--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A vocation is a noble thing and not to be…" description: "\"A vocation is a noble thing and not to be subverted by the whims of politicians.\" — Michael Portillo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/michael-portillo-5117_career_a-vocation-is-a-noble-thing-and-not-to-b_2310510.png" --- # A vocation is a noble thing and not to be subverted by the… ![“A vocation is a noble thing and not to be subverted by the whims of politicians.” quote by Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/michael-portillo-5117_career_a-vocation-is-a-noble-thing-and-not-to-b_2310510.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/michael-portillo-5117_career_a-vocation-is-a-noble-thing-and-not-to-b_2310510.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/886/michael-portillo-5117_career_a-vocation-is-a-noble-thing-and-not-to-b_2310510.png) > “A vocation is a noble thing and not to be subverted by the whims of politicians.” [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A career should be guided by purpose, not political pressure or whims. **In simple terms:** Choose purpose over politics. Key Takeaway Guard your vocation from political whims. Themes integrity career politics purpose Mood determined reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - policy advocacy - public sector work - entrepreneurship Key Concepts public service ethical decision‑making Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep your work aligned with your values? - What safeguards can protect a vocation from political influence? A Different Perspective Political agendas can shift, making stability hard. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Noble Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble-thing-1429168/) [Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politicians/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) [Vocation Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation-noble-5486674/) [Whims Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whims-politicians-5486675/) ## Related quotes > [Food is a noble thing to trade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-perdue/food-is-a-noble-thing-to-trade/) [Sonny Perdue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-perdue/) > [Music is one of the noblest callings I can think of. It's the highest of all the art forms to me. For example, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/music-is-one-of-the-noblest-callings-i-can-think-of-it-s-the-highest/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [The only noble thing a man can do with money is to build a schooner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-only-noble-thing-a-man-can-do-with-money-is-to-build-a-schooner/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Journalism was looked upon as a more noble thing than it is now. I don't know if it carries the same cachet that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-oliphant/journalism-was-looked-upon-as-a-more-noble-thing-than-it-is-now-i-don/) [Pat Oliphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-oliphant/) > [No noble thing can be done without risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-noble-thing-can-be-done-without-risks/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [ I'm a jazz musician by education and vocation, but I don't think jazz should \[ dictate\] what I want to do. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-douglas/i-m-a-jazz-musician-by-education-and-vocation-but-i-don-t-think-jazz/) [Dave Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-douglas/) > [I'm beat to the square, and square to the beat, and that's my vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-everson/i-m-beat-to-the-square-and-square-to-the-beat-and-that-s-my-vocation/) [William Everson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-everson/) > [“If you want to be an actor, don’t. 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Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [We have only to see how that which makes up the reality of our lives relates to our vocation; we have only to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-danielou/we-have-only-to-see-how-that-which-makes-up-the-reality-of-our-lives/) [Jean Danielou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-danielou/) > [“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/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. 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So I should be. If you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/people-have-said-to-me-oh-you-are-much-nicer-making-documentaries/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > ['Bradshaw's' is a lovely device for the time-travelling television presenter. I just hope that people buying it aren't doing so with the intention of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/bradshaw-s-is-a-lovely-device-for-the-time-travelling-television/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [King Edward VIII was forced to abdicate because he was determined to marry a divorced woman. As a result of that decision, the Queen's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/king-edward-viii-was-forced-to-abdicate-because-he-was-determined-to/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [Three letters send a chill down the spine of the enemy: SAS. Those letters spell out one clear message. Don't mess with Britain!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/three-letters-send-a-chill-down-the-spine-of-the-enemy-sas-those/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [If life is a soap opera you shouldn't be in too much of a hurry to get to the final credits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/if-life-is-a-soap-opera-you-shouldn-t-be-in-too-much-of-a-hurry-to/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [Before my teens, my contemporaries were reading Tolkien and were absorbed by his works, but try as I might, I could not be drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/before-my-teens-my-contemporaries-were-reading-tolkien-and-were/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [I will say what I want to say. I had some homosexual experiences as a young person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/i-will-say-what-i-want-to-say-i-had-some-homosexual-experiences-as-a/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) [Explore all 101 Michael Portillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. 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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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