--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's the most rewarding thing to be a…" description: "\"It's the most rewarding thing to be a civil servant.\" — Sargent Shriver" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/sargent-shriver-13145_civil_it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-ci_554865.jpg" --- # It's the most rewarding thing to be a civil servant. ![“It's the most rewarding thing to be a civil servant.” quote by Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/sargent-shriver-13145_civil_it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-ci_554865.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/sargent-shriver-13145_civil_it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-ci_554865.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/sargent-shriver-13145_civil_it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-ci_554865.jpg) > “It's the most rewarding thing to be a civil servant.” [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Serving the public provides deep personal fulfillment and societal impact. **In simple terms:** Public service feels rewarding. Key Takeaway Consider a career in public service. Themes service fulfillment society career impact Mood proud inspired Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - government work - community projects - policy making - volunteering Key Concepts Civic duty public good personal meaning Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to serve others? - How can you find meaning in everyday work? A Different Perspective Public roles can be bureaucratic and underpaid. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil/) [Civil Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-servant-239221/) [Rewarding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewarding/) [Rewarding Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewarding-thing-271453/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) ## Related quotes > [As a civil servant in charge of the government's Strategy Unit, I brought in many people from outside government, including academia and science, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/as-a-civil-servant-in-charge-of-the-government-s-strategy-unit-i/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [My dad was a civil servant, and my mum was a secretary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-davis/my-dad-was-a-civil-servant-and-my-mum-was-a-secretary/) [Julia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-davis/) > [When I was 19, I thought I wanted to be an English civil servant. It was the most exotic thing at the time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-toibin/when-i-was-19-i-thought-i-wanted-to-be-an-english-civil-servant-it/) [Colm Toibin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-toibin/) > [A civil servant doesn't make jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/a-civil-servant-doesn-t-make-jokes/) [Eugene Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [You can't be a Red if you're married to a civil servant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/you-can-t-be-a-red-if-you-re-married-to-a-civil-servant/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The most rewarding thing for me has been this affirmation for me that people are basically good and smart, and if you give them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-stone/the-most-rewarding-thing-for-me-has-been-this-affirmation-for-me-that/) [Biz Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-stone/) > [In some ways, the most rewarding thing I've done were the two times that I did the Oscars, particularly the first time because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ziskin/in-some-ways-the-most-rewarding-thing-i-ve-done-were-the-two-times/) [Laura Ziskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ziskin/) > [The most rewarding thing of my success has been the ability to use my music for many different causes that have become important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-for-fighting/the-most-rewarding-thing-of-my-success-has-been-the-ability-to-use-my/) [Five for Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/five-for-fighting/) > [Anything that you really pour your heart and soul into is always rewarding. The most rewarding thing is probably making each other laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-howerton/anything-that-you-really-pour-your-heart-and-soul-into-is-always/) [Glenn Howerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-howerton/) > [I think the most rewarding thing is going over and being deployed and having done meaningful things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kennedy/i-think-the-most-rewarding-thing-is-going-over-and-being-deployed-and/) [Tim Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kennedy/) > [It's such a rare and rewarding thing to be in control of space and time for two hours a night, to go through a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-mays/it-s-such-a-rare-and-rewarding-thing-to-be-in-control-of-space-and/) [Jefferson Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-mays/) > [Watching a guy go from not having ever played an NBA game before to growing up and developing into an All-Star player, that's probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwane-casey/watching-a-guy-go-from-not-having-ever-played-an-nba-game-before-to/) [Dwane Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwane-casey/) > [When you're doing something you love to do, when you have a gift, it's the most rewarding thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-edwards/when-you-re-doing-something-you-love-to-do-when-you-have-a-gift-it-s/) [Dennis Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-edwards/) > [For me, running a set and directing has been the most rewarding thing of my life and a happy surprise, because it was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-adlon/for-me-running-a-set-and-directing-has-been-the-most-rewarding-thing/) [Pamela Adlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-adlon/) > [I just want to do great work: work that inspires people... To know that you are given this gift in life and that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-blanchard/i-just-want-to-do-great-work-work-that-inspires-people-to-know-that/) [Tammy Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-blanchard/) ## More by Sargent Shriver > [In the Peace Corps, the volunteer must be a fully developed, mature person. He must not join to run abroad or escape problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/in-the-peace-corps-the-volunteer-must-be-a-fully-developed-mature/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [I don't think the Gallup Poll technique is going to be very helpful in determining the goals of our educational system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/i-don-t-think-the-gallup-poll-technique-is-going-to-be-very-helpful/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [One of the things Mr. Kennedy taught me was that in laying out a new project, you shouldn't try to cope with every little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/one-of-the-things-mr-kennedy-taught-me-was-that-in-laying-out-a-new/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [There is an alternative to war. It has been with us forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/there-is-an-alternative-to-war-it-has-been-with-us-forever/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [Shatter the glass. In our society that is so self-absorbed, begin to look less at yourself and more at each other. Learn more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/shatter-the-glass-in-our-society-that-is-so-self-absorbed-begin-to/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [When Roosevelt came along, I approved of his program, generally. I figured an economic system should work for people, not vice