--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I ever owned twenty pencils…" description: "\"I don't think I ever owned twenty pencils at one time. Wearing down seven number-two pencils is a good day's work.\" — Ernest Hemingway" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/ernest-hemingway-83_good-day_i-don-t-think-i-ever-owned-twenty-pencil_1353206.jpg" --- # I don't think I ever owned twenty pencils at one time… ![“I don't think I ever owned twenty pencils at one time. Wearing down seven number-two pencils is a good day's work.” quote by Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/ernest-hemingway-83_good-day_i-don-t-think-i-ever-owned-twenty-pencil_1353206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/ernest-hemingway-83_good-day_i-don-t-think-i-ever-owned-twenty-pencil_1353206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccc/ernest-hemingway-83_good-day_i-don-t-think-i-ever-owned-twenty-pencil_1353206.jpg) > “I don't think I ever owned twenty pencils at one time. Wearing down seven number-two pencils is a good day's work.” [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker humorously notes that owning many pencils is unlikely, and using them up is a satisfying daily task. **In simple terms:** Having many pencils is rare; using them up feels productive. Key Takeaway Enjoy simple, tangible work. Themes humor productivity everyday life Mood lighthearted reflective Type anecdotal humorous When to use this quote - writing - school - office work - art projects Key Concepts minimalism satisfaction Questions to Reflect On - Do you find satisfaction in completing small tasks? - How does humor change perception of work? A Different Perspective Only a metaphor, not a literal claim. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good Day's Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-days-work/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [Wearing down seven number two pencils is a good day's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wearing-down-seven-number-two-pencils-is-a-good-day-s-work/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I have written my life in small sketches, a little today, a little yesterday... 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Without the pride gained from a good day's work, they were left to their vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/lucian-s-father-had-warned-him-to-fear-idle-men-without-the-pride/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [The Master gives himself up to whatever the moment brings. He knows that he is going to die, and her has nothing left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-master-gives-himself-up-to-whatever-the-moment-brings-he-knows/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [It wasn't an architect who did this, but if it had been an architect, it would have been a good day's work: there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keller-easterling/it-wasn-t-an-architect-who-did-this-but-if-it-had-been-an-architect/) [Keller Easterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keller-easterling/) > [“Make me an offer, " I said at last. 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It was only perfect bull-fighting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/it-was-not-brilliant-bull-fighting-it-was-only-perfect-bull-fighting/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [One cat just leads to another. The place is so damned big it doesn't really seem as though there were many cats until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/one-cat-just-leads-to-another-the-place-is-so-damned-big-it-doesn-t/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Creation's probably overrated. 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"Yes, my Colonel. Except, possibly, happiness." "I'll damn well find happiness, too," the Colonel assured him. "Happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-find-everything-on-earth-at-harry-s-yes-my-colonel-except/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“No. It's bad for me. Cole Porter wrote the words and the music. This knowledge that you're going mad for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/no-it-s-bad-for-me-cole-porter-wrote-the-words-and-the-music-this/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“everything kills everything else in some way. Fishing kills me exactly as it keeps me alive. The boy keeps me alive, he thought. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/everything-kills-everything-else-in-some-way-fishing-kills-me-exactly/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) [Explore all 1,464 Ernest Hemingway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) ## More Good day quotes > [Today I didn't even have to even use my A.K ! I got to say it was a good day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/today-i-didn-t-even-have-to-even-use-my-a-k-i-got-to-say-it-was-a/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [“My mum always taught me the value of knowing, recognizing and acknowledging when you had a good day. 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Pray with the best. Prayer is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/if-you-have-a-bad-day-pray-if-you-have-a-good-day-pray-pray-for-the/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [I'm 5 feet tall, and that's on a good day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabela-moner/i-m-5-feet-tall-and-that-s-on-a-good-day/) [Isabela Moner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabela-moner/) > [“Any day above ground is a good day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gerus/any-day-above-ground-is-a-good-day/) Robert Gerus > [God can you make sure that everybody will have a good day and be safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-can-you-make-sure-that-everybody-will-have-a-good-day-and-be-safe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Good days are not memorable but bad experiences are always in our memory”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osunsakin-adewale/good-days-are-not-memorable-but-bad-experiences-are-always-in-our/) [Osunsakin Adewale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osunsakin-adewale/) > [I have my good days and my bad days, but I don't have as much energy as I used to back when I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-mccaffrey/i-have-my-good-days-and-my-bad-days-but-i-don-t-have-as-much-energy/) [Anne McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-mccaffrey/) > [“amusement in her eyes and had to grin. 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