--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hard work and best efforts will not by…" description: "\"Hard work and best efforts will not by themselves dig us out of the pit.\" — W. Edwards Deming" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/w-edwards-deming-1337_best-effort_hard-work-and-best-efforts-will-not-by-t_2031162.jpg" --- # Hard work and best efforts will not by themselves dig us… ![“Hard work and best efforts will not by themselves dig us out of the pit.” quote by W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/w-edwards-deming-1337_best-effort_hard-work-and-best-efforts-will-not-by-t_2031162.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/w-edwards-deming-1337_best-effort_hard-work-and-best-efforts-will-not-by-t_2031162.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/980/w-edwards-deming-1337_best-effort_hard-work-and-best-efforts-will-not-by-t_2031162.jpg) > “Hard work and best efforts will not by themselves dig us out of the pit.” [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work alone cannot rescue us from deep problems; systemic change is required. **In simple terms:** Effort isn’t enough without fixing the system. Key Takeaway Address root causes, not just effort. Themes systemic change effort problem solving Mood reflective determined Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - business turnaround - personal crisis - organizational reform Key Concepts quality management systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - What systemic barriers keep you stuck? - How can you redesign the process? A Different Perspective Effort without direction can waste energy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-effort/) [Best Efforts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-efforts-613629/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Efforts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efforts/) [Efforts Dig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/efforts-dig-3732163/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Pits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pits/) [Work Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-best/) ## Related quotes > [We want best efforts guided by theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-want-best-efforts-guided-by-theory/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We are being ruined by the best efforts of people who are doing the wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-are-being-ruined-by-the-best-efforts-of-people-who-are-doing-the/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [ I'm going to bring my best efforts and do my very best every day to support our new president's \[Donald Trump\] agenda and to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/i-m-going-to-bring-my-best-efforts-and-do-my-very-best-every-day-to-2/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Every man who praises himself brushes the luster from his best efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/every-man-who-praises-himself-brushes-the-luster-from-his-best-efforts/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [There are only two stimulants to one's best efforts-the fear of punishment, and the hope of reward. When neither is present, one can hardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-moulder-wilson/there-are-only-two-stimulants-to-one-s-best-efforts-the-fear-of/) [John Moulder Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-moulder-wilson/) > [It's phenomenal the kind of support Donald Trump has, despite the best efforts to suppress it, and those efforts are being made, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-phenomenal-the-kind-of-support-donald-trump-has-despite-the-best/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [You can only do what ONLY YOU can do. Do that. The universe will configure around your very best efforts. Willingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/you-can-only-do-what-only-you-can-do-do-that-the-universe-will/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [“Do your best, but bear in mind that sometimes even your best efforts don't give the desired results.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/do-your-best-but-bear-in-mind-that-sometimes-even-your-best-efforts/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [If you are mindful in your work, if you put your best effort into it, then something comes back to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-are-mindful-in-your-work-if-you-put-your-best-effort-into-it/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [For Quality: Stamp out fires, automate, computerize, M.B.O., install merit pay, rank people, best efforts, zero defects. WRONG!!!! Missing ingredient: profound knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/for-quality-stamp-out-fires-automate-computerize-m-b-o-install-merit/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Despite your best efforts, you could not invent a better police force for literature than criticism and the author's own conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/despite-your-best-efforts-you-could-not-invent-a-better-police-force/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You never help others by allowing them to getaway with giving less than their best efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/you-never-help-others-by-allowing-them-to-getaway-with-giving-less/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [Despite my best efforts I’ve seen you naked before – doesn’t do much for me so no worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/despite-my-best-efforts-i-ve-seen-you-naked-before-doesn-t-do-much/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [“I could have allowed myself more time. I have used my best efforts, with the aid of my eldest son, F. D. Grant, assisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/i-could-have-allowed-myself-more-time-i-have-used-my-best-efforts/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [We have asked a lot of our military families and I believe they deserve the very best efforts of each of us to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/we-have-asked-a-lot-of-our-military-families-and-i-believe-they/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) ## More by W. Edwards Deming > [Absence of defects does not necessarily build business... Something more is required.