--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, awards are not what I really care…" description: "\"For me, awards are not what I really care about - the work is what I really care about. And, I am especially proud that I was acknowledged for doing wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/michael-cerveris-44192_award_for-me-awards-are-not-what-i-really-care_2884851.jpg" --- # For me, awards are not what I really care about - the work… ![“For me, awards are not what I really care about - the work is what I really care about. And, I am especially proud that I was acknowledged for doing work that I was so proud of and that meant a lot to me.” quote by Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/michael-cerveris-44192_award_for-me-awards-are-not-what-i-really-care_2884851.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/michael-cerveris-44192_award_for-me-awards-are-not-what-i-really-care_2884851.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5f/michael-cerveris-44192_award_for-me-awards-are-not-what-i-really-care_2884851.jpg) > “For me, awards are not what I really care about - the work is what I really care about. And, I am especially proud that I was acknowledged for doing work that I was so proud of and that meant a lot to me.” [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal fulfillment comes from the quality of one's work, not external accolades; recognition is rewarding when it reflects genuine pride in the effort. **In simple terms:** Work matters more than awards; pride in work makes recognition meaningful. Key Takeaway Focus on doing work you love. Themes purpose pride recognition intrinsic motivation Mood proud reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career development - creative projects - team leadership - public speaking Key Concepts Self‑actualization authenticity meaningful achievement Questions to Reflect On - What work gives you the deepest sense of pride? - How do you balance external validation with internal satisfaction? A Different Perspective Awards can become distractions if they replace intrinsic motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) ## Related quotes > [I've never really topped myself, because awards in themselves really don't reflect major accomplishment. It's kind of a strange, backslapping ritual that we go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/i-ve-never-really-topped-myself-because-awards-in-themselves-really/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [I don't like to look back. I love the next challenge and don't keep awards. There are a few that are really important, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/i-don-t-like-to-look-back-i-love-the-next-challenge-and-don-t-keep/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [When I did 'Wonder Woman,' I was especially proud that I had both a very large straight female and gay male following.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-perez/when-i-did-wonder-woman-i-was-especially-proud-that-i-had-both-a-very/) [George Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-perez/) > [I am very happy to be signing for the best team in the world and especially proud to be the first Portuguese player to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/i-am-very-happy-to-be-signing-for-the-best-team-in-the-world-and/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [I am very happy to be signing for the best team in the world and especially proud to be the first Portuguese player to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/i-am-very-happy-to-be-signing-for-the-best-team-in-the-world-and-2/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [I am especially proud of taking on issues most central to the health of our American democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chellie-pingree/i-am-especially-proud-of-taking-on-issues-most-central-to-the-health/) [Chellie Pingree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chellie-pingree/) > [I love the Empire Awards. It is really different and laid back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goldman/i-love-the-empire-awards-it-is-really-different-and-laid-back/) [Jane Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goldman/) > [I don't know anything about awards, I really don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rekha/i-don-t-know-anything-about-awards-i-really-don-t/) [Rekha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rekha/) > [I don't watch a lot of - I don't know anything about the awards, really. It's kind of like fashion. Not my business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-elordi/i-don-t-watch-a-lot-of-i-don-t-know-anything-about-the-awards-really/) [Jacob Elordi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-elordi/) > [In life, we are all actors and actress; playing the parts that we have been giving. If you are an ambitous, amazing actor or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine/in-life-we-are-all-actors-and-actress-playing-the-parts-that-we-have/) [Josephine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine/) > [Creating the Minerva Awards. I really have enjoyed that. I have to say that I moaned and groaned about this job but the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/creating-the-minerva-awards-i-really-have-enjoyed-that-i-have-to-say/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [I don't coach to win awards, I really don't. I'm very, very satisfied with just being there for my players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-staley/i-don-t-coach-to-win-awards-i-really-don-t-i-m-very-very-satisfied/) [Dawn Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-staley/) > [I would like to look back on my body of work and be proud of each record in its own right, but as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/i-would-like-to-look-back-on-my-body-of-work-and-be-proud-of-each/) [Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/) > [It's not about working anymore, its about doing work I can be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walker/it-s-not-about-working-anymore-its-about-doing-work-i-can-be-proud-of/) [Paul Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walker/) > [ The thing most worth doing in this modern world \[is to\] create jobs that men can work at, and be proud of, and