--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes you have to be forced away from…" description: "\"Sometimes you have to be forced away from your work to realize you’ve made too much of it, to remember it doesn’t define you.\" — Rachel Held Evans" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/rachel-held-evans-2876_define-you_sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-fro_2519304.png" --- # Sometimes you have to be forced away from your work to… ![“Sometimes you have to be forced away from your work to realize you’ve made too much of it, to remember it doesn’t define you.” quote by Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/rachel-held-evans-2876_define-you_sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-fro_2519304.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/rachel-held-evans-2876_define-you_sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-fro_2519304.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/rachel-held-evans-2876_define-you_sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-fro_2519304.png) > “Sometimes you have to be forced away from your work to realize you’ve made too much of it, to remember it doesn’t define you.” [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being forced away from work can reveal that one’s identity isn’t defined by professional achievements. **In simple terms:** Work doesn’t define you. Key Takeaway Seek identity beyond your job. Themes identity work‑life balance self‑worth Mood contemplative balanced Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - career coaching - mindfulness retreats - volunteering Key Concepts self‑concept over‑identification Questions to Reflect On - What non‑work roles give you meaning? - How can you maintain perspective on work? A Different Perspective Over‑identification can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Away Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away-work-1235518/) [Define you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-you/) [Forced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forced/) [Forced Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forced-away-277618/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Realize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-realize-1235519/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes you have to be forced away from your work to realize youÂ’ve made too much of it, to remember it doesnÂ’t define you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-from-your-work-to-realize-you-ve-2/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [I was forced away from the plantation because I wouldn't go back and withdraw, you know, my literacy test after I had tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/i-was-forced-away-from-the-plantation-because-i-wouldn-t-go-back-and/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [One of the best means for arousing the wish to work on yourself is to realize that you may die at any moment. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/one-of-the-best-means-for-arousing-the-wish-to-work-on-yourself-is-to/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [“Work to realize the possibility of this new day and to make it a truly great one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-weisler/work-to-realize-the-possibility-of-this-new-day-and-to-make-it-a/) [Kirk Weisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-weisler/) > [This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/this-is-the-real-secret-of-life-to-be-completely-engaged-with-what/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I was forced to move away from her life but then I realize, I was forced to live with memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-r-sharma/i-was-forced-to-move-away-from-her-life-but-then-i-realize-i-was/) [Sushan R Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-r-sharma/) > [It's really good to be forced to get away and try something else, find something that's exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-scofield/it-s-really-good-to-be-forced-to-get-away-and-try-something-else-find/) [John Scofield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-scofield/) > [No one can take away the amount of work I put in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-pena/no-one-can-take-away-the-amount-of-work-i-put-in/) [Julianna Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-pena/) > [When the boss is away, work becoms a holiday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-boss-is-away-work-becoms-a-holiday/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I knew that a day I took away from the work did not make me too happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-knew-that-a-day-i-took-away-from-the-work-did-not-make-me-too-happy/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [“A company that is efficiently built around remote work doesn’t even have to have a set schedule. This is especially important when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/a-company-that-is-efficiently-built-around-remote-work-doesn-t-even/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [I enjoy my work so much that I have to be pulled away from my work into leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/i-enjoy-my-work-so-much-that-i-have-to-be-pulled-away-from-my-work/) [Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/) > [When boss is away, work becomes a holyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-boss-is-away-work-becomes-a-holyday/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't lead a particularly exciting life away from work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sienna-miller/i-don-t-lead-a-particularly-exciting-life-away-from-work/) [Sienna Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sienna-miller/) ## More by Rachel Held Evans > [“So what did God say to me in the silence that morning? I’m not sure, but I think God said something like, Don’t try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/so-what-did-god-say-to-me-in-the-silence-that-morning-i-m-not-sure/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“Some rabbis say that, at birth, we are each tied to God with a string, and that every time we sin, the string breaks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/some-rabbis-say-that-at-birth-we-are-each-tied-to-god-with-a-string/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [One of the most destructive mistakes we Christians make is to prioritize shared beliefs over shared relationship, which is deeply ironic considering we worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/one-of-the-most-destructive-mistakes-we-christians-make-is-to/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“My robust lexicon notwithstanding, I struggle to find the right words to describe just how much I despise, hate, abhor, revile, detest and categorically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/my-robust-lexicon-notwithstanding-i-struggle-to-find-the-right-words/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [This is what God's kingdom is like: a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/this-is-what-god-s-kingdom-is-like-a-bunch-of-outcasts-and-oddballs/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“I don’t know for sure, but I think maybe God was trying to tell me that gentleness begins with strength, quietness with security. