--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never hide behind busy work. It takes…" description: "\"Never hide behind busy work. It takes just as much energy to fail as it does to succeed.\" — Og Mandino" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/og-mandino-1262_behinds_never-hide-behind-busy-work-it-takes-jus_1127097.jpg" --- # Never hide behind busy work. It takes just as much energy… ![“Never hide behind busy work. It takes just as much energy to fail as it does to succeed.” quote by Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/og-mandino-1262_behinds_never-hide-behind-busy-work-it-takes-jus_1127097.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/og-mandino-1262_behinds_never-hide-behind-busy-work-it-takes-jus_1127097.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e10/og-mandino-1262_behinds_never-hide-behind-busy-work-it-takes-jus_1127097.jpg) > “Never hide behind busy work. It takes just as much energy to fail as it does to succeed.” [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Busy work hides true effort; both failure and success consume equal energy, so authenticity matters more than activity. **In simple terms:** Busy work masks real effort; failure and success cost the same energy. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful work, not just activity. Themes productivity authenticity energy success Mood critical motivational reflective Type self‑help business motivational When to use this quote - workplace - entrepreneurship - personal development Key Concepts self‑help business psychology Questions to Reflect On - What tasks truly advance your goals? - How can you measure the energy spent on success vs. failure? A Different Perspective Busy work can be a coping mechanism, not just a distraction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Busy work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy-work/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-succeed-3077697/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Energy Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy-fail-3077696/) [Fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fail/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Succeed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/succeed/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Working it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-it/) ## Related quotes > [It takes a lot more energy to fail than to succeed, since it takes a lot of concentrated energy to hold on to beliefs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-gillies/it-takes-a-lot-more-energy-to-fail-than-to-succeed-since-it-takes-a/) [Jerry Gillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-gillies/) > [I do think my old fella wasn't much of a... I don't remember him ever being a 'dad' dad. He was too busy working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-do-think-my-old-fella-wasn-t-much-of-a-i-don-t-remember-him-ever/) [Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/) > [“If any one should wish to get the kingdom for himself, and to effect this by what he does, I see that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/if-any-one-should-wish-to-get-the-kingdom-for-himself-and-to-effect/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [“Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade...It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/good-writing-does-not-succeed-or-fail-on-the-strength-of-its-ability-2/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Success is the most natural thing in the world. The person who does not succeed has placed himself in opposition to the laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/success-is-the-most-natural-thing-in-the-world-the-person-who-does/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [No more busy work. No more hiding from success. Leave time, leave space, to grow. Now. Now! Not tomorrow!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/no-more-busy-work-no-more-hiding-from-success-leave-time-leave-space/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Never again clutter your days or nights with so many menial and unimportant things that you have no time to accept a real challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/never-again-clutter-your-days-or-nights-with-so-many-menial-and-3/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Busy work brings after ease; Ease brings sport and sport brings rest; For young and old, of all degrees, The mingled lot is best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-baillie/busy-work-brings-after-ease-ease-brings-sport-and-sport-brings-rest/) [Joanna Baillie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-baillie/) > [The great thing about an independent film is that you're too busy working, and you're too busy hoping to God to get it done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-dowd/the-great-thing-about-an-independent-film-is-that-you-re-too-busy/) [Ann Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-dowd/) > [If ants are such busy workers, how come they find time to go to all the picnics?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-dressler/if-ants-are-such-busy-workers-how-come-they-find-time-to-go-to-all/) [Marie Dressler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-dressler/) > [Being busy with work, and as a mum, I'm a big fan of online shopping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-gallacher/being-busy-with-work-and-as-a-mum-i-m-a-big-fan-of-online-shopping/) [Kirsty Gallacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-gallacher/) > [I had no idea 'Moon River' would do so well. I was too busy working to think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/i-had-no-idea-moon-river-would-do-so-well-i-was-too-busy-working-to/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [The important thing about security systems isn’t how they work, it’s how they fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/the-important-thing-about-security-systems-isn-t-how-they-work-it-s/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [My secret to a long, healthy life is to always keep working. It keeps me busy and happy, and gives me a reason to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-heesters/my-secret-to-a-long-healthy-life-is-to-always-keep-working-it-keeps/) [Johannes Heesters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-heesters/) > [We're in a society, I think, where everyone thinks it's so cool to work, it's so cool to be online, so cool to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeppe-hein/we-re-in-a-society-i-think-where-everyone-thinks-it-s-so-cool-to-work/) [Jeppe Hein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeppe-hein/) ## More by Og Mandino > [Don't let your success of today lay you into complacency for tomorrow. For that is the worst form of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/don-t-let-your-success-of-today-lay-you-into-complacency-for-tomorrow/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/search-for-the-seed-of-good-in-every-adversity-master-that-principle/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-love-the-light-for-it-shows-me-the-way-yet-i-will-endure-the/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Never settle for the crumbs of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/never-settle-for-the-crumbs-of-life/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [The smallest task, well done, becomes a miracle of achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/the-smallest-task-well-done-becomes-a-miracle-of-achievement/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Laugh at yourself for man is most comical when he takes himself too seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/laugh-at-yourself-for-man-is-most-comical-when-he-takes-himself-too/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/obstacles-are-necessary-for-success-because-in-selling-as-in-all/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I will persist. I will always take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-persist-i-will-always-take-another-step-if-that-is-of-no-avail/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Do the very best that you can, in the things you do best, and you will know in thy soul, that you are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/do-the-very-best-that-you-can-in-the-things-you-do-best-and-you-will/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I am indeed a fortunate man and today's hours are but a bonus, undeserved. Why have I been allowed to live this extra day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-am-indeed-a-fortunate-man-and-today-s-hours-are-but-a-bonus/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [The person who knows one thing and does it better than anyone else, even if it only be the art of raising lentils, receives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/the-person-who-knows-one-thing-and-does-it-better-than-anyone-else/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/always-do-your-best-what-you-plant-now-you-will-harvest-later/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I will live this day as if it is my last. …I will waste not a moment mourning yesterday’s misfortunes, Yesterday’s defeats, yesterday’s aches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-live-this-day-as-if-it-is-my-last-i-will-waste-not-a-moment/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [To do anything truly worth doing, I must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in with gusto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/to-do-anything-truly-worth-doing-i-must-not-stand-back-shivering-and/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [What is past is past. 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It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. 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