None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Do not hire a man who does your work for money, but him who does it for love of it.
Interpretation
Choose employees who are passionate about their work rather than those motivated solely by money.
Henry David Thoreau's quote emphasizes the importance of passion and love in oneβs work over monetary compensation. It suggests that hiring someone who is driven by a genuine enjoyment and commitment to their job will yield better results and a more fulfilling work environment than simply employing those who are financially motivated.
In practice
This quote could be used in a team meeting to encourage hiring practices that prioritize passion over mere skill.
None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
That grand old poem called Winter
I love to be busy. I'm envious of people who are able to take their spare time and relax. All I like to do is work. Perhaps it's lingering Calvinist guilt?
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.
The glory of a workman, still more of a master workman, that he does his work well, ought to be his most precious possession; like the honor of a soldier, dearer to him than life.
The best thing about my job, though, is stopping at the end of the day and rejoining the human universe.
I like work/life separation, not work/life balance. What I mean by that is, if I'm on, I want to be on and maximally productive. If I'm off, I don't want to think about work. When people strive for work/life balance, they end up blending them. That's how you end up checking email all day Saturday.
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.
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