--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why should I deem myself to be a chisel…" description: "\"Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?\" — Friedrich Schiller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/friedrich-schiller-832_april_why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel_21690.png" --- # Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be… ![“Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?” quote by Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/friedrich-schiller-832_april_why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel_21690.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/friedrich-schiller-832_april_why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel_21690.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/friedrich-schiller-832_april_why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel_21690.png) > “Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?” [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It challenges self‑identification as a passive tool, urging one to claim creative agency and shape one’s own destiny. **In simple terms:** Self‑empowerment over passive roles Key Takeaway Choose to be creator, not just instrument Themes self‑identity agency creativity philosophy motivation Mood inspired determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal growth - artistic pursuits - leadership roles Key Concepts autonomy purpose human potential Practical Applications - coaching - motivational speaking Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be the artist of your life? - How can you shift from being shaped to shaping? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [April](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/april/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Chisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chisel/) [Chisel Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chisel-artist-399157/) [Chisels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chisels/) [Deem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deem/) [Deem Chisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deem-chisel-399158/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Should i](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should-i/) ## Related quotes > [Ardent yet chill and formal, how I ache to tempt a chisel as a sculptor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-doolittle/ardent-yet-chill-and-formal-how-i-ache-to-tempt-a-chisel-as-a-sculptor/) [Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilda-doolittle/) > [Every moment I shape my destiny with a chisel - I am the carpenter of my own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/every-moment-i-shape-my-destiny-with-a-chisel-i-am-the-carpenter-of/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [The sculptor must paint with his chisel; half his touches are not to realize, but to put power into, the form. They are touches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/the-sculptor-must-paint-with-his-chisel-half-his-touches-are-not-to/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Every experience in life, everything with which we have come in contact in life, is a chisel which has been cutting away at our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/every-experience-in-life-everything-with-which-we-have-come-in/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [I want to strip my work of 'effects' until it stands monolithic, based on reality and yet transcending it. It must flow naturally from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiko-munakata/i-want-to-strip-my-work-of-effects-until-it-stands-monolithic-based/) [Shiko Munakata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiko-munakata/) > [The chisel is the pen of the sculptor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-ix/the-chisel-is-the-pen-of-the-sculptor/) [Pope Pius IX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-ix/) > [I learned a couple things. The government can do to you whatever they want. They can break the laws, federal laws, as they see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-hatfill/i-learned-a-couple-things-the-government-can-do-to-you-whatever-they/) [Steven Hatfill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-hatfill/) > [Being an indie queen, people think I have all these choices. Like I've just been sitting around waiting for the best indie film that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/being-an-indie-queen-people-think-i-have-all-these-choices-like-i-ve/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [As artists, it's tempting to forget the audience's needs. Too often, we're self-centered and self-indulgent in what we share with the world. We're prideful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/as-artists-it-s-tempting-to-forget-the-audience-s-needs-too-often-we/) [Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charity-sunshine-tillemann-dick/) > [There is no crime of which I do not deem myself capable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-crime-of-which-i-do-not-deem-myself-capable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There must be right and wrong answers to questions of morality and values that potentially fall within the purview of science. On this view,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/there-must-be-right-and-wrong-answers-to-questions-of-morality-and/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [I have nothing against interviews. I don't pursue them. When people I work for deem it appropriate, I'm perfectly willing to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee-jones/i-have-nothing-against-interviews-i-don-t-pursue-them-when-people-i/) [Tommy Lee Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee-jones/) > [“That is the doom that we must deem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/that-is-the-doom-that-we-must-deem/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [If we find life out there, and it's not us, we will deem it not intelligent. But what may be equally as likely is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/if-we-find-life-out-there-and-it-s-not-us-we-will-deem-it-not/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“We all have problems. Or rather, everyone has at least one thing that they regard as a problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/we-all-have-problems-or-rather-everyone-has-at-least-one-thing-that/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by Friedrich Schiller > [An axe at home saves hiring a carpenter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/an-axe-at-home-saves-hiring-a-carpenter/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [It is well for a man when he has learned to endure what he cannot change, and to give up with dignity what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-well-for-a-man-when-he-has-learned-to-endure-what-he-cannot/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [I have enjoyed the happiness of the world; I have loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/i-have-enjoyed-the-happiness-of-the-world-i-have-loved/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [It is easy to give advice from a port of safety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-easy-to-give-advice-from-a-port-of-safety/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [It is through beauty that we arrive at freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/it-is-through-beauty-that-we-arrive-at-freedom/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The first great law is to obey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-first-great-law-is-to-obey/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [To gain a crown by fighting is great, to reject it divine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/to-gain-a-crown-by-fighting-is-great-to-reject-it-divine/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Even the weak become strong when they are united.