--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No, I don't make my work in order to…" description: "\"No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people's expectations - I only do what I find natural.\" — Ian Hamilton Finlay" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/ian-hamilton-finlay-26772_expectations_no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-chal_1587899.png" --- # No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse… ![“No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people's expectations - I only do what I find natural.” quote by Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/ian-hamilton-finlay-26772_expectations_no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-chal_1587899.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/ian-hamilton-finlay-26772_expectations_no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-chal_1587899.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/ian-hamilton-finlay-26772_expectations_no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-chal_1587899.png) > “No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people's expectations - I only do what I find natural.” [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker creates work driven by personal authenticity, not to provoke or subvert others' expectations. **In simple terms:** Create from what feels natural, not to confuse others. Key Takeaway Stay true to your own instincts. Themes authenticity creativity expectations Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - visual art - public speaking - teaching Key Concepts personal integrity artistic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal truth with audience reception? - When is it okay to challenge expectations? A Different Perspective May alienate audiences expecting shock value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confuse People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confuse-people-770480/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Expectations Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations-natural-2603590/) [Make Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-work/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-expectations/) ## Related quotes > [“Love is selfless. It does not dictate terms. Expectations are natural but not compulsory. It doesn’t say I will love you as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shiv-kumar/love-is-selfless-it-does-not-dictate-terms-expectations-are-natural/) [Shiv Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shiv-kumar/) > [If you have an over-preoccupation with perception and trying to please people's expectations, then you can go mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/if-you-have-an-over-preoccupation-with-perception-and-trying-to/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [“What kind of a place is Expectations?" inquired Milo, unable to see the humor and feeling very doubtful of the little man's sanity. "Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/what-kind-of-a-place-is-expectations-inquired-milo-unable-to-see-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [I've said it lots of times before, I play for myself, so I'm not worried about other people's expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-fritz/i-ve-said-it-lots-of-times-before-i-play-for-myself-so-i-m-not/) [Taylor Fritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-fritz/) > [I don't really focus on other people's expectations of me. I only care what my own expectations are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-keys/i-don-t-really-focus-on-other-people-s-expectations-of-me-i-only-care/) [Madison Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-keys/) > [It's always better to shock people and change people's expectations than to give them exactly what they think you can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/it-s-always-better-to-shock-people-and-change-people-s-expectations/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [I never want to confuse people or go over their heads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-never-want-to-confuse-people-or-go-over-their-heads/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [I always want to confuse people in terms of any kind of image and be unpredictable in any kind of movie I make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-always-want-to-confuse-people-in-terms-of-any-kind-of-image-and-be/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [Jesus' philosophy in life seemed to be, "Let's confuse as many people for as long as we can". He was an enigma. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-coates/jesus-philosophy-in-life-seemed-to-be-let-s-confuse-as-many-people/) [Gerald Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-coates/) > [I never confuse the people who just been around me with the people who've actually been there for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-never-confuse-the-people-who-just-been-around-me-with-the-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always think it's far more admirable to confuse people than it is to reassure them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/i-always-think-it-s-far-more-admirable-to-confuse-people-than-it-is/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [I do so many things it has a tendency to confuse people. They didn't know where to put me. So they put me nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-uggams/i-do-so-many-things-it-has-a-tendency-to-confuse-people-they-didn-t/) [Leslie Uggams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-uggams/) > [I immediately split the crowd. I thought about coming on every night and shouting, 'Gay pride, white power!' just to confuse people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/i-immediately-split-the-crowd-i-thought-about-coming-on-every-night/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [Never confuse people who are always around you, with people who are always there for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gee-linder/never-confuse-people-who-are-always-around-you-with-people-who-are/) [Gee Linder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gee-linder/) > [Every now and then I like to do as I'm told, just to confuse people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/every-now-and-then-i-like-to-do-as-i-m-told-just-to-confuse-people/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) ## More by Ian Hamilton Finlay > [I am always a beginner. I only try to include different parts of life; the pastoral, the tragic, et cetera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/i-am-always-a-beginner-i-only-try-to-include-different-parts-of-life/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [I have often said that just as the French revolution, for instance, understood itself through antiquity, I think our time can be understood through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/i-have-often-said-that-just-as-the-french-revolution-for-instance/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [But I can only write what the muse allows me to write. I cannot choose, I can only do what I am given, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/but-i-can-only-write-what-the-muse-allows-me-to-write-i-cannot-choose/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [But you have to understand that I consider myself a very modest artist, or whatever, and not of importance really at all - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/but-you-have-to-understand-that-i-consider-myself-a-very-modest/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [However, I don't feel the world is looking over my shoulder when I am working - I never think about this at all. