--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always been worried about people who…" description: "\"I've always been worried about people who are willing to work for nothing. Sometimes that's all you get from them, nothing.\" — Sam Ervin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/sam-ervin-25684_business_i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-wh_2375816.png" --- # I've always been worried about people who are willing to… ![“I've always been worried about people who are willing to work for nothing. Sometimes that's all you get from them, nothing.” quote by Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/sam-ervin-25684_business_i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-wh_2375816.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/sam-ervin-25684_business_i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-wh_2375816.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/sam-ervin-25684_business_i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-wh_2375816.png) > “I've always been worried about people who are willing to work for nothing. Sometimes that's all you get from them, nothing.” [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People willing to work without compensation often provide little tangible benefit, highlighting the limits of unpaid labor. **In simple terms:** Unpaid work may yield no results. Key Takeaway Seek fair compensation for effort and expertise. Themes labor fairness economics value motivation Mood thoughtful pragmatic Type advice ethical When to use this quote - job negotiation - volunteer work - entrepreneurship - contracting Key Concepts unpaid labor exploitation productivity Questions to Reflect On - When is volunteer work appropriate? - How do you value your contributions? A Different Perspective Relying on unpaid help can erode motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [All my life - middle school, high school - I've always been worried what are people going to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-glaser/all-my-life-middle-school-high-school-i-ve-always-been-worried-what/) [Nikki Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-glaser/) > [It was a moment I've worried about all my life. What if my kids are scared of me? But my daughter was holding my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-brooker/it-was-a-moment-i-ve-worried-about-all-my-life-what-if-my-kids-are/) [Alex Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-brooker/) > [I've worried more and more as the years have gone on. The more you're seen to be doing well, the more stress there is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-macfadyen/i-ve-worried-more-and-more-as-the-years-have-gone-on-the-more-you-re/) [Matthew Macfadyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-macfadyen/) > [My whole life, I've never worried about being No. 1, because that's the guy they've got to get out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-benson/my-whole-life-i-ve-never-worried-about-being-no-1-because-that-s-the/) [George Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-benson/) > [“I’ve been worried for a long time. I’ve just been doing what I could. I don’t really have much choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/makoto-shinkai/i-ve-been-worried-for-a-long-time-i-ve-just-been-doing-what-i-could-i/) [Makoto Shinkai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/makoto-shinkai/) > [I've never worried about age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-moreau/i-ve-never-worried-about-age/) [Jeanne Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-moreau/) > [People are willing to work free, and they are willing to work for a reasonable wage; but offer them just a small payment and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/people-are-willing-to-work-free-and-they-are-willing-to-work-for-a/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [There are people who are willing to work within the system, and people who don't want to work with the system at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yiyun-li/there-are-people-who-are-willing-to-work-within-the-system-and-people/) [Yiyun Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yiyun-li/) > [We can not wait until we have enough trained people willing to work at a teacher's salary and under conditions imposed upon teachers in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/major-owens/we-can-not-wait-until-we-have-enough-trained-people-willing-to-work/) [Major Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/major-owens/) > [The world is filled with willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-world-is-filled-with-willing-people-some-willing-to-work-the-rest/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/the-world-is-full-of-willing-people-some-willing-to-work-the-rest/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) > [“I've found that a substantial fraction of many people’s days is spent worrying about what others think of them. If nobody ever worried about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/i-ve-found-that-a-substantial-fraction-of-many-people-s-days-is-spent/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [“I really do think it all boiled down to fear. She was so worried about what the people around us would think, she forgot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kibler/i-really-do-think-it-all-boiled-down-to-fear-she-was-so-worried-about/) [Julie Kibler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kibler/) > [I think there's something in people where they often want to describe their personal experiences, but when it's regarding wealth, they're obviously very guarded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-johnson/i-think-there-s-something-in-people-where-they-often-want-to-describe/) [Jamie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-johnson/) > [I was so worried that people wouldn't like me or my story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/i-was-so-worried-that-people-wouldn-t-like-me-or-my-story/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) ## More by Sam Ervin > [If the many allegations made to this date are true, then the burglars who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/if-the-many-allegations-made-to-this-date-are-true-then-the-burglars/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [I believe in a wall between church and state so high that no one can climb over it. When religion controls government, political liberty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-believe-in-a-wall-between-church-and-state-so-high-that-no-one-can/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [A school prayer amendment would confer upon public school boards a power the First Amendment now denies to Congress and the states, that is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/a-school-prayer-amendment-would-confer-upon-public-school-boards-a/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [I believe in a wall between church and state so high that no one can climb over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-believe-in-a-wall-between-church-and-state-so-high-that-no-one-can-2/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Humor makes our heavy burdens light and smoothes the rough spots in our pathways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/humor-makes-our-heavy-burdens-light-and-smoothes-the-rough-spots-in/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [A judicial activist is a judge who interprets the Constitution to mean what it would have said if he, instead of the Founding Fathers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/a-judicial-activist-is-a-judge-who-interprets-the-constitution-to/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Political freedom cannot exist in any land where religion controls the state, and religious freedom cannot exist in any land where the state controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/political-freedom-cannot-exist-in-any-land-where-religion-controls/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Religious faith is not a storm cellar to which men and women can flee for refuge from the storms of life. It is instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/religious-faith-is-not-a-storm-cellar-to-which-men-and-women-can-flee/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [What James Madison and the other men of his generation had in mind when they wrote the First Amendment was that there should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/what-james-madison-and-the-other-men-of-his-generation-had-in-mind/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [A leader is someone who helps improve the lives of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/a-leader-is-someone-who-helps-improve-the-lives-of-other-people/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Government is contemptuous of true religion when it confiscates the taxes of Caesar to finance the things of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/government-is-contemptuous-of-true-religion-when-it-confiscates-the/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Recalling an old magistrate's words to a young attorney, The rain it raineth on the just And also on the unjust fella; But chiefly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/recalling-an-old-magistrate-s-words-to-a-young-attorney-the-rain-it/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [When religion controls government, political liberty dies; and when government controls religion, religious liberty perishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/when-religion-controls-government-political-liberty-dies-and-when/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [The President seems to extend executive privilege way out past the atmosphere. What he says is executive privilege is nothing but executive poppycock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/the-president-seems-to-extend-executive-privilege-way-out-past-the/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) > [Polygraph tests are 20th-century witchcraft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/polygraph-tests-are-20th-century-witchcraft/) [Sam Ervin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) [Explore all 22 Sam Ervin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always been worried about people who are willing to work for nothing. Sometimes that's all you get from them, nothing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Ervin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-who-are-willing-to-work-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-who-are-willing-to-work-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/sam-ervin-25684_business_i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-wh_2375816.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/sam-ervin-25684_business_i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-wh_2375816.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c70/sam-ervin-25684_business_i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-wh_2375816.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always been worried about people who are willing to work for nothing. Sometimes that's all you get from…” — Sam Ervin", "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": "Sam Ervin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ervin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always been worried about people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-who-are-willing-to-work-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ervin/i-ve-always-been-worried-about-people-who-are-willing-to-work-for/#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 } } ] } ```