--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It often feels like a tremendous amount…" description: "\"It often feels like a tremendous amount of work is required to get an idea moving forward, like pushing a train uphill. But at a certain point, the thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/danny-elfman-14732_certain_it-often-feels-like-a-tremendous-amount_601150.png" --- # It often feels like a tremendous amount of work is… ![“It often feels like a tremendous amount of work is required to get an idea moving forward, like pushing a train uphill. But at a certain point, the thing takes on its own momentum, and takes unexpected turns. So it's that feeling of holding on, rather than pushing it, that is the most exciting…” quote by Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/danny-elfman-14732_certain_it-often-feels-like-a-tremendous-amount_601150.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/danny-elfman-14732_certain_it-often-feels-like-a-tremendous-amount_601150.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/981/danny-elfman-14732_certain_it-often-feels-like-a-tremendous-amount_601150.png) > “It often feels like a tremendous amount of work is required to get an idea moving forward, like pushing a train uphill. But at a certain point, the thing takes on its own momentum, and takes unexpected turns. So it's that feeling of holding on, rather than pushing it, that is the most exciting thing. It's that need to occasionally bounce off the walls, letting anything happen for any reason, and having nothing to guide you that is the joy.” [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative projects start laboriously but eventually gain self‑sustaining momentum, making the process exciting and unpredictable. **In simple terms:** Work hard, then let momentum flow. Key Takeaway Embrace the flow of progress. Themes creativity momentum joy Mood inspired optimistic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - starting a novel - software development - art projects - learning new skills Key Concepts Self‑organization emergent behavior Questions to Reflect On - When does momentum become complacency? - How do you keep innovation alive? A Different Perspective Momentum can stall without continued effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Exciting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exciting/) [Feeling Holding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-holding-4115315/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Guides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guides/) [Holding on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-on/) [Holding Pushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-pushing-4901498/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Like Pushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-pushing-583377/) [Momentum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/momentum/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Moving forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-forward/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Off the wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/off-the-wall/) [Pushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushing/) [Pushing Exciting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushing-exciting-4901497/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Takes Momentum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-momentum-4901496/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Train](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/train/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [The worst feeling is holding on to someone who doesn't want to be held on to](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-worst-feeling-is-holding-on-to-someone-who-doesn-t-want-to-be/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Ah, the feeling you get holding a diamond in your hand! It seems to bore into your skin, to burn, to breathe. It's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-magnani/ah-the-feeling-you-get-holding-a-diamond-in-your-hand-it-seems-to/) [Anna Magnani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-magnani/) > [I like to bump people, to feel me getting into somebody's jersey. I'm just different. I like contact, like physical play, like pushing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-beverley/i-like-to-bump-people-to-feel-me-getting-into-somebody-s-jersey-i-m/) [Patrick Beverley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-beverley/) > [“Attacking me was like pushing open a forbidden door. What waited on the other side was his problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/attacking-me-was-like-pushing-open-a-forbidden-door-what-waited-on/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [I like pushing boundaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-like-pushing-boundaries/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [“It's different now, like pushing the stop lever on my camera until nothing except the war can squeeze through the lens.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-miller/it-s-different-now-like-pushing-the-stop-lever-on-my-camera-until/) [Sarah Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-miller/) > [My uncle is just, like, always pushing me to be better, be a man, and showing me the ropes of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustard/my-uncle-is-just-like-always-pushing-me-to-be-better-be-a-man-and/) [Mustard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustard/) > [People are used to seeing me in make-up and blow-dried hair but after a point I felt like pushing myself. As an actor, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tisca-chopra/people-are-used-to-seeing-me-in-make-up-and-blow-dried-hair-but-after/) [Tisca Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tisca-chopra/) > [I like pushing the envelope. I like pushing myself and the audience, whether it's a TV show or live. I like to throw people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/i-like-pushing-the-envelope-i-like-pushing-myself-and-the-audience/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [I just like to keep pushing myself and the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-chen/i-just-like-to-keep-pushing-myself-and-the-sport/) [Nathan Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-chen/) > [Pushing anyone down is like pushing your self to no where.