--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pretty much everyone's career starts the…" description: "\"Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes in mee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/ryan-holiday-514_career_pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the_37456.jpg" --- # Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with… ![“Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes in meetings, preparing paperwork, scheduling, intensive research - even flat-out doing our bosses' work for them.” quote by Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/ryan-holiday-514_career_pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the_37456.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/ryan-holiday-514_career_pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the_37456.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b7/ryan-holiday-514_career_pretty-much-everyone-s-career-starts-the_37456.jpg) > “Pretty much everyone's career starts the same way: with grunt work. Not just the cliched fetching of coffee, but other lowly tasks: taking notes in meetings, preparing paperwork, scheduling, intensive research - even flat-out doing our bosses' work for them.” [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early career roles involve menial tasks that teach humility, attention to detail, and the importance of supporting higher-level work. **In simple terms:** Entry-level jobs are often low-status but foundational. Key Takeaway Value the learning in grunt work. Themes humility learning workplace dynamics career development Mood motivated reflective Type advice observation When to use this quote - starting a new job - internship - first promotion - transitioning departments Key Concepts task delegation skill acquisition organizational support Practical Applications - career coaching - HR onboarding Questions to Reflect On - How can low-level tasks accelerate skill growth? - What strategies turn grunt work into visible impact? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bosses Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bosses-work-445557/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Career Starts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-starts-445556/) [Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/) [Doing Bosses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-bosses-445555/) [Grunt Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grunt-work-445554/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Taking Notes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-notes/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [As tough an idea as it often is to stomach, the best way to thrive in a world that requires grunt work is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/as-tough-an-idea-as-it-often-is-to-stomach-the-best-way-to-thrive-in/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [In a way, it almost feels like your career starts again when you get to the States, because a lot of the programs that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/in-a-way-it-almost-feels-like-your-career-starts-again-when-you-get/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [“Trust isn’t a gift; it is an earned benefit. Bosses have to work for it and never take it for granted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-geisler/trust-isn-t-a-gift-it-is-an-earned-benefit-bosses-have-to-work-for-it/) [Jill Geisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-geisler/) > [Every man, they say, 'oh my wife is my boss.' So why can't they be bosses at work?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/every-man-they-say-oh-my-wife-is-my-boss-so-why-can-t-they-be-bosses/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [“If you don't own your grunt work, can you really say you've done the climb?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/if-you-don-t-own-your-grunt-work-can-you-really-say-you-ve-done-the/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [In a way, it is I who must do the grunt work. I want to work with kids... I hope we can grow so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-hellqvist/in-a-way-it-is-i-who-must-do-the-grunt-work-i-want-to-work-with-kids/) [Sofia Hellqvist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-hellqvist/) > [He who writes well runs the civilization. Everyone else does the grunt work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-w-harl/he-who-writes-well-runs-the-civilization-everyone-else-does-the-grunt/) [Kenneth W. Harl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-w-harl/) > [“Back in my code jockey days, when my brain got to working overtime on an extraneous, trivial problem it usually meant that the grunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lee/back-in-my-code-jockey-days-when-my-brain-got-to-working-overtime-on/) [Sharon Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lee/) > [“Imagine you’re a mayfly born on a river in Colorado. You’re around for a day. You mate and you die. Do you believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-miles/imagine-you-re-a-mayfly-born-on-a-river-in-colorado-you-re-around-for/) [Kathryn Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-miles/) > [“Someone started taking notes, Steve said, 'You don't need to takes notes. If it's important, you'll remember it'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leander-kahney/someone-started-taking-notes-steve-said-you-don-t-need-to-takes-notes/) [Leander Kahney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leander-kahney/) > [You can criticize any news staff in some ways, but the one thing that you couldn't call the Village Voice staff was a staff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-schanberg/you-can-criticize-any-news-staff-in-some-ways-but-the-one-thing-that/) [Sydney Schanberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-schanberg/) > [I'm always reading the next book. Taking notes. Highlighting, researching, studying. It doesn't stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/i-m-always-reading-the-next-book-taking-notes-highlighting/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [I stopped taking notes on my Palm Pilot and started playing the little chess game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-stopped-taking-notes-on-my-palm-pilot-and-started-playing-the/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [“September put her hand on the grip of the Rivet Gun. She’d only just gotten it, and she’d promised to take copious notes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/september-put-her-hand-on-the-grip-of-the-rivet-gun-she-d-only-just/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Taking notes while watching Forensic Files and Snapped. I don't want to make the same mistakes the criminals do! ;)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/taking-notes-while-watching-forensic-files-and-snapped-i-don-t-want/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) ## More by Ryan Holiday > [“If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and what parts are not, we will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/if-we-can-focus-on-making-clear-what-parts-of-our-day-are-within-our/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“The areas of great interest to the Stoics all make an appearance here: virtue, mortality, emotions, self-awareness, fortitude, right action, problem solving, acceptance, mental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-areas-of-great-interest-to-the-stoics-all-make-an-appearance-here/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“With a business, we take most failures less personally and understand they’re part of the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/with-a-business-we-take-most-failures-less-personally-and-understand/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Many creatives want to be just the creator, or only “the idea guy.” They like that because it’s sexy and because that’s what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/many-creatives-want-to-be-just-the-creator-or-only-the-idea-guy-they/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [The greats - they protect their sleep because it's where the best work comes from. 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We don't always get what is rightfully ours, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/we-often-learn-the-hard-way-that-our-world-is-ruled-by-external/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“From Rusticus … I learned to read carefully and not be satisfied with a rough understanding of the whole, and not to agree too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/from-rusticus-i-learned-to-read-carefully-and-not-be-satisfied-with-a/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I wholeheartedly agree that many media 'standards' can feel disingenuous or, in fact, be a cover for less-than-honest behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/i-wholeheartedly-agree-that-many-media-standards-can-feel/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“Remember: even what we get for free has a cost, if only in what we pay to store it—in our garages and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/remember-even-what-we-get-for-free-has-a-cost-if-only-in-what-we-pay/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [It's your job to find a release and an outlet for the stress and the feelings. 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You can’t go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/don-t-just-want-fuel-you-need-it-you-can-t-go/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) [Explore all 504 Ryan Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. 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In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' 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