--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I actually was a writer who had the…" description: "\"I actually was a writer who had the ability to perform his own work as opposed to a comedian who wrote his own material. So that really made me happy a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/george-carlin-155_ability_i-actually-was-a-writer-who-had-the-abil_2758598.jpg" --- # I actually was a writer who had the ability to perform his… ![“I actually was a writer who had the ability to perform his own work as opposed to a comedian who wrote his own material. So that really made me happy and changed my whole perspective.” quote by George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/george-carlin-155_ability_i-actually-was-a-writer-who-had-the-abil_2758598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/george-carlin-155_ability_i-actually-was-a-writer-who-had-the-abil_2758598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/496/george-carlin-155_ability_i-actually-was-a-writer-who-had-the-abil_2758598.jpg) > “I actually was a writer who had the ability to perform his own work as opposed to a comedian who wrote his own material. So that really made me happy and changed my whole perspective.” [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He valued performing his own material, which gave him joy and shifted his view on comedy. **In simple terms:** Performing his own work made him happy. Key Takeaway Create and perform your own material. Themes comedy authenticity self‑expression Mood introspective confident Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - stand‑up - writing - live shows Key Concepts ownership performance creative control Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer writing or performing? - What risks come with owning all content? A Different Perspective Self‑performance can limit collaborative growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've never tried to pass myself off as anything more than a comedian who wrote a dating book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-behrendt/i-ve-never-tried-to-pass-myself-off-as-anything-more-than-a-comedian/) [Greg Behrendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-behrendt/) > [“You could say, in a way, that I'm not actually a writer, though perhaps I might be called a recorder? ... I just happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etienne-de-l-amour/you-could-say-in-a-way-that-i-m-not-actually-a-writer-though-perhaps/) [Etienne de L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etienne-de-l-amour/) > [Actually the writer is the most important part of the filmmaking process. That's why I never hesitate in giving credit to a writer which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/actually-the-writer-is-the-most-important-part-of-the-filmmaking/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [My own accumulation of influences is actually what made me a writer in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/my-own-accumulation-of-influences-is-actually-what-made-me-a-writer/) [Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/) > [Are you happy? Are you satisfied that you hurt her? You turned a girl who was so head over heels for you, to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-vasquez/are-you-happy-are-you-satisfied-that-you-hurt-her-you-turned-a-girl-2/) [Emilio Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-vasquez/) > [Are you happy? Are you satisfied that you hurt her? You turned a girl who was so head over heels for you, to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nylle/are-you-happy-are-you-satisfied-that-you-hurt-her-you-turned-a-girl/) Nylle > [And what makes me happy now has changed as well... Its one thing to play in a bar or at a biker festival, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-derringer/and-what-makes-me-happy-now-has-changed-as-well-its-one-thing-to-play/) [Rick Derringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-derringer/) > [I miss the old me. I miss the happy me. Everything has changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-miss-the-old-me-i-miss-the-happy-me-everything-has-changed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Writing is emblematic art form, which means that the book will never be any greater than the writer’s ability to perceive, classify, and describe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/writing-is-emblematic-art-form-which-means-that-the-book-will-never/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [“The best thing about being a writer is the ability to live vicariously through your own imagination, with no boundaries as to how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-goodwin/the-best-thing-about-being-a-writer-is-the-ability-to-live/) Dawn Goodwin > [As for most writers, language is vital for me: a writer's ability to render a fictional world - characters, landscape, emotions - into something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/as-for-most-writers-language-is-vital-for-me-a-writer-s-ability-to/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [What interests me very much as a writer is the ability for writing to have our lives to be occupied so vividly by others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/what-interests-me-very-much-as-a-writer-is-the-ability-for-writing-to/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [ The most important thing a writer can have \[is\] the ability to live with the constant loneliness and a strong sense of revulsion for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/the-most-important-thing-a-writer-can-have-is-the-ability-to-live/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [The road to wisdom is paved with excess. The mark of a true writer is their ability to mystify the familiar and familiarize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/the-road-to-wisdom-is-paved-with-excess-the-mark-of-a-true-writer-is/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [As every writer knows... there is something mysterious about the writer's ability, on any given day, to write. When the juices are flowing, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-every-writer-knows-there-is-something-mysterious-about-the-writer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by George Carlin > [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/with-the-proper-training-i-could-ve-been-an-evil-genius/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. Not true. Today is another day. We have no idea what tomorrow is going to be. It might turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/tomorrow-is-another-day-not-true-today-is-another-day-we-have-no-idea/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I was a loner as a child. I had an imaginary friend - I didn't bother with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-was-a-loner-as-a-child-i-had-an-imaginary-friend-i-didn-t-bother/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/kilometers-are-shorter-than-miles-save-gas-take-your-next-trip-in/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“If you guys want to get a MOM tattoo and save a little money, just get two letters done. Get about a one-inch capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/if-you-guys-want-to-get-a-mom-tattoo-and-save-a-little-money-just-get/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-ve-built-up-so-much-speed-that-you-hit-70-after-that-it-s-a-day/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [It ended suddenly for Brenda, more slowly for me. My runs began getting shorter and less pleasurable. I'd feel bad after only one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/it-ended-suddenly-for-brenda-more-slowly-for-me-my-runs-began-getting/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Is there another word for synonym?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/is-there-another-word-for-synonym/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The whole idea of the pursuit of goods and possessions has completely corrupted the human experience, along with religion, which I think limits the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-whole-idea-of-the-pursuit-of-goods-and-possessions-has-completely/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [You know the good part about all those executions in Texas? Fewer Texans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/you-know-the-good-part-about-all-those-executions-in-texas-fewer/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [What was the best thing before sliced bread?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/what-was-the-best-thing-before-sliced-bread/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) [Explore all 1,098 George Carlin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I actually was a writer who had the ability to perform his own work as opposed to a comedian who wrote his own material. 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