C. Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-morin/) > [Use every man according to his desert and who should 'scape whipping? Use them after your own honor and dignity, the less they deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/use-every-man-according-to-his-desert-and-who-should-scape-whipping/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There is honor between bitches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-gerritsen/there-is-honor-between-bitches/) [Tess Gerritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-gerritsen/) > [A man should be upright, not kept upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-man-should-be-upright-not-kept-upright/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [I know my idea of beauty isn't what most people's is, and the fact that I'm getting the opportunity to show my beauty and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-osbourne/i-know-my-idea-of-beauty-isn-t-what-most-people-s-is-and-the-fact/) [Kelly Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-osbourne/) [Browse all 5,016 Honor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Whatever your life's work is, do it well.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Honor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/martin-luther-king-jr-127_honor_whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well_1966069.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/martin-luther-king-jr-127_honor_whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well_1966069.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/martin-luther-king-jr-127_honor_whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well_1966069.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whatever your life's work is, do it well.” — Martin Luther King, Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whatever your life's work is, do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whatever-your-life-s-work-is-do-it-well/#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 } } ] } ```