--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would tend to say that I do what I do…" description: "\"I would tend to say that I do what I do as well as possible and that most people don't.\" — Jasper Johns" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/jasper-johns-8447_inspirational_i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do_1152434.jpg" --- # I would tend to say that I do what I do as well as… ![“I would tend to say that I do what I do as well as possible and that most people don't.” quote by Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/jasper-johns-8447_inspirational_i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do_1152434.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/jasper-johns-8447_inspirational_i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do_1152434.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/jasper-johns-8447_inspirational_i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do_1152434.jpg) > “I would tend to say that I do what I do as well as possible and that most people don't.” [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist strives for excellence while recognizing most people fall short. **In simple terms:** Artists aim high; most don’t. Key Takeaway Pursue excellence despite odds. Themes art excellence human nature Mood analytical inspirational Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - studio work - public exhibitions - education Key Concepts aesthetics effort Questions to Reflect On - How do you define “as well as possible”? - What standards guide your work? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can hinder creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-don/) [Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible/) [Possible People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-people-895454/) [Say Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-possible-2776575/) [Tend Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tend-say-3264081/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [People tend to say, 'You're not as fat or as ugly as I expected.' I never know how to reply. It's a bit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siobhan-finneran/people-tend-to-say-you-re-not-as-fat-or-as-ugly-as-i-expected-i-never/) [Siobhan Finneran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siobhan-finneran/) > [Be funny whenever possible, even if some people don't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/be-funny-whenever-possible-even-if-some-people-don-t-get-it/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [It is possible that people who share core values will make choices along the same lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/it-is-possible-that-people-who-share-core-values-will-make-choices/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [It's only possible to see people when one is able to see the world as others see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/it-s-only-possible-to-see-people-when-one-is-able-to-see-the-world-as/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [If you know exactly what you want to be, you need to spend as much time as possible with people who are actually that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/if-you-know-exactly-what-you-want-to-be-you-need-to-spend-as-much/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [“It's not possible to have people like you when you don't even show the real you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kozue-chiba/it-s-not-possible-to-have-people-like-you-when-you-don-t-even-show/) [Kozue Chiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kozue-chiba/) > [“Do you think it possible that some people are born to give more love than they will ever get back in return?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-knott-gregson/do-you-think-it-possible-that-some-people-are-born-to-give-more-love/) [Tyler Knott Gregson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-knott-gregson/) > [It is quite possible for people who have never met us and who have spent only twenty minutes thinking about us to come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/it-is-quite-possible-for-people-who-have-never-met-us-and-who-have/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“We are going to die, and that makes us the lucky ones. Most people are never going to die because they are never going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/we-are-going-to-die-and-that-makes-us-the-lucky-ones-most-people-are-2/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“As they say, it’s possible to kill and to revive someone using a proper speech. I agree with the statement because I know for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sahara-sanders/as-they-say-it-s-possible-to-kill-and-to-revive-someone-using-a/) [Sahara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sahara-sanders/) > [Science has everything to say about what is possible. Science has nothing to say about what is permissible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/science-has-everything-to-say-about-what-is-possible-science-has/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [Love can rebuild the world, they say, so everything's possible when it comes to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/love-can-rebuild-the-world-they-say-so-everything-s-possible-when-it/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Think as little as possible about yourself and as much as possible about other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/think-as-little-as-possible-about-yourself-and-as-much-as-possible/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“Innovation becomes possible only if people can step out of their comfort zone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/innovation-becomes-possible-only-if-people-can-step-out-of-their/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [It's possible for people to gain control of every facet of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-quaid/it-s-possible-for-people-to-gain-control-of-every-facet-of-your-life/) [Randy Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-quaid/) ## More by Jasper Johns > [Early on I was very involved with the notion of the painting as an object and tended to attack that idea from different directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/early-on-i-was-very-involved-with-the-notion-of-the-painting-as-an/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [Make something, a kind of object, which as it changes or falls apart (dies as it were) or increases in its parts (grows as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/make-something-a-kind-of-object-which-as-it-changes-or-falls-apart/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [In my early work, I tried to hide my personality, my psychological state, my emotions. This was partly due to my feelings about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/in-my-early-work-i-tried-to-hide-my-personality-my-psychological/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [I have no ideas about what the paintings imply about the world. I don't think that's a painter's business. He just paints paintings without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-have-no-ideas-about-what-the-paintings-imply-about-the-world-i-don/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [I have meant what I have done. Or I have often meant what I have done. Or I have sometimes meant what I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-have-meant-what-i-have-done-or-i-have-often-meant-what-i-have-done/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [Art as a fantasy has been one of my earliest experiences. I suppose a lot of my childhood was a fantasy that involved getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/art-as-a-fantasy-has-been-one-of-my-earliest-experiences-i-suppose-a/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [I was raised in South Carolina; I wasn't aware of any art in South Carolina. There was a minor museum in Charleston, which had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-was-raised-in-south-carolina-i-wasn-t-aware-of-any-art-in-south/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [Sometime during the mid-50s I said, 'I am an artist.' Before that, for many years, I had said, 'I'm going to be an artist.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/sometime-during-the-mid-50s-i-said-i-am-an-artist-before-that-for/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [That's what painting does; it organizes vision in a certain way or suggests that certain things be paid attention to and certain other things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/that-s-what-painting-does-it-organizes-vision-in-a-certain-way-or/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [I assumed that everything would lead to complete failure, but I decided that didn't matter – that would be my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-assumed-that-everything-would-lead-to-complete-failure-but-i/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [I tend to like things that already exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-tend-to-like-things-that-already-exist/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [Bend color names which should be made of neon or copper tubing. Place an object on a surface - trace the object - then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/bend-color-names-which-should-be-made-of-neon-or-copper-tubing-place/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [My experience with life is that it's very fragmented. In one place certain kinds of thing occur, and in another place a different kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/my-experience-with-life-is-that-it-s-very-fragmented-in-one-place/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [I never wish for critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-never-wish-for-critics/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) > [Art is either a complaint or appeasement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/art-is-either-a-complaint-or-appeasement/) [Jasper Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) [Explore all 80 Jasper Johns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would tend to say that I do what I do as well as possible and that most people don't.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jasper Johns" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do-as-well-as-possible-and-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inspirational" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do-as-well-as-possible-and-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/jasper-johns-8447_inspirational_i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do_1152434.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/jasper-johns-8447_inspirational_i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do_1152434.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f60/jasper-johns-8447_inspirational_i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do_1152434.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would tend to say that I do what I do as well as possible and that most people don't.” — Jasper Johns", "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": "Jasper Johns", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-johns/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would tend to say that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do-as-well-as-possible-and-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-johns/i-would-tend-to-say-that-i-do-what-i-do-as-well-as-possible-and-that/#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 } } ] } ```