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-don-t-know-for-sure-but-i-think-maybe-god-was-trying-to-tell-me/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [Whenever we show others the goodness of God, whenever we follow our Teacher by imitating His posture of humble and ready service, our actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/whenever-we-show-others-the-goodness-of-god-whenever-we-follow-our/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [Faith isn't about having everything figured out ahead of time; faith is about following the quiet voice of God without having everything figured out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/faith-isn-t-about-having-everything-figured-out-ahead-of-time-faith/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [Christianity isn't meant to simply be believed; it's meant to be lived, shared, eaten, spoken, and enacted in the presence of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/christianity-isn-t-meant-to-simply-be-believed-it-s-meant-to-be-lived/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“In the years preceding the Civil War in America, Christian ministers wrote nearly half of all defenses of slavery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/in-the-years-preceding-the-civil-war-in-america-christian-ministers/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“Cynicism may seem a mild transgression, but it is a patient predator that suffocates hope, slowly, over many years,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/cynicism-may-seem-a-mild-transgression-but-it-is-a-patient-predator/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“I suppose that the moral of this story is that trying to copy another woman, even a woman from the Bible, is almost always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-suppose-that-the-moral-of-this-story-is-that-trying-to-copy-another/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“I played my role as the good Christian girl and spared everyone the drama of an argument. But that decision to remain silent split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-played-my-role-as-the-good-christian-girl-and-spared-everyone-the/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [“Madeleine L’Engle said, “the great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” 58 I think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/madeleine-l-engle-said-the-great-thing-about-getting-older-is-that/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) [Explore all 147 Rachel Held Evans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) ## More Define you quotes > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [I've always felt there were aspects of me that were monstrous, and you can either hide from it or confront it, embrace it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-always-felt-there-were-aspects-of-me-that-were-monstrous-and-you/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [I've had great success and I've had catastrophic failure. It's really how you handle the rough stuff that defines you, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-berg/i-ve-had-great-success-and-i-ve-had-catastrophic-failure-it-s-really/) [Peter Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-berg/) > [My definition of courage is never letting anyone define you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-jameson/my-definition-of-courage-is-never-letting-anyone-define-you/) [Jenna Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-jameson/) > [Choose your enemies carefully 'cause they will define you Make them interesting 'cause in some ways they will mind you They're not there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/choose-your-enemies-carefully-cause-they-will-define-you-make-them/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [I used to have a fake Louis Vuitton bag because I thought it meant something in life. But now I realize that all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-used-to-have-a-fake-louis-vuitton-bag-because-i-thought-it-meant/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The logical upshot of liberalism's hatred of hypocrisy is that it is better for the liar to champion lying, the glutton to advocate gluttony,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/the-logical-upshot-of-liberalism-s-hatred-of-hypocrisy-is-that-it-is/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [If you want to be an entrepreneur, it's not a job, it's a lifestyle. It defines you. Forget about vacations, about going home at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niklas-zennstrom/if-you-want-to-be-an-entrepreneur-it-s-not-a-job-it-s-a-lifestyle-it/) [Niklas Zennstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niklas-zennstrom/) > [Go without a coat when it's cold; find out what cold is. Go hungry; keep your existence lean. Wear away the fat, get down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/go-without-a-coat-when-it-s-cold-find-out-what-cold-is-go-hungry-keep/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [what is joy without sorrow? what is success without failure? what is a win without a loss? what is health without illness? you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/what-is-joy-without-sorrow-what-is-success-without-failure-what-is-a/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When you win, you don't examine it very much, except to congratulate yourself. You easily, and wrongly, assume it has something to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/when-you-win-you-don-t-examine-it-very-much-except-to-congratulate/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [Henry, this isn't about us. I mean it is, but they don't define you by the button you wear. They define you by what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-ford/henry-this-isn-t-about-us-i-mean-it-is-but-they-don-t-define-you-by/) [Jamie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-ford/) > [The chances you take… the people you meet… the people you love...the faith that you have - that’s what’s going to define your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/the-chances-you-take-the-people-you-meet-the-people-you-love-the/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [What you believe matters, however. It’s all anyone has to act on. And since what you do is who you are, your actions define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-banks/what-you-believe-matters-however-it-s-all-anyone-has-to-act-on-and/) [Russell Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-banks/) > [Refuse to give up, your mistakes don't define you. They don't dictate where you're headed, they remind you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/refuse-to-give-up-your-mistakes-don-t-define-you-they-don-t-dictate/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 118 Define you quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-you/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sometimes you have to be forced away from your work to realize you’ve made too much of it, to remember it doesn’t define you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rachel Held Evans" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-from-your-work-to-realize-you-ve/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Define you" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-from-your-work-to-realize-you-ve/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/rachel-held-evans-2876_define-you_sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-fro_2519304.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/rachel-held-evans-2876_define-you_sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-fro_2519304.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3e/rachel-held-evans-2876_define-you_sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-fro_2519304.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes you have to be forced away from your work to realize you’ve made too much of it, to remember it…” — Rachel Held Evans", "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": "Rachel Held Evans", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sometimes you have to be forced...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-from-your-work-to-realize-you-ve/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/sometimes-you-have-to-be-forced-away-from-your-work-to-realize-you-ve/#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 } } ] } ```