--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Work hard. Come early, stay late. That's…" description: "\"Work hard. Come early, stay late. That's the way leadership has to approach it.\" — T. Boone Pickens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/t-boone-pickens-9502_approach_work-hard-come-early-stay-late-that-s-th_722051.png" --- # Work hard. Come early, stay late. That's the way… ![“Work hard. Come early, stay late. That's the way leadership has to approach it.” quote by T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/t-boone-pickens-9502_approach_work-hard-come-early-stay-late-that-s-th_722051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/t-boone-pickens-9502_approach_work-hard-come-early-stay-late-that-s-th_722051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/t-boone-pickens-9502_approach_work-hard-come-early-stay-late-that-s-th_722051.png) > “Work hard. Come early, stay late. That's the way leadership has to approach it.” [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leadership requires consistent effort and presence, showing commitment through early starts and long hours. **In simple terms:** Leadership needs hard work and long hours. Key Takeaway Commit fully and be present. Themes leadership work ethic commitment Mood determined serious Type motivational professional When to use this quote - team meetings - project deadlines - startup growth - career advancement Key Concepts dedication presence responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you sustain energy without overworking? - What boundaries protect long‑term effectiveness? A Different Perspective May lead to burnout if balance is ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [A man's got to keep company a long time, and come early and stay late and sit close, before he can get a girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/a-man-s-got-to-keep-company-a-long-time-and-come-early-and-stay-late/) [George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/) > [Just do your job. Get in early. Stay late, and don’t complain. Fight the big fights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-walters/just-do-your-job-get-in-early-stay-late-and-don-t-complain-fight-the/) [Barbara Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-walters/) > [Id rather get up early and go out and do something than stay up late and screw up my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/id-rather-get-up-early-and-go-out-and-do-something-than-stay-up-late/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) > [I thought I had to show people that I would get in early, stay late or even all night, work on holidays. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/i-thought-i-had-to-show-people-that-i-would-get-in-early-stay-late-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [“Go early. Stay late. Be MEMORABLE.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-hickman/go-early-stay-late-be-memorable/) Jenny Hickman > [I'd rather get up early and go out and do something than stay up late and screw up my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shinoda/i-d-rather-get-up-early-and-go-out-and-do-something-than-stay-up-late/) [Mike Shinoda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shinoda/) > [Football has changed, but my style of leadership, my approach, hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/football-has-changed-but-my-style-of-leadership-my-approach-hasn-t/) [Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/) > [Curiously, for all the outpourings of scholarship on Theodore Roosevelt, no one had written a book focused directly on his leadership approach, working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-strock/curiously-for-all-the-outpourings-of-scholarship-on-theodore/) [James M Strock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-strock/) > [Coaching is destined to be the leadership approach of the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-belasco/coaching-is-destined-to-be-the-leadership-approach-of-the-21st-century/) James A. Belasco > [We cannot govern in a vacuum. The way that - again, part of my leadership style is that we've got to really have voices,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mark-viverito/we-cannot-govern-in-a-vacuum-the-way-that-again-part-of-my-leadership/) Melissa Mark-Viverito > [For women, no matter what career, what path you choose, it's still an uphill battle to work your way up to these top leadership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-gunn/for-women-no-matter-what-career-what-path-you-choose-it-s-still-an/) [Anna Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-gunn/) > [My way of leadership is about setting examples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardik-pandya/my-way-of-leadership-is-about-setting-examples/) [Hardik Pandya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardik-pandya/) > [A lot of things about my way of leadership is to be vocal, but I try to lead by example - how I approach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-randle/a-lot-of-things-about-my-way-of-leadership-is-to-be-vocal-but-i-try/) [Julius Randle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-randle/) > [Tell me I have to be somewhere, and I'll be there 20 minutes early and stay there longer than anybody else. You hold up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/tell-me-i-have-to-be-somewhere-and-i-ll-be-there-20-minutes-early-and/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [“Luperón,” Steve says one day early in our stay, “is the only place you have to wash your hands before you pee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-vanderhoof/luper-n-steve-says-one-day-early-in-our-stay-is-the-only-place-you/) [Ann Vanderhoof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-vanderhoof/) ## More by T. Boone Pickens > [I don't believe in a price on carbon, because the government is going to control it and they're going to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/i-don-t-believe-in-a-price-on-carbon-because-the-government-is-going/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [If somebody I don't like gets in the crosshairs, I pull the trigger. But I don't hunt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/if-somebody-i-don-t-like-gets-in-the-crosshairs-i-pull-the-trigger/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [The cheapest natural gas in the world is in the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/the-cheapest-natural-gas-in-the-world-is-in-the-united-states/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [We've got all these politicians talking about better health care and what all, but believe me, we're not going to have the money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/we-ve-got-all-these-politicians-talking-about-better-health-care-and/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [When you look at a commodities market you need hedgers and speculators. If you don't have one, you don't have a market. That's how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/when-you-look-at-a-commodities-market-you-need-hedgers-and/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [It has become cheaper to look for oil on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange than in the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/it-has-become-cheaper-to-look-for-oil-on-the-floor-of-the-new-york/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [A fool with a plan can outsmart a genius with no plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/a-fool-with-a-plan-can-outsmart-a-genius-with-no-plan/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [You can't invest in natural gas on a daily basis. It's too volatile. But if you think of natural gas as a long-term holding,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/you-can-t-invest-in-natural-gas-on-a-daily-basis-it-s-too-volatile/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [We're going to have shortages and prices are going to go up. Gasoline is going to be extremely tight for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/we-re-going-to-have-shortages-and-prices-are-going-to-go-up-gasoline/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Fundamentals make the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/fundamentals-make-the-market/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [I've always believed that it's important to show a new look periodically. Predictability can lead to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/i-ve-always-believed-that-it-s-important-to-show-a-new-look/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Work eight hours and sleep eight hours, and make sure that they are not the same eight hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/work-eight-hours-and-sleep-eight-hours-and-make-sure-that-they-are/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Be willing to make decisions. That's the most important quality in a good leader. Don't fall victim to what I call the 'ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/be-willing-to-make-decisions-that-s-the-most-important-quality-in-a/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [I don't go looking for somewhere to spend my money. You can step on a tube of toothpaste for a week, if you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/i-don-t-go-looking-for-somewhere-to-spend-my-money-you-can-step-on-a/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) > [Predictability can lead to failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-boone-pickens/predictability-can-lead-to-failure/) [T. Boone Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) [Explore all 72 T. Boone Pickens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-boone-pickens/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [I don't have any particular method, my approach is very simple. I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. What has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul/like-a-morning-dream-life-becomes-more-and-more-bright-the-longer-we/) [Jean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul/) > [What begins as a Utopian vision, always - always - ends in bloodshed. Because you have to force a utopia on a free people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/what-begins-as-a-utopian-vision-always-always-ends-in-bloodshed/) [Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/) > [The only two good words that can be said for a hurricane are that it gives sufficient warning of its approach, and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-only-two-good-words-that-can-be-said-for-a-hurricane-are-that-it/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) [Browse all 3,949 Approach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Work hard. 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