--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My work is trying to at least define…" description: "\"My work is trying to at least define myself on my own terms, and then if other people enjoy things that's a lovely addition.\" — Bo Burnham" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/bo-burnham-1313_enjoy_my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-mys_2564404.png" --- # My work is trying to at least define myself on my own… ![“My work is trying to at least define myself on my own terms, and then if other people enjoy things that's a lovely addition.” quote by Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/bo-burnham-1313_enjoy_my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-mys_2564404.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/bo-burnham-1313_enjoy_my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-mys_2564404.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/bo-burnham-1313_enjoy_my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-mys_2564404.png) > “My work is trying to at least define myself on my own terms, and then if other people enjoy things that's a lovely addition.” [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He defines himself on his own terms, valuing external appreciation as a bonus. **In simple terms:** Self-definition first, others’ approval second. Key Takeaway Define yourself before seeking approval. Themes self‑identity creativity validation Mood introspective creative Type artistic personal When to use this quote - creative work - public performance - social media Key Concepts artistic autonomy personal branding Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure personal success? - When is external feedback helpful? A Different Perspective External validation can still shape self‑perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Define Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-myself/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [People seem to enjoy things more when they know a lot of other people have been left out of the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-baker/people-seem-to-enjoy-things-more-when-they-know-a-lot-of-other-people/) [Russell Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-baker/) > [Look thy last on all things lovely, Every hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/look-thy-last-on-all-things-lovely-every-hour/) [Walter de La Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [“- Then… it was like… I don’t even know how to describe it. Color and light and music and life and joy and love……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/then-it-was-like-i-don-t-even-know-how-to-describe-it-color-and-light/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“You are like the beach at dawn when the fog comes in; each of those things is lovely on its own, but together, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-blake/you-are-like-the-beach-at-dawn-when-the-fog-comes-in-each-of-those/) [Deborah Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-blake/) > [Get your work in, do what you need do, and get back up top. I'm a little bit behind the curve as far as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/get-your-work-in-do-what-you-need-do-and-get-back-up-top-i-m-a-little/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [Some one at work always trying to ear hustle on us... Like damn! I'm 31 I can say what ever I want..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/some-one-at-work-always-trying-to-ear-hustle-on-us-like-damn-i-m-31-i/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Having gotten TV shows on the air, that's so much less work that trying to get the 'Veronica Mars' movie made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/having-gotten-tv-shows-on-the-air-that-s-so-much-less-work-that/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [I've got wonderful people I get to work with, and I'm trying to focus on that, instead of worrying about, Aw, who doesn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-ve-got-wonderful-people-i-get-to-work-with-and-i-m-trying-to-focus/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [“Try to be patient and wait for God time to come and see how thing will work for you. Keep trying and never stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-simon/try-to-be-patient-and-wait-for-god-time-to-come-and-see-how-thing/) Don Simon > [Or if I have my head in the results, I can't work with what I have, because I'm trying to force something to happen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-mattea/or-if-i-have-my-head-in-the-results-i-can-t-work-with-what-i-have/) [Kathy Mattea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-mattea/) > [I've always seen my work as trying to make the connection with men who no one really spends time with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/i-ve-always-seen-my-work-as-trying-to-make-the-connection-with-men/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [Every movie I make I find kind of excruciating. I get a lot back from it, but I feel like I'm kind of always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/every-movie-i-make-i-find-kind-of-excruciating-i-get-a-lot-back-from/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [Most senators are just going to work and trying to do a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-gregg/most-senators-are-just-going-to-work-and-trying-to-do-a-job/) [Judd Gregg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-gregg/) > [“Things will work out. Keep trying. Be believing. Don't get discouraged. Things will work out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/things-will-work-out-keep-trying-be-believing-don-t-get-discouraged/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [I'm not giving up on my work. I'm still trying to challenge people's aesthetics and myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guido-palau/i-m-not-giving-up-on-my-work-i-m-still-trying-to-challenge-people-s/) [Guido Palau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guido-palau/) ## More by Bo Burnham > [The strange thing with Wikipedia is that the first article that ever gets written about you will define your Wikipedia page forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/the-strange-thing-with-wikipedia-is-that-the-first-article-that-ever/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [“Well, man, you know what they say." No, I don't. I don't know what they say. I don't even know who they are. Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/well-man-you-know-what-they-say-no-i-don-t-i-don-t-know-what-they-say/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [And there's a metal train that's a mile long and at the very back end a lightning bolt struck her, How long til it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/and-there-s-a-metal-train-that-s-a-mile-long-and-at-the-very-back-end/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Women are like fingers and toes because they're easy to count on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/women-are-like-fingers-and-toes-because-they-re-easy-to-count-on/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I do think that stand-up comedy in general heavily favors masculinity and so I like to act a little feminine onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-do-think-that-stand-up-comedy-in-general-heavily-favors-masculinity/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Most of my songs make fun of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/most-of-my-songs-make-fun-of-myself/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I write about what I know: teenage dating, overly charged sexuality, all the things that make you uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-write-about-what-i-know-teenage-dating-overly-charged-sexuality-all/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [People give me money and I don't know why, my real collection plate is an empty cup held by a homeless guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/people-give-me-money-and-i-don-t-know-why-my-real-collection-plate-is/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Comedy doesn't really matter that much; I know that. I treat it like an adult - I don't treat it like a child or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/comedy-doesn-t-really-matter-that-much-i-know-that-i-treat-it-like-an/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I've always liked the format of YouTube, sharing things for free, which is a nice exchange between people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-ve-always-liked-the-format-of-youtube-sharing-things-for-free-which/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [Comedy is very strange to me and I don't fully understand it's purpose or function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/comedy-is-very-strange-to-me-and-i-don-t-fully-understand-it-s/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I don't really care about capitalizing on momentum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/i-don-t-really-care-about-capitalizing-on-momentum/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [If your belief is hateful towards people, I couldn't respect that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/if-your-belief-is-hateful-towards-people-i-couldn-t-respect-that/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [When life gets you down, make a comforter!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/when-life-gets-you-down-make-a-comforter/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) [Explore all 258 Bo Burnham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) ## More Enjoy quotes > [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/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [The Fringe is by far my favorite time of year; I like everything about it. But there are people I know who are much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-horne/the-fringe-is-by-far-my-favorite-time-of-year-i-like-everything-about/) [Alex Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-horne/) > [I remember that the bass was turned up slightly more on the mix from last week, and I thought that was good - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ronson/i-remember-that-the-bass-was-turned-up-slightly-more-on-the-mix-from/) [Mark Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ronson/) > [The Germans will make a few scattered attacks, then go away. The Romans will enjoy a fine September.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-badoglio/the-germans-will-make-a-few-scattered-attacks-then-go-away-the-romans/) Pietro Badoglio > [I don't enjoy killing, but when done righteously, it's just a chore, like any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua/i-don-t-enjoy-killing-but-when-done-righteously-it-s-just-a-chore/) [Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua/) > [I enjoy upsetting the right people. I love poking fun at earnest censors. I want to push the bounds of what can be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/i-enjoy-upsetting-the-right-people-i-love-poking-fun-at-earnest/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [I don't own a yacht or a flashy car. I've always had safe cars because I do so much driving. I don't think I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-don-t-own-a-yacht-or-a-flashy-car-i-ve-always-had-safe-cars-because/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I really enjoy hosting, not necessarily because it provides more airtime, but because it allows me to be a part of more substantive discussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/i-really-enjoy-hosting-not-necessarily-because-it-provides-more/) [Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/) [Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/) > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Certainly, it is. Love is love, and loss is loss. We all love, and we all die, and everyone suffers the pain of grieving.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynsay-sands/certainly-it-is-love-is-love-and-loss-is-loss-we-all-love-and-we-all/) [Lynsay Sands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynsay-sands/) Browse all 13,068 Enjoy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My work is trying to at least define myself on my own terms, and then if other people enjoy things that's a lovely addition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bo Burnham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-myself-on-my-own-terms-and-then/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enjoy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-myself-on-my-own-terms-and-then/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/bo-burnham-1313_enjoy_my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-mys_2564404.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/bo-burnham-1313_enjoy_my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-mys_2564404.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09e/bo-burnham-1313_enjoy_my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-mys_2564404.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My work is trying to at least define myself on my own terms, and then if other people enjoy things that's a…” — Bo Burnham", "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": "Bo Burnham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My work is trying to at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-myself-on-my-own-terms-and-then/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/my-work-is-trying-to-at-least-define-myself-on-my-own-terms-and-then/#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 } } ] } ```