---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here was something that I did all the…"
description: "\"Here was something that I did all the time, and thought nothing of it, and it turns out the rest of the world thinks it's completely reprehensible. Tha..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/dan-wells-2142_animal_here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-ti_1993427.png"
---

#  Here was something that I did all the time, and thought…

![“Here was something that I did all the time, and thought nothing of it, and it turns out the rest of the world thinks it's completely reprehensible. That's when I knew I needed to change, so I started making rules. The first one was; Don't mess with animals.” quote by Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/dan-wells-2142_animal_here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-ti_1993427.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/dan-wells-2142_animal_here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-ti_1993427.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/dan-wells-2142_animal_here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-ti_1993427.png)

> “Here was something that I did all the time, and thought nothing of it, and it turns out the rest of the world thinks it's completely reprehensible. That's when I knew I needed to change, so I started making rules. The first one was; Don't mess with animals.”

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Personal habits once ignored can become socially unacceptable, prompting self‑regulation.

**In simple terms:** We can change habits when society disapproves.

Key Takeaway

Create personal rules to align with social norms.

Themes

self‑awareness behavior change social conformity

Mood

introspective motivational

Type

self‑help ethical guidance

When to use this quote

- workplace conduct
- animal welfare
- online etiquette
- personal development

Key Concepts

habit formation ethical boundaries personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- Which habit would you change first?
- What rule reflects your core values?

A Different Perspective

Rules may be too rigid, limiting flexibility.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Change Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-started-1617721/) [Completely Reprehensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completely-reprehensible-3468848/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Making Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-rules-603468/) [Mess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mess/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Reprehensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reprehensible/) [Reprehensible Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reprehensible-knew-3468847/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [When I went to jail with that problem with my wife, they didn't let me see my kids for two or three months, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-ramirez/when-i-went-to-jail-with-that-problem-with-my-wife-they-didn-t-let-me/)

[Manny Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-ramirez/)

> [It's strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq. I was cynical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walid-jumblatt/it-s-strange-for-me-to-say-it-but-this-process-of-change-has-started/)

[Walid Jumblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walid-jumblatt/)

> [I wanted to change my name when I first started because I thought, 'No-one is going to believe that it is my name.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-fender/i-wanted-to-change-my-name-when-i-first-started-because-i-thought-no/)

[Sam Fender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-fender/)

> [“I thought change started from within." "Sometimes. Sometimes it's forced upon you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/i-thought-change-started-from-within-sometimes-sometimes-it-s-forced/)

[Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/)

> [You can't change where you started, but you can change the direction you are going. It's not what you are going to do, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-can-t-change-where-you-started-but-you-can-change-the-direction/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [The moment I understood this - that my Parkinson's was the one thing I wasn't going to change - I started looking at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/the-moment-i-understood-this-that-my-parkinson-s-was-the-one-thing-i/)

[Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/)

> [I actually ended up going through a vocal change. It started about two years ago, and it's only been recently that I found my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/i-actually-ended-up-going-through-a-vocal-change-it-started-about-two/)

[Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/)

> [Just when I think I have learned the way to live, life changes and I am left the same. The more things change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/just-when-i-think-i-have-learned-the-way-to-live-life-changes-and-i/)

[Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/)

> [Curiously, only in sports do we agree to eschew technological advances, making rules, for example, to limit the power potential of baseball bats. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-logsdon/curiously-only-in-sports-do-we-agree-to-eschew-technological-advances/)

[Gene Logsdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-logsdon/)

> [“No point making rules against things that are impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-norman-lippert/no-point-making-rules-against-things-that-are-impossible/)

[G. Norman Lippert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-norman-lippert/)

> [Mathematics is about making up rules and seeing what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vi-hart/mathematics-is-about-making-up-rules-and-seeing-what-happens/)

[Vi Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vi-hart/)

> [“I don't know why we human beings are so obsessed with making rules about everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-don-t-know-why-we-human-beings-are-so-obsessed-with-making-rules/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [“When making rules, explain the principles behind them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/when-making-rules-explain-the-principles-behind-them/)

[Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/)

