--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not everybody will get it. People will…" description: "\"Not everybody will get it. People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. So get comfortable with being misunderstood, d..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/austin-kleon-1835_being-misunderstood_not-everybody-will-get-it-people-will-mi_3182968.jpg" --- # Not everybody will get it. People will misinterpret you… ![“Not everybody will get it. People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. So get comfortable with being misunderstood, disparaged, or ignored -- the trick is to be too busy doing your work to care.” quote by Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/austin-kleon-1835_being-misunderstood_not-everybody-will-get-it-people-will-mi_3182968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/austin-kleon-1835_being-misunderstood_not-everybody-will-get-it-people-will-mi_3182968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d7b/austin-kleon-1835_being-misunderstood_not-everybody-will-get-it-people-will-mi_3182968.jpg) > “Not everybody will get it. People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. So get comfortable with being misunderstood, disparaged, or ignored -- the trick is to be too busy doing your work to care.” [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. The author advises accepting misunderstanding and criticism while staying focused on productive work, suggesting that busyness shields against negative opinions. **In simple terms:** Ignore criticism by staying busy. Key Takeaway Stay focused, ignore the noise. Themes creativity criticism focus misunderstanding productivity Mood pragmatic encouraging Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - artistic projects - writing - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts self‑validation work ethic resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you differentiate useful feedback from noise? - When should you address criticism directly? A Different Perspective The approach may neglect legitimate feedback that could improve work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being misunderstood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-misunderstood/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Misunderstood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misunderstood/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [“People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. So get comfortable with being misunderstood, disparaged, or ignored—the trick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/people-will-misinterpret-you-and-what-you-do-they-might-even-call-you/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [I think a lot of people misinterpret what I'm doing because they think of it as just a joke or they think of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-spooner/i-think-a-lot-of-people-misinterpret-what-i-m-doing-because-they/) [Casey Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-spooner/) > [“I think that sometimes people misinterpret understand and acceptance and make it into something that it isn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sorensen/i-think-that-sometimes-people-misinterpret-understand-and-acceptance/) [Jessica Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sorensen/) > [Maybe if you play somebody in a certain world people sometimes misinterpret that it's a support of that world or that occupation or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/maybe-if-you-play-somebody-in-a-certain-world-people-sometimes/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [People misinterpret my lyrics sometimes too, but I mean, it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-ricch/people-misinterpret-my-lyrics-sometimes-too-but-i-mean-it-is-what-it/) [Roddy Ricch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-ricch/) > [My films are misinterpreted all the time. I don't mind that. Everybody's films are misinterpreted. But there's no malice or stupidity in the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/my-films-are-misinterpreted-all-the-time-i-don-t-mind-that-everybody/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [He is fond of being misunderstood. It gives him a post of vantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-is-fond-of-being-misunderstood-it-gives-him-a-post-of-vantage/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Jonathan sighed. The price of being misunderstood, he thought. They call you devil or they call you god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/jonathan-sighed-the-price-of-being-misunderstood-he-thought-they-call/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Being misunderstood by someone you care about and not getting the opportunity to explain yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-misunderstood-by-someone-you-care-about-and-not-getting-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest tragedy that can befall a poet is to be praised by being misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pattiann-rogers/the-greatest-tragedy-that-can-befall-a-poet-is-to-be-praised-by-being/) [Pattiann Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pattiann-rogers/) > [I'm quite comfortable now with being misunderstood. I don't really feel the need either to pander to it or to refute it. Just go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-m-quite-comfortable-now-with-being-misunderstood-i-don-t-really/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [My say nothing but do something way of doing things appears to be being misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-say-nothing-but-do-something-way-of-doing-things-appears-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is also the fate of leadership to be misunderstood. It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-also-the-fate-of-leadership-to-be-misunderstood-it-is-a-grave/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [No one has something original or important to say will willing we run the risk of being misunderstood; people who write obscurely are either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/no-one-has-something-original-or-important-to-say-will-willing-we-run/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [To refrain from storytelling is perhaps one of the highest forms of respect we can pay. Those people, with no stories to circle them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/to-refrain-from-storytelling-is-perhaps-one-of-the-highest-forms-of/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) ## 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 Being misunderstood quotes > [To refrain from storytelling is perhaps one of the highest forms of respect we can pay. Those people, with no stories to circle them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-marcus/to-refrain-from-storytelling-is-perhaps-one-of-the-highest-forms-of/) [Ben Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-marcus/) > [No one has something original or important to say will willing we run the risk of being misunderstood; people who write obscurely are either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/no-one-has-something-original-or-important-to-say-will-willing-we-run/) [William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/) > [It is also the fate of leadership to be misunderstood. It is a grave error for any leader to be oversensitive in the face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-also-the-fate-of-leadership-to-be-misunderstood-it-is-a-grave/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [My say nothing but do something way of doing things appears to be being misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-say-nothing-but-do-something-way-of-doing-things-appears-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When so many people misunderstand you, you learn not to try and explain yourself and wait for the people who actually try to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-hanthorn/when-so-many-people-misunderstand-you-you-learn-not-to-try-and/) Morgan Hanthorn > [Being with you was the dream that I never wanted to wake up from, but living without you is a nightmare that I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/destiny-n/being-with-you-was-the-dream-that-i-never-wanted-to-wake-up-from-but/) [Destiny N](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/destiny-n/) > [I'm quite comfortable now with being misunderstood. I don't really feel the need either to pander to it or to refute it. Just go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-m-quite-comfortable-now-with-being-misunderstood-i-don-t-really/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [The greatest tragedy that can befall a poet is to be praised by being misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pattiann-rogers/the-greatest-tragedy-that-can-befall-a-poet-is-to-be-praised-by-being/) [Pattiann Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pattiann-rogers/) > [Being misunderstood by someone you care about and not getting the opportunity to explain yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-misunderstood-by-someone-you-care-about-and-not-getting-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Jonathan sighed. The price of being misunderstood, he thought. They call you devil or they call you god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/jonathan-sighed-the-price-of-being-misunderstood-he-thought-they-call/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [He is fond of being misunderstood. It gives him a post of vantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-is-fond-of-being-misunderstood-it-gives-him-a-post-of-vantage/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Me being misunderstood is common, a little too common but it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-being-misunderstood-is-common-a-little-too-common-but-it-is-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ SADNESSES OF THE INTELLECT: Sadness of being misunderstood \[sic\]; Humor sadness; Sadness of love wit\[hou\]t release; Sadne\[ss of be\]ing smart; Sadness of not knowing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/sadnesses-of-the-intellect-sadness-of-being-misunderstood-sic-humor/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Some things we wont understand and we're both so tired of being misunderstood So let's just turn and walk away and hold on to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-things-we-wont-understand-and-we-re-both-so-tired-of-being/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mankind are in the end always governed by superiority of intellectual faculties, and none are more sensible of this than the military profession. When,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/mankind-are-in-the-end-always-governed-by-superiority-of-intellectual/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) [Browse all 63 Being misunderstood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-misunderstood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not everybody will get it. People will misinterpret you and what you do. They might even call you names. 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