Quotes to read when you’re fed up with work: tough yet warm words.
There are times when you just can’t stand your job—because you failed at something, don’t get along with coworkers or your boss, don’t feel any sense of fulfillment, or simply for no particular reason.
In this article, we introduce quotes you should read when you feel that way about work.
We’ve gathered quotes that offer hints for escaping those feelings of dislike, ones that encourage you by saying you’ve still got this, and ones that nudge you toward your next challenge—words that can help lighten your heart.
When work becomes unbearable, please give these a read!
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Quotes to Read When You’re Fed Up with Work: Tough but Warm Words (11–20)
If you’re wondering who has decided that it can’t be done, it’s yourself. Other people don’t decide that for you.Akira Takada
Akira Takata, the founder of Japanet Takata, is well known for promoting products himself as an on-air host.
Here is a famous quote from him—whose commitment to delivering truly good products is memorable—about human resolve and giving up.
It conveys that it is ultimately you who decides to give up, and that as long as you don’t give up, you can keep moving forward.
These words encourage us to avoid resignation, face forward, and take a step ahead.
We must win/earn every single step ahead of us.Florence Nightingale
This quote by Florence Nightingale teaches us the mindset needed to achieve our dreams and goals.
In a world full of temptations, it can be very difficult to keep putting in the effort.
We tend to think, “I can do it tomorrow,” or “Skipping a day is fine,” don’t we? However, if we can’t do the one task right in front of us, we’ll never reach our dreams or goals—because each and every one of those tasks matters.
Remember: to fulfill high ideals, we must devote ourselves to steady daily practice.
It’s not that we run away because it’s hard; it becomes hard because we run away.William James
When work makes you miserable and it becomes painful, it’s only natural to want to run away.
But if you run away right away, you may end up wondering whether it was really the right choice, or whether you inconvenienced someone—ultimately leaving yourself with more pain to carry.
The philosopher William James spoke about this agony of fleeing.
If you’re suffering so much that it’s ruining your health and there truly is no way out, you should escape.
But if there’s still even a little room for improvement, sometimes it’s better to stand your ground rather than run.
When you feel like running away, it might help to remember these words and think about how you’ll feel after you run.
Never compare yourself to anyone else in this world. Doing so is an act of insulting yourself.Bill Gates
These words from Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, remind us to value ourselves.
Sometimes we start to hate our work because we can’t do it as well as someone else.
You might even think, “I’m worthless compared to that person,” but that’s the same as putting yourself down.
You are you—don’t compare yourself to others.
Even if you can’t do something, use these words as a cue to shift your mindset: decide how you’ll face your work next time in your own way.
Do the most important thing first.Peter Drucker
Peter Drucker, the Austrian management scholar who essentially invented modern management.
His words encourage us to pause and sort out what truly matters most right in front of us.
When your to-do list is overflowing and you don’t know where to start, when the confusion makes you hate your work—at times like these, it’s important to first calm the panic and organize your thoughts.
Precisely because he championed management, he understood the importance of prioritization—and that’s likely why he said what he did.
Rather than keep shouting “I hate this,” try taking a moment to compose yourself first.
It’s not about how good a job you did, but how much heart you put into it.Mother Teresa
When we’re swamped with work every day, just scrambling to get through whatever’s in front of us, I think everyone has moments when they suddenly wonder, “Is this really okay?” At times like that, these are the words I want to remember and cherish.
They’re from Mother Teresa, a Catholic nun, who said that putting your heart into your work is what matters most.
The busier you are, the harder that may feel, but if you’re looking to break out of that cycle, why not start by gradually trying to put your heart into what you do?
Even the hard days are connected to days you can smile.Kazuko Watanabe
Born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Sister Kazuko Watanabe was active as a Catholic nun and is also known for her tenure as president of Notre Dame Seishin University.
As a nun, teacher, and writer who has always stayed close to people’s hearts, she left us a memorable quote that makes us reflect on what lies beyond suffering.
Even if the days are painful now, there will surely be days ahead when you can laugh—an encouraging, positive call to keep moving forward without losing heart.
Precisely because the wording carries a light tone, it leaves the impression of easing tense feelings.
Regardless of the circumstances, when a decision must be made, I believe the best course is to stand firmly by my convictions.Yoshihide Suga
Cabinet secretaries and prime ministers are sometimes called upon to make important decisions; these are the words of Yoshihide Suga that express the criteria for such judgments.
He emphasizes that the final decision is his own, and conveys the idea that one should make decisions in accordance with one’s convictions after gathering opinions.
It doesn’t mean deciding alone; rather, it suggests using whether something conflicts with one’s convictions as material for judgment.
You can also sense a resolve to always make decisions responsibly, regardless of the scale of the matter.
An indecisive leader can even be harmful.Yoshihide Suga
As prime minister, Yoshihide Suga pledged one million vaccinations a day and devoted his efforts to bringing COVID under control.
He declared he would practice politics for the people and was always someone who thought and acted on his own.
This statement truly reflects who he was.
When something goes wrong, the pressure on a leader who bears full responsibility is undoubtedly heavy.
But postponing decisions will not solve problems—if anything, it may create new ones.
What a leader must do is make decisions that no one else can.
This quote, I believe, expresses that firm resolve.
There’s no such thing as something useless or a loss in life. Every experience accumulates within you.Shigeta Saitō
Dr.
Shigeta Saito, who was active as a psychiatrist and essayist, left words that resonated with people as a master healer of the heart.
This quote by that compassionate doctor, who gives us the courage to move forward while staying close to our feelings, expresses the importance of accumulating experience.
In life, there are events that may seem pointless, but he tells us that even those are important elements that shape who we are.
It’s a phrase that can help shift our mindset positively by reminding us that both the good and the bad are experiences for the future.