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/however-i-don-t-feel-the-world-is-looking-over-my-shoulder-when-i-am/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [The same sort of thing happened in my dispute with the National Trust book: Follies: A National Trust Guide, which implied that the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/the-same-sort-of-thing-happened-in-my-dispute-with-the-national-trust/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [If the work is pure then you have to think it could be understood. If it is not understood it doesn't mean that your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/if-the-work-is-pure-then-you-have-to-think-it-could-be-understood-if/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [The present order is the disorder of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/the-present-order-is-the-disorder-of-the-future/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [Certain gardens are described as retreats when they are really attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/certain-gardens-are-described-as-retreats-when-they-are-really-attacks/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [Little Sparta is a garden in the traditional sense. It is perhaps not like other modern gardens, but I think that other times would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/little-sparta-is-a-garden-in-the-traditional-sense-it-is-perhaps-not/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [As a friendly one. I would still like to write concrete poems, but I can only do it sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/as-a-friendly-one-i-would-still-like-to-write-concrete-poems-but-i/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [But at the beginning it was clear to me that concrete poetry was peculiarly suited for using in public settings. This was my idea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/but-at-the-beginning-it-was-clear-to-me-that-concrete-poetry-was/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [I came to these mediums through having the garden, and of course, people who have designed gardens have always worked in collaboration, and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/i-came-to-these-mediums-through-having-the-garden-and-of-course/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [People have always found me challenging - I don't know why, when I am only being myself. I don't understand why they find me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/people-have-always-found-me-challenging-i-don-t-know-why-when-i-am/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) > [My position is that since the non-secular status of my garden is not recognised by the law; by the world of the public, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/my-position-is-that-since-the-non-secular-status-of-my-garden-is-not/) [Ian Hamilton Finlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) [Explore all 21 Ian Hamilton Finlay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/) ## More Expectations quotes > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I say this all the time: I've always been really good at managing my expectations so that I'm not let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-young/i-say-this-all-the-time-i-ve-always-been-really-good-at-managing-my/) [Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Keeping up with everybody's expectation is soooo hard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi/keeping-up-with-everybody-s-expectation-is-soooo-hard/) [Naomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi/) > [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [We're wired to expect the world to be brighter and more meaningful and more obviously interesting than it actually is. And when we realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/we-re-wired-to-expect-the-world-to-be-brighter-and-more-meaningful/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“Does your reality match your expectations? If not it's time to change either your expectations or your reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/does-your-reality-match-your-expectations-if-not-it-s-time-to-change/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Jesus' kingdom was not like the popular expectation. He used the phrase 'kingdom of God' with a different meaning. His kingdom was not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harpur/jesus-kingdom-was-not-like-the-popular-expectation-he-used-the-phrase/) [Tom Harpur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harpur/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [It's a good place when all you have is hope and not expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-boyle/it-s-a-good-place-when-all-you-have-is-hope-and-not-expectations/) [Danny Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-boyle/) > [When we give from a place of love, rather than from a place of expectation, more usually comes back to us than we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/when-we-give-from-a-place-of-love-rather-than-from-a-place-of/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Everybody out there watches the show and has expectations of wanting to be an 'Idol', but we're going to teach them how much hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-bice/everybody-out-there-watches-the-show-and-has-expectations-of-wanting/) [Bo Bice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-bice/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) [Browse all 4,210 Expectations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people's expectations - I only do what I find natural.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Hamilton Finlay" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-challenge-or-confuse-other-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expectations" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-challenge-or-confuse-other-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/ian-hamilton-finlay-26772_expectations_no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-chal_1587899.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/ian-hamilton-finlay-26772_expectations_no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-chal_1587899.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/ian-hamilton-finlay-26772_expectations_no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-chal_1587899.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people's expectations - I only do what I…” — Ian Hamilton Finlay", "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": "Ian Hamilton Finlay", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hamilton-finlay/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "No, I don't make my work...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-challenge-or-confuse-other-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hamilton-finlay/no-i-don-t-make-my-work-in-order-to-challenge-or-confuse-other-people/#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 } } ] } ```