--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always have a few ideas that are…" description: "\"I always have a few ideas that are percolating, and then after I've finished a book and it's a year later, and things are sort of festering and things ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/colson-whitehead-1042_back-to-work_i-always-have-a-few-ideas-that-are-perco_859035.png" --- # I always have a few ideas that are percolating, and then… ![“I always have a few ideas that are percolating, and then after I've finished a book and it's a year later, and things are sort of festering and things are disgusting in my house and I have to get back to work, whatever project I keep thinking about is the one I end up working on. Sort of a very…” quote by Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/colson-whitehead-1042_back-to-work_i-always-have-a-few-ideas-that-are-perco_859035.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/colson-whitehead-1042_back-to-work_i-always-have-a-few-ideas-that-are-perco_859035.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6e/colson-whitehead-1042_back-to-work_i-always-have-a-few-ideas-that-are-perco_859035.png) > “I always have a few ideas that are percolating, and then after I've finished a book and it's a year later, and things are sort of festering and things are disgusting in my house and I have to get back to work, whatever project I keep thinking about is the one I end up working on. Sort of a very simple process of elimination.” [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas linger until they become urgent, then they surface as the next project when circumstances force attention. **In simple terms:** Ideas stay hidden until they become urgent. Key Takeaway Act on ideas when they become urgent. Themes creativity productivity focus Mood reflective determined Type advice personal narrative When to use this quote - writing - research - home renovation - personal projects Key Concepts psychology of procrastination idea incubation Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which idea to pursue? - What triggers the shift from thought to action? A Different Perspective Ideas may be ignored too long, losing relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Back to work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-to-work/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Disgusting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disgusting/) [Elimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elimination/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Festering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/festering/) [Festering Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/festering-things-831109/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Get back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-back/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Percolating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-percolating-655055/) [Percolating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percolating-831111/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Project Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/project-thinking-831110/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I try to just be open to what the next experience is and how it makes me feel, just reading a project, or trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-try-to-just-be-open-to-what-the-next-experience-is-and-how-it-makes/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I can write two scripts concurrently, but I usually prefer to do one at a time. 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