--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I liked sharpening pencils and I was…" description: "\"I liked sharpening pencils and I was like, \"Oh, I wonder if I could get paid to do it.\" And I figured it out and I did it.\" — David Rees" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/david-rees-13338_if-i-could_i-liked-sharpening-pencils-and-i-was-lik_1614637.png" --- # I liked sharpening pencils and I was like, "Oh, I wonder… ![“I liked sharpening pencils and I was like, "Oh, I wonder if I could get paid to do it." And I figured it out and I did it.” quote by David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/david-rees-13338_if-i-could_i-liked-sharpening-pencils-and-i-was-lik_1614637.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/david-rees-13338_if-i-could_i-liked-sharpening-pencils-and-i-was-lik_1614637.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/483/david-rees-13338_if-i-could_i-liked-sharpening-pencils-and-i-was-lik_1614637.png) > “I liked sharpening pencils and I was like, "Oh, I wonder if I could get paid to do it." And I figured it out and I did it.” [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He discovered a simple skill, turned it into a paid gig, and succeeded through curiosity and initiative. **In simple terms:** Turned a hobby into work. Key Takeaway Leverage curiosity for income. Themes creativity entrepreneurship initiative Mood motivational pragmatic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - freelance gigs - hand‑made crafts - side hustles - DIY projects Key Concepts skill monetization self‑directed learning Questions to Reflect On - What skill could you monetize? - How to test market interest? A Different Perspective Not all hobbies scale profitably; market demand may be limited. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [I didn't dare to dream of making money. But now of course, I've made many thousands of dollars sharpening pencils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-didn-t-dare-to-dream-of-making-money-but-now-of-course-i-ve-made/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I started sharpening pencils at the census and how that was a difficult time in my life because my marriage was ending and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-started-sharpening-pencils-at-the-census-and-how-that-was-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [When I sit down at the typewriter, I write. Someone once asked me if I had a fixed routine before I start, like setting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/when-i-sit-down-at-the-typewriter-i-write-someone-once-asked-me-if-i/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [I take pop culture really seriously, I think it's really important, and the stuff that I make...I don't want it to be insubstantial, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-take-pop-culture-really-seriously-i-think-it-s-really-important-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [To me, if you're lucky enough to make stuff that people will pay money for, do a good job. Really do a good job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/to-me-if-you-re-lucky-enough-to-make-stuff-that-people-will-pay-money/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I've been really surprised about a lot of the negative comments about artisanal pencil sharpening. Like, it really rubs some people the wrong way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-ve-been-really-surprised-about-a-lot-of-the-negative-comments-about/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The hard part of writing at all is sitting your ass down in a chair and writing it. There's always something better to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pournelle/the-hard-part-of-writing-at-all-is-sitting-your-ass-down-in-a-chair/) [Jerry Pournelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pournelle/) > [I talked to people in the pencil industry and I talked to people as I was sharpening their pencils about the frustrations they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-talked-to-people-in-the-pencil-industry-and-i-talked-to-people-as-i/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The time that I would spend revisiting my old Get Your War On strips is more profitably spent Googling myself and reading comments about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-time-that-i-would-spend-revisiting-my-old-get-your-war-on-strips/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-you-love-new-york-in-the-fall-it-makes-me-wanna-buy-school/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Once I read a story about a butterfly in the subway, and today, I saw one. It got on at 42nd, and off at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miklos-laszlo/once-i-read-a-story-about-a-butterfly-in-the-subway-and-today-i-saw/) Miklos Laszlo > [“Writers never retire; they just keep sharpening their pencils!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-savastano/writers-never-retire-they-just-keep-sharpening-their-pencils/) Diana Savastano > [People think, "Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy." I don't think those people realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I never thought I would make a living as a pencil-sharpener. The first goal was: I don't want to lose money. And then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-never-thought-i-would-make-a-living-as-a-pencil-sharpener-the-first/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Everyone has pencils in their house, no matter how hip and contemporary they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/everyone-has-pencils-in-their-house-no-matter-how-hip-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## More by David Rees > [I have a really analytical approach to art. And the whole idea that you can't analyze what makes a joke funny...I do not agree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-have-a-really-analytical-approach-to-art-and-the-whole-idea-that/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The thing that was interesting to me about Relationshapes - as opposed to most of the other cartoons I've ever made - was I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-thing-that-was-interesting-to-me-about-relationshapes-as-opposed/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't even drink Coke. It tastes like robot sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-even-drink-coke-it-tastes-like-robot-sweat/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I didn't dare to dream of making money. But now of course, I've made many thousands of dollars sharpening pencils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-didn-t-dare-to-dream-of-making-money-but-now-of-course-i-ve-made/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I just wanted a really simple, dramatic way so that fans, people who were reading my comic, would be like, "This is something different."