--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I have finally realized that, you…" description: "\"And I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations. It could be that it would take m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/510/george-saunders-317_accommodate_and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-kno_2087335.jpg" --- # And I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a… ![“And I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations. It could be that it would take me 12 more books at six years each to get it - which means I would have to live to be 126. Which I fully intend to do, of course.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/510/george-saunders-317_accommodate_and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-kno_2087335.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/510/george-saunders-317_accommodate_and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-kno_2087335.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/510/george-saunders-317_accommodate_and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-kno_2087335.jpg) > “And I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations. It could be that it would take me 12 more books at six years each to get it - which means I would have to live to be 126. Which I fully intend to do, of course.” [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He acknowledges that achieving his writing goals may outlive a normal lifespan, so he plans to live much longer to complete them. **In simple terms:** He may need to live far beyond typical years to finish his books. Key Takeaway Plan for longevity to fulfill creative ambitions. Themes longevity creativity ambition Mood determined reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - writing career - personal health planning - long‑term goal setting Key Concepts life expectancy creative output career planning Questions to Reflect On - How will you balance health and ambition? - What sacrifices are acceptable for creative fulfillment? A Different Perspective Life expectancy is uncertain; health may limit plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [12 Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/12-books-1601471/) [Accommodate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accommodate/) [Aspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspiration/) [Aspirations 12](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspirations-12-4108315/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Finally Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finally-realized/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Given Lifespan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given-lifespan-4108314/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Six](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Aspirations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-aspirations-1060230/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-have-finally-realized-that-you-know-it-s-not-a-given-that-my/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Glad to know about all of you who care about books, including or especially poetry. I'm a much published writer/editor of 12 books (medical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-spearin-mccauley/glad-to-know-about-all-of-you-who-care-about-books-including-or/) [Carole Spearin McCauley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-spearin-mccauley/) > [But most weeks I've gone through 12 books, maybe even 15 some weeks, depending on the length. So I go through my long form,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/but-most-weeks-i-ve-gone-through-12-books-maybe-even-15-some-weeks/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [I made a lot of different experiments with tapes at that time, until I finally realized around 1995, that sound is an interesting subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-made-a-lot-of-different-experiments-with-tapes-at-that-time-until-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't need you anymore. I don't feel sad anymore. I finally realized I'm better off without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-need-you-anymore-i-don-t-feel-sad-anymore-i-finally-realized/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Roses are red, violets are blue, so glad I finally realized I'm better off without you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/roses-are-red-violets-are-blue-so-glad-i-finally-realized-i-m-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Your wife,” said Arthur, looking around, “mentioned some toothpicks.” He said it with a hunted look, as if he was worried that she might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/your-wife-said-arthur-looking-around-mentioned-some-toothpicks-he/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I was ready to trust you. I was ready to love you. You broke your promise, so I broke everything you thought you had.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-kai-andrews/i-was-ready-to-trust-you-i-was-ready-to-love-you-you-broke-your/) [Brianna Kai Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-kai-andrews/) > [I knew from the time I was 13 that I wanted to be an actress. I idolized Evan Rachel Woods performance in Thirteen, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leven-rambin/i-knew-from-the-time-i-was-13-that-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i/) [Leven Rambin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leven-rambin/) > [I've finally realized that sometimes you lose good things in life, to make room for great ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-finally-realized-that-sometimes-you-lose-good-things-in-life-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In fact, when I finally realized I was really going to write, when I was about thirty-four, I was working on my Ph.D. in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-jo-campbell/in-fact-when-i-finally-realized-i-was-really-going-to-write-when-i/) [Bonnie Jo Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-jo-campbell/) > [“Even though I'd told her that I couldn't walk away from her, I finally realized that I loved her too much to fuck her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/even-though-i-d-told-her-that-i-couldn-t-walk-away-from-her-i-finally/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [I think they've finally realized that women go to see movies as much as men do. Ticket sales are coming from them as well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-think-they-ve-finally-realized-that-women-go-to-see-movies-as-much/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [I had lived all of my youthful dreams, but I couldn't think of many adult ones. I finally realized that we don't have many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-gilbert/i-had-lived-all-of-my-youthful-dreams-but-i-couldn-t-think-of-many/) [Jack Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gilbert/) > [“Once upon a time, he'd believed that his music, his guitar, and his songs were everything he needed. But tonight, as his tour bus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-andre/once-upon-a-time-he-d-believed-that-his-music-his-guitar-and-his/) [Bella Andre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-andre/) ## More by George Saunders > [Success is like a mountain in front of you that keeps growing. If you're not careful, it will take up your whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/success-is-like-a-mountain-in-front-of-you-that-keeps-growing-if-you/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Wow wow wow is all I can say! Remember how I always buy lunchtime Scratch-Off ticket? Have I said? Maybe did not say? Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/wow-wow-wow-is-all-i-can-say-remember-how-i-always-buy-lunchtime/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“None of it was real; nothing was real. Everything was real; inconceivably real, infinitely dear. These and all things started as nothing, latent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/none-of-it-was-real-nothing-was-real-everything-was-real/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“We must see God not as a Him (some linear rewarding fellow) but an IT, a great beast beyond our understanding, who wants something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-must-see-god-not-as-a-him-some-linear-rewarding-fellow-but-an-it-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [America, to me, should be shouting all the time, a bunch of shouting voices, most of them wrong, some of them nuts, but please,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/america-to-me-should-be-shouting-all-the-time-a-bunch-of-shouting/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [In my case, when I am trying to be "kind" I often default in a sort of toothless loving-all stance that is, actually, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/in-my-case-when-i-am-trying-to-be-kind-i-often-default-in-a-sort-of/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Whatever your supposed politics are - left, right - if you put it in a human connection, most people will rise to the occasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/whatever-your-supposed-politics-are-left-right-if-you-put-it-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A Clinton staffer tells me his theory. Think about Frank Sinatra, he says: born to sing. Think about Willie Mays: born to play ball.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/a-clinton-staffer-tells-me-his-theory-think-about-frank-sinatra-he/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We try, we fail, we posture, we aspire, we pontificate - and then we age, shrink, die, and vanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-try-we-fail-we-posture-we-aspire-we-pontificate-and-then-we-age/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What America is, to me, is a guy doesn't want to buy, you let him not buy, you respect his not buying. A guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-america-is-to-me-is-a-guy-doesn-t-want-to-buy-you-let-him-not/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [What good the prophet in the wilderness may do is incremental and personal. It's good for us to hear someone speak the irrational truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/what-good-the-prophet-in-the-wilderness-may-do-is-incremental-and/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [We're in the transition between birth and death. But the one that people often know about is the transition between the moment of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/we-re-in-the-transition-between-birth-and-death-but-the-one-that/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [You don't want to be that parent - the one who dresses his kid in a cloth sack when all the other kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-don-t-want-to-be-that-parent-the-one-who-dresses-his-kid-in-a/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) [Explore all 690 George Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) ## More Accommodate quotes > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [In degenerating programmes, however, theories are fabricated only in order to accommodate known facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-lakatos/in-degenerating-programmes-however-theories-are-fabricated-only-in/) [Imre Lakatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-lakatos/) > [In general, if a couple cannot expand their original rules and boundaries to accommodate personal growth, the relationship disintegrates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/in-general-if-a-couple-cannot-expand-their-original-rules-and/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [Not forgiving prolongs hurt and anger and leads to smoldering resentment, which will make us miserable until it kills us. Resentment destroys the perception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-walters/not-forgiving-prolongs-hurt-and-anger-and-leads-to-smoldering/) [Richard Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-walters/) > [Once you run for office, you're in it - sort of like going into the military. You'd better be damned sure it is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy-jr/once-you-run-for-office-you-re-in-it-sort-of-like-going-into-the/) [John F. Kennedy Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy-jr/) > [In 2011, I announced that I was going to retire, and my agent panicked. So she says: 'No, no, no. You have to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/in-2011-i-announced-that-i-was-going-to-retire-and-my-agent-panicked/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [With a basic understanding of all humans as brothers and sisters, we can appreciate the usefulness of different systems and ideologies that can accommodate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/with-a-basic-understanding-of-all-humans-as-brothers-and-sisters-we/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I can't really change my life to accommodate people who are jealous. I don't see why I should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-can-t-really-change-my-life-to-accommodate-people-who-are-jealous-i/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/we-travel-to-open-our-hearts-and-eyes-and-learn-more-about-the-world/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [Many women have made the mistake of changing their beliefs to accommodate their work; it must be the other way around. No circumstance is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/many-women-have-made-the-mistake-of-changing-their-beliefs-to/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [You have to be open to change. I never stop making sure that what I say is the best of what could be said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/you-have-to-be-open-to-change-i-never-stop-making-sure-that-what-i/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [Be content with what you have Be satisfied with your dwelling place to accommodate your enterprise, Restrain your tongue, And shed tears of regret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/son-of-masud-abdullah/be-content-with-what-you-have-be-satisfied-with-your-dwelling-place/) [Son of Masud Abdullah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/son-of-masud-abdullah/) > [In the years since The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin, Voinovich has sharpened his satire, and Monumental Propaganda is a novel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kalfus/in-the-years-since-the-life-and-extraordinary-adventures-of-private/) [Ken Kalfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kalfus/) > [To constitute a dispute there must be two parties. To understand it well, both parties and all the circumstances must be fully heard; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/to-constitute-a-dispute-there-must-be-two-parties-to-understand-it/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) [Browse all 237 Accommodate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accommodate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing aspirations. It could be that it would take me 12 more books at six years each to get it - which means I would have to live to be 126. Which I fully intend to do, of course.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Saunders" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-know-it-s-not-a-given-that-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accommodate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-know-it-s-not-a-given-that-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/510/george-saunders-317_accommodate_and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-kno_2087335.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/510/george-saunders-317_accommodate_and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-kno_2087335.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/510/george-saunders-317_accommodate_and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-kno_2087335.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And I have finally realized that, you know, it's not a given that my lifespan will accommodate my writing…” — George Saunders", "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": "George Saunders", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And I have finally realized that,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-know-it-s-not-a-given-that-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/and-i-have-finally-realized-that-you-know-it-s-not-a-given-that-my/#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 } } ] } ```