---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if you know that you’ve got to be…"
description: "\"“But if you know that you’ve got to be somewhere in half an hour, there’s no way you can achieve that. So the art life means a freedom to have time for..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/david-lynch-911_art_but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-so_721001.jpg"
---

#  But if you know that you’ve got to be somewhere in half an…

![“But if you know that you’ve got to be somewhere in half an hour, there’s no way you can achieve that. So the art life means a freedom to have time for the good things to happen. There’s not always a lot of time for other things.” quote by David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/david-lynch-911_art_but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-so_721001.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/david-lynch-911_art_but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-so_721001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/david-lynch-911_art_but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-so_721001.jpg)

> ““But if you know that you’ve got to be somewhere in half an hour, there’s no way you can achieve that. So the art life means a freedom to have time for the good things to happen. There’s not always a lot of time for other things.””

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

## About This Quote

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

Time constraints shape artistic freedom; allowing space for meaningful moments.

**In simple terms:** Limited time forces focus on what matters.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize time for meaningful experiences.

Themes

time art freedom prioritization

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- project planning
- creative work
- personal scheduling

Key Concepts

philosophy creative process life balance

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “good things” mean to you?
- How do you protect time for them?

A Different Perspective

Time pressure can stifle creativity if not managed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Achieve Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve-art-2971777/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-life/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Freedom Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-time-991671/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Half Hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-hour/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Means Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-freedom/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [What I strive most to achieve in art is to make you forget the material. The sculptor must... communicate whatever struck his sensibility, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medardo-rosso/what-i-strive-most-to-achieve-in-art-is-to-make-you-forget-the/)

[Medardo Rosso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medardo-rosso/)

> [“If you have to discipline yourself to achieve art, you discipline yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-currey/if-you-have-to-discipline-yourself-to-achieve-art-you-discipline/)

[Mason Currey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-currey/)

> [An artist, to achieve anything in art, has to finally do the thing that nobody else wants to do and nobody else has thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-andre/an-artist-to-achieve-anything-in-art-has-to-finally-do-the-thing-that/)

[Carl Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-andre/)

> [“The impossible is what we achieve through art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eirene-evripidou/the-impossible-is-what-we-achieve-through-art/)

[Eirene Evripidou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eirene-evripidou/)

> [I discovered freedom for the first time in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-discovered-freedom-for-the-first-time-in-england/)

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

> [...freedom can be a full-time job if you let it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-cleage/freedom-can-be-a-full-time-job-if-you-let-it/)

[Pearl Cleage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-cleage/)

> [“In a job you trade your freedom and time for money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-poirot/in-a-job-you-trade-your-freedom-and-time-for-money/)

[Ken Poirot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-poirot/)

> [Routine is not a prison, but the way to freedom from time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/routine-is-not-a-prison-but-the-way-to-freedom-from-time/)

[May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/)

> [Money gives you the freedom to do with your time what you want to do with it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/money-gives-you-the-freedom-to-do-with-your-time-what-you-want-to-do/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [Routine is not a prison, but the way into freedom from time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/routine-is-not-a-prison-but-the-way-into-freedom-from-time/)

[May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/)

> [18 in 2 months a time of excitement, a time of joy, a time of freedom, but a time of great responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-toppe/18-in-2-months-a-time-of-excitement-a-time-of-joy-a-time-of-freedom/)

[Daniel Toppe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-toppe/)

> [“The new luxury is the luxury of freedom and time. Once you’ve had a taste of that life, no corner office or fancy chef…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-new-luxury-is-the-luxury-of-freedom-and-time-once-you-ve-had-a/)

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

> [Time lost can never be recovered. You do have your freedom to take your time, spend it wisely, use it purposely and drive it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessel-jane-zozobrado/time-lost-can-never-be-recovered-you-do-have-your-freedom-to-take/)

[Jessel Jane Zozobrado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessel-jane-zozobrado/)

> [You see, money to you means freedom; to me it means bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-see-money-to-you-means-freedom-to-me-it-means-bondage/)

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

> [“Less stuff means more freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anastasia-pash/less-stuff-means-more-freedom/)

[Anastasia Pash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anastasia-pash/)

## More by David Lynch

> [I like L.A. because of the light. The light makes me feel so good. It's really beautiful. And there's something about L.A. being so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-l-a-because-of-the-light-the-light-makes-me-feel-so-good-it-s/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [One change of attitude would change everything. If everyone realized that it could be a beautiful world and said, 'let's not do these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/one-change-of-attitude-would-change-everything-if-everyone-realized/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [A poet could write volumes about diners, because they're so beautiful. They're brightly lit, with chrome and booths and Naugahyde and great waitresses. Now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/a-poet-could-write-volumes-about-diners-because-they-re-so-beautiful/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [Surface cures are not going to get rid of the torment that's inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/surface-cures-are-not-going-to-get-rid-of-the-torment-that-s-inside/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [When you get an idea and you fall in love with it there's not a whole lot of choice. You're going down a street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-get-an-idea-and-you-fall-in-love-with-it-there-s-not-a-whole/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [Nowadays, people shoot digitally and it's all in color, but you press a button and it all goes to black and white. But it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/nowadays-people-shoot-digitally-and-it-s-all-in-color-but-you-press-a/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I love seeing people come out of darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-love-seeing-people-come-out-of-darkness/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I supported myself by delivering the 'Wall Street Journal' and doing odd jobs. I love plumbing and carpentry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-supported-myself-by-delivering-the-wall-street-journal-and-doing/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [So much of what happened to me is good fortune. But I would say: Try to get a job that gives you some time;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/so-much-of-what-happened-to-me-is-good-fortune-but-i-would-say-try-to/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [Achievement is its own reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/achievement-is-its-own-reward/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I like to remember things my own way. How I remembered them, not necessarily the way they happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-to-remember-things-my-own-way-how-i-remembered-them-not/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [“The idea tells you everything. Lots of times I get ideas, I fall in love with them. Those ones you fall in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/the-idea-tells-you-everything-lots-of-times-i-get-ideas-i-fall-in/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [When you have something that brings a real emotion, that's the power of cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/when-you-have-something-that-brings-a-real-emotion-that-s-the-power/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [If a human being is filled with happiness and positivity, this is what they radiate out into the world. We each affect our environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/if-a-human-being-is-filled-with-happiness-and-positivity-this-is-what/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

> [I always loved smokestack industry, and I love towns or cities that have grown up around factories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-always-loved-smokestack-industry-and-i-love-towns-or-cities-that/)

[David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

[Explore all 331 David Lynch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/)

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

[Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/)

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“But if you know that you’ve got to be somewhere in half an hour, there’s no way you can achieve that. So the art life means a freedom to have time for the good things to happen. There’s not always a lot of time for other things.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Lynch"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-somewhere-in-half-an-hour-there/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-somewhere-in-half-an-hour-there/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/david-lynch-911_art_but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-so_721001.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/david-lynch-911_art_but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-so_721001.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/948/david-lynch-911_art_but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-so_721001.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But if you know that you’ve got to be somewhere in half an hour, there’s no way you can achieve that. So the…” — David Lynch",
                "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": "David Lynch",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“But if you know that you’ve...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-somewhere-in-half-an-hour-there/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/but-if-you-know-that-you-ve-got-to-be-somewhere-in-half-an-hour-there/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
