--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, I began my life as a creative…" description: "\"You know, I began my life as a creative person writing true things for magazines and telling some very honest, straightforward personal essaying for Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/john-hodgman-1811_american-life_you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-p_2638239.jpg" --- # You know, I began my life as a creative person writing… ![“You know, I began my life as a creative person writing true things for magazines and telling some very honest, straightforward personal essaying for This American Life, but until someone forces you, with a deadline, to really observe your life - unless you're motivated to do it yourself - there's…” quote by John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/john-hodgman-1811_american-life_you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-p_2638239.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/john-hodgman-1811_american-life_you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-p_2638239.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/john-hodgman-1811_american-life_you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-p_2638239.jpg) > “You know, I began my life as a creative person writing true things for magazines and telling some very honest, straightforward personal essaying for This American Life, but until someone forces you, with a deadline, to really observe your life - unless you're motivated to do it yourself - there's so many stories that you miss.” [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deadlines force honest self‑observation, revealing stories we otherwise overlook. **In simple terms:** Deadlines make us notice our lives. Key Takeaway Use deadlines to uncover hidden stories. Themes creativity self‑reflection storytelling Mood introspective motivational Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - writing projects - personal journals - podcast episodes Key Concepts discipline authenticity Questions to Reflect On - What story could you tell if you set a deadline? - How does pressure shape creativity? A Different Perspective Without pressure, stories may remain hidden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-life/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-person/) [Deadline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadline/) [Deadline Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadline-really-1630400/) [Do it yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/do-it-yourself/) [Essaying American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essaying-american-2246177/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazines/) [Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing/) [Motivated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivated/) [Motivated Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivated-stories-2246176/) [Personal Essaying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-essaying-2246175/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Straightforward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straightforward/) [True things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-things/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-true-1369435/) ## Related quotes > [If I'm right in the middle of a deadline, I'm up really early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilu-henner/if-i-m-right-in-the-middle-of-a-deadline-i-m-up-really-early/) [Marilu Henner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilu-henner/) > [I feel like my life is at its happiest when I don't have a looming deadline. There's some really groovy wonderful times, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-baker/i-feel-like-my-life-is-at-its-happiest-when-i-don-t-have-a-looming/) [Annie Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-baker/) > [I take my spoken-word stuff extremely seriously because I feel like that's true writing, true lyricism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cannon/i-take-my-spoken-word-stuff-extremely-seriously-because-i-feel-like/) [Nick Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cannon/) > [“story telling is not a career, it's a calling. I've been writing true and compelling news my entire professional life. My novels are packs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-carter/story-telling-is-not-a-career-it-s-a-calling-i-ve-been-writing-true/) [Glen Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-carter/) > [The good thing about writing a true story is that you don't have to worry about giving an impression of realism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurent-binet/the-good-thing-about-writing-a-true-story-is-that-you-don-t-have-to/) [Laurent Binet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurent-binet/) > [You just have to make sure you're writing about something that's true. It has to be honest and it has to have a real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/you-just-have-to-make-sure-you-re-writing-about-something-that-s-true/) [Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/) > [“Stick to what you know and always be true to yourself. If you do that, your writing will be true, also.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-chunell/stick-to-what-you-know-and-always-be-true-to-yourself-if-you-do-that/) [Ashley Chunell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-chunell/) > [If the writing is good, then the writing is already funny. All you have to do is make this funny writing true to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-wu/if-the-writing-is-good-then-the-writing-is-already-funny-all-you-have/) [Constance Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-wu/) > [The true art is being able to take whatever the writer's done, and if it is a bit flimsy or it is a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-howle/the-true-art-is-being-able-to-take-whatever-the-writer-s-done-and-if/) [Billy Howle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-howle/) > [Writing can come naturally to some. Still, when it comes to good writing, this is true: Easy reading is damn hard writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-hawthorne/writing-can-come-naturally-to-some-still-when-it-comes-to-good/) [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-hawthorne/) > [“I tell my students to write of their true subjects. How will they know when they are writing of their true subjects? By the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-tell-my-students-to-write-of-their-true-subjects-how-will-they-know/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Co-writing the 'True Blood' comic is a dream come true both as a performer on the show and as longtime comic fan. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcmillian/co-writing-the-true-blood-comic-is-a-dream-come-true-both-as-a/) [Michael McMillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcmillian/) > [Doc still loved true things but he knew that it was not a general love and it could be a very dangerous mistress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/doc-still-loved-true-things-but-he-knew-that-it-was-not-a-general/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I think there are two kinds of TRUE THINGS-- true things that ARE, and true things that ARE NOT, but MIGHT be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/i-think-there-are-two-kinds-of-true-things-true-things-that-are-and/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [We must hold fast to the austere but true doctrine as to what really governs politics and saves or destroys states. Having in mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/we-must-hold-fast-to-the-austere-but-true-doctrine-as-to-what-really/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) ## More by John Hodgman > [Life may be miraculous in its unlikelihood in the universe, but it would be a fallacy to suggest that its rareness makes it inextinguishable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/life-may-be-miraculous-in-its-unlikelihood-in-the-universe-but-it/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [I navigated the world as a hedge maze of constant fear and worry in which I might take the wrong turn and jeopardize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/i-navigated-the-world-as-a-hedge-maze-of-constant-fear-and-worry-in/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [“There are transitions in life whether we want them or not. You get older. You lose jobs and loves and people. The story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/there-are-transitions-in-life-whether-we-want-them-or-not-you-get/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [John Wilkes Booth and Lee Harvey Oswald meet in hell and team up to assassinate Satan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/john-wilkes-booth-and-lee-harvey-oswald-meet-in-hell-and-team-up-to/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [I think in American culture, we put value on economic success but tell people you don't have to be economically successful