--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During the act of making something, I…" description: "\"“During the act of making something, I experience a kind of blissful absence of the self and a loss of time. When I am done, I return to both feeling a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/david-rakoff-3308_art_during-the-act-of-making-something-i-exp_2307540.jpg" --- # During the act of making something, I experience a kind of… ![“During the act of making something, I experience a kind of blissful absence of the self and a loss of time. When I am done, I return to both feeling as restored as if I had been on a trip. I almost never get this feeling any other way. I once spent sixteen hours making 150 wedding invitations by…” quote by David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/david-rakoff-3308_art_during-the-act-of-making-something-i-exp_2307540.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/david-rakoff-3308_art_during-the-act-of-making-something-i-exp_2307540.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d02/david-rakoff-3308_art_during-the-act-of-making-something-i-exp_2307540.jpg) > ““During the act of making something, I experience a kind of blissful absence of the self and a loss of time. When I am done, I return to both feeling as restored as if I had been on a trip. I almost never get this feeling any other way. I once spent sixteen hours making 150 wedding invitations by hand and was not for one instance of that time tempted to eat or look at my watch. By contrast, if seated at the computer, I check my email conservatively 30,000 times a day. When I am writing, I must have a snack, call a friend, or abuse myself every ten minutes. I used to think that this was nothing more than the difference between those things we do for love and those we do for money. But that can't be the whole story. I didn't always write for a living, and even back when it was my most fondly held dream to one day be able to do so, writing was always difficult. Writing is like pulling teeth. From my dick.”” [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When fully absorbed in creative work, self‑awareness fades and time disappears, leaving a restorative, blissful state unlike routine tasks. **In simple terms:** Deep focus creates a timeless, rewarding flow state. Key Takeaway Seek activities that induce flow. Themes creativity focus flow ful‑care meaning Mood engaged reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - handcrafting - writing - design - artistic projects - long‑duration tasks Key Concepts psychology mindfulness intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What activities make you lose track of time? - How can you cultivate flow in daily work? A Different Perspective Flow may be hard to sustain without breaks or external pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Procrastination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procrastination/) [Wedding invitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wedding-invitation/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“I didn't always write for a living, and even back when it was my most fondly held dream to one day be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/i-didn-t-always-write-for-a-living-and-even-back-when-it-was-my-most/) [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [“Writing is like pulling teeth. From my dick.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/writing-is-like-pulling-teeth-from-my-dick/) [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [“Though all Christians start a wedding invitation by solemnly declaring their marriage is due to special Divine arrangement, I, as a philosopher, would like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-christian/though-all-christians-start-a-wedding-invitation-by-solemnly/) [Brian Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-christian/) > [Look, lovers: almost separately they come towards us through the flowery grass and slowly; parting's so far from thought of, they indulge the extravagance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/look-lovers-almost-separately-they-come-towards-us-through-the/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [In marriage, everyday you love,and everyday you forgive.It is an ongoing sacrament, love and forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/in-marriage-everyday-you-love-and-everyday-you-forgive-it-is-an/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [Think about it, there must be higher love Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above Without it, life is a wasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/think-about-it-there-must-be-higher-love-down-in-the-heart-or-hidden-2/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [How sweet a thing it is to love and to be loved again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-howard-brownell/how-sweet-a-thing-it-is-to-love-and-to-be-loved-again/) Henry Howard Brownell > [A wedding invitation is a gift subpoena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/a-wedding-invitation-is-a-gift-subpoena/) [Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/) > [Sometimes I do wake up in the mornings and feel like I've just had the most incredible dream. 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When I am done, I return to both feeling as restored as if I had been on a trip. I almost never get this feeling any other way. I once spent sixteen hours making 150 wedding invitations by hand and was not for one instance of that time tempted to eat or look at my watch. By contrast, if seated at the computer, I check my email conservatively 30,000 times a day. When I am writing, I must have a snack, call a friend, or abuse myself every ten minutes. I used to think that this was nothing more than the difference between those things we do for love and those we do for money. But that can't be the whole story. I didn't always write for a living, and even back when it was my most fondly held dream to one day be able to do so, writing was always difficult. Writing is like pulling teeth. 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