--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I realized that I had things in my head…" description: "\"I realized that I had things in my head not like what I had been taught - not like what I had seen - shapes and ideas so familiar to me that it hadn't ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/georgia-o-keeffe-2763_decided_i-realized-that-i-had-things-in-my-head_2209837.png" --- # I realized that I had things in my head not like what I… ![“I realized that I had things in my head not like what I had been taught - not like what I had seen - shapes and ideas so familiar to me that it hadn't occurred to me to put them down. I decided to stop painting, to put away everything I had done, and to start to say the things that were my own.” quote by Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/georgia-o-keeffe-2763_decided_i-realized-that-i-had-things-in-my-head_2209837.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/georgia-o-keeffe-2763_decided_i-realized-that-i-had-things-in-my-head_2209837.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/944/georgia-o-keeffe-2763_decided_i-realized-that-i-had-things-in-my-head_2209837.png) > “I realized that I had things in my head not like what I had been taught - not like what I had seen - shapes and ideas so familiar to me that it hadn't occurred to me to put them down. I decided to stop painting, to put away everything I had done, and to start to say the things that were my own.” [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She recognized that inherited ideas limited her authenticity, prompting a break from past influences. **In simple terms:** Break free from learned constraints to find personal voice. Key Takeaway Embrace personal authenticity. Themes art self‑discovery independence Mood reflective determined Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - artistic practice - career shift - personal writing Key Concepts creative freedom identity originality Questions to Reflect On - What inherited belief holds you back? - How can you honor the past while creating anew? A Different Perspective Changing direction can involve loss of skill or confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [Every now and again, a painting will get away from my control and take over. Sometimes it's a good thing. Sometimes it's a giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-vernon/every-now-and-again-a-painting-will-get-away-from-my-control-and-take/) [Ursula Vernon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-vernon/) > [“I realized that all things in life are connected and I could no longer go about life without looking within.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/i-realized-that-all-things-in-life-are-connected-and-i-could-no/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [“At that point, I realized that I could see myself in all things… objects, people, places, experiences, what have you… as long as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla-severson/at-that-point-i-realized-that-i-could-see-myself-in-all-things/) [Kayla Severson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla-severson/) > [I realized two things from an early age - I was insane and had some kind of comedic thing going on. My brain was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-realized-two-things-from-an-early-age-i-was-insane-and-had-some/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [As far as I was concerned, the Depression was an ill wind that blew some good. If it hadn't occurred, my parents would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sargent-shriver/as-far-as-i-was-concerned-the-depression-was-an-ill-wind-that-blew/) [Sargent Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sargent-shriver/) > [I remember the day I found out my draft status. I was really floored and kind of staggered around in a daze. It just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-stevenson/i-remember-the-day-i-found-out-my-draft-status-i-was-really-floored/) [Parker Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-stevenson/) > [“him again.” That thought hadn’t occurred to Anna. She pondered it for a moment, before she said, “Why do you think he was killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-isaac/him-again-that-thought-hadn-t-occurred-to-anna-she-pondered-it-for-a/) Jane Isaac > [If he sees nothing within, then he should stop painting what is in front of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caspar-david-friedrich/if-he-sees-nothing-within-then-he-should-stop-painting-what-is-in/) [Caspar David Friedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caspar-david-friedrich/) > [I'm not going to stop painting just to take orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/i-m-not-going-to-stop-painting-just-to-take-orders/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [I never want to stop painting. I'm 94 now. What's my secret? I just keep thinking about the painting I'm going to do tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-soulages/i-never-want-to-stop-painting-i-m-94-now-what-s-my-secret-i-just-keep/) [Pierre Soulages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-soulages/) > [Without a good cultural policy, without adequate help, we will always have individualists, shooting stars who are rapidly forgotten or who stop painting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-allen/without-a-good-cultural-policy-without-adequate-help-we-will-always/) [Ralph Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-allen/) > [Most artists never get a chance to be Picasso, but that doesn't mean you would stop painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/most-artists-never-get-a-chance-to-be-picasso-but-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [I can't let things go when it comes to stop painting. It has to be my way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ackermann/i-can-t-let-things-go-when-it-comes-to-stop-painting-it-has-to-be-my/) [Rita Ackermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ackermann/) > [“If you stop painting policemen in order to paint windmills, criticism remains so overpoweringly policeman-conscious that even a windmill is seen as something with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-milne-2/if-you-stop-painting-policemen-in-order-to-paint-windmills-criticism/) [A.A. Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-milne-2/) > [People won't stop painting, just as they won't stop making music or dancing. This is a facility we have. Children don't stop doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerhard-richter/people-won-t-stop-painting-just-as-they-won-t-stop-making-music-or/) [Gerhard Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerhard-richter/) ## More by Georgia O'Keeffe > [Singing has always seemed to me the most perfect means of expression. It is so spontaneous. And after singing, I think the violin. Since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/singing-has-always-seemed-to-me-the-most-perfect-means-of-expression/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [When I think of death, I only regret that I will not be able to see this beautiful country anymore unless the Indians are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/when-i-think-of-death-i-only-regret-that-i-will-not-be-able-to-see/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [Sometimes I start in a very realistic fashion, and as I go on from one painting to another of the same kind, it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/sometimes-i-start-in-a-very-realistic-fashion-and-as-i-go-on-from-one/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I have a single track mind. I work on an idea for a long time. It's like getting acquainted with a person, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-have-a-single-track-mind-i-work-on-an-idea-for-a-long-time-it-s/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [You get whatever accomplishment you are willing to declare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/you-get-whatever-accomplishment-you-are-willing-to-declare/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [“I said to myself 'I have things in my head that are not like what anyone has taught me--shapes and idea so near to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-said-to-myself-i-have-things-in-my-head-that-are-not-like-what/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I'd been taught to paint like other people, and I thought, what's the use? I couldn't do any better than they, or even as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-d-been-taught-to-paint-like-other-people-and-i-thought-what-s-the/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I believe an artist is the last person in the world who can afford to be affected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-believe-an-artist-is-the-last-person-in-the-world-who-can-afford-to/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [My first memory is of the brightness of light ... light all around. I was sitting among pillows on a quilt on the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/my-first-memory-is-of-the-brightness-of-light-light-all-around-i-was/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [Before I put brush to canvas, I question, 'Is this mine? ...Is it influenced by some idea which I have acquired from some man?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/before-i-put-brush-to-canvas-i-question-is-this-mine-is-it-influenced/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I decided to start anew-to strip away what I had been taught, to accept as true my own thinking. This was one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-decided-to-start-anew-to-strip-away-what-i-had-been-taught-to/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [“I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to ... I found that I could say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-decided-i-was-a-very-stupid-fool-not-to-at-least-paint-as-i-wanted/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [My painting is what I have to give back to the world for what the world gives to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/my-painting-is-what-i-have-to-give-back-to-the-world-for-what-the/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [He wanted head and hands and arms on a pillow - in many different positions. I was asked to move my hands in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/he-wanted-head-and-hands-and-arms-on-a-pillow-in-many-different/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [I feel there is something unexplored about woman that only a woman can explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/i-feel-there-is-something-unexplored-about-woman-that-only-a-woman/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) [Explore all 151 Georgia O'Keeffe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) ## More Decided quotes > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. 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So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [I'm truly, 100% guided by the characters and my Muse. If one of the characters suddenly decided to do something very different, I'd just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-foster/i-m-truly-100-guided-by-the-characters-and-my-muse-if-one-of-the/) [Lori Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-foster/) > [I just decided to take some time off. I've been modeling since '93, '92, and that's a pretty long time. I'm a single mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-murphy/i-just-decided-to-take-some-time-off-i-ve-been-modeling-since-93-92/) [Carolyn Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-murphy/) > [When I became 21, I decided that nobody learned anything about politics after the age of 21.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/when-i-became-21-i-decided-that-nobody-learned-anything-about/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [Before I started doing the film and when I found out I was going to be doing it, I just decided to pump up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parminder-nagra/before-i-started-doing-the-film-and-when-i-found-out-i-was-going-to/) [Parminder Nagra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parminder-nagra/) > [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [He decided then that he would love her forever no matter what came to pass. It was not so much a matter of deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/he-decided-then-that-he-would-love-her-forever-no-matter-what-came-to/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) > [Work hard on each opinion, but once the case is decided, don't look back; go on to the next case and give it your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/work-hard-on-each-opinion-but-once-the-case-is-decided-don-t-look/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) Browse all 3,155 Decided quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I realized that I had things in my head not like what I had been taught - not like what I had seen - shapes and ideas so familiar to me that it hadn't occurred to me to put them down. 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