--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You are always trying to make something…" description: "\"You are always trying to make something that is more than the sum of its parts.\" — Edward Hirsch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/edward-hirsch-1614_always_you-are-always-trying-to-make-something_1071507.png" --- # You are always trying to make something that is more than… ![“You are always trying to make something that is more than the sum of its parts.” quote by Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/edward-hirsch-1614_always_you-are-always-trying-to-make-something_1071507.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/edward-hirsch-1614_always_you-are-always-trying-to-make-something_1071507.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/edward-hirsch-1614_always_you-are-always-trying-to-make-something_1071507.png) > “You are always trying to make something that is more than the sum of its parts.” [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating works that transcend their parts, achieving greater unity and meaning. **In simple terms:** Making something greater than its pieces. Key Takeaway Aim for holistic creation. Themes creativity holism artistry Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - writing - team projects - design - music composition Key Concepts synergy emergent properties Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance parts and whole? - When does unity dilute originality? A Different Perspective Complexity can obscure individual contributions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Sum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-sum-2671730/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Sum Of Its Parts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sum-of-its-parts/) [Sum Parts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sum-parts-261774/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-make/) ## Related quotes > [A good collection is more than just the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/a-good-collection-is-more-than-just-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [The whole is more than the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-whole-is-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Many artists I enjoy have a large body of work, and eventually the message is derived out from the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimenez-lai/many-artists-i-enjoy-have-a-large-body-of-work-and-eventually-the/) [Jimenez Lai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimenez-lai/) > [It has been said: The whole is more than the sum of its parts. It is more correct to say that the whole is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-koffka/it-has-been-said-the-whole-is-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts-it-is/) [Kurt Koffka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-koffka/) > [The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [A good album should be more than the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/a-good-album-should-be-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [A painting is more than the sum of its parts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendelin-van-draanen/a-painting-is-more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [Wendelin Van Draanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendelin-van-draanen/) > [“...to form something greater than the sum of its parts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-terry/to-form-something-greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [Teri Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-terry/) > [The process is not just the sum of its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-edwards-deming/the-process-is-not-just-the-sum-of-its-parts/) [W. Edwards Deming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-edwards-deming/) > [Trifles make the sum of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/trifles-make-the-sum-of-life/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“the whole can contain less information than the sum of its parts—and sometimes even less than one of its parts!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-tegmark/the-whole-can-contain-less-information-than-the-sum-of-its-parts-and/) [Max Tegmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-tegmark/) > [But that part of us greater than the sum of our parts cannot begin and cannot end, and so it cannot fail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/but-that-part-of-us-greater-than-the-sum-of-our-parts-cannot-begin/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [A football club is the sum of all its parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-jordan/a-football-club-is-the-sum-of-all-its-parts/) [Simon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-jordan/) > [“I believe now that we are greater than the sum of our parts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-now-that-we-are-greater-than-the-sum-of-our-parts/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [We are greater than the sum of our parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/we-are-greater-than-the-sum-of-our-parts/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) ## More by Edward Hirsch > [And my experience is the best titles, for me, emerge in the process of writing. They don't usually come at the very beginning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/and-my-experience-is-the-best-titles-for-me-emerge-in-the-process-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“I did not know the work of mourning Is like carrying a bag of cement Up a mountain at night The mountaintop is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-did-not-know-the-work-of-mourning-is-like-carrying-a-bag-of-cement/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Fall" Fall, falling, fallen. That’s the way the season Changes its tense in the long-haired maples That dot the road; the veiny hand-shaped leaves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/fall-fall-falling-fallen-that-s-the-way-the-season-changes-its-tense/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I find great consolation in having a lot of poetry books around. I believe that writing poetry and reading it are deeply intertwined. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-find-great-consolation-in-having-a-lot-of-poetry-books-around-i/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I had feelings that I didn't know what to do with, and I felt better when I started writing them. I thought of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-had-feelings-that-i-didn-t-know-what-to-do-with-and-i-felt-better/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [I think in terms of educating a group of readers, MFA programs are very good. I just think the model of MFA programs in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-think-in-terms-of-educating-a-group-of-readers-mfa-programs-are/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“Jonson wrote a poem and called his son His best piece of poetrie A lovely line a little loathsome I loved that poem once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/jonson-wrote-a-poem-and-called-his-son-his-best-piece-of-poetrie-a/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [After my grandfather died I went down to the basement of my family house where my family kept books, anthologies and things and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/after-my-grandfather-died-i-went-down-to-the-basement-of-my-family/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [It does demand a certain space in order to read it and I think that space is somewhat threatened by the lack of attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/it-does-demand-a-certain-space-in-order-to-read-it-and-i-think-that/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [...I put down these memorandums of my affections in honor of tenderness, in honor of all of those who have been conscripted into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/i-put-down-these-memorandums-of-my-affections-in-honor-of-tenderness/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry is a vocation. It is not a career but a calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/poetry-is-a-vocation-it-is-not-a-career-but-a-calling/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [You're shadowed by your own dream, especially as you get older, of trying to create something that will last in poetry. And so, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/you-re-shadowed-by-your-own-dream-especially-as-you-get-older-of/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [The attention deficit disorder of the culture is very distressing in America now and I think it puts a lot of things at risk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/the-attention-deficit-disorder-of-the-culture-is-very-distressing-in/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Now, as I've gotten older I've been able to write more quickly. Sometimes I get in the space of something and I can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/now-as-i-ve-gotten-older-i-ve-been-able-to-write-more-quickly/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [Poetry takes courage because you have to face things and you try to articulate how you feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/poetry-takes-courage-because-you-have-to-face-things-and-you-try-to/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) [Explore all 222 Edward Hirsch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You are always trying to make something that is more than the sum of its parts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Hirsch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/you-are-always-trying-to-make-something-that-is-more-than-the-sum-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/you-are-always-trying-to-make-something-that-is-more-than-the-sum-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/edward-hirsch-1614_always_you-are-always-trying-to-make-something_1071507.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/edward-hirsch-1614_always_you-are-always-trying-to-make-something_1071507.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/edward-hirsch-1614_always_you-are-always-trying-to-make-something_1071507.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You are always trying to make something that is more than the sum of its parts.” — Edward Hirsch", "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": "Edward Hirsch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You are always trying to make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/you-are-always-trying-to-make-something-that-is-more-than-the-sum-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/you-are-always-trying-to-make-something-that-is-more-than-the-sum-of/#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 } } ] } ```