make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/the-thing-most-worth-doing-in-this-modern-world-is-to-create-jobs/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) ## More by Michael Cerveris > [I was a big 'X-Files' fan. I always lamented that I never got to be on 'The X-Files'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/i-was-a-big-x-files-fan-i-always-lamented-that-i-never-got-to-be-on/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) > [I've never been good at making smart career decisions or doing the right strategic thing, and yet somehow it's all led me to exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/i-ve-never-been-good-at-making-smart-career-decisions-or-doing-the/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) > [I'm not one of those actors who's very good at having a list of roles that I want to play someday - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/i-m-not-one-of-those-actors-who-s-very-good-at-having-a-list-of-roles/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) > [For music, I always just played music myself - and, I had rock bands and wrote songs and put bands together that were loud,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/for-music-i-always-just-played-music-myself-and-i-had-rock-bands-and/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) > [I do feel pressure. I have always been able to surprise people because they didn't know to expect anything from me. And now people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/i-do-feel-pressure-i-have-always-been-able-to-surprise-people-because/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) > [My father is a university professor so when the schools needed a little kid for their productions I was often the kid they used.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/my-father-is-a-university-professor-so-when-the-schools-needed-a/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) > [My life/career is more filled with left-field thrills than I could ever have hoped for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/my-life-career-is-more-filled-with-left-field-thrills-than-i-could/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) > [I studied voice at Yale with Blake Stern from the music school, and he had me singing German lieder and Italian songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cerveris/i-studied-voice-at-yale-with-blake-stern-from-the-music-school-and-he/) [Michael Cerveris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) [Explore all 9 Michael Cerveris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cerveris/) ## More Award quotes > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I love my role in 'Deshamuduru' but I did not get any award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali/i-love-my-role-in-deshamuduru-but-i-did-not-get-any-award/) [Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [Some of my contemporaries don't want to talk about the female problem because they feel like whenever they get a teaching position or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/du-yun/some-of-my-contemporaries-don-t-want-to-talk-about-the-female-problem/) [Du Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/du-yun/) > [I'm not a great believer in awards-of course the fact that I've never won one has nothing to do with it at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-m-not-a-great-believer-in-awards-of-course-the-fact-that-i-ve-never/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [Any award the NBA gives you, whether it's on the court or off the court, it's definitely an honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/any-award-the-nba-gives-you-whether-it-s-on-the-court-or-off-the/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [I look to a time when brotherhood needs no publicity; to a time when a brotherhood award would be as ridiculous as an award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-mich/i-look-to-a-time-when-brotherhood-needs-no-publicity-to-a-time-when-a/) Daniel D. Mich > [I am not after any award. Love and affection of the audience is the biggest award for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukesh-tiwari/i-am-not-after-any-award-love-and-affection-of-the-audience-is-the/) [Mukesh Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukesh-tiwari/) > [I don't like the energy at award shows. It's rehearsed and everybody is just focused on themselves and nobody wants to genuinely applaud for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaani-kapoor/i-don-t-like-the-energy-at-award-shows-it-s-rehearsed-and-everybody/) [Vaani Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaani-kapoor/) > [You don't want to make awards the reason you're doing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/you-don-t-want-to-make-awards-the-reason-you-re-doing-things/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [Winning or not winning an award doesn't affect me. I just like to do my work in the best possible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/winning-or-not-winning-an-award-doesn-t-affect-me-i-just-like-to-do/) KK > [I don't feel I have to acknowledge how I'm doing by an award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-acknowledge-how-i-m-doing-by-an-award/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I never thought I would get a National Award. For me, it was huge, and I got complacent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/i-never-thought-i-would-get-a-national-award-for-me-it-was-huge-and-i/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [You don't do a play to compete for an award. This was the argument I always had over the Oscars. I didn't win them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/you-don-t-do-a-play-to-compete-for-an-award-this-was-the-argument-i/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [I was on MTV's 'Real World' at the time when 'Queer Eye' came out. I remember, the first time I won an award, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/i-was-on-mtv-s-real-world-at-the-time-when-queer-eye-came-out-i/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) Browse all 647 Award quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For me, awards are not what I really care about - the work is what I really care about. 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