versa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/when-roosevelt-came-along-i-approved-of-his-program-generally-i/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [Christian virtues unite men. Racism separates them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/christian-virtues-unite-men-racism-separates-them/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [Racists are irrational and illogical in their attempts to justify their prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/racists-are-irrational-and-illogical-in-their-attempts-to-justify/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [A line has to be drawn somewhere between what is essential and what is peripheral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/a-line-has-to-be-drawn-somewhere-between-what-is-essential-and-what/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [The cure is care. Caring for others is the practice of peace. Caring becomes as important as curing. Caring produces the cure, not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/the-cure-is-care-caring-for-others-is-the-practice-of-peace-caring/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [The Peace Corps is guilty of enthusiasm and a crusading spirit. But we're not apologetic about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/the-peace-corps-is-guilty-of-enthusiasm-and-a-crusading-spirit-but-we/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [It is not what you get out of life that counts. It's what you give and what is given from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/it-is-not-what-you-get-out-of-life-that-counts-it-s-what-you-give-and/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [The roots of racism lie deep in man's nature, wounded and bruised by original sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/the-roots-of-racism-lie-deep-in-man-s-nature-wounded-and-bruised-by/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [He who knows all things and believes nothing is damned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/he-who-knows-all-things-and-believes-nothing-is-damned/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [It wouldn't kill me if I were never nominated or elected to anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/it-wouldn-t-kill-me-if-i-were-never-nominated-or-elected-to-anything/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) [Explore all 51 Sargent Shriver quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) ## More Civil quotes > [Using a broad brushstroke, I think Libertarian - most of America are socially accepting and fiscally responsible. I'm in that category. I think, broadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/using-a-broad-brushstroke-i-think-libertarian-most-of-america-are/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [In the summer of 1964, my sister and I went to South Ballston, Virginia, to stay with my aunt and her kids. They passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/in-the-summer-of-1964-my-sister-and-i-went-to-south-ballston-virginia/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [I support gay unions. I think the government should get out of the marriage business completely - leave marriages to the churches. And grant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-johnson/i-support-gay-unions-i-think-the-government-should-get-out-of-the/) [Gary Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-johnson/) > [Civil servants take forever to do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wambaugh/civil-servants-take-forever-to-do-anything/) [Joseph Wambaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wambaugh/) > [Protecting the rights of service members was an important part of my work as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/protecting-the-rights-of-service-members-was-an-important-part-of-my/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) > [We are losing each day an average 50 to 60 people throughout the country, if not more. If this is not civil war, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyad-allawi/we-are-losing-each-day-an-average-50-to-60-people-throughout-the/) [Iyad Allawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyad-allawi/) > [Any new legal measures, or cooperative arrangements between government and companies meant to keep people from organizing violence or criminal actions, must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/any-new-legal-measures-or-cooperative-arrangements-between-government/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I was on the state board of directors of the American Civil Liberties Union.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-hill/i-was-on-the-state-board-of-directors-of-the-american-civil-liberties/) [Betty Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-hill/) > [I was a child during the Lebanese civil war, and I remember Israeli bombardments. So growing up, my view of Israel was completely negative.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-doueiri/i-was-a-child-during-the-lebanese-civil-war-and-i-remember-israeli/) [Ziad Doueiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-doueiri/) > [In Finland, we learned quite a lot from our own civil war. The wounds were visible when I was a boy, but my generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harri-holkeri/in-finland-we-learned-quite-a-lot-from-our-own-civil-war-the-wounds/) [Harri Holkeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harri-holkeri/) > [I wrote my first script, which was 50 pages, at age 15. It was about two brothers in love with the same nurse while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cary-fukunaga/i-wrote-my-first-script-which-was-50-pages-at-age-15-it-was-about-two/) [Cary Fukunaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cary-fukunaga/) > [Whatever the reasons may be, I was very much affected by events of the 1930s - the Spanish Civil War, for example, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whatever-the-reasons-may-be-i-was-very-much-affected-by-events-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Prior to the Civil War, most libraries were either privately owned or housed in universities or churches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/prior-to-the-civil-war-most-libraries-were-either-privately-owned-or/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [It was a privilege to serve as the assistant attorney general for civil rights, a role that allowed me to enforce the Civil Rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-perez/it-was-a-privilege-to-serve-as-the-assistant-attorney-general-for/) [Thomas Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-perez/) [Browse all 390 Civil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's the most rewarding thing to be a civil servant.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sargent Shriver" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-civil-servant/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-civil-servant/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/sargent-shriver-13145_civil_it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-ci_554865.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/sargent-shriver-13145_civil_it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-ci_554865.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b4/sargent-shriver-13145_civil_it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-ci_554865.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's the most rewarding thing to be a civil servant.” — Sargent Shriver", "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": "Sargent Shriver", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's the most rewarding thing to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-civil-servant/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/it-s-the-most-rewarding-thing-to-be-a-civil-servant/#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 } } ] } ```