---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The rules may seem obvious but when you…"
description: "\"The rules may seem obvious but when you think about them they're not. For somebody who has my job they're not as obvious as one would think.\" — Neal Br..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/neal-brennan-4937_jobs_the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you_2282666.jpg"
---

#  The rules may seem obvious but when you think about them…

![“The rules may seem obvious but when you think about them they're not. For somebody who has my job they're not as obvious as one would think.” quote by Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/neal-brennan-4937_jobs_the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you_2282666.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/neal-brennan-4937_jobs_the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you_2282666.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/neal-brennan-4937_jobs_the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you_2282666.jpg)

> “The rules may seem obvious but when you think about them they're not. For somebody who has my job they're not as obvious as one would think.”

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Rules seem obvious until examined from the perspective of someone in the role, revealing hidden complexities.

**In simple terms:** Rules look simple but aren't for those in the job.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about familiar rules.

Themes

perception role complexity

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- workplace
- team dynamics
- policy making

Key Concepts

cognitive bias situational awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- What rules do you take for granted?
- How does your role shape your view of rules?

A Different Perspective

Overanalysis can paralyze decision‑making.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Job Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-obvious-5059109/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Obvious Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious-think-1749478/) [Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules/) [Rules Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-obvious-4028813/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Somebody Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somebody-job-1871456/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [Our job is obvious: we need to get out of the way, shine a light, and empower a new generation to teach itself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/our-job-is-obvious-we-need-to-get-out-of-the-way-shine-a-light-and/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [“The rules are there so that we can remember them and follow them. If the rules were obvious, we wouldn't have to write them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/the-rules-are-there-so-that-we-can-remember-them-and-follow-them-if/)

[Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/)

> [Sometimes I'm confused by what I think is really obvious. But what I think is really obvious obviously isn't obvious...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/sometimes-i-m-confused-by-what-i-think-is-really-obvious-but-what-i/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [It may not always be obvious at first, but I think that everyone can make a valuable contribution if only they put their minds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-graves/it-may-not-always-be-obvious-at-first-but-i-think-that-everyone-can/)

[Morris Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-graves/)

> [Guys are much more obvious than they think they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-heigl/guys-are-much-more-obvious-than-they-think-they-are/)

[Katherine Heigl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-heigl/)

> [At first it seems obvious, but the more you think about it the stranger the deductions from this axiom seem to become; in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/at-first-it-seems-obvious-but-the-more-you-think-about-it-the/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [There's this idea that somebody's job could be more important than somebody else's, and to me, that's not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/there-s-this-idea-that-somebody-s-job-could-be-more-important-than/)

[Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/)

> [That's my father's theme. Get up in the morning, 'hello, Dad.' 'Get a job, leave the food alone... Who took my car?' America, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-witherspoon/that-s-my-father-s-theme-get-up-in-the-morning-hello-dad-get-a-job/)

[John Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-witherspoon/)

> [I just happen to know how to hit a baseball and throw a baseball. But I probably couldn't go into somebody else's job and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/i-just-happen-to-know-how-to-hit-a-baseball-and-throw-a-baseball-but/)

[Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/)

> [You can take somebody's job, you have to take their job, but you don't have to take their dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/you-can-take-somebody-s-job-you-have-to-take-their-job-but-you-don-t/)

[Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/)

> ["What is my job on the planet?" is one question we might do well to ask ourselves over and over again. Otherwise, we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/what-is-my-job-on-the-planet-is-one-question-we-might-do-well-to-ask/)

[Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/)

> [I think it would be good to get somebody a job. Right now we're in a bubble of green rhetoric and a bowl of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-think-it-would-be-good-to-get-somebody-a-job-right-now-we-re-in-a/)

[Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/)

> [But it's true, it's nothing new that decisions about what movies are to be made, and how they're to be made, and who's to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-jones/but-it-s-true-it-s-nothing-new-that-decisions-about-what-movies-are/)

[Jeffrey Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-jones/)

> [I think it's somebody else's job to decide what my image is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabella-sciorra/i-think-it-s-somebody-else-s-job-to-decide-what-my-image-is/)

[Annabella Sciorra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabella-sciorra/)

