--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What about the rat race in the first…" description: "\"What about the rat race in the first place? Is it worthwhile? Or are you just buying into someone else's definition of success? Only you can decide tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/sheryl-sandberg-439_buying_what-about-the-rat-race-in-the-first-pla_976833.png" --- # What about the rat race in the first place? Is it… ![“What about the rat race in the first place? Is it worthwhile? Or are you just buying into someone else's definition of success? Only you can decide that, and you'll have to decide it over and over and over. But if you think it's a rat race, before you drop out, take a deep breath. Maybe you picked…” quote by Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/sheryl-sandberg-439_buying_what-about-the-rat-race-in-the-first-pla_976833.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/sheryl-sandberg-439_buying_what-about-the-rat-race-in-the-first-pla_976833.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5c/sheryl-sandberg-439_buying_what-about-the-rat-race-in-the-first-pla_976833.png) > “What about the rat race in the first place? Is it worthwhile? Or are you just buying into someone else's definition of success? Only you can decide that, and you'll have to decide it over and over and over. But if you think it's a rat race, before you drop out, take a deep breath. Maybe you picked the wrong job. Try again. And then try again.” [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questioning the rat race urges continual self‑evaluation of success and purpose. **In simple terms:** Re‑examine what success means. Key Takeaway Reflect on personal definitions of success. Themes success self‑assessment career purpose Mood thoughtful motivational Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - job change - goal setting - mental health Key Concepts existential reflection psychology Questions to Reflect On - What defines success for you? - How do you know when to persist or change? A Different Perspective Success definitions vary culturally and may cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Deep breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-breath/) [Definition of success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definition-of-success/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Rat race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rat-race/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Worthwhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthwhile/) [Wrong job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-job/) ## Related quotes > [Don't chase success. Decide to make a difference and success will find you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/don-t-chase-success-decide-to-make-a-difference-and-success-will-find/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [“This was a pivotal event in his career, as well as a personal epiphany. Often, when a man is young and idealistic, he believes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-coram/this-was-a-pivotal-event-in-his-career-as-well-as-a-personal-epiphany/) [Robert Coram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-coram/) > [“If you want success then decide to provide a great service to the world. Do not think how you will survive. Think of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dines/if-you-want-success-then-decide-to-provide-a-great-service-to-the/) [Christopher Dines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dines/) > [There are only three requirements for success. First, decide exactly what it is you want in life. Second, determine the price that you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-hunt/there-are-only-three-requirements-for-success-first-decide-exactly/) [H. L. Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-hunt/) > [“Decide be a success; decide to be great, decide to be above average, decide to do the very best of you. Do you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/decide-be-a-success-decide-to-be-great-decide-to-be-above-average/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch it, get started, take action, move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/the-most-important-key-to-achieving-great-success-is-to-decide-upon/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“There Are No Secrets To Success As you strive toward accomplishing your goals and dreams you need to know that there are no secrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-murdoch/there-are-no-secrets-to-success-as-you-strive-toward-accomplishing/) Dr. Murdoch > [If I had to embrace a definition of success, it would be that success is making the best choices we can ... and accepting them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/if-i-had-to-embrace-a-definition-of-success-it-would-be-that-success/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Next time you're about to call your daughter bossy, take a deep breath and say, 'My daughter has executive leadership skills.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/next-time-you-re-about-to-call-your-daughter-bossy-take-a-deep-breath/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I've seen over and over how much self-belief drives outcomes. And that's why I force myself to sit at the table, even when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-ve-seen-over-and-over-how-much-self-belief-drives-outcomes-and-that/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“The only difference between me and most people is that I'm perfectly aware that all my important decisions are made for me by my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/the-only-difference-between-me-and-most-people-is-that-i-m-perfectly/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) > [“That's something you'll have to decide for yourself.. I think you have a right to live however you want. Whether you're fifteen or fifty-one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/that-s-something-you-ll-have-to-decide-for-yourself-i-think-you-have/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Anyway -- because we are readers, we don't have to wait for some communications executive to decide what we should think about next --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/anyway-because-we-are-readers-we-don-t-have-to-wait-for-some/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Keep true, never be ashamed of doing right; decide on what you think is right and stick to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/keep-true-never-be-ashamed-of-doing-right-decide-on-what-you-think-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Think beforehand about afterwards — whatever you decide to do, think ahead about the consequences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-asbury/think-beforehand-about-afterwards-whatever-you-decide-to-do-think/) [Stephen Asbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-asbury/) ## More by Sheryl Sandberg > [“Still, my argument was that if she was going to work for the next 30 years, what difference does "going back" 4 years really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/still-my-argument-was-that-if-she-was-going-to-work-for-the-next-30/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Reverend Veronica Goines sums this up as, “Peace is joy at rest, and joy is peace on its feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/reverend-veronica-goines-sums-this-up-as-peace-is-joy-at-rest-and-joy/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [ “\[Eric