--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The primary problem is to learn to be…" description: "\"The primary problem is to learn to be your own toughest critic. You have to pay attention to intelligent work, and to work at the same time. You see. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/garry-winogrand-2342_attention_the-primary-problem-is-to-learn-to-be-yo_1605127.png" --- # The primary problem is to learn to be your own toughest… ![“The primary problem is to learn to be your own toughest critic. You have to pay attention to intelligent work, and to work at the same time. You see. I mean, you’ve got to bounce off better work. It’s matter of working.” quote by Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/garry-winogrand-2342_attention_the-primary-problem-is-to-learn-to-be-yo_1605127.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/garry-winogrand-2342_attention_the-primary-problem-is-to-learn-to-be-yo_1605127.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/garry-winogrand-2342_attention_the-primary-problem-is-to-learn-to-be-yo_1605127.png) > “The primary problem is to learn to be your own toughest critic. You have to pay attention to intelligent work, and to work at the same time. You see. I mean, you’ve got to bounce off better work. It’s matter of working.” [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Learning to critique oneself sharply while staying engaged in meaningful work drives artistic growth. **In simple terms:** Self‑critique fuels improvement. Key Takeaway Embrace honest self‑evaluation. Themes creativity self‑improvement artistic discipline Mood reflective determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - photo shoots - writing projects - design work - musical composition Key Concepts metacognition critical thinking feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑critique with self‑compassion? - When does criticism hinder progress? A Different Perspective Self‑critique can become paralyzing if overly harsh. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) ## Related quotes > [“you have to be your toughest critic, but at the same time, your own biggest fan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/not-known/you-have-to-be-your-toughest-critic-but-at-the-same-time-your-own/) Not Known > [I don't pay no attention to what critics say about me, the good or the bad. The toughest critic I got is myself...and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-don-t-pay-no-attention-to-what-critics-say-about-me-the-good-or-the/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I am a man who likes work. It's not a matter of financial security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorne-greene/i-am-a-man-who-likes-work-it-s-not-a-matter-of-financial-security/) [Lorne Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorne-greene/) > [If a film is good, it will work no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hrithik-roshan/if-a-film-is-good-it-will-work-no-matter-what/) [Hrithik Roshan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hrithik-roshan/) > [When you work for something, no matter hard it is, no matter how time consuming, how draining it is, you work for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-brunson/when-you-work-for-something-no-matter-hard-it-is-no-matter-how-time/) [Jalen Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-brunson/) > [Empathic, emotionally intelligent work environments have a good track record of increasing creativity, improving problem solving and raising productivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/empathic-emotionally-intelligent-work-environments-have-a-good-track/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [I am not going to give you a number for it because it's not my business to do intelligent work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/i-am-not-going-to-give-you-a-number-for-it-because-it-s-not-my/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The purposeful destruction of information is the essence of intelligent work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/the-purposeful-destruction-of-information-is-the-essence-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The great difference between those who succeed and those who fail does not consist in the amount of work done by each but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/the-great-difference-between-those-who-succeed-and-those-who-fail/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Work, hard work, intelligent work, and then more work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-j-hill/work-hard-work-intelligent-work-and-then-more-work/) [James J. Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-j-hill/) > [I'll never get complacent. I am my own toughest critic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-salie/i-ll-never-get-complacent-i-am-my-own-toughest-critic/) [Faith Salie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-salie/) > [I'm always going to be my own toughest critic, so I always feel like I can play better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geno-smith/i-m-always-going-to-be-my-own-toughest-critic-so-i-always-feel-like-i/) [Geno Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geno-smith/) > [I put so much pressure on myself. I'm my toughest critic. I always push myself to go harder than I did last time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/polo-g/i-put-so-much-pressure-on-myself-i-m-my-toughest-critic-i-always-push/) [Polo G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/polo-g/) > [The stage has a certain discipline. But the ultimate standard is more exacting in film, because you have to see yourself and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-stage-has-a-certain-discipline-but-the-ultimate-standard-is-more/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I'm always my toughest critic. I'm setting the expectations for myself, and that's enough pressure. I don't need to worry about the haters or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-qerim/i-m-always-my-toughest-critic-i-m-setting-the-expectations-for-myself/) [Molly Qerim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-qerim/) ## More by Garry Winogrand > [ \[Photography is \] likewise even French impressionists. So the Sculls bought pop. It was politics, and they moved with it. And I think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-likewise-even-french-impressionists-so-the-sculls/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [It's got to do with the contention between content and form. Invariably that's what's responsible for its energies, its tensions, its being interesting or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/it-s-got-to-do-with-the-contention-between-content-and-form/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I don't think anything happens without the press, one way or the other. I think it's all done for it. You saw it start,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-think-anything-happens-without-the-press-one-way-or-the-other/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I don't really have any faith in anybody enjoying photographs in a large enough sense to matter. I think it's all about finances, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-really-have-any-faith-in-anybody-enjoying-photographs-in-a/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [When I see something, I know why something's funny or seems to be funny. But in the end it's just another picture as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/when-i-see-something-i-know-why-something-s-funny-or-seems-to-be/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [There are things I photograph because I'm interested in those things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/there-are-things-i-photograph-because-i-m-interested-in-those-things/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [There's no way a photograph has to look... in a sense. There are no formal rules of design that can apply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/there-s-no-way-a-photograph-has-to-look-in-a-sense-there-are-no/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I don't have anything to say in any picture. My only interest in photography is to see what something looks like as a photograph.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-have-anything-to-say-in-any-picture-my-only-interest-in/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I'll come back to New York. I think I'll start focusing in more on the entertainment business. I have been doing some of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-ll-come-back-to-new-york-i-think-i-ll-start-focusing-in-more-on-the/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [There is no special way a photograph should look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/there-is-no-special-way-a-photograph-should-look/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [It's a lot of work organizing something, whether it's a show or a book, and I don't want to do it every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/it-s-a-lot-of-work-organizing-something-whether-it-s-a-show-or-a-book/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I have a good friend who's a very good printer. And he does a certain amount of printing for me. I do all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-have-a-good-friend-who-s-a-very-good-printer-and-he-does-a-certain/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I never saw a pyramid, but I've seen photographs; I know what a pyramid or a sphinx looks like. There are pictures that do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-never-saw-a-pyramid-but-i-ve-seen-photographs-i-know-what-a-pyramid/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I develop my own film. And I work in spurts. I pile it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-develop-my-own-film-and-i-work-in-spurts-i-pile-it-up/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [People are going to have a good time, you know. One can go have a good time at these big openings in museums. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/people-are-going-to-have-a-good-time-you-know-one-can-go-have-a-good/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) [Explore all 171 Garry Winogrand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The primary problem is to learn to be your own toughest critic. 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