Affirmation Quote by Donald Dunbar
““Most fundamentally, I used to write because I received positive feedback. To a guy who was picked on pretty relentlessly through a lot of his childhood, the respect and affection of students and teachers is addictive. It was a couple years after grad school that I realized that a need for affirmation wasn’t a good enough reason to keep writing, especially in the face of rejection after rejection after even personal rejection, and that if I was going to do it, I had to acknowledge that it was going to take my whole life. The decision to do it until I’m dead has made the writing and the writing life so much easier.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Writer’s Journey Podcast, 2019
Writing driven by external validation becomes unsustainable; true commitment requires embracing writing as a lifelong vocation despite rejection.
In simple terms: Writing needs inner purpose, not just praise.
Key Takeaway
Commit fully, accept rejection as part of growth.
Themes
writing
identity
resilience
commitment
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
inspirational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic career
- novel writing
- blogging
- teaching
- personal journaling
Key Concepts
self‑determination
creative vocation
psychology of motivation
Questions to Reflect On
- What internal motivations sustain you?
- How do you handle repeated rejection?
A Different Perspective
Sustaining passion may lead to burnout without balance.
