---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most important part of life is work…"
description: "\"The most important part of life is work, it's the flow, it's getting stuff done, feeling like you're doing something.\" — Penn Jillette"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/penn-jillette-1046_art-of-life_the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work_2423592.png"
---

#  The most important part of life is work, it's the flow…

![“The most important part of life is work, it's the flow, it's getting stuff done, feeling like you're doing something.” quote by Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/penn-jillette-1046_art-of-life_the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work_2423592.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/penn-jillette-1046_art-of-life_the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work_2423592.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/penn-jillette-1046_art-of-life_the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work_2423592.png)

> “The most important part of life is work, it's the flow, it's getting stuff done, feeling like you're doing something.”

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

## About This Quote

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

Life’s fulfillment comes from engaging in purposeful work that creates a sense of flow and achievement.

**In simple terms:** Work gives meaning and momentum.

Key Takeaway

Seek projects that energize you.

Themes

purpose flow productivity

Mood

inspired reflective

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- creative hobbies
- daily routines

Key Concepts

psychology of motivation meaningful work

Questions to Reflect On

- What activities make you lose track of time?
- How do you balance work with rest?

A Different Perspective

Burnout can arise if work becomes only.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-life/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-work/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Part of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part-of-life/) [Parts of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parts-of-life/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Stuff Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-feeling-3472058/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-flow/) [Working it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-it/)

## Related quotes

> [Never forget that anticipation is an important part of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/never-forget-that-anticipation-is-an-important-part-of-life/)

[Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/)

> [Raising children is an enormously important part of life. I think one of the most important, or the most important, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-braeden/raising-children-is-an-enormously-important-part-of-life-i-think-one/)

[Eric Braeden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-braeden/)

> [I have very high standards for every part of life - my work, my relationships, food, love. I can't just pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-wilde/i-have-very-high-standards-for-every-part-of-life-my-work-my/)

[Olivia Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-wilde/)

> [I knew I wasn't the person to play Ponyboy because I'm a girl, but without knowing it, I understand that was a place I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kari-matchett/i-knew-i-wasn-t-the-person-to-play-ponyboy-because-i-m-a-girl-but/)

[Kari Matchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kari-matchett/)

> [I'm not that keen on fierce dictatorship. I think that sort of the point of working with somebody is them coming up with stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/i-m-not-that-keen-on-fierce-dictatorship-i-think-that-sort-of-the/)

[Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/)

> [Death is a very important part of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gg-allin/death-is-a-very-important-part-of-life/)

[GG Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gg-allin/)

> [“Work is important in life because without work, we are useless on this planet. Our actions connect us with the world and give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/awdhesh-singh/work-is-important-in-life-because-without-work-we-are-useless-on-this/)

[Awdhesh Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/awdhesh-singh/)

> [“Somehow society has fooled us into believing that our job is the important part of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dickson/somehow-society-has-fooled-us-into-believing-that-our-job-is-the/)

[Alan Dickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dickson/)

> [To be honest, I think music is such an important part of life, not just for acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoyeon-jung/to-be-honest-i-think-music-is-such-an-important-part-of-life-not-just/)

[HoYeon Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoyeon-jung/)

> [All I can say is, death is a part of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-kinberg/all-i-can-say-is-death-is-a-part-of-life/)

[Simon Kinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-kinberg/)

> [Don't just exist, be a part of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uriah-hall/don-t-just-exist-be-a-part-of-life/)

[Uriah Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uriah-hall/)

> [ Loneliness is something we \[all people\] go through. We go through mourning and longing. We make some bad choices sometimes because we're desperate for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/loneliness-is-something-we-all-people-go-through-we-go-through/)

[Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/)

> [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/)

[Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/)

> [New teachers were just a part of life, for a few days after one arrived, squawks of interest were emitted from various corners, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/new-teachers-were-just-a-part-of-life-for-a-few-days-after-one/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