to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/i-think-in-american-culture-we-put-value-on-economic-success-but-tell/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [If you look in the dictionary under 'perfectionist,' you see Henry Selick correcting the definition of perfectionist in the dictionary. I mean, he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/if-you-look-in-the-dictionary-under-perfectionist-you-see-henry/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Lies are just another kind of storytelling, but with the very distinct and enlivening motive of desperation. Since writers are by nature desperate creatures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/lies-are-just-another-kind-of-storytelling-but-with-the-very-distinct/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [I've made my evolutionary purpose and had children. I don't care if anybody likes me, I'm going to do what I want to do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/i-ve-made-my-evolutionary-purpose-and-had-children-i-don-t-care-if/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [“When you live in New York or any big city, it is easy to fail at growing up. The city is designed to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/when-you-live-in-new-york-or-any-big-city-it-is-easy-to-fail-at/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [I don't wish to brag, but I'm very intelligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/i-don-t-wish-to-brag-but-i-m-very-intelligent/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [You wouldn't want to live a life in which you are loved or approved by all people on Earth or even within your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-wouldn-t-want-to-live-a-life-in-which-you-are-loved-or-approved/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Well, I always had this desire to celebrate and somehow be a part of things that I thought were really great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/well-i-always-had-this-desire-to-celebrate-and-somehow-be-a-part-of/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [I would be good for maybe not the center square but an upper square on 'Hollywood Squares.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/i-would-be-good-for-maybe-not-the-center-square-but-an-upper-square/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [One of the things about crowd work that's so exciting is when you discover a character in the audience who's interesting or funny, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/one-of-the-things-about-crowd-work-that-s-so-exciting-is-when-you/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [“Maine is not a death cult. I mean, it is, but it's a slow one. It creeps in like the tide, and without your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/maine-is-not-a-death-cult-i-mean-it-is-but-it-s-a-slow-one-it-creeps/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) [Explore all 207 John Hodgman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) ## More American life quotes > [“As we look over the list of the early leaders of the republic, Washington, John Adams, Hamilton, and others, we discern that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-truslow-adams/as-we-look-over-the-list-of-the-early-leaders-of-the-republic/) [James Truslow Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-truslow-adams/) > [Our families and our homes are the center of American life, Everything we do is to make those homes-and the lives in them-more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/our-families-and-our-homes-are-the-center-of-american-life-everything/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) > [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'm Mexican-American, but I grew up with a normal American life. I don't have a low rider. I drive a Honda. I guess I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snow-tha-product/i-m-mexican-american-but-i-grew-up-with-a-normal-american-life-i-don/) [Snow Tha Product](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snow-tha-product/) > [“The line in the sand that Carter drew along Iran’s Zagros Mountains now stretches from Central Asia through the Middle East and across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-j-bacevich/the-line-in-the-sand-that-carter-drew-along-iran-s-zagros-mountains/) [Andrew J. Bacevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-j-bacevich/) > [Vanity Fair has but two major articles in its editorial creed: first, to believe in the progress and promise of American life, and, second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-crowninshield/vanity-fair-has-but-two-major-articles-in-its-editorial-creed-first/) [Frank Crowninshield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-crowninshield/) > [“The historical periods I like to learn about aren’t so much costume dramas as slasher flicks. The French Revolution is a favorite because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-vowell/the-historical-periods-i-like-to-learn-about-aren-t-so-much-costume/) [Sarah Vowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-vowell/) > [One of the manifestations of depression for me is that I lose my will. And I thereby lose my ability to focus. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/one-of-the-manifestations-of-depression-for-me-is-that-i-lose-my-will/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [“Football combines two of the worst things in American life. It is violence punctuated by committee meetings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/football-combines-two-of-the-worst-things-in-american-life-it-is/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [I produced a play in New York that got nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best American Play.The play is called Stalking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-richman/i-produced-a-play-in-new-york-that-got-nominated-for-an-outer-critics/) [Adam Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-richman/) > [The final test of Afro-American studies will be the extent to which they rid the minds of whites and blacks alike of false learning,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-saunders-redding/the-final-test-of-afro-american-studies-will-be-the-extent-to-which/) [Jay Saunders Redding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-saunders-redding/) > [In the decade of the 1980s, a massive and comprehensive study of religion in American life was undertaken by the Gallup organization. The results…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/in-the-decade-of-the-1980s-a-massive-and-comprehensive-study-of/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Envy is the central fact of American life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/envy-is-the-central-fact-of-american-life/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [A trillion dollars spent, 2,000 American lives lost - Afghanistan is the longest war in American history. But you don't hear a word about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-baumgartner/a-trillion-dollars-spent-2-000-american-lives-lost-afghanistan-is-the/) [Michael Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-baumgartner/) > [Crime and the fear of crime have permeated the fabric of American life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-e-burger/crime-and-the-fear-of-crime-have-permeated-the-fabric-of-american-life/) [Warren E. Burger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-e-burger/) [Browse all 344 American life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know, I began my life as a creative person writing true things for magazines and telling some very honest, straightforward personal essaying for This American Life, but until someone forces you, with a deadline, to really observe your life - unless you're motivated to do it yourself - there's so many stories that you miss.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Hodgman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-person-writing-true-things-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-person-writing-true-things-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/john-hodgman-1811_american-life_you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-p_2638239.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/john-hodgman-1811_american-life_you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-p_2638239.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/john-hodgman-1811_american-life_you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-p_2638239.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You know, I began my life as a creative person writing true things for magazines and telling some very…” — John Hodgman", "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": "John Hodgman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You know, I began my life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-person-writing-true-things-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-know-i-began-my-life-as-a-creative-person-writing-true-things-for/#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 } } ] } ```