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/absence-of-defects-does-not-necessarily-build-business-something-more/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [In Japan, a company worker's position is secure. He is retrained for another job if his present job is eliminated by productivity improvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/in-japan-a-company-worker-s-position-is-secure-he-is-retrained-for/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We are here to make another world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-are-here-to-make-another-world/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It is a mistake to assume that if everybody does his job, it will be all right. The whole system may be in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-a-mistake-to-assume-that-if-everybody-does-his-job-it-will-be/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Innovation comes from the producer - not from the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/innovation-comes-from-the-producer-not-from-the-customer/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [The only useful function of a statistician is to make predictions, and thus to provide a basis for action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-only-useful-function-of-a-statistician-is-to-make-predictions-and/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A leader is a coach, not a judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-leader-is-a-coach-not-a-judge/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [It does not happen all at once. There is no instant pudding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-does-not-happen-all-at-once-there-is-no-instant-pudding/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Sub-optimization is when everyone is for himself. Optimization is when everyone is working to help the company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/sub-optimization-is-when-everyone-is-for-himself-optimization-is-when/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [We know what we told him, but we don't know what he heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/we-know-what-we-told-him-but-we-don-t-know-what-he-heard/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Rational behavior requires theory. Reactive behavior requires only reflex action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/rational-behavior-requires-theory-reactive-behavior-requires-only/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [A manager of people needs to understand that all people are different. This is not ranking people. He needs to understand that the performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/a-manager-of-people-needs-to-understand-that-all-people-are-different/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [“It is not enough to just do your best or work hard; You must know what to work on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/it-is-not-enough-to-just-do-your-best-or-work-hard-you-must-know-what/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [You have to manage a system. The system doesn't manage itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/you-have-to-manage-a-system-the-system-doesn-t-manage-itself/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Two basic rules of life are: 1) Change is inevitable. 2) Everybody resists change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/two-basic-rules-of-life-are-1-change-is-inevitable-2-everybody/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) [Explore all 255 W. Edwards Deming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) ## More Best effort quotes > [Salvation is not some felicitous state to which we can lift ourselves by our own bootstraps after the contemplation of sufficiently good examples. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/salvation-is-not-some-felicitous-state-to-which-we-can-lift-ourselves/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [Occupy yourself with what's in your life now. Address those situations and subjects as fully as possible with your best efforts. That is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/occupy-yourself-with-what-s-in-your-life-now-address-those-situations/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If it's worth doing, it's worth doing well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/if-it-s-worth-doing-it-s-worth-doing-well/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [With the empowerment of an advanced Teacher, and your own best efforts, you will be able to explore the mysteries of knowledge that lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/with-the-empowerment-of-an-advanced-teacher-and-your-own-best-efforts/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If people give me a year or two of their best effort, then I am their friend for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/if-people-give-me-a-year-or-two-of-their-best-effort-then-i-am-their/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [The best effort of a fine person is felt after we have left their presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-best-effort-of-a-fine-person-is-felt-after-we-have-left-their/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Leadership is the ability to encourage the best efforts of others in working toward a desirable goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/leadership-is-the-ability-to-encourage-the-best-efforts-of-others-in/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Success is a process for all of us, and as long as you are making consistent progress towards your goals - sincerely giving your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/success-is-a-process-for-all-of-us-and-as-long-as-you-are-making/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [You can only do what ONLY YOU can do. Do that. The universe will configure around your very best efforts. Willingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/you-can-only-do-what-only-you-can-do-do-that-the-universe-will/) [Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/) > [I agree that one can't dispense with the reins and the whip altogether, for knaves find their way even into literature, but no thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/i-agree-that-one-can-t-dispense-with-the-reins-and-the-whip/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Every time you compete, try harder to improve on your last performance. Give nothing short of your very best effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elgin-baylor/every-time-you-compete-try-harder-to-improve-on-your-last-performance/) [Elgin Baylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elgin-baylor/) > [Make a strong and permanent commitment to invest your talents only in pursuits that deserve your best efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nido-r-qubein/make-a-strong-and-permanent-commitment-to-invest-your-talents-only-in/) [Nido R Qubein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nido-r-qubein/) > [If you make your best effort to be kinder, nurture compassion, make the world a better place, then you can say 'At least I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/if-you-make-your-best-effort-to-be-kinder-nurture-compassion-make-the/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“It is impossible to give your best effort without mindfulness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/it-is-impossible-to-give-your-best-effort-without-mindfulness/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I have no apologies, no regrets. I gave my very best efforts… I've been hung in effigy. I've been spat upon. You just have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-westmoreland/i-have-no-apologies-no-regrets-i-gave-my-very-best-efforts-i-ve-been/) [William Westmoreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-westmoreland/) [Browse all 109 Best effort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-effort/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hard work and best efforts will not by themselves dig us out of the pit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. 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