35 Harvey Specter Quotes That Are Powerful, Badass And Help You Ace Your Work
The popular web-series "Suits" introduced us to the workings inside a corporate setting. Keeping up with our superiors, maintaining the secrecy and expressing aggression in a socially appropriate manner are problems faced by people working in a corporate setup. This series explores the journey of a law associate without a degree and his superior - Harvey Specter, who is the focus of this article.
Harvey Specter is an example of a well-known character trope. The high-achieving, career-obsessed corporate worker is an inspiration for most people. For years, he has helped us find the motivation to work towards our goals. However, calm and collected he might seem, Harvey is still human. Cultivating that aura of excellence requires a lot of self-analysis and hard work. Let us have a look at his core values with 35 inspiring Harvey specter quotes.
1. “You always have a choice.”
Lesson no. 1 is recognizing your autonomy. Nobody is free from external expectations, but a few still break away from them. Even if the consequences are harsh, you still have a choice.
2. “I believe in work, I don’t fuck with luck.”
Many of your competitors are more privileged than you. Get over it, because you are capable of working your way to the top.
3. “It’s going to happen, because I am going to make it happen.”
The key to goal achievement is a combination of hard work and self-belief. Lacking either one of these qualities will ensure failure.
4. “The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
Even the gifted folk have to work to succeed. Talent without hard work is the same as having to be talentless.
5. “Kill them with success. Bury them with a smile.”
Your haters will feel a sting every time something good happens to you. Make sure that they see you living your dream life, and enjoy the satisfaction that follows.
6. “People respond to how we’re dressed, so like it or not this is what you have to do.”
Forget about other people, even your mental state is affected by your attire! If you want to be productive, then dress accordingly.
7. “Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.”
This Harvey specter quote has a cautionary note to it. We often have grand ideas of achievement we mistakenly think of as "unrealistic". Keep walking towards that goal. If you give up, then you will regret not having tried hard enough.
8. “According to me’ is the only ‘according to’ that matters.”
The addition of 'According to ..' in any statement shows that the speaker is expressing their perspective. Perspectives are not rigid rules, they are subjective constructs. People will try and make you fit within their constructs, but remember that you only have to stick to yours.
9. “If you kinda sorta try, then you kinda sorta fail.”
It is an injustice to yourself if you are putting in half-hearted efforts towards your goals. You can achieve so much more if you work to your full potential, wasting that talent is another form of failure.
10. “I’m against having emotions, not against using them.”
This quote does not imply that you should turn into an unfeeling ghost. You cannot numb yourself completely, but you can use your emotions to empower yourself.
11. “Ever loved someone so much, you would do anything for them? Yeah, well make that someone yourself and do whatever the hell you want.”
Self-love and acceptance pave the way for everything else that is good. Love yourself more than anyone/anything else, even your goals! Keeping this in mind, work hard for yourself, not for the world.
12. “Sorry, I can’t hear you over the sound of how awesome I am.”
Only a few Harvey specter quotes are this blatantly silly because awesomeness is not a sound. Harvey does not care, because he said what he said. The only validation you need is from yourself. You will make mistakes throughout your journey, but do not let it cloud your positive self-image.
13. “It’s not bragging if it’s true.”
Showcasing your achievements is a western ideal. You do not have to do it if it makes you uneasy. However, some situations reward this seemingly obnoxious behaviour, so act accordingly.
14. “If they think you care, they’ll walk all over you.”
If people know that they can push your buttons, they will drive you to the edge. It is our instinct to prey on the naive and weak. The best way to protect yourself is indifference.
15. “Have goals so big you get uncomfortable telling small minded people.”
Most people keep their goals within a boundary. Unsurprisingly, big, farfetched ambition will make them cringe. This is indeed one of the best Harvey specter quotes ever.
16. “Life has two rules: 1. Never quit. 2. Always remember rule #1.”
You have seen this quote floating around on social media at least once. You do not need to be a fan of the series to know what it means. Some Harvey specter quotes never get old.
