--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's very easy to say, 'I could have done…" description: "\"It's very easy to say, 'I could have done that,' after someone's done it. But I did it. You didn't. It didn't exist until I did it.\" — Damien Hirst" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/damien-hirst-3219_done_it-s-very-easy-to-say-i-could-have-done_1964077.jpg" --- # It's very easy to say, 'I could have done that,' after… ![“It's very easy to say, 'I could have done that,' after someone's done it. But I did it. You didn't. It didn't exist until I did it.” quote by Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/damien-hirst-3219_done_it-s-very-easy-to-say-i-could-have-done_1964077.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/damien-hirst-3219_done_it-s-very-easy-to-say-i-could-have-done_1964077.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18f/damien-hirst-3219_done_it-s-very-easy-to-say-i-could-have-done_1964077.jpg) > “It's very easy to say, 'I could have done that,' after someone's done it. But I did it. You didn't. It didn't exist until I did it.” [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker claims personal achievement creates something that didn't exist before, emphasizing originality over hindsight. **In simple terms:** Doing something creates new reality. Key Takeaway Value originality. Themes creativity originality achievement Mood proud reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - artistic creation - business innovation - personal milestones - historical breakthroughs Key Concepts existentialism innovation Questions to Reflect On - What unique contribution can you make today? - How do you recognize true originality? A Different Perspective Original ideas may still be built on prior unseen influences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [When I met Dre, N.W.A. didn't exist, nor did Michel'le. And I think we had a chemistry. When started working on my stuff, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-le/when-i-met-dre-n-w-a-didn-t-exist-nor-did-michel-le-and-i-think-we-2/) [Michel'le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-le/) > [When I met Dre, N.W.A. didn't exist, nor did Michel'le. And I think we had a chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-le/when-i-met-dre-n-w-a-didn-t-exist-nor-did-michel-le-and-i-think-we/) [Michel'le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-le/) > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [“This book does not exist. And even if it did, it wouldn’t be worth buying or reading.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/this-book-does-not-exist-and-even-if-it-did-it-wouldn-t-be-worth/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Heroes don't exist. And if they did, I wouldn't be one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/heroes-don-t-exist-and-if-they-did-i-wouldn-t-be-one-of-them/) [Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/) > [Death doesn't exist. It never did, it never will. But we've drawn so many pictures of it, so many years, trying to pin it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/death-doesn-t-exist-it-never-did-it-never-will-but-we-ve-drawn-so/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Scripts didn't exist during my time in Bollywood, or, at least, I was never given one. I don't want to act at all and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twinkle-khanna/scripts-didn-t-exist-during-my-time-in-bollywood-or-at-least-i-was/) [Twinkle Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twinkle-khanna/) > [I'm not saying that the gas chambers didn't exist. 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I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-johnson/i-understand-that-nothing-is-easy-i-say-everything-happens-for-a/) [Shawn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-johnson/) > [Its easy to say, I love You but hard to express it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hellboy/its-easy-to-say-i-love-you-but-hard-to-express-it/) Hellboy > [“I'd only marry for love." "Easy to say when you're not illegal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-engel/i-d-only-marry-for-love-easy-to-say-when-you-re-not-illegal/) [Patricia Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-engel/) > [Be strong. Easy to say, hard to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-strong-easy-to-say-hard-to-do/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sneak out." He shrugged, as if that should have been a no-brainer. But that was easy for him to say. He was dead. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/sneak-out-he-shrugged-as-if-that-should-have-been-a-no-brainer-but/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) ## More by Damien Hirst > [I always look at money not as a motivating factor but as an element in the composition. You can't ignore it, but you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/i-always-look-at-money-not-as-a-motivating-factor-but-as-an-element/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Art goes on in your head. If you said something interesting, that might be a title for a work of art and I'd write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/art-goes-on-in-your-head-if-you-said-something-interesting-that-might/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Even as a kid in drawing class, I had real ambition. I wanted to be the best in the class, but there was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/even-as-a-kid-in-drawing-class-i-had-real-ambition-i-wanted-to-be-the/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Since I was a child, death is definitely something that I think about every day. But I think that everybody does. You try and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/since-i-was-a-child-death-is-definitely-something-that-i-think-about/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [But I think it's more that when you're young, you're invincible, you're immortal - or at least you think you are. The possibilities are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/but-i-think-it-s-more-that-when-you-re-young-you-re-invincible-you-re/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Museums are for dead artists. I'd never show my work in the Tate. You'd never get me in that place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/museums-are-for-dead-artists-i-d-never-show-my-work-in-the-tate-you-d/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [No, I don't believe in genius. I believe in freedom. I think anyone can do it. Anyone can be like Rembrandt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/no-i-don-t-believe-in-genius-i-believe-in-freedom-i-think-anyone-can/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Never let money get in the way of an idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/never-let-money-get-in-the-way-of-an-idea/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [I did a butterfly show in Berlin, and we had a guy who's an expert on butterflies; who bred them all and who looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/i-did-a-butterfly-show-in-berlin-and-we-had-a-guy-who-s-an-expert-on/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [There's no possible way you can get what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/there-s-no-possible-way-you-can-get-what-you-want/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [I believe all painting and art should be uplifting for the viewer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/i-believe-all-painting-and-art-should-be-uplifting-for-the-viewer/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [If the choice is between buying another building or a Pollock, I'd go for the Pollock every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/if-the-choice-is-between-buying-another-building-or-a-pollock-i-d-go/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Picasso, Michelangelo, possibly, might be verging on genius, but I don't think a painter like Rembrandt is a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/picasso-michelangelo-possibly-might-be-verging-on-genius-but-i-don-t/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [Making art, good art, is always a struggle. It can make you happy when you pull it off. There's no better feeling. It's beauteous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/making-art-good-art-is-always-a-struggle-it-can-make-you-happy-when/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) > [So smoking is the perfect way to commit suicide without actually dying. I smoke because it's bad, it's really simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-hirst/so-smoking-is-the-perfect-way-to-commit-suicide-without-actually/) [Damien Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) [Explore all 136 Damien Hirst quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-hirst/) ## More Done quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. 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The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [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/) > [Of everything I have done, 'The Archers' always gets the most excitement; there's a sort of uncontrollable joy from fans of the program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/of-everything-i-have-done-the-archers-always-gets-the-most-excitement/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) Browse all 25,653 Done quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's very easy to say, 'I could have done that,' after someone's done it. 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