--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most of the people I know who are having…" description: "\"“Most of the people I know who are having trouble finding their life work are somewhat passive in style. They wait for something good to happen to them..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/thomas-moore-3267_career_most-of-the-people-i-know-who-are-having_981060.png" --- # Most of the people I know who are having trouble finding… ![“Most of the people I know who are having trouble finding their life work are somewhat passive in style. They wait for something good to happen to them rather than make strong positive moves.” quote by Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/thomas-moore-3267_career_most-of-the-people-i-know-who-are-having_981060.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/thomas-moore-3267_career_most-of-the-people-i-know-who-are-having_981060.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09b/thomas-moore-3267_career_most-of-the-people-i-know-who-are-having_981060.png) > ““Most of the people I know who are having trouble finding their life work are somewhat passive in style. They wait for something good to happen to them rather than make strong positive moves.”” [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often wait passively for purpose, missing proactive steps toward fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Passive waiting hinders finding purpose. Key Takeaway Take active steps toward meaningful work. Themes purpose passivity self‑actualization Mood motivational thoughtful Type personal development When to use this quote - career counseling - personal growth - goal setting Key Concepts proactive mindset career development life design Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you start today? - How do you define meaningful work? A Different Perspective Proactivity alone may not guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-work/) ## Related quotes > [“As artists, we create the beauty We are too afraid to live out And search, but always fall just shy Of finding what life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-wetch/as-artists-we-create-the-beauty-we-are-too-afraid-to-live-out-and/) [Justin Wetch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-wetch/) > [Being a star doesn't last. That's not what life should be about. 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Laughlin > [“You have given me a gift such as I never even dreamt of finding in this life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/you-have-given-me-a-gift-such-as-i-never-even-dreamt-of-finding-in/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Now we have travelled a hundred million steps from the Datum, we are finding life systems entirely unlike our own - and yet we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/now-we-have-travelled-a-hundred-million-steps-from-the-datum-we-are/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Be patient about everything else, but be impatient about finding your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-patient-about-everything-else-but-be-impatient-about-finding-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No matter how much you hold on to the past, you can't cling on cos its already gone Enjoy the little things, for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-much-you-hold-on-to-the-past-you-can-t-cling-on-cos-its/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was previously a question of finding out whether or not life had to have a meaning to be lived. It now becomes clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/it-was-previously-a-question-of-finding-out-whether-or-not-life-had/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More by Thomas Moore > [“Think of all the males and females of the animal and plant world, all the opposites in every aspect of life. They all need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/think-of-all-the-males-and-females-of-the-animal-and-plant-world-all/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [All that's bright must fade, The brightest still the fleetest; All that's sweet was made But to be lost when sweetest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/all-that-s-bright-must-fade-the-brightest-still-the-fleetest-all-that/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [An enchanted world is one that speaks to the soul, to the mysterious depths of the heart and imagination where we find value, love,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/an-enchanted-world-is-one-that-speaks-to-the-soul-to-the-mysterious/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [“It isn’t comfortable to discover her place and her necessity. And yet what she has to offer is nothing less than the entire deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/it-isn-t-comfortable-to-discover-her-place-and-her-necessity-and-yet/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [When Time who steals our years away Shall steal our pleasures too, The mem'ry of the past will stay, And half our joys renew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/when-time-who-steals-our-years-away-shall-steal-our-pleasures-too-the/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [“It's my conviction that slight shifts in imagination have more impact on living than major efforts at change... deep changes in life follow movements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/it-s-my-conviction-that-slight-shifts-in-imagination-have-more-impact/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [We need people in our lives with whom we can be as open as possible. To have real conversations with people may seem like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/we-need-people-in-our-lives-with-whom-we-can-be-as-open-as-possible/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [A soulmate is someone to whom we feel profoundly connected, as though the communicating and communing that take place between us were not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/a-soulmate-is-someone-to-whom-we-feel-profoundly-connected-as-though/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [“I feel like one Who treads alone Some banquet-hall deserted, Whose lights are fled, Whose garland's dead, And all but he departed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/i-feel-like-one-who-treads-alone-some-banquet-hall-deserted-whose/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [A philosopher being asked what was the first thing necessary to win the love of a woman, answered, Opportunity!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/a-philosopher-being-asked-what-was-the-first-thing-necessary-to-win/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [“Body exercise is incomplete if it focuses exclusively on muscle and is motivated by the ideal of a physique unspoiled by fat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/body-exercise-is-incomplete-if-it-focuses-exclusively-on-muscle-and/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [“During the dark night there is no choice but to surrender control, give in to unknowing, and stop and listen to whatever signals of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/during-the-dark-night-there-is-no-choice-but-to-surrender-control/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [The devil...the prowde spirite...cannot endure to be mocked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/the-devil-the-prowde-spirite-cannot-endure-to-be-mocked/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [And soon, too soon, we part with pain, To sail o'er silent seas again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/and-soon-too-soon-we-part-with-pain-to-sail-o-er-silent-seas-again/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [Pythagoras asks that we not let a friend go lightly, for whatever reason. Instead, we should stay with a friend as long as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/pythagoras-asks-that-we-not-let-a-friend-go-lightly-for-whatever/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) [Explore all 131 Thomas Moore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) ## 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. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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