--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Often my best work comes from somebody…" description: "\"Often my best work comes from somebody trying to stretch me in a direction that I wouldn't normally want to go in. It's not something I fight at all.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/alan-menken-8351_best_often-my-best-work-comes-from-somebody-t_2568805.jpg" --- # Often my best work comes from somebody trying to stretch… ![“Often my best work comes from somebody trying to stretch me in a direction that I wouldn't normally want to go in. It's not something I fight at all.” quote by Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/alan-menken-8351_best_often-my-best-work-comes-from-somebody-t_2568805.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/alan-menken-8351_best_often-my-best-work-comes-from-somebody-t_2568805.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea7/alan-menken-8351_best_often-my-best-work-comes-from-somebody-t_2568805.jpg) > “Often my best work comes from somebody trying to stretch me in a direction that I wouldn't normally want to go in. It's not something I fight at all.” [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative growth often occurs when others challenge us to explore unfamiliar directions, which can be embraced rather than resisted. **In simple terms:** Being pushed into new areas sparks better work. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges from others. Themes growth creativity collaboration Mood motivated curious Type inspirational advice When to use this quote - artistic projects - career development - teamwork Key Concepts challenge stretch comfort zone Questions to Reflect On - How do you discern beneficial stretch from harmful pressure? - What strategies help you stay open to unexpected directions? A Different Perspective Not all pushes are constructive; some may misalign with personal values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [The goal is always just trying to stretch yourself as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-scott/the-goal-is-always-just-trying-to-stretch-yourself-as-an-actor/) [Andrew Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-scott/) > [We're trying to stretch our muscles creatively. It gives us so much more freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/we-re-trying-to-stretch-our-muscles-creatively-it-gives-us-so-much/) [Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/) > [I built a career on my archetype, and I'm grateful, but I'm trying to stretch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-grant/i-built-a-career-on-my-archetype-and-i-m-grateful-but-i-m-trying-to/) [Beth Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-grant/) > [“I’m great at making love, at least for the first 20 bucks, and for about 30 minutes after that I just sort of lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-m-great-at-making-love-at-least-for-the-first-20-bucks-and-for/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I feel like one of the things I'm trying most to do is stretch my empathetic reach, as far as it will go. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-shepard/i-feel-like-one-of-the-things-i-m-trying-most-to-do-is-stretch-my/) [Jim Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-shepard/) > [“I'm partly somebody else trying to fit in and say the right things and do the right thing and be in the right place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-sparks/i-m-partly-somebody-else-trying-to-fit-in-and-say-the-right-things-3/) [Beatrice Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beatrice-sparks/) > [I thought somebody was trying to put me on. Someone trying to poke fun at me. I'll tell you what, I didn't fall for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walsh/i-thought-somebody-was-trying-to-put-me-on-someone-trying-to-poke-fun/) [Bill Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walsh/) > [“It's tough out there, boy, and as long as there are people, there's gonna be somebody trying to take what you got and trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mildred-d-taylor/it-s-tough-out-there-boy-and-as-long-as-there-are-people-there-s/) [Mildred D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mildred-d-taylor/) > [Somebody trying to start something that ain't true… Muthafuckas crazy man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/somebody-trying-to-start-something-that-ain-t-true-muthafuckas-crazy/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [I don't really do without any plans. 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Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) ## More by Alan Menken > [I'm not interested in being the producer of somebody else's song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-m-not-interested-in-being-the-producer-of-somebody-else-s-song/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Every time I play 'Part of Your World,' a whole part of my life comes back to me. It's just inescapable - it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/every-time-i-play-part-of-your-world-a-whole-part-of-my-life-comes/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [My first success was 'Little Shop of Horrors,' and I had been working for years on jingles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/my-first-success-was-little-shop-of-horrors-and-i-had-been-working/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Part of the job is knowing how to use this medium in the most effective way for the story you're telling, so for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/part-of-the-job-is-knowing-how-to-use-this-medium-in-the-most/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I'll always work with my collaborator in the room so I have a reaction on a note-by-note basis. 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Going back for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/my-favorite-thing-is-a-brand-new-project-from-scratch-because-you/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Truth be told, of course, what I enjoy most is reinventing myself and doing new projects where I work in new genres, or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/truth-be-told-of-course-what-i-enjoy-most-is-reinventing-myself-and/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I love 'The Gospel Truth,' the song that opened up 'Hercules.' I thought that song was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-love-the-gospel-truth-the-song-that-opened-up-hercules-i-thought/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Collaboration is all about rewriting and rewriting and rewriting and helping each other to constantly improve a piece. And, it's also about spurring each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/collaboration-is-all-about-rewriting-and-rewriting-and-rewriting-and/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [I have the ability to clear the decks and focus on what's happening in the moment. And I get to spend my life doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/i-have-the-ability-to-clear-the-decks-and-focus-on-what-s-happening/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) > [Movies, there are moments when you're writing a song or demoing, a moment in the recording studio. Musicals much more just eat up your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-menken/movies-there-are-moments-when-you-re-writing-a-song-or-demoing-a/) [Alan Menken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) [Explore all 81 Alan Menken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-menken/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. 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