Hard work and discipline
Before entering any occupation, diligent preparation is to be undertaken.
— Cicero (106 BC–43 BC), Cicero, De Officiis (On Duties), 44 BC (English translation as given on Wikiquote)

Hard work and discipline

What it means

Before starting any task, prepare carefully. Cicero treats diligent preparation as the foundation of doing things well.

About the author

Cicero — Roman statesman and lawyer (106–43 BC).

Source and verification

Source
Cicero, De Officiis (On Duties), 44 BC (English translation as given on Wikiquote)
Reference
Cicero on Wikiquote
Checked
Wording and source taken from the sourced section of the author’s Wikiquote page, which cites the work given here (accessed 2026-10-11).
Copyright
Public domain: an ancient work.

The explanation above is ToDoMatriX’s own reading of the quote, not the author’s words.

More on hard work and discipline

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“Work first and then rest. Work first, and then gaze, but do not use golden ploughshares, nor bind ledgers in enamel.”

John Ruskin

“A man may write at any time, if he will set himself doggedly.”

Samuel Johnson