> [Playing by the rules, one does the best he can, irrespective of the social consequences. Whereas in making the rules, people ought to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/playing-by-the-rules-one-does-the-best-he-can-irrespective-of-the/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [I am very into making up my own rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-am-very-into-making-up-my-own-rules/)

[Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/)

## More by Dan Wells

> [“I’ve picked a side,” she said darkly. “And everyone’s on it. And that’s exactly who I’m going to save.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/i-ve-picked-a-side-she-said-darkly-and-everyone-s-on-it-and-that-s/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“I had called Brooke 'it'. That was stupid. That was...horrifying. I was better than that... ...Calling human beings 'it' was a common trait of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/i-had-called-brooke-it-that-was-stupid-that-was-horrifying-i-was/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“You're talking to me and I'm not scary." Said Kira. "Yes you are!" said Afa.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/you-re-talking-to-me-and-i-m-not-scary-said-kira-yes-you-are-said-afa/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“Curing RM is in the realm of magical pixies and talking dogs that piss whiskey. It's impossible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/curing-rm-is-in-the-realm-of-magical-pixies-and-talking-dogs-that/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“She thought no one could see her. I thought she was beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/she-thought-no-one-could-see-her-i-thought-she-was-beautiful/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [Facts are too busy being true to worry about how you feel about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/facts-are-too-busy-being-true-to-worry-about-how-you-feel-about-them/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [My wit is like your legs," said Xochi. " It would be selfish of me to keep it hidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/my-wit-is-like-your-legs-said-xochi-it-would-be-selfish-of-me-to-keep/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“If you can’t know the truth,” said Isolde, “live the most awesome lie you can think of.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/if-you-can-t-know-the-truth-said-isolde-live-the-most-awesome-lie-you/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“Skousen remembered a world falling apart. Kira remembered a world pulling together to save itself. That was the difference. That was why Skousen and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/skousen-remembered-a-world-falling-apart-kira-remembered-a-world/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“Finally Marcus stepped forward. "If you insist on going through me to get him, it's your call. But I warn you, I will probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/finally-marcus-stepped-forward-if-you-insist-on-going-through-me-to/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [Fear is a ... it's a weird thing, when you think about it. People are only afraid of other things, they're never afraid of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/fear-is-a-it-s-a-weird-thing-when-you-think-about-it-people-are-only/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“We're taking you to the hospital,' it said, 'you're going into shock. Can you tell us how you feel?' 'I feel ...' What do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/we-re-taking-you-to-the-hospital-it-said-you-re-going-into-shock-can/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [I stared at her closely, studying her face, her eyes, everything. This was the angel that tamed a demon; the soul that trapped him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/i-stared-at-her-closely-studying-her-face-her-eyes-everything-this/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [“So, your plan is to murder a superior enemy army," said Tovar, "and then outrun the wind. I'm glad it's so simple.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/so-your-plan-is-to-murder-a-superior-enemy-army-said-tovar-and-then/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

> [Love's not the point. We just do what we always do, and we get by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/love-s-not-the-point-we-just-do-what-we-always-do-and-we-get-by/)

[Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

[Explore all 175 Dan Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/)

## More Animal quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/)

[Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/)

> [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/)

[Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/)

> [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/)

[Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/)

> [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/)

[Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/)

> [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/)

[Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/)

> [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/)

[Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/)

[Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/)

> [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/)

[Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/)

> [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/)

[Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/)

[Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Here was something that I did all the time, and thought nothing of it, and it turns out the rest of the world thinks it's completely reprehensible. That's when I knew I needed to change, so I started making rules. The first one was; Don't mess with animals.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dan Wells"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-time-and-thought-nothing-of-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Animal"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-time-and-thought-nothing-of-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/dan-wells-2142_animal_here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-ti_1993427.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/dan-wells-2142_animal_here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-ti_1993427.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a90/dan-wells-2142_animal_here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-ti_1993427.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Here was something that I did all the time, and thought nothing of it, and it turns out the rest of the…” — Dan Wells",
                "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": "Dan Wells",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Here was something that I did...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-time-and-thought-nothing-of-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/here-was-something-that-i-did-all-the-time-and-thought-nothing-of-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
