--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I work backwards with the ending in mind…" description: "\"“I work backwards with the ending in mind as I create art, stories, poems and books. Always in a process of becoming.”\" — Jill Telford" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/362/jill-telford-18944_art_i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind_2793589.jpg" --- # I work backwards with the ending in mind as I create art… ![“I work backwards with the ending in mind as I create art, stories, poems and books. Always in a process of becoming.” quote by Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/362/jill-telford-18944_art_i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind_2793589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/362/jill-telford-18944_art_i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind_2793589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/362/jill-telford-18944_art_i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind_2793589.jpg) > ““I work backwards with the ending in mind as I create art, stories, poems and books. Always in a process of becoming.”” [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Working backward from a desired ending guides creative processes and continual evolution. **In simple terms:** Start with the end in mind. Key Takeaway Plan outcomes, then create. Themes creativity process goal‑orientation Mood thoughtful inspired Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - film planning - product development Key Concepts design thinking narrative theory Questions to Reflect On - How does an end‑focused approach affect spontaneity? - What balance works for you? A Different Perspective May limit spontaneous discovery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) [Backwards Ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards-ending-3397647/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-process-2219245/) [Ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ending/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [Work Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-backwards-1734113/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [To come up with the ending to a story and then work backwards is like tying your shoe with one hand only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-mckay/to-come-up-with-the-ending-to-a-story-and-then-work-backwards-is-like/) [Donald McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-mckay/) > [I feel like at 50 I've decided to become a rock star, which is, you know, typical of me. I always seem to work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-d-lang/i-feel-like-at-50-i-ve-decided-to-become-a-rock-star-which-is-you/) [K. D. Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-d-lang/) > [I never work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/i-never-work-backwards/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [Writing books isn't a drastic departure from writing for the stage. I've always written in the long format, five, eight, 10-minute pieces rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/writing-books-isn-t-a-drastic-departure-from-writing-for-the-stage-i/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [I think that most of my books are part of some process of self-education, often about the places I go to. Most of all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/i-think-that-most-of-my-books-are-part-of-some-process-of-self/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Determine what your customers need, and work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/determine-what-your-customers-need-and-work-backwards/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Begin with the end in mind. Start with the end outcome and work backwards to make your dream possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/begin-with-the-end-in-mind-start-with-the-end-outcome-and-work/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“although we write the feedback loop as Build-Measure-Learn because the activities happen in that order, our planning really works in the reverse order: we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-ries/although-we-write-the-feedback-loop-as-build-measure-learn-because/) [Eric Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-ries/) > [I always think of the craziest idea first and then work backwards, because you never know: that person that you think would never return…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-always-think-of-the-craziest-idea-first-and-then-work-backwards/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [To the rationally minded the mental processes of the intuitive appear to work backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-g-wickes/to-the-rationally-minded-the-mental-processes-of-the-intuitive-appear/) [Frances G. Wickes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-g-wickes/) > [If someone was making a movie about F1 in the last six months, they wouldn't need to add a Hollywood ending. If they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenson-button/if-someone-was-making-a-movie-about-f1-in-the-last-six-months-they/) [Jenson Button](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenson-button/) > [The trouble with therapy is that it makes life go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/the-trouble-with-therapy-is-that-it-makes-life-go-backwards/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [My mom ending up passing away, and I got really depressed and didn't have money for therapy, and so I started doing standup to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristela-alonzo/my-mom-ending-up-passing-away-and-i-got-really-depressed-and-didn-t/) [Cristela Alonzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristela-alonzo/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) ## More by Jill Telford > [“Don't live the life you planned. Live the life you never imagined.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/don-t-live-the-life-you-planned-live-the-life-you-never-imagined/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Be simple. Be direct. Be clear. Don't worry about being correct. Worry about being real.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/be-simple-be-direct-be-clear-don-t-worry-about-being-correct-worry/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Running my fastest not from my past. Running from those who have hurt me in it. And, they can't catch me anymore. I escaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/running-my-fastest-not-from-my-past-running-from-those-who-have-hurt/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“There is no way to clearly capture or sum up life...when fully lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/there-is-no-way-to-clearly-capture-or-sum-up-life-when-fully-lived/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Some say they stand on the shoulders of giants. True. But have they ever tried walking like one?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/some-say-they-stand-on-the-shoulders-of-giants-true-but-have-they/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Don't just read to read. Read to understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/don-t-just-read-to-read-read-to-understand/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“The only thing we should scream into the world is love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/the-only-thing-we-should-scream-into-the-world-is-love/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Most often it is in heartache that we love more boldly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/most-often-it-is-in-heartache-that-we-love-more-boldly/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“People say they walk on the shoulders of giants. True, but have you ever walked like one?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/people-say-they-walk-on-the-shoulders-of-giants-true-but-have-you/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Education is not filling up a box but seeing what you can create with one and don't you ever forget that!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/education-is-not-filling-up-a-box-but-seeing-what-you-can-create-with/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“I just need to find a new road to take. Not the road everyone else is taking. I need to take one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/i-just-need-to-find-a-new-road-to-take-not-the-road-everyone-else-is/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“I don't live to work. I work to live. Before I die, I know I lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/i-don-t-live-to-work-i-work-to-live-before-i-die-i-know-i-lived/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Live well. There is no such thing as death. Eternity is found beyond seconds and minutes. A life well lived is never fully finished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/live-well-there-is-no-such-thing-as-death-eternity-is-found-beyond/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Just do what makes sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/just-do-what-makes-sense/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) > [“Don't ask me what it means; ask me what it felt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/don-t-ask-me-what-it-means-ask-me-what-it-felt/) [Jill Telford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) [Explore all 33 Jill Telford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I work backwards with the ending in mind as I create art, stories, poems and books. Always in a process of becoming.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jill Telford" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind-as-i-create-art-stories/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind-as-i-create-art-stories/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/362/jill-telford-18944_art_i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind_2793589.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/362/jill-telford-18944_art_i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind_2793589.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/362/jill-telford-18944_art_i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind_2793589.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I work backwards with the ending in mind as I create art, stories, poems and books. Always in a process of…” — Jill Telford", "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": "Jill Telford", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-telford/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I work backwards with the ending...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind-as-i-create-art-stories/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-telford/i-work-backwards-with-the-ending-in-mind-as-i-create-art-stories/#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 } } ] } ```