QuoteProject
Most of us have jobs that are too small for our spirits.
Studs Terkel
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that many people's jobs do not allow them to fulfill their true potential or express their greater selves.

Studs Terkel's quote highlights the disconnect between individuals' inner potential and the limitations of their job roles. It implies that many people feel confined in jobs that do not challenge them or utilize their talents effectively, leading to a sense of unfulfilled aspirations and a desire for more meaningful work that resonates with their true selves.

Themes

JobsPotentialSpiritWorkFulfillment

In practice

Example use cases

In a motivational speech about career development.

More from Studs Terkel

More and more we are into communications; and less and less into communication.
Studs TerkelRead
When it comes to the news, the corporate view is `objective,' all else is propaganda.
Studs TerkelRead
Think of what's stored in an 80- or a 90-year-old mind. Just marvel at it. You've got to get out this information, this knowledge, because you've got something to pass on. There'll be nobody like you ever again. Make the most of every molecule you've got as long as you've got a second to go.
Studs TerkelRead
Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better. Interweave all these communities and you really have an America that is back on its feet again. I really think we are gonna have to reassess what constitutes a 'hero'.
Studs TerkelRead
We are the most powerful nation in the world, but we're not the only nation in the world. We are not the only people in the world. We are an important people, the wealthiest, the most powerful and, to a great extent, generous. But we are part of the world.
Studs TerkelRead
I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's like a tonic.
Studs TerkelRead

Similar quotes

Our jobs determine to a large extent what our lives are like. Is what you do for a living making you ill? Does it keep you from becoming a more fully realized person? Do you feel ashamed of what you have to do at work? All too often, the answer to such questions is yes. Yet it does not have to be like that. Work can be one of the most joyful, most fulfilling aspects of life. Whether it will be or not depends on the actions we collectively take.
Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiRead
In an ideal world, nobody's work would be just about the money. People could pursue excellence in what they do, take pride in achievement, and derive meaning from knowing that their work improved the lives of others.
Barry SchwartzRead
Labor rids us of three great evils; tediousness, vice, and poverty.
John RuskinRead
I find that through the sad times, work is what made my continuing, not breaking down, possible. In work, I was always someone else and I subconsciously reveled in that.
Lauren BacallRead
Finding the right work is like discovering your own soul in the world.
Thomas MooreRead
Bring your whole self to work. I don't believe we have a professional self Monday through Friday and a real self the rest of the time. It is all professional and it is all personal.
Sheryl SandbergRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.

Quote by Studs Terkel | QuoteProject