--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During that first year, I felt guilty…" description: "\"During that first year, I felt guilty that my wife was out working bringing in all our income, while I was at home playing on the computer, so I made m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/george-stephen-26680_bringing_during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-tha_2651538.jpg" --- # During that first year, I felt guilty that my wife was out… ![“During that first year, I felt guilty that my wife was out working bringing in all our income, while I was at home playing on the computer, so I made myself treat writing like a job.” quote by George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/george-stephen-26680_bringing_during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-tha_2651538.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/george-stephen-26680_bringing_during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-tha_2651538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/george-stephen-26680_bringing_during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-tha_2651538.jpg) > “During that first year, I felt guilty that my wife was out working bringing in all our income, while I was at home playing on the computer, so I made myself treat writing like a job.” [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling guilt over traditional gender roles can motivate treating personal passions as professional work, turning leisure into productive effort. **In simple terms:** Guilt can drive turning hobbies into work. Key Takeaway Channel passion into disciplined effort. Themes gender roles productivity self-discipline Mood reflective motivational Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - career change - personal finance - work-life balance Key Concepts guilt motivation career transition Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance passion with responsibility? - What structures support productive creativity? A Different Perspective Guilt may cause resentment if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bringing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bringing/) [Bringing Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bringing-income-2353382/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Felt Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-guilty/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Guilty Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty-wife-2353381/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Income](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/income/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Treat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treat/) [While](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/while/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year/) [Year Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year-felt-260993/) ## Related quotes > [A young bride is like a plucked flower; but a guilty wife is like a flower that had been walked over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/a-young-bride-is-like-a-plucked-flower-but-a-guilty-wife-is-like-a/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [When you're a self-made man you start very early in life. In my case it was at nine years old when I started bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-kerkorian/when-you-re-a-self-made-man-you-start-very-early-in-life-in-my-case/) [Kirk Kerkorian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-kerkorian/) > [“Not soon, as late as the approach of my ninetieth year, I felt a door opening in me and I entered the clarity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/not-soon-as-late-as-the-approach-of-my-ninetieth-year-i-felt-a-door-2/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [For some reason, 1968 is a touchstone year for me. I think it was the first year I felt fully conscious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/for-some-reason-1968-is-a-touchstone-year-for-me-i-think-it-was-the/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [Second seasons are always better. In the first year, I felt a little bit of pressure. Maybe sometimes I didn't play naturally. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-giroud/second-seasons-are-always-better-in-the-first-year-i-felt-a-little/) [Olivier Giroud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-giroud/) > [I was never the kind of girl who said, "One day, I am going to be a beautiful bride, and I am going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-was-never-the-kind-of-girl-who-said-one-day-i-am-going-to-be-a/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [I was standing onstage last year, and I felt like I wanted to be somewhere else. No matter how many people were out there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/i-was-standing-onstage-last-year-and-i-felt-like-i-wanted-to-be/) [Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/) > [Theres a little more margin for error this year. Last year, it felt like we had to win every game. That wasnt a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-berkman/theres-a-little-more-margin-for-error-this-year-last-year-it-felt/) [Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) > [Having a birthday around the holidays was never easy and, with every successive year, it felt more and more as if celebrating my birthday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/having-a-birthday-around-the-holidays-was-never-easy-and-with-every/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) > [When I had my first child, I didn't write for a year, and I felt when I tried to start again I might actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/when-i-had-my-first-child-i-didn-t-write-for-a-year-and-i-felt-when-i/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [At San Antonio, I think because of all that happened in my senior year, they felt like they had to take me. But at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsey-plum/at-san-antonio-i-think-because-of-all-that-happened-in-my-senior-year/) [Kelsey Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsey-plum/) > [My senior year I felt I put a lot more time into the offseason to make a lot more happen. Going out my senior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-donald/my-senior-year-i-felt-i-put-a-lot-more-time-into-the-offseason-to/) [Aaron Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-donald/) > [“in a year, or in ten, he felt his heart lift at the thought that there was still one last golden day of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/in-a-year-or-in-ten-he-felt-his-heart-lift-at-the-thought-that-there/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“After a year I felt so plugged in to all the stories and the images and the fear that even the dead started telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-herr/after-a-year-i-felt-so-plugged-in-to-all-the-stories-and-the-images/) [Michael Herr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-herr/) > [“Afterwards, as he held me and stroked my hair, my body was singing with pleasure, I couldn’t believe I had waited so long. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/somi-ekhasomhi/afterwards-as-he-held-me-and-stroked-my-hair-my-body-was-singing-with/) [Somi Ekhasomhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/somi-ekhasomhi/) ## More by George Stephen > [When I decided to take writing seriously, I did a lot of reading and analyzing of the books I liked, and came up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/when-i-decided-to-take-writing-seriously-i-did-a-lot-of-reading-and/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [On the other hand, now that I'm not dependent on fiction for my income, I've been writing more short stories despite the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/on-the-other-hand-now-that-i-m-not-dependent-on-fiction-for-my-income/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [The benefit of this kind of outlining is that you discover a story's flaws before you invest a lot of time writing the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/the-benefit-of-this-kind-of-outlining-is-that-you-discover-a-story-s/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [For each book, the time is also broken up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/for-each-book-the-time-is-also-broken-up/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [So, in effect, my first sale was actually two books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/so-in-effect-my-first-sale-was-actually-two-books/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [Trying to break into the horror market seemed natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/trying-to-break-into-the-horror-market-seemed-natural/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [A couple of weeks after that, Zebra Books phoned with an offer, and I accepted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/a-couple-of-weeks-after-that-zebra-books-phoned-with-an-offer-and-i/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [Even the contemporary horror authors who have seriously influenced me are a disparate bunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/even-the-contemporary-horror-authors-who-have-seriously-influenced-me/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [So, I outlined a horror novel and started writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/so-i-outlined-a-horror-novel-and-started-writing/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [Many of my short stories (all unpublished) were horror, and the novel I'd just finished was horror, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/many-of-my-short-stories-all-unpublished-were-horror-and-the-novel-i/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [For the novels I wrote before selling anything, I didn't outline much. I had a vague idea of the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/for-the-novels-i-wrote-before-selling-anything-i-didn-t-outline-much/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [I spent two months on the first draft, working 8 hours a day, five days a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/i-spent-two-months-on-the-first-draft-working-8-hours-a-day-five-days/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [In the first year, 1988, I wrote and sold 3 novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/in-the-first-year-1988-i-wrote-and-sold-3-novels/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [When I was a teenager, I got into SF, quite heavily, and that too has had a major impact on my writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/when-i-was-a-teenager-i-got-into-sf-quite-heavily-and-that-too-has/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [Actually, the 14 novels were written over a period of just over 6 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/actually-the-14-novels-were-written-over-a-period-of-just-over-6-years/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) [Explore all 21 George Stephen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) ## More Bringing quotes > [They have to exist or not in their own right. I mean, with kids, you don't say, 'Which is your favourite,' or 'Which did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-finney/they-have-to-exist-or-not-in-their-own-right-i-mean-with-kids-you-don/) [Albert Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-finney/) > [It's true, I'm the youngest, highest-grossing French director. I have a few records, but no one knows or simply doesn't care. That's good, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leterrier/it-s-true-i-m-the-youngest-highest-grossing-french-director-i-have-a/) [Louis Leterrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leterrier/) > [If the audience is bringing it, it always goes up 10 notches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kanal/if-the-audience-is-bringing-it-it-always-goes-up-10-notches/) [Tony Kanal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kanal/) > [Pro-lifers have long been castigated for bringing private values into the public square. But actually it is the pro-abortion position that is based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pearcey/pro-lifers-have-long-been-castigated-for-bringing-private-values-into/) [Nancy Pearcey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pearcey/) > [ABC Family is really restructuring their network because there's a new kind of family, so I think they're really trying to step away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dallas/abc-family-is-really-restructuring-their-network-because-there-s-a/) [Matt Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dallas/) > [The war being fought in Afghanistan and Iraq is bringing about a fundamental change to the environment that has given rise and power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-l-thomas/the-war-being-fought-in-afghanistan-and-iraq-is-bringing-about-a/) [Craig L. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-l-thomas/) > [When Gingrich attacked CNN's John King for bringing up his alleged proposal of an open marriage to his second wife, Gingrich accused him of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/when-gingrich-attacked-cnn-s-john-king-for-bringing-up-his-alleged/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [I think it was always there and it was maybe a matter of bringing it out. It was harder than I thought it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-lafleur/i-think-it-was-always-there-and-it-was-maybe-a-matter-of-bringing-it/) [Guy Lafleur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-lafleur/) > [If a director brings a guy to their movie who does improv, they've got to let him do what he does - otherwise it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-smoove/if-a-director-brings-a-guy-to-their-movie-who-does-improv-they-ve-got/) [J. B. Smoove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-smoove/) > [Anytime you have a difficult encounter with your child, there is a good chance that at least one of these factors is bringing out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-rindner-tempelsman/anytime-you-have-a-difficult-encounter-with-your-child-there-is-a/) [Cathy Rindner Tempelsman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-rindner-tempelsman/) > [I couldn't get you to the ocean, but there was nothing stopping me bringing the ocean to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-couldn-t-get-you-to-the-ocean-but-there-was-nothing-stopping-me/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I think people need to commit to one another before they commit to bringing children into the world because that's the optimum arrangement for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leah-ward-sears/i-think-people-need-to-commit-to-one-another-before-they-commit-to/) [Leah Ward Sears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leah-ward-sears/) > [When Marvel approached me about possibly bringing back a She-Hulk solo series, a few touchstones for a take immediately popped into my head -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-soule/when-marvel-approached-me-about-possibly-bringing-back-a-she-hulk/) [Charles Soule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-soule/) > [I was bringing my attitude as a regular person 'cause this is my attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-danzig/i-was-bringing-my-attitude-as-a-regular-person-cause-this-is-my/) [Glenn Danzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-danzig/) > [People say 'what do you mean' when you talk about 'bringing down civilization.' What I really mean is depriving the rich of the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/people-say-what-do-you-mean-when-you-talk-about-bringing-down/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) [Browse all 318 Bringing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bringing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "During that first year, I felt guilty that my wife was out working bringing in all our income, while I was at home playing on the computer, so I made myself treat writing like a job.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George Stephen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-that-my-wife-was-out-working/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bringing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-that-my-wife-was-out-working/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/george-stephen-26680_bringing_during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-tha_2651538.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/george-stephen-26680_bringing_during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-tha_2651538.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ec/george-stephen-26680_bringing_during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-tha_2651538.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“During that first year, I felt guilty that my wife was out working bringing in all our income, while I was…” — George Stephen", "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 Stephen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "During that first year, I felt...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-that-my-wife-was-out-working/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/during-that-first-year-i-felt-guilty-that-my-wife-was-out-working/#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 } } ] } ```