--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She'd learned now that the only way to…" description: "\"“She'd learned now that the only way to write a list was to finish with something you actually wanted to do.”\" — Harriet Evans" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/harriet-evans-13233_to-do-lists_she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-w_1563240.jpg" --- # She'd learned now that the only way to write a list was to… ![“She'd learned now that the only way to write a list was to finish with something you actually wanted to do.” quote by Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/harriet-evans-13233_to-do-lists_she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-w_1563240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/harriet-evans-13233_to-do-lists_she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-w_1563240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/harriet-evans-13233_to-do-lists_she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-w_1563240.jpg) > ““She'd learned now that the only way to write a list was to finish with something you actually wanted to do.”” [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It suggests that completing a list feels rewarding when the final item aligns with personal desire. **In simple terms:** Finishing a list feels good when the last item is something you truly want. Key Takeaway Align tasks with personal goals. Themes motivation productivity goal setting Mood reflective motivational Type advice psychological When to use this quote - project planning - daily to-do lists - goal tracking - creative writing Key Concepts psychology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to finish a list? - How can you incorporate personal desire into tasks? A Different Perspective It may oversimplify complex tasks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) [Finish Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish-actually-5868685/) [List Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/list-finish-2360178/) [To-do-lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/to-do-lists-192056/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [Write List](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-list-690386/) ## Related quotes > [“I was born with a reading list I will never finish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-casey/i-was-born-with-a-reading-list-i-will-never-finish/) [Maud Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maud-casey/) > [A lot of authors, judging by their list, will put anything out that they finish... That's the worst model I've heard of in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/a-lot-of-authors-judging-by-their-list-will-put-anything-out-that/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [“Each day I will accomplish one thing on my to list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/each-day-i-will-accomplish-one-thing-on-my-to-list/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Each day I will accomplish one thing on my to do list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/each-day-i-will-accomplish-one-thing-on-my-to-do-list/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Life should not be reduced to a to do list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/life-should-not-be-reduced-to-a-to-do-list/) [Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/) > [Each night before I go to bed, I take out a small card and write a list of the things I need to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/each-night-before-i-go-to-bed-i-take-out-a-small-card-and-write-a/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [Write a list of targets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-veil-brides/write-a-list-of-targets/) [Black Veil Brides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-veil-brides/) > [A poetic list is a talent in itself. You can write a list of things, and it can be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pattiann-rogers/a-poetic-list-is-a-talent-in-itself-you-can-write-a-list-of-things/) [Pattiann Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pattiann-rogers/) > [“Write a “Done List”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-scott/write-a-done-list/) [S.J. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-scott/) > [“Don't just write a "To Do" list. Write a "To Be" list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-salmansohn/don-t-just-write-a-to-do-list-write-a-to-be-list/) [Karen Salmansohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-salmansohn/) > [I always wanted to write, ever since I was a kid. I started writing at the age of 11. All I wanted to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-zelazny/i-always-wanted-to-write-ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-started-writing-at/) [Roger Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-zelazny/) > [People often write after they finish their career, or they don't play anymore, or they are not anymore active. So I say, why do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/people-often-write-after-they-finish-their-career-or-they-don-t-play/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. His sprint finish to defend his title really moved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/my-first-olympics-memory-was-watching-haile-gebrselassie-in-sydney/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) ## More by Harriet Evans > [“Elle wondered if he had regrets. But she didn't let herself wonder for too long. She had locked her heart up against him, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/elle-wondered-if-he-had-regrets-but-she-didn-t-let-herself-wonder-for/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“She didn't realise it, for a long time, and it wasn't until they were having dinner one evening that he said something that she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-didn-t-realise-it-for-a-long-time-and-it-wasn-t-until-they-were/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“She wanted to sit in the pub with him the way Sam did with Steve, the way Matty and Karen had done last weekend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-wanted-to-sit-in-the-pub-with-him-the-way-sam-did-with-steve-the/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“Because if you love someone, you have to be brave and tell them. Don't let them go. And if you say no I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/because-if-you-love-someone-you-have-to-be-brave-and-tell-them-don-t/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“I want to be happy. To make someone else happy. To do my job well, be a good person”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/i-want-to-be-happy-to-make-someone-else-happy-to-do-my-job-well-be-a/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“She stood firm, biting her lip. "I asked you a question, Rory. Yes, or no?" He hesitated. "It's not as easy as that." 