--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Working hard becomes a habit, a serious…" description: "\"Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun.\" — Mary Lou Retton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/mary-lou-retton-14694_fun_working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-k_405418.jpg" --- # Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun. ![“Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun.” quote by Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/mary-lou-retton-14694_fun_working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-k_405418.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/mary-lou-retton-14694_fun_working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-k_405418.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/mary-lou-retton-14694_fun_working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-k_405418.jpg) > “Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun.” [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work can become enjoyable when it turns into a rewarding routine. **In simple terms:** Hard work can be fun as a habit. Key Takeaway Make effort enjoyable and consistent. Themes discipline joy habit formation Mood motivational energetic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - training routines - daily work - team projects Key Concepts psychology of motivation flow state Questions to Reflect On - How can you keep work enjoyable without losing focus? - What habits make effort feel rewarding? A Different Perspective Fun may mask burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Working hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-hard/) ## Related quotes > [Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun. You get self-satisfaction from pushing your self to the limit, knowing that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun-you-get-self/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Habit has a kind of poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/habit-has-a-kind-of-poetry/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It is hard to get in the habit of forcing yourself to find three things on a regular basis that you are grateful for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/it-is-hard-to-get-in-the-habit-of-forcing-yourself-to-find-three/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/just-one-small-positive-thought-in-the-morning-can-change-your-whole/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Careers, like rockets, don't always take off on schedule. The key is to keep working the engines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/careers-like-rockets-don-t-always-take-off-on-schedule-the-key-is-to/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Luck? Luck is hard work - and realizing what is opportunity and what isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/luck-luck-is-hard-work-and-realizing-what-is-opportunity-and-what-isn/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/i-do-not-know-anyone-who-has-got-to-the-top-without-hard-work/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The hard must become habit. The habit must become easy. The easy must become beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-henning/the-hard-must-become-habit-the-habit-must-become-easy-the-easy-must/) [Doug Henning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-henning/) > [There is freedom in forgiveness, and it's not that hard to do once you get into the habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-perino/there-is-freedom-in-forgiveness-and-it-s-not-that-hard-to-do-once-you/) [Dana Perino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-perino/) > [“I’m good at being vague and unpredictable. It’s sort of a hard habit to break.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-lothlorien/i-m-good-at-being-vague-and-unpredictable-it-s-sort-of-a-hard-habit/) Elle Lothlorien > [“Freedom is a hard habit to break.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/freedom-is-a-hard-habit-to-break/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [To do 'Fox & Friends' I get up at 3:30 A.M. every morning, including weekends - a hard habit to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-doocy/to-do-fox-friends-i-get-up-at-3-30-a-m-every-morning-including/) [Steve Doocy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-doocy/) > [“I’m just looking out for you.” “You don’t have to.” “It’s a hard habit to break.” Especially since he didn’t want to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-matthews/i-m-just-looking-out-for-you-you-don-t-have-to-it-s-a-hard-habit-to/) [Lena Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-matthews/) > [“Self-protection by bravado is a hard habit to break.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-ball/self-protection-by-bravado-is-a-hard-habit-to-break/) [Joan Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-ball/) > [I quit steaks for a while, but it's a hard habit to break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-anne-moss/i-quit-steaks-for-a-while-but-it-s-a-hard-habit-to-break/) [Carrie-Anne Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-anne-moss/) ## More by Mary Lou Retton > [I usually don't mind giving autographs, but when hundreds of folks with paper and pen start coming at you, it's time to seek shelter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/i-usually-don-t-mind-giving-autographs-but-when-hundreds-of-folks/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Even though it may seem counterintuitive, a comfort zone is a dangerous place to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/even-though-it-may-seem-counterintuitive-a-comfort-zone-is-a/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Former Olympians also get paid to make appearances. Many of them won their medals in an era when Olympic success didn't go hand-in-hand with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/former-olympians-also-get-paid-to-make-appearances-many-of-them-won/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [I love her attitude, but as much as I'd like to bring my medals to a speech or appearance, I never do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/i-love-her-attitude-but-as-much-as-i-d-like-to-bring-my-medals-to-a/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [As much time as you put into it, that's what your achievements are going to be when you come out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/as-much-time-as-you-put-into-it-that-s-what-your-achievements-are/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun. You get self-satisfaction from pushing your self to the limit, knowing that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun-you-get-self/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [You give up your childhood. You miss proms and games and high-school events, and people say it's awful... I say it was a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/you-give-up-your-childhood-you-miss-proms-and-games-and-high-school/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Many medal winners dream of competing in a sport other than the one they're famous for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/many-medal-winners-dream-of-competing-in-a-sport-other-than-the-one/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [More than 10,000 athletes came to Atlanta seeking Olympic medals. Only a few of them will be lucky and skilled enough to claim one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/more-than-10-000-athletes-came-to-atlanta-seeking-olympic-medals-only/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/as-simple-as-it-sounds-we-all-must-try-to-be-the-best-person-we-can/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Rather then focusing on the obstacle in your path, focus on the bridge over the obstacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/rather-then-focusing-on-the-obstacle-in-your-path-focus-on-the-bridge/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [I'm very determined and stubborn. There's a desire in me that makes me want to do more and more, and to do it right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/i-m-very-determined-and-stubborn-there-s-a-desire-in-me-that-makes-me/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It's our goal in life to find it and keep it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/each-of-us-has-a-fire-in-our-hearts-for-something-it-s-our-goal-in/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [Erase the word "failure" from your vocabulary. No case is ever truly closed, and no challenge is ever over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/erase-the-word-failure-from-your-vocabulary-no-case-is-ever-truly/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) > [In L.A., we had a game room with a new sensation called Pac-Man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/in-l-a-we-had-a-game-room-with-a-new-sensation-called-pac-man/) [Mary Lou Retton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) [Explore all 45 Mary Lou Retton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/) ## More Fun quotes > [It's really fun and challenging to build things that have never been built before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mason/it-s-really-fun-and-challenging-to-build-things-that-have-never-been/) [Hilary Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mason/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [I think taking a hookline of a hit song and making a new song is fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-kumar/i-think-taking-a-hookline-of-a-hit-song-and-making-a-new-song-is-fun/) [Tulsi Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-kumar/) > [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [I guess I'm attracted to things that are fun. I guess what is fun about this role in 'Suburgatory' is that there's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-guess-i-m-attracted-to-things-that-are-fun-i-guess-what-is-fun/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I can't imagine not working, really. I just think work's more fun than fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-quant/i-can-t-imagine-not-working-really-i-just-think-work-s-more-fun-than/) [Mary Quant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-quant/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [It's great when you can write a meaningful song that touches people, but sometimes you just wanna have fun and sing a silly song…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/it-s-great-when-you-can-write-a-meaningful-song-that-touches-people/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [I loved duping my parents; I liked manipulating them. It was a way for me to stand out. It was fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/i-loved-duping-my-parents-i-liked-manipulating-them-it-was-a-way-for/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) [Browse all 15,947 Fun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Lou Retton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fun" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/mary-lou-retton-14694_fun_working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-k_405418.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/mary-lou-retton-14694_fun_working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-k_405418.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/mary-lou-retton-14694_fun_working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-k_405418.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun.” — Mary Lou Retton", "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": "Mary Lou Retton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lou-retton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Working hard becomes a habit, a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lou-retton/working-hard-becomes-a-habit-a-serious-kind-of-fun/#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 } } ] } ```