> [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

## More by Neal Brennan

> [If the word police want to come and get me, they can come and get me. If someone wants to blog about me, fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/if-the-word-police-want-to-come-and-get-me-they-can-come-and-get-me/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I can always tell the demographic that will probably recognize me - white dudes, sort of skater-y hip hop white dudes, and working class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-can-always-tell-the-demographic-that-will-probably-recognize-me/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I think it's naïve to think white people aren't singing along directly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-think-it-s-na-ve-to-think-white-people-aren-t-singing-along-directly/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I think I've seen every 'Bill Maher' episode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-think-i-ve-seen-every-bill-maher-episode/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [The biggest problem in America is most people believe poor people are poor because they are lazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/the-biggest-problem-in-america-is-most-people-believe-poor-people-are/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I don't think people understand what comedy is supposed to do. We will observe things, we will make fun of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-don-t-think-people-understand-what-comedy-is-supposed-to-do-we-will/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [Models never say, "I'm hot." They say, "Look at these clothes." Whereas, with comedy, you have to say, "I'm hot."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/models-never-say-i-m-hot-they-say-look-at-these-clothes-whereas-with/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [ \[Robert Smigel\] is one of the greatest comedy writers in the last 50 years. "TV Funhouse" and Triumph and all those sketches.He's really unique,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/robert-smigel-is-one-of-the-greatest-comedy-writers-in-the-last-50/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I generally don't read articles about myself/'Chappelle's Show,' nor do I read reviews. It's basically playing Russian Roulette. They're not all gonna be positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-generally-don-t-read-articles-about-myself-chappelle-s-show-nor-do/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I'm not the easiest dude to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-m-not-the-easiest-dude-to-work-with/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [My entryway into hip-hop was - my biggest introduction was obviously like, you know, the Def Jam, Run D.M.C., Beastie Boys, like, that conglomerate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/my-entryway-into-hip-hop-was-my-biggest-introduction-was-obviously/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [You can say whatever you want, but there's going to be consequences to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/you-can-say-whatever-you-want-but-there-s-going-to-be-consequences-to/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [When you're in a friend circle, you all kind of talk the same way. And it's hard to do on-the-fly radio edits of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/when-you-re-in-a-friend-circle-you-all-kind-of-talk-the-same-way-and/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I needed to be more self-determining, and the most self-determining thing you can do in comedy is stand-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-needed-to-be-more-self-determining-and-the-most-self-determining/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

> [I'm obsessive, I'm a control freak, I get snappy with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/i-m-obsessive-i-m-a-control-freak-i-get-snappy-with-people/)

[Neal Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

[Explore all 104 Neal Brennan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/)

## More Jobs quotes

> [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/)

[Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/)

> [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/)

> [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/)

[Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/)

> [Grandma, please. It’s okay. Dad’s doing a great job. I give him kudos for at least being calm and rational, and not losing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/grandma-please-it-s-okay-dad-s-doing-a-great-job-i-give-him-kudos-for/)

[Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/)

> [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/)

[Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/)

> [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/)

[Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/)

> [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/)

[Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/)

> [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/)

[Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/)

> [Musicians talk of nothing but money and jobs. Give me businessmen every time. They really are interested in music and art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/musicians-talk-of-nothing-but-money-and-jobs-give-me-businessmen/)

[Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/)

> [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've never believed unemployment numbers because the way that they calculate unemployment makes no sense whatsoever. It's not how many people are unemployed. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-ve-never-believed-unemployment-numbers-because-the-way-that-they/)

[Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/)

> [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/)

[Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/)

> [Some people, you know, should just go to college and do what they do and have a great job and not worry about trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/some-people-you-know-should-just-go-to-college-and-do-what-they-do/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Filmmaking, like sex, isn't a polite enterprise. It involves a lot of mess and the bottom line is, if somebody ain't screaming, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/filmmaking-like-sex-isn-t-a-polite-enterprise-it-involves-a-lot-of/)

[James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/)

> [I have a question, a question for the president: Do you hate all rich people, or just rich people who don't contribute to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-have-a-question-a-question-for-the-president-do-you-hate-all-rich/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

[Browse all 14,478 Jobs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The rules may seem obvious but when you think about them they're not. For somebody who has my job they're not as obvious as one would think.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Neal Brennan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you-think-about-them-they-re-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Jobs"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you-think-about-them-they-re-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/neal-brennan-4937_jobs_the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you_2282666.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/neal-brennan-4937_jobs_the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you_2282666.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/537/neal-brennan-4937_jobs_the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you_2282666.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The rules may seem obvious but when you think about them they're not. For somebody who has my job they're…” — Neal Brennan",
                "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": "Neal Brennan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-brennan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The rules may seem obvious but...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you-think-about-them-they-re-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-brennan/the-rules-may-seem-obvious-but-when-you-think-about-them-they-re-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
