--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A job is a vocation only if someone else…" description: "\"A job is a vocation only if someone else calls you to do it for them rather than for yourself. And so our work can be a calling only if it is reimagine..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/timothy-keller-240_calling_a-job-is-a-vocation-only-if-someone-else_1580608.jpg" --- # A job is a vocation only if someone else calls you to do… ![“A job is a vocation only if someone else calls you to do it for them rather than for yourself. And so our work can be a calling only if it is reimagined as a mission of service to something beyond merely our own interests. Thinking of work mainly as a means of self-fulfillment and self-realization…” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/timothy-keller-240_calling_a-job-is-a-vocation-only-if-someone-else_1580608.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/timothy-keller-240_calling_a-job-is-a-vocation-only-if-someone-else_1580608.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b1/timothy-keller-240_calling_a-job-is-a-vocation-only-if-someone-else_1580608.jpg) > “A job is a vocation only if someone else calls you to do it for them rather than for yourself. And so our work can be a calling only if it is reimagined as a mission of service to something beyond merely our own interests. Thinking of work mainly as a means of self-fulfillment and self-realization slowly crushes a person.” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work becomes a true vocation when seen as service to something larger than oneself, not merely a path to personal fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Work is a calling when serving others. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond self‑interest in work. Themes purpose service vocational calling self‑transcendence Mood inspirational thoughtful Type spiritual motivational When to use this quote - career planning - volunteering - non‑profit work - entrepreneurship Key Concepts mission meaningful work altruism spiritual fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - What does serving a higher purpose look like? - How to align job with mission? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can dominate motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Crush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crush/) [Fulfillment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfillment/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Job Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-vocation-1699754/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self fulfillment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-fulfillment/) [Self realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-realization/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-work-761025/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) [Vocation Calls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation-calls-5970503/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-calling-535936/) ## Related quotes > [ “(from chapter 19, "Willi Ossa") "...when I did \[become a pastor\], I knew that it was a vocation, not a job. I told my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/from-chapter-19-willi-ossa-when-i-did-become-a-pastor-i-knew-that-it/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“Being a really evil bastard isn’t just a job, it’s a vocation!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/being-a-really-evil-bastard-isn-t-just-a-job-it-s-a-vocation/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) > [“The point of the calling was, quite simply, that it was appointed by God to serve neighbors. If along the way some self-fulfillment came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-meilaender/the-point-of-the-calling-was-quite-simply-that-it-was-appointed-by/) [Gilbert Meilaender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-meilaender/) > [A job is something we do to get a paycheck and pay our bills. Jobs are legitimate, at times, but work is why we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/a-job-is-something-we-do-to-get-a-paycheck-and-pay-our-bills-jobs-are/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-more-scared-we-are-of-a-work-or-calling-the-more-sure-we-can-be/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [ A writer, or any artist, can’t expect to be embraced by the people \[but\] you just keep doing your work - because you have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/a-writer-or-any-artist-can-t-expect-to-be-embraced-by-the-people-but/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [The work is a calling. It demands that type of obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pomfret/the-work-is-a-calling-it-demands-that-type-of-obsession/) [John Pomfret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pomfret/) > [“WORK RULES…FOR BUILDING A GREAT CULTURE Think of your work as a calling, with a mission that matters. Give people slightly more trust, freedom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laszlo-bock/work-rules-for-building-a-great-culture-think-of-your-work-as-a/) [Laszlo Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laszlo-bock/) > [God is not calling us to work for Him. He is calling us to walk with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-vischer/god-is-not-calling-us-to-work-for-him-he-is-calling-us-to-walk-with/) [Phil Vischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-vischer/) > [Information work is thinking work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/information-work-is-thinking-work/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“Thinking about work as a day job has made a big difference in the way I approach what I do. It also helped me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-goff/thinking-about-work-as-a-day-job-has-made-a-big-difference-in-the-way/) [Bob Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-goff/) > [“That’s what reframing your role is all about: thinking about how your work affects others, looking at the larger purpose of your work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sturt/that-s-what-reframing-your-role-is-all-about-thinking-about-how-your/) [David Sturt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sturt/) > [It didnt take long to establish myself, as far as people thinking my work was good. They liked it from the start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/it-didnt-take-long-to-establish-myself-as-far-as-people-thinking-my/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I'm always thinking about my work, always thinking about where it's taking me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-mercurio/i-m-always-thinking-about-my-work-always-thinking-about-where-it-s/) [Jed Mercurio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-mercurio/) > [I feel it's tough to make friend when you're always thinking about work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-rane/i-feel-it-s-tough-to-make-friend-when-you-re-always-thinking-about/) [Harshvardhan Rane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-rane/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Calling quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [\*Calling someone I don't want to answer\* \*Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail..\* Hello? -\_\_\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/calling-someone-i-don-t-want-to-answer-please-go-to-voice-mail-please/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you... This turning toward what you deeply love saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sometimes-you-hear-a-voice-through-the-door-calling-you-this-turning/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) [Browse all 3,811 Calling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A job is a vocation only if someone else calls you to do it for them rather than for yourself. And so our work can be a calling only if it is reimagined as a mission of service to something beyond merely our own interests. 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