Skip to content

Adventure Quote by Robert Redford

“What really matters is the work. And what matters to me is doing the work. I'm not looking at the back end: "What am I going to get out of this? What's going to be the reward?" I'm just looking at the work, the pleasure of being able to do the work. And that's what the fun is: To climb up the…” quote by Robert Redford
Download Open image
“What really matters is the work. And what matters to me is doing the work. I'm not looking at the back end: "What am I going to get out of this? What's going to be the reward?" I'm just looking at the work, the pleasure of being able to do the work. And that's what the fun is: To climb up the mountain is the fun, not standing at the top. There's nowhere to go. But climbing up, that struggle, that to me is where the fun is. That to me is the thrill. But once that's over, that's kind of it. I don't look too much beyond that.”

Robert Redford

About This Quote

Source Interview: 1995, The Redford Talk, Robert Redford

The quote emphasizes valuing the process and intrinsic joy of effort over external rewards or outcomes.

In simple terms: Focus on the work itself, not the payoff.

Key Takeaway

Find joy in the effort, not the result.

Themes

process intrinsic motivation effort joy purpose

Mood

enthusiastic reflective motivational

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • mountain climbing
  • creative projects
  • learning new skills
  • athletic training
  • career development

Key Concepts

flow mindfulness meaning authenticity

Questions to Reflect On

  • What activities give you pure enjoyment?
  • How can you balance process focus with necessary outcomes?
A Different Perspective

May neglect long‑term planning or sustainability.

3.8 out of 5 (8 ratings)

More by Robert Redford

Explore all 214 Robert Redford quotes

More Adventure quotes

Browse all 7,692 Adventure quotes