--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever you're at a loss for what move…" description: "\"“Whenever you're at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, \"What would make a betterstory?”\" — Austin Kleon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move_397671.png" --- # Whenever you're at a loss for what move to make next, just… ![“Whenever you're at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, "What would make a betterstory?” quote by Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move_397671.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move_397671.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move_397671.png) > ““Whenever you're at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, "What would make a betterstory?”” [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. When uncertain, consider which action would create the most compelling narrative, using storytelling as a guide for decision‑making. **In simple terms:** Choose actions that make a better story. Key Takeaway Seek the most compelling outcome. Themes creativity decision‑making storytelling uncertainty Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - Writing projects - business strategy - personal goals Key Concepts Narrative framing creative problem solving Questions to Reflect On - What story do you want your life to tell? - How can narrative improve your choices? A Different Perspective Not all decisions fit a story model. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ask Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-make-434131/) [Ask yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-yourself/) [Just Ask](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-ask/) [Loss Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss-make-850393/) [Make Betterstory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-betterstory-3573510/) [Make Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-just-499325/) ## Related quotes > [I will find the good in this loss. I will make something happen that wouldn't have happened otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-giffin/i-will-find-the-good-in-this-loss-i-will-make-something-happen-that/) [Emily Giffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-giffin/) > [There are occasions when it is undoubtedly better to incur loss than to make gain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/there-are-occasions-when-it-is-undoubtedly-better-to-incur-loss-than/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [It is always better to ask then to make an assumption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/it-is-always-better-to-ask-then-to-make-an-assumption/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [Kids ask me about what they should do to make it, and I tell them, 'Just get your head down and work, work, work.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-young/kids-ask-me-about-what-they-should-do-to-make-it-and-i-tell-them-just/) [Ashley Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-young/) > [A little bit is not that much to ask to make things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-simpson/a-little-bit-is-not-that-much-to-ask-to-make-things-right/) [Jessica Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-simpson/) > [I ask you to make INSTITUTE a PRIORITY.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/i-ask-you-to-make-institute-a-priority/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [We all have our own ideas of what should be in a recipe, but if you want to go rogue and doctor somebody else's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-doocy/we-all-have-our-own-ideas-of-what-should-be-in-a-recipe-but-if-you/) [Steve Doocy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-doocy/) > [I know how to create and make people feel something. Honestly, if I didn't do this, I would just have some minimum-wage job in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-prinze-jr/i-know-how-to-create-and-make-people-feel-something-honestly-if-i/) [Freddie Prinze, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-prinze-jr/) > [Our music is just perfect for us because we make it just how we want to her it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kings-of-leon/our-music-is-just-perfect-for-us-because-we-make-it-just-how-we-want/) [Kings Of Leon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kings-of-leon/) > [“I was thinking what everyone is thinking all of the time: How can I make this last just a little bit longer?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lutz/i-was-thinking-what-everyone-is-thinking-all-of-the-time-how-can-i/) [Lisa Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lutz/) > [I gave my all, to make you my all or nothing, and now you're just nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-gave-my-all-to-make-you-my-all-or-nothing-and-now-you-re-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Make someone happy, Make just one someone happy, And you will be happy, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-durante/make-someone-happy-make-just-one-someone-happy-and-you-will-be-happy/) [Jimmy Durante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-durante/) > [The will of the people cannot make just that which is unjust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-acton/the-will-of-the-people-cannot-make-just-that-which-is-unjust/) [Lord Acton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-acton/) > [You can make just about anything good with ketchup, just not a marriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/below-zero/you-can-make-just-about-anything-good-with-ketchup-just-not-a-marriage/) [Below Zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/below-zero/) > [Unable to make what is just strong, we have made what is strong just.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/unable-to-make-what-is-just-strong-we-have-made-what-is-strong-just/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) ## 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. 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(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 Ask yourself quotes > [“If you want to stop smoking, ask yourself, do you do it because you love nicotine, or because it provides a burst of stimulation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/if-you-want-to-stop-smoking-ask-yourself-do-you-do-it-because-you/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-ve-written-about-persistence-and-perseverance-and-yet-for-those-of/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [When you experience difficulty at work or in your life, instead of looking back on it as something that was really challenging, look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-ghosn/when-you-experience-difficulty-at-work-or-in-your-life-instead-of/) [Caroline Ghosn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-ghosn/) > [“ask yourself how many people you have met who grumbled at a thing as incurable, and how many who attacked it as curable? How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/ask-yourself-how-many-people-you-have-met-who-grumbled-at-a-thing-as/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [“I have seen plenty of ‘Struggle minus Success’ stories where you are forced to ask yourself ‘Why to him/her?’. There are few questions unanswered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhavik-sarkhedi/i-have-seen-plenty-of-struggle-minus-success-stories-where-you-are/) [Bhavik Sarkhedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhavik-sarkhedi/) > [“What is true for you? What makes your heart smile? When do you feel most yourself? What do you love to do? Ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/what-is-true-for-you-what-makes-your-heart-smile-when-do-you-feel/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [“When a bad experience shakes your faith in humanity, hold those depressing thoughts and ask yourself. 1. How many things in life have you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drishti-bablani/when-a-bad-experience-shakes-your-faith-in-humanity-hold-those/) [Drishti Bablani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drishti-bablani/) > [“It is important you understand how fear affects you and how it drives human behavior so you can start to see situations and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-giles/it-is-important-you-understand-how-fear-affects-you-and-how-it-drives/) [Kimberly Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-giles/) > [“It is idle to talk always of the alternative of reason and faith. Reason is itself a matter of faith. It is an act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/it-is-idle-to-talk-always-of-the-alternative-of-reason-and-faith/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [Picture your life exactly the way you want it and then ask yourself, am I doing the things that will take me there? Take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-cook/picture-your-life-exactly-the-way-you-want-it-and-then-ask-yourself/) [Stephanie Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-cook/) > [“Just make sure you've taken a moment or two to ask yourself if it's really a need, and to reflect on the potential benefits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-laricchia/just-make-sure-you-ve-taken-a-moment-or-two-to-ask-yourself-if-it-s/) [Pam Laricchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-laricchia/) > [“Em's the first woman I've met who seems to be...well, the answer.' 'Answer to what?' He shrugged. 'All the questions, I suppose.' Fay looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-gillard/em-s-the-first-woman-i-ve-met-who-seems-to-be-well-the-answer-answer/) [Linda Gillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-gillard/) > [“Listen to what you tell yourself about your life situation. 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What are you waiting for?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/often-the-most-tricky-questions-are-the-ones-we-secretly-know-the/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) [Browse all 1,272 Ask yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ask-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whenever you're at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, \"What would make a betterstory?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Austin Kleon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move-to-make-next-just-ask/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ask yourself" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move-to-make-next-just-ask/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move_397671.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move_397671.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e4/austin-kleon-1835_ask-yourself_whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move_397671.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whenever you're at a loss for what move to make next, just ask yourself, \"What would make a betterstory?” — Austin Kleon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Austin Kleon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Whenever you're at a loss for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move-to-make-next-just-ask/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/whenever-you-re-at-a-loss-for-what-move-to-make-next-just-ask/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```