--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm always doubting my work, even when…" description: "\"I'm always doubting my work, even when people are kind enough to say good things. I still have a hard time believing I've written some books, let alone..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/donald-ray-pollock-7796_believe_i-m-always-doubting-my-work-even-when-pe_3157283.png" --- # I'm always doubting my work, even when people are kind… ![“I'm always doubting my work, even when people are kind enough to say good things. I still have a hard time believing I've written some books, let alone that they've actually done pretty well.” quote by Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/donald-ray-pollock-7796_believe_i-m-always-doubting-my-work-even-when-pe_3157283.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/donald-ray-pollock-7796_believe_i-m-always-doubting-my-work-even-when-pe_3157283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ee/donald-ray-pollock-7796_believe_i-m-always-doubting-my-work-even-when-pe_3157283.png) > “I'm always doubting my work, even when people are kind enough to say good things. I still have a hard time believing I've written some books, let alone that they've actually done pretty well.” [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑doubt persists despite external praise, undermining confidence in one's achievements. **In simple terms:** Even with praise, self‑doubt can linger. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge your inner critic. Themes self‑doubt confidence validation creative work imposter syndrome Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational self‑help When to use this quote - writing a book - receiving reviews - publishing - career milestones Key Concepts psychology self‑esteem creative process mindset Questions to Reflect On - What evidence counters your self‑doubt? - How can you celebrate successes more fully? A Different Perspective Overcoming doubt may require external support or therapy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Hard time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-time/) [Hard times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-times/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If you keep believing what you've been believing, then you'll keep achieving what you've been achieving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/if-you-keep-believing-what-you-ve-been-believing-then-you-ll-keep/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [Once you start believing anyone but yourself, you've already lost and you can't recover from that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/once-you-start-believing-anyone-but-yourself-you-ve-already-lost-and/) [John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/) > [Sometimes I doubt, and sometimes I believe. 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Maybe your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/once-you-believe-that-god-is-not-a-private-property-of-anybody-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [I've probably written some books - I know I've written some books that were more interesting to me than to a large audience, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-ve-probably-written-some-books-i-know-i-ve-written-some-books-that/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [I write everywhere. I've written books while I was on planes, at Disney World, and in multiple countries of which I am not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seanan-mcguire/i-write-everywhere-i-ve-written-books-while-i-was-on-planes-at-disney/) [Seanan McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seanan-mcguire/) > [“Each book is a new book. I’ve never written it before and I have to teach myself how to write it as I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/each-book-is-a-new-book-i-ve-never-written-it-before-and-i-have-to/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [What I wish is that people would look beyond the tribbles and see I've written some other books that I really would like people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gerrold/what-i-wish-is-that-people-would-look-beyond-the-tribbles-and-see-i/) [David Gerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gerrold/) > [ I had written three books \[Games of Throne\], at that point, and each one of them was better than the other. At a certain… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-had-written-three-books-games-of-throne-at-that-point-and-each-one/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [I should have written books instead of reading them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/i-should-have-written-books-instead-of-reading-them/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Many people can and have written books, but many have nothing to say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-rogers/many-people-can-and-have-written-books-but-many-have-nothing-to-say/) Amy Rogers > [I've really written my books for my husband and our family. They've brought us closer together by allowing us to discuss things that were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-stephenson/i-ve-really-written-my-books-for-my-husband-and-our-family-they-ve/) [Pamela Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-stephenson/) > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## More by Donald Ray Pollock > [“Strangers complained about the stench, but the locals liked to brag that it was the sweet smell of money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/strangers-complained-about-the-stench-but-the-locals-liked-to-brag/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [I don't really think the outburst is recent; there have always been writers in Appalachia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-don-t-really-think-the-outburst-is-recent-there-have-always-been/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Unless he had whiskey running through his veins, Willard came to the clearing every morning and evening to talk to God. 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I've always felt a little uncomfortable around people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/when-i-was-growing-up-i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-else-and-live/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [There are a lot of writers from the South who would probably have once figured they needed to go to New York to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/there-are-a-lot-of-writers-from-the-south-who-would-probably-have/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) [Explore all 87 Donald Ray Pollock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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