--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Rather than the word career, I prefer to…" description: "\"Rather than the word career, I prefer to discuss how you make a positive I pact on the world. This could mean raising your children, professional activ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/robert-s-kaplan-14993_action_rather-than-the-word-career-i-prefer-to_707798.jpg" --- # Rather than the word career, I prefer to discuss how you… ![“Rather than the word career, I prefer to discuss how you make a positive I pact on the world. This could mean raising your children, professional activities, non-profit work, or various other actions you take that impact others. I have found that, at all ages, people want to be needed and play a…” quote by Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/robert-s-kaplan-14993_action_rather-than-the-word-career-i-prefer-to_707798.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/robert-s-kaplan-14993_action_rather-than-the-word-career-i-prefer-to_707798.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/778/robert-s-kaplan-14993_action_rather-than-the-word-career-i-prefer-to_707798.jpg) > “Rather than the word career, I prefer to discuss how you make a positive I pact on the world. This could mean raising your children, professional activities, non-profit work, or various other actions you take that impact others. I have found that, at all ages, people want to be needed and play a role in impacting the world.” [Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges redefining career as any activity that positively impacts others, emphasizing purpose over title. **In simple terms:** Focus on making a positive impact, not just a job title. Key Takeaway Seek purpose in all actions. Themes purpose impact fulfillment Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - parenting - non‑profit work - professional projects - community volunteering Key Concepts meaningful work service legacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you align daily tasks with broader impact? - What impact do you value most? A Different Perspective Impact can be hard to measure and may conflict with personal needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Impact Others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact-others/) [Pact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pact/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“In a study in 1995, Betty Hart and Todd Risley of the University of Kansas found that children in professional families heard on average…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-study-in-1995-betty-hart-and-todd-risley-of-the-university-of-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are always impacting the world...through our presence, energy, interactions - what kind of impact are we having?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/we-are-always-impacting-the-world-through-our-presence-energy/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [No, scratch the word "career." Careers are for people who wish to advance. I only want to survive, draw a paycheck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/no-scratch-the-word-career-careers-are-for-people-who-wish-to-advance/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [Do not keep company with people who speak of careers. Not only are such people uninteresting in themselves; they also have no interest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rosenblatt/do-not-keep-company-with-people-who-speak-of-careers-not-only-are/) [Roger Rosenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rosenblatt/) > [No scratch the word "career". Careers are people who wish to advance. I only want to survive, draw a paycheck. This is merely a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/no-scratch-the-word-career-careers-are-people-who-wish-to-advance-i/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [The word 'career' and 'actor' really don't fit in the same paragraph, let alone sentence. There is no career structure for actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rhys-davies/the-word-career-and-actor-really-don-t-fit-in-the-same-paragraph-let/) [John Rhys-Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rhys-davies/) > [The word career is a divisive word. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [The more challenges you face in life, the more of life you experience - this lived experience gives one the 'influence' to impact others'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lubna-olayan/the-more-challenges-you-face-in-life-the-more-of-life-you-experience/) [Lubna Olayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lubna-olayan/) > [I think people tend to be very myopic and they don't understand how their actions impact others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-lancaster/i-think-people-tend-to-be-very-myopic-and-they-don-t-understand-how/) [Jen Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-lancaster/) > [What we need now is a nation of great people who live to positively impact others and build enduring legacies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-we-need-now-is-a-nation-of-great-people-who-live-to-positively/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We can never fully impact others to change if there is no evidence of change in our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-yen-a-gardner/we-can-never-fully-impact-others-to-change-if-there-is-no-evidence-of/) [E'yen A. Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-yen-a-gardner/) ## More by Robert S. Kaplan > [“To improve your skills, you need to be receptive to constructive criticism and open to feeling uncomfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-kaplan/to-improve-your-skills-you-need-to-be-receptive-to-constructive/) [Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) > [I like films about people who figured out what they believed and had the guts to act on it in a way that added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-kaplan/i-like-films-about-people-who-figured-out-what-they-believed-and-had/) [Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) > [“If you want to reach your potential, you must be willing to figure out what you believe and have the courage to act on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-kaplan/if-you-want-to-reach-your-potential-you-must-be-willing-to-figure-out/) [Robert S. 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Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) > [The vision must be realistic - it has to be based on clear distinctive competencies. Again, what would the world lose if you didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-kaplan/the-vision-must-be-realistic-it-has-to-be-based-on-clear-distinctive/) [Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) [Explore all 44 Robert S. Kaplan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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