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/even-the-weak-become-strong-when-they-are-united/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Man only plays when in the full meaning of the word he is a man, and he is only completely a man when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/man-only-plays-when-in-the-full-meaning-of-the-word-he-is-a-man-and/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Ah, to that far distant strand Bridge there was not to convey, Not a bark was near at hand, Yet true love soon found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/ah-to-that-far-distant-strand-bridge-there-was-not-to-convey-not-a/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [A gloomy guest fits not a wedding feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/a-gloomy-guest-fits-not-a-wedding-feast/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [If you have never seen beauty in a moment of suffering, you have never seen beauty at all. If you have never seen joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/if-you-have-never-seen-beauty-in-a-moment-of-suffering-you-have-never/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Fear of death is worse than dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/fear-of-death-is-worse-than-dying/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The dream is short, repentance long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-dream-is-short-repentance-long/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Individual character is in the right that is in strict consistence with itself. Self-contradiction is the only wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/individual-character-is-in-the-right-that-is-in-strict-consistence/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) [Explore all 350 Friedrich Schiller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) ## More April quotes > [“I had a chat with May and I had a sweet talk with April but the lovely conversation that left me to ponder was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-had-a-chat-with-may-and-i-had-a-sweet-talk-with-april-but-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-air-soft-as-that-of-seville-in-april-and-so-fragrant-that-it-was/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Our opponents see an America in which every day is April 15, tax day. Well, we see an America in which every day is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/our-opponents-see-an-america-in-which-every-day-is-april-15-tax-day/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/here-cometh-april-again-and-as-far-as-i-can-see-the-world-hath-more/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [It felt like 10 years, but I was actually in treatment for three-and-a-half years. I finally finished in April. Two years ago, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/it-felt-like-10-years-but-i-was-actually-in-treatment-for-three-and-a/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) > [The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky And sings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-kilmer/the-air-is-like-a-butterfly-with-frail-blue-wings-the-happy-earth/) [Joyce Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-kilmer/) > [At 1.24 am on 26 April 1986 Chernobyl’s Unit 4 reactor exploded after staff disabled safety systems and performed an ill-advised experiment to check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lynas/at-1-24-am-on-26-april-1986-chernobyl-s-unit-4-reactor-exploded-after/) [Mark Lynas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lynas/) > [People born in April are very loving and caring people. They are the ones who have the best memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-born-in-april-are-very-loving-and-caring-people-they-are-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ah, March! we know thou art Kind-hearted, spite of ugly looks and threats, And, out of sight, art nursing April's violets!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt-jackson/ah-march-we-know-thou-art-kind-hearted-spite-of-ugly-looks-and/) [Helen Hunt Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt-jackson/) > [I know April, May and June are a few unbearable months, and working out in a gym and sweating in such dirty hot, sticky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-sharma/i-know-april-may-and-june-are-a-few-unbearable-months-and-working-out/) [Ashish Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-sharma/) > [Men are April when they woo, December when they wed...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/men-are-april-when-they-woo-december-when-they-wed/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Oh, to be in England Now that April's there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/oh-to-be-in-england-now-that-april-s-there-and-whoever-wakes-in/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [Spring with its wavin' green grass and heaps of sweet-smellin' flowers on every hill and in every dale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bean/spring-with-its-wavin-green-grass-and-heaps-of-sweet-smellin-flowers/) [Roy Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bean/) [Browse all 567 April quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/april/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Friedrich Schiller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "April" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/friedrich-schiller-832_april_why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel_21690.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/friedrich-schiller-832_april_why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel_21690.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/649/friedrich-schiller-832_april_why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel_21690.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?” — Friedrich Schiller", "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": "Friedrich Schiller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Why should I deem myself to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/#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 } } ] } ```