--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The very first step toward success in any…" description: "\"The very first step toward success in any occupation is to become interested in it. Locke put this in a very happy way when he said, give a pupil \"a re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/william-osler-2992_career_the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-an_3208136.png" --- # The very first step toward success in any occupation is to… ![“The very first step toward success in any occupation is to become interested in it. Locke put this in a very happy way when he said, give a pupil "a relish of knowledge" and you put life into his work.” quote by William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/william-osler-2992_career_the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-an_3208136.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/william-osler-2992_career_the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-an_3208136.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/william-osler-2992_career_the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-an_3208136.png) > “The very first step toward success in any occupation is to become interested in it. Locke put this in a very happy way when he said, give a pupil "a relish of knowledge" and you put life into his work.” [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success begins with genuine interest; curiosity fuels engagement and mastery in any field. **In simple terms:** Interest sparks success. Key Takeaway Cultivate curiosity early. Themes learning motivation career development Mood enthusiastic inspirational Type advice educational When to use this quote - education - career choice - skill acquisition - professional growth Key Concepts intrinsic motivation engagement mastery Questions to Reflect On - How can you spark curiosity in a dull subject? - What obstacles hinder sustained interest? A Different Perspective Interest alone may not overcome systemic barriers or lack of resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [First step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-step/) [First steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-steps/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Occupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupation/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [The very first step towards success in any occupation is to become interested in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-very-first-step-towards-success-in-any-occupation-is-to-become/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [To have a group of cloistered clinicians away completely from the broad current of professional life would be bad for teacher and worse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/to-have-a-group-of-cloistered-clinicians-away-completely-from-the/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Locke, whom there is no reason to suspect of being a favorer of idleness or libertinism, has advanced that whoever hopes to employ any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/locke-whom-there-is-no-reason-to-suspect-of-being-a-favorer-of/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Locke contended that government originates out of the necessity for protecting property.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/locke-contended-that-government-originates-out-of-the-necessity-for/) [Russell Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/) > [“Locke sighed. 'So this is winning,' he said. 'It is,' replied Jean. 'It can go fuck itself,' said Locke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/locke-sighed-so-this-is-winning-he-said-it-is-replied-jean-it-can-go/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a girl named Taryn and she had a faerie lover who came to her at night. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-girl-named-taryn-and-she-had-a-faerie/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“I pictured Locke's heart shot through with an arrow and then shook my head to get rid of the image. It wasn't like me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-pictured-locke-s-heart-shot-through-with-an-arrow-and-then-shook-my/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“But time’s a river, Locke, and we’ve always drifted farther down it than we think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/but-time-s-a-river-locke-and-we-ve-always-drifted-farther-down-it/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Slaves.” As one of his loudest critics exclaimed in 1776, “Such was the language of the humane Mr. Locke!” Nor was this surprising. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/slaves-as-one-of-his-loudest-critics-exclaimed-in-1776-such-was-the/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“Second Treatise of Government by John Locke.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/second-treatise-of-government-by-john-locke/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) > [“To show you what you would not otherwise believe,' Locke said. 'Envy. Fear. Anger. Jealousy. They're all spices.' He laughed at my expression. 'What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/to-show-you-what-you-would-not-otherwise-believe-locke-said-envy-fear/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“The merit of Locke 's 'Essay Concerning Human Understanding' is its adequacy, and not its consistency. . . He should have widened the title…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-merit-of-locke-s-essay-concerning-human-understanding-is-its/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“Ibelius," said Jean. "If what Locke is doing were lurking about, corpses could be acrobats.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/ibelius-said-jean-if-what-locke-is-doing-were-lurking-about-corpses/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Ha! Yes. When anyone tells you habits die hard, Locke, they’re lying—it seems they never die at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-lynch/ha-yes-when-anyone-tells-you-habits-die-hard-locke-they-re-lying-it/) [Scott Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-lynch/) > [“Locke said, as have others, that natural law is forever and enduring, and man-made law, which may vary from place to place and time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-r-levin/locke-said-as-have-others-that-natural-law-is-forever-and-enduring/) [Mark R. Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-r-levin/) ## More by William Osler > [As it can be maintained that all the great advances have come from men under forty, so the history of the world shows that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/as-it-can-be-maintained-that-all-the-great-advances-have-come-from/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [No man is really happy or safe without a hobby ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/no-man-is-really-happy-or-safe-without-a-hobby/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [But whatever you do, take neither yourselves nor your fellow-creatures too seriously. There is tragedy enough in our daily routine, but there is room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/but-whatever-you-do-take-neither-yourselves-nor-your-fellow-creatures/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Without egotism and full of feeling, laughter is the music of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/without-egotism-and-full-of-feeling-laughter-is-the-music-of-life/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The librarian of today, and it will be true still more of the librarians of tomorrow, are not fiery dragons interposed between the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-librarian-of-today-and-it-will-be-true-still-more-of-the/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The best preparation for tomorrow is to do today's work superbly well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-best-preparation-for-tomorrow-is-to-do-today-s-work-superbly-well/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Throw away all ambition beyond that of doing the day's work well. The travelers on the road to success live in the present, heedless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/throw-away-all-ambition-beyond-that-of-doing-the-day-s-work-well-the/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The very first step towards success in any occupation is to become interested in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-very-first-step-towards-success-in-any-occupation-is-to-become/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The trained nurse has become one of the great blessings of humanity, taking a place beside the physician and the priest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-trained-nurse-has-become-one-of-the-great-blessings-of-humanity/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [He who studies medicine without books sails an uncharted sea, but he who studies medicine without patients does not go to sea at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/he-who-studies-medicine-without-books-sails-an-uncharted-sea-but-he/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [In seeking absolute truth we aim at the unattainable and must be content with broken portions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/in-seeking-absolute-truth-we-aim-at-the-unattainable-and-must-be/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Shed, as you do your garments, your daily sins, whether of omission or commission, and you will wake a free man, with a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/shed-as-you-do-your-garments-your-daily-sins-whether-of-omission-or/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [He who knows syphilis knows medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/he-who-knows-syphilis-knows-medicine/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Laughter is the music of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/laughter-is-the-music-of-life/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [Beware of people who call you 'Doc.' They rarely pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/beware-of-people-who-call-you-doc-they-rarely-pay-their-bills/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) [Explore all 143 William Osler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) ## 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. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The very first step toward success in any occupation is to become interested in it. Locke put this in a very happy way when he said, give a pupil \"a relish of knowledge\" and you put life into his work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Osler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-any-occupation-is-to-become/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Career" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-any-occupation-is-to-become/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/william-osler-2992_career_the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-an_3208136.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/william-osler-2992_career_the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-an_3208136.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/william-osler-2992_career_the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-an_3208136.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The very first step toward success in any occupation is to become interested in it. Locke put this in a very…” — William Osler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Osler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The very first step toward success...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-any-occupation-is-to-become/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/the-very-first-step-toward-success-in-any-occupation-is-to-become/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```