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Justice & Law Quote by Ben Hecht

"There's only one law you gotta follow to keep outta trouble. Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doin' it"

About this Quote

Hecht’s “one law” doesn’t sound like morality; it sounds like operations. The language is deliberately unvarnished - “gotta,” “outta,” “doin’” - the voice of a guy who’s learned the hard way that virtue won’t save you, only initiative will. It’s advice posed as a creed, and the tough-guy simplicity is the point: reduce life to a single rule and you can act without waiting for permission, consensus, or rescue.

The intent is both practical and slightly predatory. “Do it first” is a pre-emptive strike against competition and scrutiny; “do it yourself” is distrust dressed up as self-reliance; “keep on doin’ it” is the kicker, suggesting trouble isn’t a one-time hazard but a recurring climate. Hecht is selling momentum as innocence: if you’re always moving, always producing, always ahead of the next person’s objections, you can claim the clean alibi of necessity.

Context matters because Hecht knew systems from the inside. As a Chicago newspaperman and later a Hollywood screenwriter, he lived in industries where speed beats purity, credit is slippery, and “trouble” often means contracts, bosses, censors, rivals. The quote reads like a survival note from deadline culture: hesitation invites interference. Its subtext is almost cynical about collective life - groups dilute responsibility and amplify blame. So you outrun the mess by staying indispensable, staying early, staying in motion. It’s not ethics. It’s a recipe for control.

Quote Details

TopicWork Ethic
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Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
Hecht, Ben. (2026, January 17). There's only one law you gotta follow to keep outta trouble. Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doin' it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-only-one-law-you-gotta-follow-to-keep-36938/

Chicago Style
Hecht, Ben. "There's only one law you gotta follow to keep outta trouble. Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doin' it." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-only-one-law-you-gotta-follow-to-keep-36938/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"There's only one law you gotta follow to keep outta trouble. Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doin' it." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-only-one-law-you-gotta-follow-to-keep-36938/. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.

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About the Author

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Ben Hecht (February 28, 1894 - April 18, 1964) was a Writer from USA.

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