--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When she decided to get a job, she…" description: "\"“When she decided to get a job, she rejected a tempting offer from a company that had just been set up in her recently created country in favor of a jo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/paulo-coelho-10_business_when-she-decided-to-get-a-job-she-reject_2835024.jpg" --- # When she decided to get a job, she rejected a tempting… ![“When she decided to get a job, she rejected a tempting offer from a company that had just been set up in her recently created country in favor of a job at the public library, where you didn’t earn much money but where you were secure. She went to work every day, always keeping to the same…” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/paulo-coelho-10_business_when-she-decided-to-get-a-job-she-reject_2835024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/paulo-coelho-10_business_when-she-decided-to-get-a-job-she-reject_2835024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afb/paulo-coelho-10_business_when-she-decided-to-get-a-job-she-reject_2835024.jpg) > ““When she decided to get a job, she rejected a tempting offer from a company that had just been set up in her recently created country in favor of a job at the public library, where you didn’t earn much money but where you were secure. She went to work every day, always keeping to the same timetable, always making sure she wasn’t perceived as a threat by her superiors; she was content; she didn’t struggle, and so she didn’t grow: All she wanted was her salary at the end of the month. She rented the room in the convent because the nuns required all tenants to be back at a certain hour, and then they locked the door: Anyone still outside after that had to sleep on the street. She always had a genuine excuse to give boyfriends, so as not to have to spend the night in hotel rooms or strange beds. When she used to dream of getting married, she imagined herself in a little house outside Ljubljana, with a man quite different from her father—a man who earned enough to support his family, one who would be content just to be with her in a house with an open fire and to look out at the snow-covered mountains. She had taught herself to give men a precise amount of pleasure; never more, never less, only what was necessary. She didn’t get angry with anyone, because that would mean having to react, having to do battle with the enemy and then having to face unforeseen consequences, such as vengeance. When she had achieved almost everything she wanted in life, she had reached the conclusion that her existence had no meaning, because every day was the same. And she had decided to die.”” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A woman chooses security and routine over ambition, leading to a stagnant life lacking purpose, ultimately ending in despair. **In simple terms:** Choosing safety over growth leads to emptiness. Key Takeaway Seek growth beyond comfort. Themes security stagnation purpose conformity self‑sacrifice Mood melancholic reflective somber Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - career choice - living arrangements - relationship expectations - personal development - mental health Key Concepts existentialism psychology social constraints Questions to Reflect On - What would you risk to find meaning? - How does security affect personal growth? 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She went to work every day, always keeping to the same timetable, always making sure she wasn’t perceived as a threat by her superiors; she was content; she didn’t struggle, and so she didn’t grow: All she wanted was her salary at the end of the month. She rented the room in the convent because the nuns required all tenants to be back at a certain hour, and then they locked the door: Anyone still outside after that had to sleep on the street. She always had a genuine excuse to give boyfriends, so as not to have to spend the night in hotel rooms or strange beds. When she used to dream of getting married, she imagined herself in a little house outside Ljubljana, with a man quite different from her father—a man who earned enough to support his family, one who would be content just to be with her in a house with an open fire and to look out at the snow-covered mountains. She had taught herself to give men a precise amount of pleasure; never more, never less, only what was necessary. She didn’t get angry with anyone, because that would mean having to react, having to do battle with the enemy and then having to face unforeseen consequences, such as vengeance. When she had achieved almost everything she wanted in life, she had reached the conclusion that her existence had no meaning, because every day was the same. 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