--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I think of my career and why I…" description: "\"When I think of my career and why I leaned in, it comes down to basic survival.\" — Mellody Hobson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mellody-hobson-8989_career_when-i-think-of-my-career-and-why-i-lean_122083.jpg" --- # When I think of my career and why I leaned in, it comes… ![“When I think of my career and why I leaned in, it comes down to basic survival.” quote by Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mellody-hobson-8989_career_when-i-think-of-my-career-and-why-i-lean_122083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mellody-hobson-8989_career_when-i-think-of-my-career-and-why-i-lean_122083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/54e/mellody-hobson-8989_career_when-i-think-of-my-career-and-why-i-lean_122083.jpg) > “When I think of my career and why I leaned in, it comes down to basic survival.” [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She frames career choices as driven by fundamental need to survive and thrive, implying that personal ambition is rooted in basic human instincts. **In simple terms:** Career moves are motivated by survival instincts. Key Takeaway Survival drives professional ambition. Themes career motivation survival instinct personal ambition resilience Mood determined reflective Type motivational personal When to use this quote - Choosing a stable job during a recession - Starting a business after job loss - Investing in education for long‑term security Key Concepts psychology of work economic necessity Practical Applications - Align career goals with core survival needs - Use survival mindset to sustain perseverance Questions to Reflect On - How does survival instinct shape your career decisions? - Can you balance basic needs with higher aspirations? A Different Perspective Overemphasizing survival may neglect higher‑order aspirations like purpose or creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) ## Related quotes > [The best part of success is that it got me past the basic survival level of existence so that I was comfortable. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-walsh/the-best-part-of-success-is-that-it-got-me-past-the-basic-survival/) [Joe Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-walsh/) > [Credibility is a basic survival tool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/credibility-is-a-basic-survival-tool/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [Money, of course, is still needed to survive, but time is what you need to live. 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We were lucky to have them. They were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-love-obama-and-michelle-i-was-so-grateful-for-them-they-were-such/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [I can't tell you how many resumes we get from business schools across the country from black women and black men and Hispanic women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/i-can-t-tell-you-how-many-resumes-we-get-from-business-schools-across/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [Bravery is not the absence of fear, it is overcoming it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/bravery-is-not-the-absence-of-fear-it-is-overcoming-it/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [How many people, though, do I meet that I think have talent? Well actually a lot. 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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. 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