'It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-stood-firm-biting-her-lip-i-asked-you-a-question-rory-yes-or-no/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“Life would be easier for some people if it wasn't such a big deal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/life-would-be-easier-for-some-people-if-it-wasn-t-such-a-big-deal/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“She was different. She liked hearing it, because she wanted to recall just enough of it to remember that she never wanted to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-was-different-she-liked-hearing-it-because-she-wanted-to-recall/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“I'm not going to tell you how I think you should live your life, or what I think you should do," said Mary. "Now's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/i-m-not-going-to-tell-you-how-i-think-you-should-live-your-life-or/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“I think you might have missed the right person, your true love, because you have spent your life looking too hard for him. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/i-think-you-might-have-missed-the-right-person-your-true-love-because/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“It was completely still, not a sound within or outside. As if it was just the two of them, nothing more in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/it-was-completely-still-not-a-sound-within-or-outside-as-if-it-was/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“I fell in love with you that summer all those years ago. I never really told you, because of everything that happened. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/i-fell-in-love-with-you-that-summer-all-those-years-ago-i-never/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“What she didn't say was: "Can I punch both your sisters?" "How do you cope with this, all the time?" "Why can't it be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/what-she-didn-t-say-was-can-i-punch-both-your-sisters-how-do-you-cope/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“I'm not weird,' Elle said defensively. 'I mean in a good way. All the best people are.' He swallowed, as if he were thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/i-m-not-weird-elle-said-defensively-i-mean-in-a-good-way-all-the-best/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) > [“Elle Remembered Yorkshire road and the flat he shared with Caitlin and their daughter, and she almost stopped and turned back, and then she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/elle-remembered-yorkshire-road-and-the-flat-he-shared-with-caitlin/) [Harriet Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) [Explore all 51 Harriet Evans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/) ## More Finish quotes > [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. His sprint finish to defend his title really moved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/my-first-olympics-memory-was-watching-haile-gebrselassie-in-sydney/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It doesn't matter where you start but how you finish that matters!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-irick-rainford/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-start-but-how-you-finish-that-matters/) [Valerie Irick Rainford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-irick-rainford/) > [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [When I finish my career, I can look back and then decide if it was good or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/when-i-finish-my-career-i-can-look-back-and-then-decide-if-it-was/) [Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/) > [I've enjoyed my time at every club I have worked at, I've been lucky, but I won't jump in and finish up working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-ve-enjoyed-my-time-at-every-club-i-have-worked-at-i-ve-been-lucky/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [“Do it well, finish it properly, and move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eunice-kennedy-shriver/do-it-well-finish-it-properly-and-move-on/) [Eunice Kennedy Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eunice-kennedy-shriver/) > [Not everyone who started with you will finish with you. Be willing to go without them if you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/not-everyone-who-started-with-you-will-finish-with-you-be-willing-to/) [Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Call me old-fashioned, but it's always been my firm belief that a teacher's job should be for each of his or her students to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/call-me-old-fashioned-but-it-s-always-been-my-firm-belief-that-a/) [Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/) > [If it is possible I want to finish my career at Manchester United.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-ji-sung/if-it-is-possible-i-want-to-finish-my-career-at-manchester-united/) [Park Ji-sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-ji-sung/) > [A lot of times, you finish a movie, and you're either going, 'Oh, thank God, that's over,' or 'Oh, my God, it's over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyck-godfrey/a-lot-of-times-you-finish-a-movie-and-you-re-either-going-oh-thank/) [Wyck Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyck-godfrey/) > [I used to review games on 'The Totally Rad Show,' and the best thing about that was I would finish games. Now, it's become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-trachtenberg/i-used-to-review-games-on-the-totally-rad-show-and-the-best-thing/) [Dan Trachtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-trachtenberg/) > [“Winners run through the finish line. End your day with passion and enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-bellah/winners-run-through-the-finish-line-end-your-day-with-passion-and/) [Butch Bellah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-bellah/) [Browse all 1,526 Finish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She'd learned now that the only way to write a list was to finish with something you actually wanted to do.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harriet Evans" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-write-a-list-was-to-finish/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Finish" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-write-a-list-was-to-finish/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/harriet-evans-13233_to-do-lists_she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-w_1563240.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/harriet-evans-13233_to-do-lists_she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-w_1563240.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c4/harriet-evans-13233_to-do-lists_she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-w_1563240.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She'd learned now that the only way to write a list was to finish with something you actually wanted to do.” — Harriet Evans", "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": "Harriet Evans", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-evans/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“She'd learned now that the only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-write-a-list-was-to-finish/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-evans/she-d-learned-now-that-the-only-way-to-write-a-list-was-to-finish/#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 } } ] } ```