17. “97% of people who gave up are employed by the 3% who never gave up.”
Most people in the world will stay average. You can take reality for a ride by reaching the top, provided you dream big, work hard and stay persistent.
18. “I refuse to answer that on the grounds I don’t want to.”
As mentioned earlier, you always have a choice.
19. “Anyone can do my job, but no one can be me.”
Your quality of work is a part of your identity. We often see an expected standard of quality when we start working in a new position. Those standards are established and maintained by successful people, who strived to set the bar higher.
20. “I don’t have dreams, I have goals.”
The difference is that goals are approached with plans, dedication and excitement. Dreams are not attained, but goals are. Dreams give temporary satisfaction, goals are a lifetime pursuit.
21. “Focus on making yourself better. Not on thinking that you are better.”
The immediate response to anyone who threatens our self-esteem is often arrogance. It stems from our aggression and insecurity. It is more rational to get rid of that insecurity by working towards betterment rather than self-manipulation.
22. “I’m working on myself, for myself, by myself."
This quote is about self-centeredness and self-reliance. The only person you can trust completely is yourself, so strive to be the best version.
23. “Don’t waste your time with explanations. People only hear what they want to hear.”
It sounds harsh, but other people cannot see what you do. On the contrary, you cannot see what they do. Do not try to explain yourself beyond a certain point, because it is futile.
24. “Whoever is trying to bring you down is already below you.”
Keeping this in mind, do not try to bring others down for your sake.
25. “Let them hate. Just make sure they spell your name right.”
People will hate you irrespective of your actions. They will judge you for winning, and for losing. The only difference is that there will be some respect involved if you are a winner.
26. “Life is a game. Play to win.”
It is one of the Harvey specter quotes which point towards a personality change necessary for being successful. Winners play with their eyes on the trophy. People who play for enjoyment do not win.
27. “When you’re backed against the wall, break the goddamn thing down.”
Break it or climb over it, either way, do not remain stuck. Dead ends need more creativity and grit after all.
28. “Winners don’t make excuses.”
The takeaway is to realize when you are engaging in this counterproductive behaviours. Keep an excuse jar, ask someone else to monitor your behaviour, do anything but turn yourself around.
29. “I’m not interested in great, I want to know who its Daddy is.”
This quote is the recipe to greatness. Every great person strived to raise the bar higher than their person before them. Always strive to raise the bar.
30. “Don’t raise your voice, improve your argument.”
Literally and figuratively, arrogance only makes you look bad. Improve yourself and let your results speak for themselves.
31. “Win a no win situation by rewriting the rules.”
The path to high achievement is not the same for everyone. Change your method to fit your situation. Winning requires some innovative ideas.
32. “That’s the difference between you and me. You wanna lose small, I wanna win big.”
Change your frame of reference. People who think about minimizing losses have already failed. Think from a perspective of winning and do not leave any room for failure.
33. “I like to smile at people who don’t like me.”
People who dislike you want to see you suffer. Do not satisfy them with your agony instead show them all the happiness you can.
34. “When achieving your goal is more important than partying, welcome to the 1%.”
Sacrifices are a necessary evil for success. You will have to forget about some simple pleasures if you want to achieve your goals.
35. “Sometimes good guys gotta do bad things to make the bad guys pay.”
While you may/may not be in a position to teach someone a lesson; the fact stands that sometimes doing amoral things is necessary. Especially, to make someone else realize how terrible they are.
Let us take a closer look at the last quote. Following these Harvey specter quotes blindly already removes you from the "good guy" category. It is incredibly self-centred and even a little narcissist. You might have to come to terms with your new personality for the sake of your goals. Beyond values like hard work and persistence, his character is a reflection of society. Several people embody the same work ethic as Harvey, but all of them do not get to be on the top. Climbing the ladder of success is much more than just work. It is a matter of developing the right personality. The values of humility, empathy and mercy are futile as far as success is concerned.