--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This business of… being a writer is…" description: "\"“This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’” —ANNE LAMOTT”\" — Jeff Goins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/jeff-goins-9892_business_this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultim_1579560.jpg" --- # This business of… being a writer is ultimately about… ![“This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’” —ANNE LAMOTT” quote by Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/jeff-goins-9892_business_this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultim_1579560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/jeff-goins-9892_business_this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultim_1579560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/jeff-goins-9892_business_this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultim_1579560.jpg) > ““This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’” —ANNE LAMOTT”” [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing demands full emotional commitment and authenticity, urging writers to live intensely for their work. **In simple terms:** Writing needs you to be fully alive. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability in your craft. Themes creativity authenticity commitment Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - author workshops - personal journaling - creative retreats - public speaking Key Concepts existentialism self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - How does your daily life reflect your willingness to be alive? - What boundaries protect your creative energy? A Different Perspective Not everyone can sustain such intensity without burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Alive Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-willing-2729394/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anne-lamott/) [Asking Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking-alive-3676907/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Willing Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing-anne-5964513/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, How alive am I willing to be?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/because-this-business-of-becoming-conscious-of-being-a-writer-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“In my spare time, I always go back to my soul... Asking... Are you still alive?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irfa-rahat/in-my-spare-time-i-always-go-back-to-my-soul-asking-are-you-still/) [Irfa Rahat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irfa-rahat/) > [“To participate requires self-discipline and trust and courage, because this business of becoming conscious, of being a writer, is ultimately about asking yourself, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/to-participate-requires-self-discipline-and-trust-and-courage-because/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [You have to always be ready, always be alive, and always be willing to move in a new direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/you-have-to-always-be-ready-always-be-alive-and-always-be-willing-to/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [“NO IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE. —Anne Lamott”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/no-is-a-complete-sentence-anne-lamott/) [Greg Mckeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [Elegant and lucid . . . a pitch-perfect clarion call, issued not with preachy hubris but from a deep place of humility, for awakening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-popova/elegant-and-lucid-a-pitch-perfect-clarion-call-issued-not-with/) [Maria Popova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-popova/) > [“You own everything that happend to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-carvajal/you-own-everything-that-happend-to-you-tell-your-stories-if-people/) [Doreen Carvajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-carvajal/) > [“Grace to me is a little bit of extra help when you're feeling stuck or doomed or, probably, hopefully, out of good ideas on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathleen-falsani/grace-to-me-is-a-little-bit-of-extra-help-when-you-re-feeling-stuck/) [Cathleen Falsani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathleen-falsani/) > [“As Anne Lamott suggests, only three prayers are necessary. 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Werleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-werleman/) > [“You can safely assume you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wolsey/you-can-safely-assume-you-ve-created-god-in-your-own-image-when-it-2/) [Roger Wolsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wolsey/) > [“Anne Lamott wrote, “Perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-rhodes/anne-lamott-wrote-perfectionism-is-based-on-the-obsessive-belief-that/) [Sammy Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-rhodes/) > [“In a sentiment that Anne Lamott memorably made, urging that perfectionism is the great enemy of creativity, and Neil Gaiman subsequently echoed in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-sentiment-that-anne-lamott-memorably-made-urging-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For some of us books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-lamott/for-some-of-us-books-are-as-important-as-almost-anything-else-on/) [Ann Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-lamott/) ## More by Jeff Goins > [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“This is the world we live in today: a noisy, cluttered place in which the loudest voices get the most attention. And they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/this-is-the-world-we-live-in-today-a-noisy-cluttered-place-in-which/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Sometimes, your ideas aren’t as good as you think. Other times, the world just isn’t ready for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/sometimes-your-ideas-aren-t-as-good-as-you-think-other-times-the/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Fear, indecision, not knowing—these are the obstacles that keep you from moving forward. And they never go away. But if you are going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/fear-indecision-not-knowing-these-are-the-obstacles-that-keep-you/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“This is the Rule of the Scene, which says that places and people shape the success of our work far more than we realize.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/this-is-the-rule-of-the-scene-which-says-that-places-and-people-shape/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Serving people is the best way to earn influence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/serving-people-is-the-best-way-to-earn-influence/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“The truth was much simpler. When do you become a writer? “When you say you are,” he said. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-truth-was-much-simpler-when-do-you-become-a-writer-when-you-say/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Write something that’s worth fighting over. Because that’s how you change things. That’s how you create art.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/write-something-that-s-worth-fighting-over-because-that-s-how-you/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Rarely do easy and greatness go together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/rarely-do-easy-and-greatness-go-together/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Every place you go, every person you meet, every job you have is a chance to gain greater clarity in your self-education.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/every-place-you-go-every-person-you-meet-every-job-you-have-is-a/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“It’s a choice, writing is. One that belongs to you and me. We get to choose it (or not) every single day. So whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/it-s-a-choice-writing-is-one-that-belongs-to-you-and-me-we-get-to/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Struggle shapes our character. And character dictates what we will become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/struggle-shapes-our-character-and-character-dictates-what-we-will/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“And as we embrace the wait , we learn to appreciate the delays and postponements that teach us some things in life are worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/and-as-we-embrace-the-wait-we-learn-to-appreciate-the-delays-and/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“When John Grisham finished A Time to Kill, he pitched it to forty different publishers who all rejected the book. Unfazed, he started working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/when-john-grisham-finished-a-time-to-kill-he-pitched-it-to-forty/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [“Here’s the truth. The risk of not committing is greater than the cost of making the wrong choice. Because when you fail, you learn.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/here-s-the-truth-the-risk-of-not-committing-is-greater-than-the-cost/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) [Explore all 69 Jeff Goins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’” —ANNE LAMOTT”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Goins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultimately-about-asking-yourself/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultimately-about-asking-yourself/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/jeff-goins-9892_business_this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultim_1579560.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/jeff-goins-9892_business_this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultim_1579560.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e4/jeff-goins-9892_business_this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultim_1579560.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This business of… being a writer is ultimately about asking yourself, ‘How alive am I willing to be?’” —ANNE…” — Jeff Goins", "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": "Jeff Goins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“This business of… being a writer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultimately-about-asking-yourself/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/this-business-of-being-a-writer-is-ultimately-about-asking-yourself/#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 } } ] } ```