---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainly, I know what it's like to be…"
description: "\"Certainly, I know what it's like to be obsessed. I haven't always been there for my children. They could reach me, but I wasn't always there. But, you ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/henning-mankell-2068_children_certainly-i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-ob_2939421.jpg"
---

#  Certainly, I know what it's like to be obsessed. I haven't…

![“Certainly, I know what it's like to be obsessed. I haven't always been there for my children. They could reach me, but I wasn't always there. But, you know, that's not necessarily anything to do with being a writer. I mean, a taxi driver could have the same problem... Maybe.” quote by Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/henning-mankell-2068_children_certainly-i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-ob_2939421.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/henning-mankell-2068_children_certainly-i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-ob_2939421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/768/henning-mankell-2068_children_certainly-i-know-what-it-s-like-to-be-ob_2939421.jpg)

> “Certainly, I know what it's like to be obsessed. I haven't always been there for my children. They could reach me, but I wasn't always there. But, you know, that's not necessarily anything to do with being a writer. I mean, a taxi driver could have the same problem... Maybe.”

[Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Obsession can cause neglect of family; writers aren’t uniquely prone—any profession can suffer.

**In simple terms:** Obsession leads to family neglect, not just writers.

Key Takeaway

Set boundaries to balance passion and family.

Themes

obsession family balance profession

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

self‑help philosophical

When to use this quote

- parenting
- career development
- creative pursuits
- mental health counseling

Key Concepts

psychology work‑life balance creative process

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you protect family time?
- What limits help maintain focus?

A Different Perspective

Boundaries may limit creative immersion.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Drivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drivers/) [Like Obsessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-obsessed-352238/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [My children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-children/) [Necessarily Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessarily-writer-3749991/) [Obsessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsessed/) [Obsessed Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obsessed-haven-4374786/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Taxi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxi/) [Taxi driver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxi-driver/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writer Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-mean-304074/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

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