--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hand me a shovel, he thought. I'm getting…" description: "\"“Hand me a shovel, he thought. I'm getting tired of digging this hole for myself with my bare hands. -Ben”\" — Nora Roberts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/nora-roberts-128_getting-tired_hand-me-a-shovel-he-thought-i-m-getting_980896.jpg" --- # Hand me a shovel, he thought. I'm getting tired of digging… ![“Hand me a shovel, he thought. I'm getting tired of digging this hole for myself with my bare hands. -Ben” quote by Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/nora-roberts-128_getting-tired_hand-me-a-shovel-he-thought-i-m-getting_980896.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/nora-roberts-128_getting-tired_hand-me-a-shovel-he-thought-i-m-getting_980896.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c0/nora-roberts-128_getting-tired_hand-me-a-shovel-he-thought-i-m-getting_980896.jpg) > ““Hand me a shovel, he thought. I'm getting tired of digging this hole for myself with my bare hands. -Ben”” [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character feels exhausted from self‑inflicted struggle and seeks external help. **In simple terms:** He is tired of digging his own hole alone. Key Takeaway Seek assistance before burnout. Themes exhaustion self‑reliance help seeking Mood reflective hopeful Type advice motivational When to use this quote - career burnout - relationship conflict - personal projects Key Concepts personal resilience mental fatigue Questions to Reflect On - When do you ask for help? - What are the costs of doing everything yourself? A Different Perspective Relying on others can create dependency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“When I found him lying in the ditch holding a shovel, I thought he was sleeping on the job. 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Zero's hole was smaller than all the others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/then-he-turned-to-zero-who-had-been-quietly-digging-in-his-hole-since/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [“How is digging a hole part of the process of getting out of one? The fact is, the people who can answer that question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/how-is-digging-a-hole-part-of-the-process-of-getting-out-of-one-the/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [You cannot dig a hole in a different place by digging the same hole deeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-de-bono/you-cannot-dig-a-hole-in-a-different-place-by-digging-the-same-hole/) [Edward de Bono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-de-bono/) > [I'm the sort of person that starts digging a hole and doesn't stop until it's finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/i-m-the-sort-of-person-that-starts-digging-a-hole-and-doesn-t-stop/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [As he rounded the corner, he saw two dozen men, naked to the waist, digging a hole thirty yards square at the side of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/as-he-rounded-the-corner-he-saw-two-dozen-men-naked-to-the-waist/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [If you're digging a hole in the wrong place, making it deeper doesn't help anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seymour-chwast/if-you-re-digging-a-hole-in-the-wrong-place-making-it-deeper-doesn-t/) [Seymour Chwast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seymour-chwast/) > [“I'm in a hole because at some point I found a shovel and started digging. 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He Knew he could give me a shovel if there was a mess to clean up, and he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/trudeau-valued-performance-above-image-he-knew-he-could-give-me-a/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [“To find my mistakes, you’re going to need a shovel—and a missing person’s list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/to-find-my-mistakes-you-re-going-to-need-a-shovel-and-a-missing/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [For 3 Million you could give everyone in Scotland a shovel, and we could dig a hole so deep we could hand her over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/for-3-million-you-could-give-everyone-in-scotland-a-shovel-and-we/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [“I'll be your shovel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katelin-lamontagne/i-ll-be-your-shovel/) [Katelin LaMontagne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katelin-lamontagne/) ## More by Nora Roberts > [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Flowers that had bloomed brilliant from spring through autumn blackened under the killing frost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/flowers-that-had-bloomed-brilliant-from-spring-through-autumn/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“He's back in Maine now.She did say he badgered her with questions. Of course, she didn't have the answer until she spoke to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/he-s-back-in-maine-now-she-did-say-he-badgered-her-with-questions-of/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Every professor worth his PhD should have a fireplace in his study.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/every-professor-worth-his-phd-should-have-a-fireplace-in-his-study/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Sorry, bad wing." When Theo kissed him, surprise and pleasure flustered him. He couldn't remember the last time this boy, this young man, had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/sorry-bad-wing-when-theo-kissed-him-surprise-and-pleasure-flustered/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Because it's hard not to matter, even to someone you dislike.