## More by Penn Jillette

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [I intend to do the Penn &amp; Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Part of the experience of being entertained is sitting back and plugging into someone else's vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/part-of-the-experience-of-being-entertained-is-sitting-back-and/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [That whole 99% thing, they are all in the 1% of the world. Every one of them pays a cellphone bill that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/that-whole-99-thing-they-are-all-in-the-1-of-the-world-every-one-of/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [I will forever stick up for Catholics and Christians in general. With a small number of very horrible exceptions, they do play by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-will-forever-stick-up-for-catholics-and-christians-in-general-with/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [I believe very much that the most damning thing you can say about Muslims is that you're afraid to say anything because they'll hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-believe-very-much-that-the-most-damning-thing-you-can-say-about/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [I'm not bothered by the idea of getting old, or I guess you could say by having arrived at old. I was 10 when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-not-bothered-by-the-idea-of-getting-old-or-i-guess-you-could-say/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [I'm always surprised when the corporate world does stupid things, because they're often not very stupid in hindsight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-always-surprised-when-the-corporate-world-does-stupid-things/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [It's only the losers named 'Dave' that think having an unusual name is bad, and who cares what they think? They're named 'Dave.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-s-only-the-losers-named-dave-that-think-having-an-unusual-name-is/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [The only secret of magic is that I'm willing to work harder on it than you think it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-only-secret-of-magic-is-that-i-m-willing-to-work-harder-on-it/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Well, it's not really the right word, but freedom is kind of a hobby with me, and I have disposable income that I'll spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/well-it-s-not-really-the-right-word-but-freedom-is-kind-of-a-hobby/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [It is really funny to see people that you know acting unpleasantly just because there are TV cameras on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-is-really-funny-to-see-people-that-you-know-acting-unpleasantly/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [My whole take on libertarianism is simply that I don't know what's best for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/my-whole-take-on-libertarianism-is-simply-that-i-don-t-know-what-s/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Freedom means the right to be stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/freedom-means-the-right-to-be-stupid/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [“Once you've condoned faith in general, you've condoned any crazy shit done because of faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/once-you-ve-condoned-faith-in-general-you-ve-condoned-any-crazy-shit/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

[Explore all 302 Penn Jillette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

## More Art of life quotes

> [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/)

[Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/)

> [Part of life is doing stuff that you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/part-of-life-is-doing-stuff-that-you-don-t-want-to-do/)

[One Who Does Not Wish To Be Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-who-does-not-wish-to-be-named/)

> [Having depression is tough, but surviving every day and telling yourself to go one more day longer is truly courageous. Amidst, all the pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/having-depression-is-tough-but-surviving-every-day-and-telling/)

[Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/)

> [“The mistaken and unhappy notion that a man is an enduring unity is known to you. It is also known to you that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/the-mistaken-and-unhappy-notion-that-a-man-is-an-enduring-unity-is/)

[Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/)

> [The art of life is to know how to enjoy a little and to endure very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-art-of-life-is-to-know-how-to-enjoy-a-little-and-to-endure-very/)

[William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/)

> [“Learning what to want is the most radical, the most painful and the most creative art of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-vickers/learning-what-to-want-is-the-most-radical-the-most-painful-and-the/)

[Geoffrey Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-vickers/)

> [New teachers were just a part of life, for a few days after one arrived, squawks of interest were emitted from various corners, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-wolitzer/new-teachers-were-just-a-part-of-life-for-a-few-days-after-one/)

[Meg Wolitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-wolitzer/)

> [“Everywhere you go you'll see highs and lows These things are just part of life and its flows It helps to understand that no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-marques/everywhere-you-go-you-ll-see-highs-and-lows-these-things-are-just/)

[Joan Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-marques/)

> [I need someone...to be half of myself...to carry my 2nd part of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/singu/i-need-someone-to-be-half-of-myself-to-carry-my-2nd-part-of-life/)

[SINGU](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/singu/)

> [The easy part of life is finding someone to love you. The hard part of life is finding some to love you back!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-easy-part-of-life-is-finding-someone-to-love-you-the-hard-part-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“It's a part of life. You never know what you are going to get; you just have to be strong enough to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-hill/it-s-a-part-of-life-you-never-know-what-you-are-going-to-get-you-just/)

[Melissa Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-hill/)

> [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/)

[Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/)

> [“You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-didn-t-get-it-sacrifice-is-a-part-of-life-it-s-supposed-to-be-it/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [Mistakes are a part of life, everyone makes them, everyone regrets them, but no one notices them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil/mistakes-are-a-part-of-life-everyone-makes-them-everyone-regrets-them/)

[Neil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil/)

> [“What advice would you give to a smart, driven college student about to enter the “real world”? What advice should they ignore? Nobody really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/what-advice-would-you-give-to-a-smart-driven-college-student-about-to/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

[Browse all 957 Art of life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-life/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The most important part of life is work, it's the flow, it's getting stuff done, feeling like you're doing something.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Penn Jillette"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work-it-s-the-flow-it-s-getting/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art of life"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work-it-s-the-flow-it-s-getting/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/penn-jillette-1046_art-of-life_the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work_2423592.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/penn-jillette-1046_art-of-life_the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work_2423592.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd6/penn-jillette-1046_art-of-life_the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work_2423592.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The most important part of life is work, it's the flow, it's getting stuff done, feeling like you're doing…” — Penn Jillette",
                "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": "Penn Jillette",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The most important part of life...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work-it-s-the-flow-it-s-getting/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-most-important-part-of-life-is-work-it-s-the-flow-it-s-getting/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
