--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I'd waited to know who I was or what I…" description: "\"If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about before I started \"being creative,\" well, I'd still be sitting around trying to figure myself out in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/austin-kleon-1835_be-creative_if-i-d-waited-to-know-who-i-was-or-what_2037768.png" --- # If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about before… ![“If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about before I started "being creative," well, I'd still be sitting around trying to figure myself out instead of making things. In my experience, it's in the act of making things and doing our work that we figure out who we are.” quote by Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/austin-kleon-1835_be-creative_if-i-d-waited-to-know-who-i-was-or-what_2037768.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/austin-kleon-1835_be-creative_if-i-d-waited-to-know-who-i-was-or-what_2037768.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15a/austin-kleon-1835_be-creative_if-i-d-waited-to-know-who-i-was-or-what_2037768.png) > “If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about before I started "being creative," well, I'd still be sitting around trying to figure myself out instead of making things. In my experience, it's in the act of making things and doing our work that we figure out who we are.” [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creativity reveals identity; making things teaches who we are. **In simple terms:** Making reveals self. Key Takeaway Create to discover yourself. Themes creativity self-discovery identity action Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artist projects - writing - design - personal experiments Key Concepts identity formation creative process learning by doing Questions to Reflect On - What does your current work say about you? - How can you balance creation with self‑reflection? A Different Perspective Creating may distract from introspection if not reflective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [“Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-wait-until-you-know-who-you-are-to-get-started-if-i-d-waited-to/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [My mom put me in this extracurricular dance class when I was a kid. And so I think that just started the creative part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ncuti-gatwa/my-mom-put-me-in-this-extracurricular-dance-class-when-i-was-a-kid/) [Ncuti Gatwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ncuti-gatwa/) > [I started out with three creative jobs - painter, janitor and gag writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hanna/i-started-out-with-three-creative-jobs-painter-janitor-and-gag-writer/) [William Hanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hanna/) > [There's a moment in one's life when you should really be de-accessorizing instead of making more collections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/there-s-a-moment-in-one-s-life-when-you-should-really-be-de/) [Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/) > [Instead of making her your number one, make her your only one :) x](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lloyd/instead-of-making-her-your-number-one-make-her-your-only-one-x/) [Rob Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lloyd/) > [When we have a brilliant idea, instead of making others think it is ours, why not let them cook and stir the idea themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/when-we-have-a-brilliant-idea-instead-of-making-others-think-it-is/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [I decided that instead of making jokes about politics, I need to take part in it, and therefore, I can't make jokes and participate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandi-toksvig/i-decided-that-instead-of-making-jokes-about-politics-i-need-to-take/) [Sandi Toksvig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandi-toksvig/) > [Instead of making a resolution to learn how to code in 2013, you might make a resolution to learn how to draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auren-hoffman/instead-of-making-a-resolution-to-learn-how-to-code-in-2013-you-might/) [Auren Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auren-hoffman/) > [It's in the act of making things that we figure out who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/it-s-in-the-act-of-making-things-that-we-figure-out-who-we-are/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [The thing is: It takes a lot of energy to be creative. You don't have that energy if you waste it on other stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-thing-is-it-takes-a-lot-of-energy-to-be-creative-you-don-t-have/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [I always knew I wanted to create. I used to sit in my room for hours drawing and making things. I once got into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-temperley/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-create-i-used-to-sit-in-my-room-for-hours/) [Alice Temperley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-temperley/) > [I was much more interested in making things than in designing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-newson/i-was-much-more-interested-in-making-things-than-in-designing-them/) [Marc Newson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-newson/) > [It's really not easy to be an artist. It's not easy to put yourself out there and be honest. I'm making things that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kali-uchis/it-s-really-not-easy-to-be-an-artist-it-s-not-easy-to-put-yourself/) [Kali Uchis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kali-uchis/) > [If it's either food or woodworking or brewing... I particularly like making things that I can share with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/if-it-s-either-food-or-woodworking-or-brewing-i-particularly-like/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [You can go as far back as fifth grade, and you will find me tinkering with media and computers, making things that are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sloan/you-can-go-as-far-back-as-fifth-grade-and-you-will-find-me-tinkering/) [Robin Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sloan/) ## More by Austin Kleon > [“The thing is, you can cut off a couple passions and only focus on one, but after a while, you’ll start to feel phantom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-thing-is-you-can-cut-off-a-couple-passions-and-only-focus-on-one/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Don't think of your website as a self-promotion machine, think of it as a self-invention machine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-think-of-your-website-as-a-self-promotion-machine-think-of-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“We want you to take from us. We want you, at first, to steal from us, because you can’t steal. You will take what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/we-want-you-to-take-from-us-we-want-you-at-first-to-steal-from-us/) [austin kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Validation is for parking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/validation-is-for-parking/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“If you want fans, you have to be a fan first. If you want to be accepted by a community, you have to first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/if-you-want-fans-you-have-to-be-a-fan-first-if-you-want-to-be/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Social media sites are the perfect place to share daily updates. Don’t worry about being on every platform; pick and choose based on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/social-media-sites-are-the-perfect-place-to-share-daily-updates-don-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Writing a page a day doesn't seem like much, but do it for 365 days and you have enough to fill a novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/writing-a-page-a-day-doesn-t-seem-like-much-but-do-it-for-365-days/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Be boring. (It’s the only way to get work done.