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/because-it-s-hard-not-to-matter-even-to-someone-you-dislike/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“No point in wishing for what you can't have. - Blair What's the point in wishing for what you can and do? - Larken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/no-point-in-wishing-for-what-you-can-t-have-blair-what-s-the-point-in/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Grayson: Fiction is just a lie anyway. Brianna: But it's not - it's a different kind of truth - it would be your truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/grayson-fiction-is-just-a-lie-anyway-brianna-but-it-s-not-it-s-a/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I've wanted to be with you when I didn't have the right to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-ve-wanted-to-be-with-you-when-i-didn-t-have-the-right-to/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't write well what you don't read for pleasure. If it doesn't entertain you, it's not going to entertain anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-write-well-what-you-don-t-read-for-pleasure-if-it-doesn-t/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [You can't edit a blank page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/you-can-t-edit-a-blank-page/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“There was a boy down at the stables." She laughed suddenly with her back comfortably nestled against Grant's chest. "Oh,Lord,he was a bit like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/there-was-a-boy-down-at-the-stables-she-laughed-suddenly-with-her/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Some people refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most, because you're afraid someday you might lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/some-people-refuse-to-take-the-next-step-you-could-refuse-to-take/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“Oh, i'm going to kick his ass, and when i'm done, i'm going to squeeze his balls blue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/oh-i-m-going-to-kick-his-ass-and-when-i-m-done-i-m-going-to-squeeze/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) [Explore all 1,138 Nora Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) ## More Getting tired quotes > [“For a long time before I met you, I felt my life was this kind of test. I was in deep, cold water, swimming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-raeder/for-a-long-time-before-i-met-you-i-felt-my-life-was-this-kind-of-test/) [Leah Raeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-raeder/) > [I'm getting tired of going out all the time...I just want to be with that one special person but no one knows how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-getting-tired-of-going-out-all-the-time-i-just-want-to-be-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All parts of the human body get tired eventually - except the tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-adenauer/all-parts-of-the-human-body-get-tired-eventually-except-the-tongue/) [Konrad Adenauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-adenauer/) > [“I walked across an empty land I knew the pathway like the back of my hand I felt the earth beneath my feet Sat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keane/i-walked-across-an-empty-land-i-knew-the-pathway-like-the-back-of-my/) Keane > [He is not there when you're in trouble. He doesn't even know you. Why don't you just love the one who's always there for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seiki-rowins-bie/he-is-not-there-when-you-re-in-trouble-he-doesn-t-even-know-you-why/) [Seiki Rowins Bie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seiki-rowins-bie/) > [“I slipped my hands down his back and into his boxers. “I hope this gets old soon. I don’t see myself ever getting tired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/i-slipped-my-hands-down-his-back-and-into-his-boxers-i-hope-this-gets/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [I hate demanding, controlling people. They're on the last straw, I'm getting tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-demanding-controlling-people-they-re-on-the-last-straw-i-m/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He had no place he could stay in without getting tired of it and because there was nowhere to go but everywhere, keep rolling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/he-had-no-place-he-could-stay-in-without-getting-tired-of-it-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [You only look at far places while I am right here, you know if you'd only turn your head just a little, you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dream-of-doll/you-only-look-at-far-places-while-i-am-right-here-you-know-if-you-d/) Dream Of Doll > [Percy looked at his friends. “I’m getting tired of this guy’s shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/percy-looked-at-his-friends-i-m-getting-tired-of-this-guy-s-shirt/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [It was really sad Bobby Neuwirth's and my affair. The only true, passionate, and lasting love scene, and I practically ended up in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-sedgwick/it-was-really-sad-bobby-neuwirth-s-and-my-affair-the-only-true/) [Edie Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-sedgwick/) > [P.S I Love You. You guys are probably getting tired of the romantic/sad movies, but they are my favorites, I don't know why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/p-s-i-love-you-you-guys-are-probably-getting-tired-of-the-romantic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was getting tired about what the preacher called Christian. Anything he did was Christian, and the people in his church believed it, too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy-toole/i-was-getting-tired-about-what-the-preacher-called-christian-anything/) [John Kennedy Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy-toole/) > [If your getting tired of me. Just tell me. I have no problem walking alone...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-your-getting-tired-of-me-just-tell-me-i-have-no-problem-walking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'll be damned if I am not getting tired of this. It seems to be the profession of a President simply to hear other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/i-ll-be-damned-if-i-am-not-getting-tired-of-this-it-seems-to-be-the/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) Browse all 130 Getting tired quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Hand me a shovel, he thought. 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