--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hardest work in the world is being…" description: "\"The hardest work in the world is being out of work.\" — Whitney M. Young" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/whitney-m-young-34161_hardest_the-hardest-work-in-the-world-is-being-o_2097957.png" --- # The hardest work in the world is being out of work. ![“The hardest work in the world is being out of work.” quote by Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/whitney-m-young-34161_hardest_the-hardest-work-in-the-world-is-being-o_2097957.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/whitney-m-young-34161_hardest_the-hardest-work-in-the-world-is-being-o_2097957.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d5/whitney-m-young-34161_hardest_the-hardest-work-in-the-world-is-being-o_2097957.png) > “The hardest work in the world is being out of work.” [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being unemployed feels like the hardest labor because it strips purpose and identity. **In simple terms:** Unemployment feels like hard work. Key Takeaway Find purpose beyond a job. Themes employment identity purpose Mood frustrated determined Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - job search - volunteering - skill building - mental health Key Concepts Socioeconomic stress self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - How can you create value without a formal job? - What activities restore your sense of purpose? A Different Perspective Unemployment may be involuntary, limiting control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hardest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) [Hardest Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-work/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-work/) ## Related quotes > [One wants one's work to be the world, but of course it's never the world. The work is in the world; it never contains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/one-wants-one-s-work-to-be-the-world-but-of-course-it-s-never-the/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [Housework's the hardest work in the world. That's why men won't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/housework-s-the-hardest-work-in-the-world-that-s-why-men-won-t-do-it/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [“Amid the joy of raising children will be some of the hardest work you’ll ever do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/amid-the-joy-of-raising-children-will-be-some-of-the-hardest-work-you/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) > [Marriage is the hardest work you're ever going to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-andrews/marriage-is-the-hardest-work-you-re-ever-going-to-do/) [Julie Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-andrews/) > [“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/thinking-is-the-hardest-work-there-is-which-is-probably-the-reason-so/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [The best artists are the ones that work the hardest, and if you work hard enough, you'll eventually experience the happy accidents that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/the-best-artists-are-the-ones-that-work-the-hardest-and-if-you-work/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [“I find that the hardest work in the world—it may in fact be impossible—is to persuade Easterners that growing up in the West is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-find-that-the-hardest-work-in-the-world-it-may-in-fact-be/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“One of the quotes credited to Ford goes: "Thinking is the hardest work there is. That is why so few people engage in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-t-kiyosaki/one-of-the-quotes-credited-to-ford-goes-thinking-is-the-hardest-work/) [Robert T. Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-t-kiyosaki/) > [A life of complete leisure is the hardest work of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/a-life-of-complete-leisure-is-the-hardest-work-of-all/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I value so many people who have to work full time, definitely single mothers. Their work is the hardest work. I applaud it so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-sims/i-value-so-many-people-who-have-to-work-full-time-definitely-single/) [Molly Sims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-sims/) > [The hardest work begins in dry dock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-wineburg/the-hardest-work-begins-in-dry-dock/) [Sam Wineburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-wineburg/) > [I placed the Marines where the hardest work was to be accomplished, and I never once found my confidence in them misplaced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfield-scott/i-placed-the-marines-where-the-hardest-work-was-to-be-accomplished/) [Winfield Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfield-scott/) > [I tell you, being on a soap is the hardest work, and it gets so old. Get on your mark, get in the light,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-wright/i-tell-you-being-on-a-soap-is-the-hardest-work-and-it-gets-so-old-get/) [Robin Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-wright/) > [“You may not know it but the keeping of a large house by one girl is the hardest work going on earth. I heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-may-not-know-it-but-the-keeping-of-a-large-house-by-one-girl-is/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Teaching was the hardest work I had ever done, and it remains the hardest work I have done to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-richards/teaching-was-the-hardest-work-i-had-ever-done-and-it-remains-the/) [Ann Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-richards/) ## More by Whitney M. Young > [Support the strong, give courage to the timid, remind the indifferent, and warn the opposed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/support-the-strong-give-courage-to-the-timid-remind-the-indifferent/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid-studying-to-enter-college/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Black Power simply means: Look at me, I'm here. I have dignity. I have pride. I have roots. I insist, I demand that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/black-power-simply-means-look-at-me-i-m-here-i-have-dignity-i-have/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Our ability to create has outreached our ability to use wisely the products of our invention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/our-ability-to-create-has-outreached-our-ability-to-use-wisely-the/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [The unhealthy gap between what we preach in America and what we often practice creates a moral dry rot that eats at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/the-unhealthy-gap-between-what-we-preach-in-america-and-what-we-often/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [You don’t get black power by chanting it. You get it by doing what the other groups have done. The Irish kept quiet. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/you-don-t-get-black-power-by-chanting-it-you-get-it-by-doing-what-the/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Black is beautiful when it is a slum kid studying to enter college, when it is a man learning new skills for a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/black-is-beautiful-when-it-is-a-slum-kid-studying-to-enter-college-2/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [You can holler, protest, march, picket and demonstrate, but somebody must be able to sit in on the strategy conferences and plot a course.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/you-can-holler-protest-march-picket-and-demonstrate-but-somebody-must/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Stretch your mind and fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/stretch-your-mind-and-fly/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [No race has a monopoly on vice or virtue, and the worth of an individual is not related to the color of his skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/no-race-has-a-monopoly-on-vice-or-virtue-and-the-worth-of-an/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Every man is our brother, and every man’s burden is our own. Where poverty exists, all are poorer. Where hate flourishes, all are corrupted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/every-man-is-our-brother-and-every-man-s-burden-is-our-own-where/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [The danger is that people may mistake what is basically a change in vocabulary for a change in behavior, practices, and attitudes. While practically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/the-danger-is-that-people-may-mistake-what-is-basically-a-change-in/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) > [Liberalism seems to be related to the distance people are from the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-m-young/liberalism-seems-to-be-related-to-the-distance-people-are-from-the/) [Whitney M. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) [Explore all 14 Whitney M. Young quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-m-young/) ## More Hardest quotes > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [It's easy to make mistakes. It's living with the consequences of them that's the hardest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/it-s-easy-to-make-mistakes-it-s-living-with-the-consequences-of-them/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“The hardest roads are often empty; the darkest paths are mostly silent; toughest destinations are almost peopleless! No easy road brings you great victory!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-hardest-roads-are-often-empty-the-darkest-paths-are-mostly-silent/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Somebody's real voice is probably the hardest one that somebody could attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-west/somebody-s-real-voice-is-probably-the-hardest-one-that-somebody-could/) [Billy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-west/) > [We ought to observe that practice which is the hardest of all-especially for young physicians-we ought to throw in no medicine at all-to abstain-to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-randolph-of-roanoke/we-ought-to-observe-that-practice-which-is-the-hardest-of-all/) [John Randolph of Roanoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-randolph-of-roanoke/) > [I was in good shape from Divergent. Damien Chazelle, the director of Whiplash told me, ‘Stop Working Out! Don’t go outside!’ He wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/i-was-in-good-shape-from-divergent-damien-chazelle-the-director-of/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [For a lot of women, one of the hardest things about leadership is the desire to be liked by everyone. That's often inconsistent with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weddington/for-a-lot-of-women-one-of-the-hardest-things-about-leadership-is-the/) [Sarah Weddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weddington/) > [Hardest emotion? They're all pretty damn hard; I don't know really if there's one specifically, but I do think, I don't know what's happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-gyllenhaal/hardest-emotion-they-re-all-pretty-damn-hard-i-don-t-know-really-if/) [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-gyllenhaal/) > [In a compass, we got north, south, east and west, right? But in between that, you got things like north-east - now that, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-the-chicago-kid/in-a-compass-we-got-north-south-east-and-west-right-but-in-between/) [BJ the Chicago Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-the-chicago-kid/) > [I think that one of the hardest things in the world to be is a black male. I mean everyone hates your guts. White…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-think-that-one-of-the-hardest-things-in-the-world-to-be-is-a-black/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/) [David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/) > [While photography is the easiest medium in which to be competent, it is the hardest in which to develop an idiosyncratic personal vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-close/while-photography-is-the-easiest-medium-in-which-to-be-competent-it/) [Chuck Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-close/) > [Because YouTube is focused on a lot of different types of content at the same time, it has many opportunities, and the hardest thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kyncl/because-youtube-is-focused-on-a-lot-of-different-types-of-content-at/) [Robert Kyncl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kyncl/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Playing is much, much harder than composing in my opinion, becoming a player. If you want to be a player for all your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-powell/playing-is-much-much-harder-than-composing-in-my-opinion-becoming-a/) [John Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-powell/) [Browse all 2,763 Hardest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The hardest work in the world is being out of work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Whitney M. 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