--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I feel that I'm not able to do my best…" description: "\"If I feel that I'm not able to do my best work - whether that's my own fault or as a result of an editorial situation - then I need to stop doing it. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/j-michael-straczynski-2548_able_if-i-feel-that-i-m-not-able-to-do-my-bes_994080.jpg" --- # If I feel that I'm not able to do my best work - whether… ![“If I feel that I'm not able to do my best work - whether that's my own fault or as a result of an editorial situation - then I need to stop doing it. I would rather not do something than do it badly or ineffectively. It's the only way I can live with myself and do right by the fans in the long haul.” quote by J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/j-michael-straczynski-2548_able_if-i-feel-that-i-m-not-able-to-do-my-bes_994080.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/j-michael-straczynski-2548_able_if-i-feel-that-i-m-not-able-to-do-my-bes_994080.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/j-michael-straczynski-2548_able_if-i-feel-that-i-m-not-able-to-do-my-bes_994080.jpg) > “If I feel that I'm not able to do my best work - whether that's my own fault or as a result of an editorial situation - then I need to stop doing it. I would rather not do something than do it badly or ineffectively. It's the only way I can live with myself and do right by the fans in the long haul.” [J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When work quality suffers, it's better to pause than produce subpar results, preserving integrity. **In simple terms:** Stop if you can't do your best. Key Takeaway Prioritize quality over quantity. Themes professionalism integrity creative process Mood reflective determined Type advice professional When to use this quote - deciding project timelines - seeking feedback - re‑evaluating goals - managing burnout Key Concepts work ethic self‑assessment fan expectations Questions to Reflect On - How do you know when to pause? - What strategies maintain standards under pressure? A Different Perspective Fans may miss content during pauses. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Long haul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-haul/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [We said from the very beginning that we're in this for the long haul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-hanson/we-said-from-the-very-beginning-that-we-re-in-this-for-the-long-haul/) [Isaac Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-hanson/) > [I do identify with Olympic athletes quite a lot because they have to push to reach a certain plateau and some of them go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-jordan/i-do-identify-with-olympic-athletes-quite-a-lot-because-they-have-to/) [Lawrence Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-jordan/) > [A lot of bands that are great disappear a little bit faster than they used to. They don't get as much support for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/a-lot-of-bands-that-are-great-disappear-a-little-bit-faster-than-they/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [Long-haul trucking. 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Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) [Explore all 161 J. Michael Straczynski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I feel that I'm not able to do my best work - whether that's my own fault or as a result of an editorial situation - then I need to stop doing it. I would rather not do something than do it badly or ineffectively. It's the only way I can live with myself and do right by the fans in the long haul.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. 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