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-just-wanted-a-really-simple-dramatic-way-so-that-fans-people-who/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [Everyone has pencils in their house, no matter how hip and contemporary they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/everyone-has-pencils-in-their-house-no-matter-how-hip-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I was just worried that someone was gonna think that I had been commissioned by Jamba Juice to make cartoons about Jamba Juice. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-was-just-worried-that-someone-was-gonna-think-that-i-had-been/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I never thought I would make a living as a pencil-sharpener. The first goal was: I don't want to lose money. And then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-never-thought-i-would-make-a-living-as-a-pencil-sharpener-the-first/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I don't like when performers rag on their ex-girlfriend or ex-boyfriend in absentia. If they're not there, it just feels rude... I'm never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-like-when-performers-rag-on-their-ex-girlfriend-or-ex/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [People think, "Wow, people in America have so much money, they're sending hundreds of pencils to this guy." I don't think those people realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/people-think-wow-people-in-america-have-so-much-money-they-re-sending/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I would make a comic for Rolling Stone every two weeks, because they're biweekly. And then I would make weekly comics for my weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-would-make-a-comic-for-rolling-stone-every-two-weeks-because-they/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The way you make money is to do something you don't like to do. And that's how you know you're a virtuous person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/the-way-you-make-money-is-to-do-something-you-don-t-like-to-do-and/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I started sharpening pencils at the census and how that was a difficult time in my life because my marriage was ending and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-started-sharpening-pencils-at-the-census-and-how-that-was-a/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [I'm interested in the structure of art and how it works. And the content is also interesting, but I don't want to keep the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-m-interested-in-the-structure-of-art-and-how-it-works-and-the/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [“And you know what happened next in my dream? Dick Cheney and I said the same thing at the same time: "Well, we had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/and-you-know-what-happened-next-in-my-dream-dick-cheney-and-i-said/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) [Explore all 50 David Rees quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) ## More If i could quotes > [If I could find the right kind of property, get tied in with the right movie, I'd love to be involved, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/if-i-could-find-the-right-kind-of-property-get-tied-in-with-the-right/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [If I could ever be on a Missy Elliott record, I could then die. Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige - I love hearing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neko-case/if-i-could-ever-be-on-a-missy-elliott-record-i-could-then-die-missy/) [Neko Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neko-case/) > [I grew up in San Diego, so it wasn't hard to move to L.A. to get into show business, but I did the standard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/i-grew-up-in-san-diego-so-it-wasn-t-hard-to-move-to-l-a-to-get-into/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > [It's a hard life... but if I could, I would do it all again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-makarova/it-s-a-hard-life-but-if-i-could-i-would-do-it-all-again/) [Natalia Makarova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-makarova/) > [I would prefer to have a more appealing job. If I could still change careers, I would prefer it. This unfortunate art is made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-claudel/i-would-prefer-to-have-a-more-appealing-job-if-i-could-still-change/) [Camille Claudel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-claudel/) > [If I could be granted a wish, I'd shine in your eye like a jewel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/if-i-could-be-granted-a-wish-i-d-shine-in-your-eye-like-a-jewel/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/too-long-have-the-workers-of-the-world-waited-for-some-moses-to-lead/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [If I could send myself a bunch of snake emojis, I probably would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/if-i-could-send-myself-a-bunch-of-snake-emojis-i-probably-would/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) > [I have a responsibility, and it's something that I did wrong, and if I could personally apologize to every single person that has lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-richie/i-have-a-responsibility-and-it-s-something-that-i-did-wrong-and-if-i/) [Nicole Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-richie/) > [I'm happy with my career but I could have been happier if I could have been treated like a champion should have been treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-m-happy-with-my-career-but-i-could-have-been-happier-if-i-could/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [I would wear a full-length cape if I could get away with it - I do love a good swirl in a fog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-would-wear-a-full-length-cape-if-i-could-get-away-with-it-i-do-love/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [I have visited sweatshops, factories, and crowded slums. 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