--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always thought that I was lazy because…" description: "\"I always thought that I was lazy because I could never tell if I was working or not. I was making things, which doesn't seem like work.\" — Ari Marcopoulos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ari-marcopoulos-28910_ifs_i-always-thought-that-i-was-lazy-because_2006058.jpg" --- # I always thought that I was lazy because I could never… ![“I always thought that I was lazy because I could never tell if I was working or not. I was making things, which doesn't seem like work.” quote by Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ari-marcopoulos-28910_ifs_i-always-thought-that-i-was-lazy-because_2006058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ari-marcopoulos-28910_ifs_i-always-thought-that-i-was-lazy-because_2006058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ari-marcopoulos-28910_ifs_i-always-thought-that-i-was-lazy-because_2006058.jpg) > “I always thought that I was lazy because I could never tell if I was working or not. I was making things, which doesn't seem like work.” [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He redefines laziness, realizing creative work isn’t always conventional labor, challenging his self‑judgment. **In simple terms:** Creative work isn’t always “work.” Key Takeaway Redefine laziness. Themes creativity self‑perception work ethic Mood thoughtful introspective Type philosophical personal growth When to use this quote - artistic projects - entrepreneurship - daily routines Key Concepts identity productivity Questions to Reflect On - How do you label productive activity? - What defines “work” for you? A Different Perspective Not all creation feels like work, causing doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I'm actually really lazy. I tell myself, "Okay, you work six months out of the year and you have to get up at 4…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liana-liberato/i-m-actually-really-lazy-i-tell-myself-okay-you-work-six-months-out/) [Liana Liberato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liana-liberato/) > [Some teams thought I was lazy, some teams thought I didn't give effort 100 percent all of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-wood/some-teams-thought-i-was-lazy-some-teams-thought-i-didn-t-give-effort/) [Christian Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-wood/) > [As we were driving, we saw a sign that said, "Watch for Rocks." Martha said it should read "Watch for Pretty Rocks." I told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/as-we-were-driving-we-saw-a-sign-that-said-watch-for-rocks-martha/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Whenever I get frustrated, I tell myself, you could be working at a 7-Eleven right now, so never take for granted what you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannen-doherty/whenever-i-get-frustrated-i-tell-myself-you-could-be-working-at-a-7/) [Shannen Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannen-doherty/) > [Your heart will always tell you what’s working and what’s not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/your-heart-will-always-tell-you-what-s-working-and-what-s-not/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [They always tell me nobody's working as hard as you and even though I laugh it off man, it's probably true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/they-always-tell-me-nobody-s-working-as-hard-as-you-and-even-though-i/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [The always tell me no one is working as hard as you, and even though I laugh it off man its probably true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/the-always-tell-me-no-one-is-working-as-hard-as-you-and-even-though-i/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [If you talk to any actor, they'll tell you that working is the best thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cudmore/if-you-talk-to-any-actor-they-ll-tell-you-that-working-is-the-best/) [Daniel Cudmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cudmore/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [Opportunities look a lot like work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/opportunities-look-a-lot-like-work/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [Among actors, I'd like to work with Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-soni/among-actors-i-d-like-to-work-with-alia-bhatt-and-ranbir-kapoor/) [Karan Soni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-soni/) > [If it feels good coming out, then I really don't care about anything else, for real. It's all about just having fun with it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-faiyaz/if-it-feels-good-coming-out-then-i-really-don-t-care-about-anything/) [Brent Faiyaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-faiyaz/) > [There are people I would like to work with. Its a bit harder, because I live out in the sticks anyway, and plus being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wyatt/there-are-people-i-would-like-to-work-with-its-a-bit-harder-because-i/) [Robert Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wyatt/) > [If we do not like our work, and do not try to get happiness out of it, we are a menace to our profession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/if-we-do-not-like-our-work-and-do-not-try-to-get-happiness-out-of-it/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [I would like to work with whoever would like to have me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-would-like-to-work-with-whoever-would-like-to-have-me/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) ## More by Ari Marcopoulos > [My photography has really always been about what I feel I'm getting out of it. What people on the outside get doesn't concern me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/my-photography-has-really-always-been-about-what-i-feel-i-m-getting/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [I'm pretty solitary when I take pictures. Even when I take pictures of people, I just go about my own way of doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/i-m-pretty-solitary-when-i-take-pictures-even-when-i-take-pictures-of/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [I had visited New York at age 12, and I loved the big buildings and the swarms of people. At 23, I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/i-had-visited-new-york-at-age-12-and-i-loved-the-big-buildings-and/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [I have always made films simultaneously, so they go hand in hand. I think that my books are like films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/i-have-always-made-films-simultaneously-so-they-go-hand-in-hand-i/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [Sometimes when people look at the work I've done with my family, they think it's autobiographical. But it really isn't. It's more about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/sometimes-when-people-look-at-the-work-i-ve-done-with-my-family-they/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [I am excited about more than just youth culture, and youth is also stretching a bit longer now. But I have to say resistance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/i-am-excited-about-more-than-just-youth-culture-and-youth-is-also/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [In New York, unlike Holland, there are newspaper stands on every corner. That was a big headline all over the city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/in-new-york-unlike-holland-there-are-newspaper-stands-on-every-corner/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [Holland is a fairly small country, and in a weird way, somewhat conservative. That might surprise people because it is a very tolerant place,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/holland-is-a-fairly-small-country-and-in-a-weird-way-somewhat/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [Dates can be important. It's a nice way to remember when I took the photo without having to rack my brain or look in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/dates-can-be-important-it-s-a-nice-way-to-remember-when-i-took-the/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [When you're with people that are aware of the fact that you're a photographer, they'll say, "Oh, look at that! That's something to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/when-you-re-with-people-that-are-aware-of-the-fact-that-you-re-a/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [Holland is a fairly small country, and in a weird way, somewhat conservative. That might surprise people because it is a very tolerant place,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/holland-is-a-fairly-small-country-and-in-a-weird-way-somewhat-2/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [I do feel a kinship with anthropology or ethnography, although when you hear those terms you think of something exotic. Generally, photographic anthropology has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/i-do-feel-a-kinship-with-anthropology-or-ethnography-although-when/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [The place where I am is always my favorite place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/the-place-where-i-am-is-always-my-favorite-place/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [A lot of my work comes through accidents or circumstances that just happen to present themselves. I have to realize that something is presenting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/a-lot-of-my-work-comes-through-accidents-or-circumstances-that-just/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) > [In Holland, things were pretty stale for me. Even though there were a lot of good influences and a certain openness to music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-marcopoulos/in-holland-things-were-pretty-stale-for-me-even-though-there-were-a/) [Ari Marcopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) [Explore all 19 Ari Marcopoulos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-marcopoulos/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always thought that I was lazy because I could never tell if I was working or not. 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