Chris Gardner Quotes

What is nobler than a man wresting and wringing his bread from the stubborn soil by the sweat of his brow and the break of his back for his wife and children!

We have a lot of property and we take care of it mostly ourselves, so that's what I spend a lot of time doing, which I love because I'm outside.

I worked as a truck driver, carpenter's assistant, doing whatever it took to keep bread on the table for the family.

When I was nine years old, living on the south side of Chicago, my father was a minister and my mother used to scrub floors. I had seven brothers and four sisters. I told my mama, 'One of these days I'm going to be big and strong and buy you a beautiful house.' That's all I've ever wanted to do with my life, is to take care of my mother.

I'm pretty handy! I do a lot of things around the house, and I actually enjoy it.

I have worked every day since the age of fifteen, supporting not only myself, but also helping a sizable family when needed.

My father suffered much and toiled painfully all his life, for he had no resources other than the proceeds of his trade from which to support himself and his wife and family.

I supported myself by delivering the 'Wall Street Journal' and doing odd jobs. I love plumbing and carpentry.

I feel it's my responsibility to be able to take care of my family by living off the land. That's the ultimate goal for a man.

I am a professional photographer because it is the best way I know to earn the money I require to take care of my wife and children.

I work to take care of my family, not the other way around.

I started by hacking around the back yard in Richmond.

No matter how much money you make, no matter how famous you are, you're not above going outside and cutting trees. I do it all the time.

I'm a very goal-oriented person, and work is really rewarding. It's how I take care of my family, and ultimately, I'm never going to let that responsibility fall to anybody but myself.

I'm fortunate enough to take care of my family and provide for them, and that motivates me to keep going.

My parents sacrificed everything for me. My father worked on a building site and as a driver - so many jobs. My mum was at home full-time to take care of me, my sister, and two brothers.

My parents are weavers. They worked very hard to give us our daily food.

I am a son, husband and father of two children. I have to take care of their needs and concerns.

My father had hammered into me, you want to look after your family, you want a nice house, and you want to be able to enjoy yourself, and you have to work very hard for those things. Don't think the world is going to come to you.

I grew up doing some landscaping and painting houses and that kind of thing.

Playing golf is not hot work. Cutting sugar cane for a dollar a day - that's hot work. Hotter than my first wrist watch.

I have a family to feed.

I'm not one of the guys in the league for the fame. I'm here so I can take of my family, my mom, my friends and take care of myself.

My mom did so much for us, working two jobs, driving us where we needed to go and a million other things. She taught me the importance of hard work and sacrifice.

My mom's parents were farmers, so every summer, my sisters and I would help out, hauling pipe and pulling maggots off the corn. We hated it, but it taught me the meaning of good hard work.