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-poblacion/pushing-anyone-down-is-like-pushing-your-self-to-no-where/) [Sheila Poblacion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-poblacion/) > [I like challenges. I like pushing my body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-lewis/i-like-challenges-i-like-pushing-my-body/) [Denise Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-lewis/) > [Why does any kind of cynicism appeal to people? Because it seems like a mark of maturity, of sophistication, like you’ve seen everything and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/why-does-any-kind-of-cynicism-appeal-to-people-because-it-seems-like/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [I like pushing the envelope. But I don't like to do it just for the sake of doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-like-pushing-the-envelope-but-i-don-t-like-to-do-it-just-for-the/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Sorry if it seems like in pushing away that's only because I got my reasons to...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sorry-if-it-seems-like-in-pushing-away-that-s-only-because-i-got-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Danny Elfman > [Nothing bad ever happens, why should I care?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/nothing-bad-ever-happens-why-should-i-care/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [For me, writing something in the spirit of Halloween is like Mother Teresa writing on charity and sacrifice. It's just second nature to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/for-me-writing-something-in-the-spirit-of-halloween-is-like-mother/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I'm trying to interpret the film through the director's head, but it all comes out through me. So, a composer is kind of like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-m-trying-to-interpret-the-film-through-the-director-s-head-but-it/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I really liked doing a number of the projects and directors, and etc., etc., I knew about half-way through that I would never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-really-liked-doing-a-number-of-the-projects-and-directors-and-etc/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I'm looking for a feel and I have to find what that feel is before I can move on from there. I'm not necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-m-looking-for-a-feel-and-i-have-to-find-what-that-feel-is-before-i/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [That still has to be there. And so, it's kind of an interesting question you brought up. Because, on the one hand, yeah, it'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/that-still-has-to-be-there-and-so-it-s-kind-of-an-interesting/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I'll look back and I'd be better to answer that in about three months from now. Or when the movie comes out and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-ll-look-back-and-i-d-be-better-to-answer-that-in-about-three-months/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [The idea of performing some of Jack Skellington's songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas live for the very first time is immensely exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/the-idea-of-performing-some-of-jack-skellington-s-songs-from-the/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [If there's one thing I really love... it's sad music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/if-there-s-one-thing-i-really-love-it-s-sad-music/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [You're allowed to rip-off another score so close that it's ridiculous. In my opinion it's ridiculous, how closely one can just rip-off a score…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/you-re-allowed-to-rip-off-another-score-so-close-that-it-s-ridiculous/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [I really look forward to revisiting this body of work which has been such a huge part of my life and bringing it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/i-really-look-forward-to-revisiting-this-body-of-work-which-has-been/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [Oh see, first off you gotta realize - everything for me is a reconstruction or deconstruction. I would actually say deconstruction. Mission: Impossible would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/oh-see-first-off-you-gotta-realize-everything-for-me-is-a/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [You hear the beginning of a melody, you should kind of know it's going to lead down this path. It should start feeling like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/you-hear-the-beginning-of-a-melody-you-should-kind-of-know-it-s-going/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [It's hard to get a film, you know, you need a very special film to be able to get that experimental. But, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/it-s-hard-to-get-a-film-you-know-you-need-a-very-special-film-to-be/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) > [You have to nail the right tone because sometimes when you just see his films cold, you're not quite sure. It's the same in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-elfman/you-have-to-nail-the-right-tone-because-sometimes-when-you-just-see/) [Danny Elfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) [Explore all 45 Danny Elfman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-elfman/) ## More Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) [T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) [Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It often feels like a tremendous amount of work is required to get an idea moving forward, like pushing a train uphill. But at a certain point, the thing takes on its own momentum, and takes unexpected turns. 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