--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That work is ever more pleasant to the…" description: "\"That work is ever more pleasant to the imagination which is not now required. How wistfully, when we have promised to attend the working committee, we ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_imagination_that-work-is-ever-more-pleasant-to-the-i_1564672.png" --- # That work is ever more pleasant to the imagination which… ![“That work is ever more pleasant to the imagination which is not now required. How wistfully, when we have promised to attend the working committee, we look at the distant hills and their seductions.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_imagination_that-work-is-ever-more-pleasant-to-the-i_1564672.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_imagination_that-work-is-ever-more-pleasant-to-the-i_1564672.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edf/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_imagination_that-work-is-ever-more-pleasant-to-the-i_1564672.png) > “That work is ever more pleasant to the imagination which is not now required. How wistfully, when we have promised to attend the working committee, we look at the distant hills and their seductions.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The mind enjoys imagination when it is not forced by duty; we drift toward alluring distractions instead of fulfilling commitments. **In simple terms:** Imagination thrives when free from obligation, leading to distraction. Key Takeaway Balance duty with creative freedom. Themes imagination distraction commitment Mood contemplative reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - work meetings - creative projects - personal planning Key Concepts transcendentalism focus self-discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep imagination productive? - What distractions pull you away from obligations? A Different Perspective Neglecting responsibilities can erode trust and progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Things happen for a reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen-for-a-reason/) ## Related quotes > [Great abilites are not requisitefor an Historian; for in historical composition, all thegreatest powers of the humanmind are quiescent. He has facts ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/great-abilites-are-not-requisitefor-an-historian-for-in-historical/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Great abilities are not requisite for an Historian; for in historical composition, all the greatest powers of the human mind are quiescent. 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Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. 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A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Imagination quotes > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. 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What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [A beard is something that is almost like a mirror to the viewer. When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [I like fantasy, but I don't live and breathe fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/i-like-fantasy-but-i-don-t-live-and-breathe-fantasy/) [Lauren Schmidt Hissrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/) > [While the world of reality has its limits, the world of your imagination is without boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/while-the-world-of-reality-has-its-limits-the-world-of-your/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Edgy is fine - I'm not a prude by any stretch of the imagination - but what's wrong with a good ol' belly laugh?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/edgy-is-fine-i-m-not-a-prude-by-any-stretch-of-the-imagination-but/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [With VR, we have this same vision, which is create this ultimate platform for sharing your imagination. Our huge community of 300,000 developers creates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baszucki/with-vr-we-have-this-same-vision-which-is-create-this-ultimate/) [David Baszucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baszucki/) > [I like the idea of letting the music do its own work and the stories being more expressionful - if that's a word -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flynn/i-like-the-idea-of-letting-the-music-do-its-own-work-and-the-stories/) [Johnny Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flynn/) [Browse all 9,060 Imagination quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That work is ever more pleasant to the imagination which is not now required. 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