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/be-boring-it-s-the-only-way-to-get-work-done/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn't online, it doesn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/it-sounds-a-little-extreme-but-in-this-day-and-age-if-your-work-isn-t/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-wait-until-you-know-who-you-are-to-get-started-if-i-d-waited-to/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Your brain gets too comfortable in your everyday surroundings. You need to make it uncomfortable. You need to spend some time in another land,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/your-brain-gets-too-comfortable-in-your-everyday-surroundings-you/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Nothing is more paralyzing than the idea of limitless possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/nothing-is-more-paralyzing-than-the-idea-of-limitless-possibilities/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Whenever Picasso learned how to do something, he abandoned it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-picasso-learned-how-to-do-something-he-abandoned-it/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“The writer Jonathan Lethem has said that when people call something “original,” nine out of ten times they just don’t know the references or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/the-writer-jonathan-lethem-has-said-that-when-people-call-something/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“Stock and flow” is an economic concept that writer Robin Sloan has adapted into a metaphor for media: “Flow is the feed. It’s the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/stock-and-flow-is-an-economic-concept-that-writer-robin-sloan-has/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) [Explore all 204 Austin Kleon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## More Be creative quotes > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [To be creative means to connect. It's to abolish the gap between the body, the mind and the soul, between science and art, between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawal-el-saadawi/to-be-creative-means-to-connect-it-s-to-abolish-the-gap-between-the/) [Nawal El Saadawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawal-el-saadawi/) > [Attempt to be creative for the joy it brings… Select something like music, dance, sculpture, or poetry. Being creative will help you enjoy life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/attempt-to-be-creative-for-the-joy-it-brings-select-something-like/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > ['Born This Way' is shaping up to be creative ecstasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurieann-gibson/born-this-way-is-shaping-up-to-be-creative-ecstasy/) [Laurieann Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurieann-gibson/) > [Women need a space to be creative -- creativity thrives in solitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sark/women-need-a-space-to-be-creative-creativity-thrives-in-solitude/) [Sark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sark/) > [Held in the palms of thousands of disgruntled people over the centuries have been ideas worth millions - if they only had taken the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hayes/held-in-the-palms-of-thousands-of-disgruntled-people-over-the/) Robert M. Hayes > [To lose your everyday life of surfing and being creative on waves, enjoying the ocean - that's scary to me. It was essential to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/to-lose-your-everyday-life-of-surfing-and-being-creative-on-waves/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [Trusting people to be creative and constructive when given more freedom does not imply an overly optimistic belief in the perfectibility of human nature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/trusting-people-to-be-creative-and-constructive-when-given-more/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [I do like to be creative and I'm very lucky that I've been given different areas in which I'm able to do that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-brien/i-do-like-to-be-creative-and-i-m-very-lucky-that-i-ve-been-given/) [Richard O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-brien/) > [I miss the city Bret and I live in, Wellington. It's a good place to be creative, in the same way New York is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemaine-clement/i-miss-the-city-bret-and-i-live-in-wellington-it-s-a-good-place-to-be/) [Jemaine Clement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemaine-clement/) > [I do explore the emotion every once in a while. I'd like to think you don't stop being creative once you get happy. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-do-explore-the-emotion-every-once-in-a-while-i-d-like-to-think-you/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I stopped doing comics because I found the pressure really high to nail it every time. It's really difficult to be creative all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beaton/i-stopped-doing-comics-because-i-found-the-pressure-really-high-to/) [Kate Beaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beaton/) > [If you never venture outside the box, you will probably not be creative. But if you never get inside the box, you will certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-peterson/if-you-never-venture-outside-the-box-you-will-probably-not-be/) [Christopher Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-peterson/) > [I got into acting because I wanted to act and I love acting. That's my true north: to be creative and to be challenged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/i-got-into-acting-because-i-wanted-to-act-and-i-love-acting-that-s-my/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [ I don't know that Brandy \[Burre\] would ever categorize herself as being trapped, but I felt like I saw her being trapped. When she's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/i-don-t-know-that-brandy-burre-would-ever-categorize-herself-as-being/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) Browse all 489 Be creative quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about before I started \"being creative,\" well, I'd still be sitting around trying to figure myself out instead of making things. 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