Schmidt\] explained that only one criterion that mattered when picking a job- fat growth. When companies grow quickly, there are more things to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/eric-schmidt-explained-that-only-one-criterion-that-mattered-when/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [When I went to college, as much as my parents emphasized academic achievement, they emphasized marriage even more. They told me that the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/when-i-went-to-college-as-much-as-my-parents-emphasized-academic/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Go to a playground: Little girls get called 'bossy' all the time, a word that's almost never used for boys. And that leads directly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/go-to-a-playground-little-girls-get-called-bossy-all-the-time-a-word/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“One of my favorite quotes comes from author Alice Walker, who observed, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/one-of-my-favorite-quotes-comes-from-author-alice-walker-who-observed/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/aggressive-and-hard-charging-women-violate-unwritten-rules-about/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“When I wrote Lean In, some people argued that I did not spend enough time writing about the difficulties women face when they don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/when-i-wrote-lean-in-some-people-argued-that-i-did-not-spend-enough/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Survivor guilt is a thief of joy—yet another secondary loss from death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/survivor-guilt-is-a-thief-of-joy-yet-another-secondary-loss-from-death/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [I am a bigger-picture manager because I've lived through something that's a big picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/i-am-a-bigger-picture-manager-because-i-ve-lived-through-something/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Presenting leadership as a list of carefully defined qualities (like strategic, analytical, and performance-ori ented) no longer holds. Instead, true leadership stems from individuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/presenting-leadership-as-a-list-of-carefully-defined-qualities-like/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [So there's no such thing as work-life balance. There's work, and there's life, and there's no balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/so-there-s-no-such-thing-as-work-life-balance-there-s-work-and-there/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [Men can comfortably claim credit for what they do as long as they don't veer into arrogance. For women, taking credit comes at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/men-can-comfortably-claim-credit-for-what-they-do-as-long-as-they-don/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“As Helen Keller put it, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/as-helen-keller-put-it-when-one-door-of-happiness-closes-another/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“Forty percent of employed mothers lack sick days and vacation leave, and about 50 percent of employed mothers are unable to take time off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/forty-percent-of-employed-mothers-lack-sick-days-and-vacation-leave/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) [Explore all 557 Sheryl Sandberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) ## More Buying quotes > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Corporations invest in sophisticated CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, programs to effectively oversee their relationship with their customers at every point during the buying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/corporations-invest-in-sophisticated-crm-or-customer-relationship/) [Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/) > [I'm being called in by all the great casting directors. It's no longer based on a headshot. I realize now what they're buying is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-gonzalez/i-m-being-called-in-by-all-the-great-casting-directors-it-s-no-longer/) [Nicholas Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-gonzalez/) > [Whether you are buying a car or casting a ballot, choosing a job or planning a family, follow your moral compass. Don't let others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-hayes/whether-you-are-buying-a-car-or-casting-a-ballot-choosing-a-job-or/) [Denis Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-hayes/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) > [There's a whole generation of women who never really heard the word investment before, when it came to fashion. They've been buying things because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/there-s-a-whole-generation-of-women-who-never-really-heard-the-word/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [I think buying a home is the best investment that any individual can make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paulson/i-think-buying-a-home-is-the-best-investment-that-any-individual-can/) [John Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paulson/) > [The more a prospective customer clicks on you and your stuff, the easier it is for them to make a buying decision in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-gitomer/the-more-a-prospective-customer-clicks-on-you-and-your-stuff-the/) [Jeffrey Gitomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-gitomer/) > [“If you have half a nothing - sell it for a double something, resell half at double-price, and buy another something and a half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/if-you-have-half-a-nothing-sell-it-for-a-double-something-resell-half/) Will Advise > [Every kid looks forward to buying their first JanSport backpack for school - you know my kids did!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/every-kid-looks-forward-to-buying-their-first-jansport-backpack-for/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [What is the focus of the new image infrastructure? Attention. It's all designed for capturing, tracking, quantifying, manipulating, holding, buying, selling and controlling attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-mau/what-is-the-focus-of-the-new-image-infrastructure-attention-it-s-all/) [Bruce Mau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-mau/) > [It’s always going to be easy to live like others or other’s life, because creating or innovating something of own is always difficult in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/it-s-always-going-to-be-easy-to-live-like-others-or-other-s-life/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [The truth is, if I was maybe better or funnier or prettier, wouldn't I have starred in a movie? I can see it objectively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/the-truth-is-if-i-was-maybe-better-or-funnier-or-prettier-wouldn-t-i/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) [Browse all 1,598 Buying quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What about the rat race in the first place? Is it worthwhile? Or are you just buying into someone else's definition of success? Only you can decide that, and you'll have to decide it over and over and over. But if you think it's a rat race, before you drop out, take a deep breath. Maybe you picked the wrong job. Try again. 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