Going to work for a large company is like getting on a train.
Going to work for a large company is like getting on a train. Are you going sixty miles an hour or is the train going sixty miles an hour and you're just sitting still?
J. Paul Getty, titan of industry and seeker of fortune, once declared: “Going to work for a large company is like getting on a train. Are you going sixty miles an hour or is the train going sixty miles an hour and you’re just sitting still?” In this image of the train, he unveils the question of true achievement: is the speed of progress one’s own, or merely the momentum of a greater machine carrying the individual along?
The ancients understood this dilemma, though they spoke of ships rather than trains. A sailor aboard a mighty vessel may boast of swift passage, yet the speed belongs to the ship, not to his own arms. So too in the halls of a large company—one may appear to be moving, advancing, succeeding, when in truth it is the enterprise, not the individual, that propels forward. The soul must ask itself: is this my power, or am I only a passenger?
Getty’s words are both warning and challenge. To rely solely on the momentum of others is to risk illusion, mistaking borrowed motion for personal growth. The man who sits still upon the train may deceive himself into thinking he has traveled far, when he has not taken a single step. True work, true achievement, lies not in being carried, but in walking, striving, and building with one’s own strength.
Yet there is also wisdom in choosing when to ride. A great company, like a great ship, can carry one farther than solitary effort ever could. To harness its momentum wisely is no sin—if one remembers to keep walking within it, to carve one’s own path even as the whole advances. The danger lies only in forgetting, in mistaking the company’s speed for one’s own.
Let the generations remember: measure your progress not by the motion of the train you ride, but by the steps of your own soul. Ride the great engines of the world if you must, but do not fall asleep upon them. As Getty teaches, the question of life is not how fast the train is moving, but whether you yourself are truly moving—or merely being carried along.
KVKhanh Vu
The metaphor of the train really resonates with how I view some corporate environments. It makes me think about my own career path and whether I'm actively driving it forward. In big companies, there can be a sense of being carried along, but how do we make sure we're not just going through the motions? Can we take charge of our own trajectory, even if the company is going fast?
TNDuc Thang Nguyen
I think this quote speaks to a lot of people who may feel like they are just part of the machine in big corporations. Are they really contributing, or are they just following orders? It can be frustrating to feel like you're not advancing at the pace you’d like, even though the company seems to be thriving. It raises the question: should we seek out smaller companies or more independent roles to feel like we're in control of our career?
THluong trong hieu
Getty’s analogy about the train is a powerful reminder about the importance of engagement in your work. If you're not actively moving forward, it could feel like you're stuck in neutral, even if the company is growing rapidly. But how can we tell when we're just going along for the ride versus truly making progress? And when do we make the decision to get off and take control of our own journey?
NNLe Nhi Nguyen
I find this quote very thought-provoking, especially in terms of career growth. If you're just sitting still, it could mean you're not challenging yourself enough, or perhaps you’re not in the right environment. But what if the company’s goals and values don’t align with yours? Does that mean you're not really moving forward? It's hard to find motivation when the train’s momentum isn’t taking you where you want to go.
NKTrang Nha Ky
This quote makes me think about the level of control we really have in our careers. It feels like a metaphor for how people sometimes work within large organizations—being part of a bigger system that moves at its own pace. Are we actively driving our careers, or are we just being carried along? I wonder how many people actually feel like they have agency in such environments.