--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I was 22 when I started this job, and…" description: "\"“But I was 22 when I started this job, and you know what? Sometimes it really is okay to just have a fucking job. Not a passion, not a career, but a st..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/samantha-irby-19558_career_but-i-was-22-when-i-started-this-job-and_3197024.jpg" --- # But I was 22 when I started this job, and you know what?… ![“But I was 22 when I started this job, and you know what? Sometimes it really is okay to just have a fucking job. Not a passion, not a career, but a steadfast source of bi-weekly income deposited directly into a checking account from which food, and medicine, and apps one totally forgot about…” quote by Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/samantha-irby-19558_career_but-i-was-22-when-i-started-this-job-and_3197024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/samantha-irby-19558_career_but-i-was-22-when-i-started-this-job-and_3197024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/620/samantha-irby-19558_career_but-i-was-22-when-i-started-this-job-and_3197024.jpg) > ““But I was 22 when I started this job, and you know what? Sometimes it really is okay to just have a fucking job. Not a passion, not a career, but a steadfast source of bi-weekly income deposited directly into a checking account from which food, and medicine, and apps one totally forgot about having downloaded will be paid for.”” [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A job can be a practical source of income without being a passion or career. **In simple terms:** A job can simply pay the bills. Key Takeaway Accept a job for financial stability. Themes work pragmatism financial security Mood pragmatic realistic Type advice observational When to use this quote - budgeting - career planning - living expenses Key Concepts labor economics career theory Questions to Reflect On - Is financial stability more important than passion? - How can you find meaning in routine work? A Different Perspective Relying solely on a job may limit personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Food And Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-and-medicine/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) ## Related quotes > [I always thought when I was 22 something bomb was gonna happen, then when I was 22, System started blowing up in like '96.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shavo-odadjian/i-always-thought-when-i-was-22-something-bomb-was-gonna-happen-then/) [Shavo Odadjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shavo-odadjian/) > [Ten days before I started my job at ABC News, I checked myself into a mental health hospital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-zee/ten-days-before-i-started-my-job-at-abc-news-i-checked-myself-into-a/) [Ginger Zee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-zee/) > [I started this job in 1995, and I felt the same pressure in my first day, with my first team, Reggiana, in the Second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ancelotti/i-started-this-job-in-1995-and-i-felt-the-same-pressure-in-my-first/) [Carlo Ancelotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ancelotti/) > [“The road to medical school started with a job mowing lawns I was far from sure I could handle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-vonnegut/the-road-to-medical-school-started-with-a-job-mowing-lawns-i-was-far/) [Mark Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-vonnegut/) > [I started at the top. My first job was the cover of 'Italian Vogue,' which is the equivalent essentially of winning an Academy Award.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-hearst/i-started-at-the-top-my-first-job-was-the-cover-of-italian-vogue/) [Lydia Hearst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-hearst/) > [A job is not a career. I think I started out with a job. It turned into a career and changed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/a-job-is-not-a-career-i-think-i-started-out-with-a-job-it-turned-into/) [Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/) > [I always started a job with the feeling that I'd soon quit or be fired, and this gave ma a relaxex manner that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-always-started-a-job-with-the-feeling-that-i-d-soon-quit-or-be/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Two days later, I started my job. 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I wasn't allowed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-rogers/two-days-later-i-started-my-job-my-job-involved-typing-friendly/) [Tim Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-rogers/) > [“And from the perspective of those in need, that extra quarter of a million bucks your material person spent on the prestige addition for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/and-from-the-perspective-of-those-in-need-that-extra-quarter-of-a/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [The Chinese do not draw any distinction between food and medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-yutang/the-chinese-do-not-draw-any-distinction-between-food-and-medicine/) [Lin Yutang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-yutang/) > [The UN should arrange, as US forces leave, for an international group of peacekeepers and negotiators from the Arab countries to bring together Shiites,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/the-un-should-arrange-as-us-forces-leave-for-an-international-group/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [“Food and medicine are not two different things: the are the front and back of one body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masanobu-fukuoka/food-and-medicine-are-not-two-different-things-the-are-the-front-and/) [Masanobu Fukuoka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masanobu-fukuoka/) > [As an independent person, I find it difficult being dependent for everything, for even my food and medicine, to the prison authorities. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-ali-zardari/as-an-independent-person-i-find-it-difficult-being-dependent-for/) [Asif Ali Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-ali-zardari/) > [Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/flowers-always-make-people-better-happier-and-more-helpful-they-are/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) > [“Mr. Severin smiled, tiny constellations of reflected chandelier lights glinting in his eyes. "Since I've told you about my tastes... what are yours?" Cassandra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/mr-severin-smiled-tiny-constellations-of-reflected-chandelier-lights/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) ## More by Samantha Irby > [“but there I was, trying to fit the ocean into a plastic cup as it tossed and turned me in its waves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/but-there-i-was-trying-to-fit-the-ocean-into-a-plastic-cup-as-it/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“Favorite food? Brunch and tacos.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/favorite-food-brunch-and-tacos/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“A lot of us are living like this, right? 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See above.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/48-try-to-think-positively-can-t-everything-is-garbage-49-stop/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“Real love feels less like a throbbing, pulsing animal begging for its freedom and beating against the inside of my chest and more like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/real-love-feels-less-like-a-throbbing-pulsing-animal-begging-for-its/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“You know, what I really need is someone who remembers to rotate this meaty pre-corpse toward the sun every couple of days and tries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/you-know-what-i-really-need-is-someone-who-remembers-to-rotate-this/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“have never—and I mean ever—had a real desire to let otherwise-unaccounted-for money just chill in my bank account unmolested for more than maybe a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/have-never-and-i-mean-ever-had-a-real-desire-to-let-otherwise/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“It's so weird that adults in committed relationships have a problem with something so innocuous as flirting. I would never expect you to walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/it-s-so-weird-that-adults-in-committed-relationships-have-a-problem/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“I am a negative person by nature, and I typically shy away from anything that requires me to be having visible fun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/i-am-a-negative-person-by-nature-and-i-typically-shy-away-from/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“do so much shit I don’t want anyone else to see, or know about, that I never want to have to explain to another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/do-so-much-shit-i-don-t-want-anyone-else-to-see-or-know-about-that-i/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“The Bachelorette proves that men are as petty and vapid and ridiculous as women are made to seem. 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Fat babies are adorable, while fat children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/i-learned-how-to-operate-under-both-the-physical-and-emotional-weight/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) > [“But I’m going to need you to love me on the bus, dude. And first thing in the morning. Also, when I’m drunk and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-irby/but-i-m-going-to-need-you-to-love-me-on-the-bus-dude-and-first-thing/) [Samantha Irby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) [Explore all 32 Samantha Irby quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-irby/) ## 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 > [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. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. 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.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. 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