--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not building…" description: "\"I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not building buildings. My work is not hard, my work is refreshing, my work is pleasant. The more the better. Lying around..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/morgan-freeman-1202_building_i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building_1720811.jpg" --- # I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not building buildings. My… ![“I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not building buildings. My work is not hard, my work is refreshing, my work is pleasant. The more the better. Lying around and getting no job is debilitating.” quote by Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/morgan-freeman-1202_building_i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building_1720811.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/morgan-freeman-1202_building_i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building_1720811.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/morgan-freeman-1202_building_i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building_1720811.jpg) > “I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not building buildings. My work is not hard, my work is refreshing, my work is pleasant. The more the better. Lying around and getting no job is debilitating.” [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contrasts easy, enjoyable work with the hardship of unemployment, emphasizing that pleasant, abundant work is preferable to idleness. **In simple terms:** Pleasant work is better than being idle. Key Takeaway Seek fulfilling work, avoid idleness. Themes work satisfaction employment mental health Mood reflective optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - job search - career development - volunteer work - skill building - entrepreneurship Key Concepts productivity well‑being purpose Questions to Reflect On - What kind of work brings you joy? - How can you turn pleasant tasks into meaningful goals? A Different Perspective Even pleasant work can become draining without purpose or growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [If work were so pleasant, the rich would keep it for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-work-were-so-pleasant-the-rich-would-keep-it-for-themselves/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [That work is ever more pleasant to the imagination which is not now required. How wistfully, when we have promised to attend the working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/that-work-is-ever-more-pleasant-to-the-imagination-which-is-not-now/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I do many kinds of work, and if you forbid me from binding books, from gardening, from writing poetry, from practicing walking meditation, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/i-do-many-kinds-of-work-and-if-you-forbid-me-from-binding-books-from/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [The problem is, if El Chapo builds a tunnel under the fence, we need to deal with that too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-problem-is-if-el-chapo-builds-a-tunnel-under-the-fence-we-need-to/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [Grace abounds in contemporary movies, books, novels, films and music. If God is not in the whirlwind, He may be in a Woody Allen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/grace-abounds-in-contemporary-movies-books-novels-films-and-music-if/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [The test of character is not persistence when you expect a light at the end of the tunnel. The true test is performance and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-arthur-ray/the-test-of-character-is-not-persistence-when-you-expect-a-light-at/) [James Arthur Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-arthur-ray/) > [When you have your passion, you never even think about other things. It's tunnel vision. You go until you get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-peltz/when-you-have-your-passion-you-never-even-think-about-other-things-it/) [Nicola Peltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-peltz/) > [“See, I think there are roads that lead us to each other. But in my family, there were no roads - just underground tunnels.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/see-i-think-there-are-roads-that-lead-us-to-each-other-but-in-my/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [For the first time all day I felt safe. Except that Patch had cornered me in a dark tunnel and was possibly stalking me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/for-the-first-time-all-day-i-felt-safe-except-that-patch-had-cornered/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [The craft's occupants clutched their armrests, and more than one of them closed their eyes. But not Artemis. He couldn't. There was something morbidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-colfer/the-craft-s-occupants-clutched-their-armrests-and-more-than-one-of/) [Eoin Colfer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-colfer/) > [It was definitely some tough moments throughout my life, but I kind of stayed focused and came through the other end of the tunnel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cruz/it-was-definitely-some-tough-moments-throughout-my-life-but-i-kind-of/) [Victor Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cruz/) > [And we have come so far like that. I mean, the advances on the medication side have been enormous, and the advances on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/and-we-have-come-so-far-like-that-i-mean-the-advances-on-the/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [It’s easier to have courage and trust the process when you feel you’re making headway. Mastery is not persistence when you see a light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-arthur-ray/it-s-easier-to-have-courage-and-trust-the-process-when-you-feel-you/) [James Arthur Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-arthur-ray/) > [“...skeins of mist like translucent silk, bending and unbending in the headlight tunnels...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes-a-familiar-rain/skeins-of-mist-like-translucent-silk-bending-and-unbending-in-the/) [John Geddes A Familiar Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes-a-familiar-rain/) > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) ## More by Morgan Freeman > [I always wanted to be a fireman, a cop, an Indian chief, a doctor, a lawyer. I always wanted to be all these things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-fireman-a-cop-an-indian-chief-a-doctor-a/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [If I wasn't acting, I have no clue what I'd be doing 'cause I have no other talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/if-i-wasn-t-acting-i-have-no-clue-what-i-d-be-doing-cause-i-have-no/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [I know people are saying they like you. I'm not being insulted or pushed around or anything. People are coming up because they like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-know-people-are-saying-they-like-you-i-m-not-being-insulted-or/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Don't be afraid of what you want. This is your time. The barriers are down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/don-t-be-afraid-of-what-you-want-this-is-your-time-the-barriers-are/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [I find it difficult to watch myself... I find it boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-find-it-difficult-to-watch-myself-i-find-it-boring/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [People need to start to think about the messages that they send in the movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/people-need-to-start-to-think-about-the-messages-that-they-send-in/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Acting means living, it's all I do and all I'm good at. If I weren't getting paid well, I would still be acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/acting-means-living-it-s-all-i-do-and-all-i-m-good-at-if-i-weren-t/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [I feel fine, I don't care who the director is. All you have to do is know what your doing - all of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-feel-fine-i-don-t-care-who-the-director-is-all-you-have-to-do-is/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Literacy could be the ladder out of poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/literacy-could-be-the-ladder-out-of-poverty/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [I hate the word homophobia. It's not a phobia. You are not scared. You are an asshole,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-hate-the-word-homophobia-it-s-not-a-phobia-you-are-not-scared-you/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [I've never had any intimate relationships with a dolphin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-ve-never-had-any-intimate-relationships-with-a-dolphin/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [If you're comfortable on a horse, you're comfortable on a horse. It's like being on a motorbike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/if-you-re-comfortable-on-a-horse-you-re-comfortable-on-a-horse-it-s/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [It's what I learn from the great actors that I work with. Stillness. That's all and that's the hardest thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/it-s-what-i-learn-from-the-great-actors-that-i-work-with-stillness/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [Never let pride be your guiding principle. Let your accomplishments speak for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/never-let-pride-be-your-guiding-principle-let-your-accomplishments/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [You can make anything into a play for the simple reason that the human mind is one of the best writers in the business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/you-can-make-anything-into-a-play-for-the-simple-reason-that-the/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) [Explore all 274 Morgan Freeman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not building buildings. My work is not hard, my work is refreshing, my work is pleasant. The more the better. Lying around and getting no job is debilitating.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Morgan Freeman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building-buildings-my-work-is-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building-buildings-my-work-is-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/morgan-freeman-1202_building_i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building_1720811.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/morgan-freeman-1202_building_i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building_1720811.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a7/morgan-freeman-1202_building_i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building_1720811.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not building buildings. My work is not hard, my work is refreshing, my work is…” — Morgan Freeman", "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": "Morgan Freeman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm not digging tunnels, I'm not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building-buildings-my-work-is-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/i-m-not-digging-tunnels-i-m-not-building-buildings-my-work-is-not/#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 } } ] } ```