--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can only make the work that you have…" description: "\"You can only make the work that you have to make. And I am old enough now to know that I can't start making shows that are going to win awards. That wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/john-tiffany-4363_art-making_you-can-only-make-the-work-that-you-have_1831492.jpg" --- # You can only make the work that you have to make. And I am… ![“You can only make the work that you have to make. And I am old enough now to know that I can't start making shows that are going to win awards. That way madness lies.” quote by John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/john-tiffany-4363_art-making_you-can-only-make-the-work-that-you-have_1831492.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/john-tiffany-4363_art-making_you-can-only-make-the-work-that-you-have_1831492.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3e6/john-tiffany-4363_art-making_you-can-only-make-the-work-that-you-have_1831492.jpg) > “You can only make the work that you have to make. And I am old enough now to know that I can't start making shows that are going to win awards. That way madness lies.” [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. You must create work you truly need to make; chasing awards leads to madness and inauthenticity. **In simple terms:** Create for yourself, not for accolades. Key Takeaway Focus on authentic creation. Themes creativity authenticity art Mood thoughtful determined Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - writing - film - music - personal projects Key Concepts selfexpression intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What work feels essential to you? - How do you measure success beyond trophies? A Different Perspective Awards can distract from genuine expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-making/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [Make Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-work/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Making Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-shows-2277861/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Old enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-enough/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Start Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-making/) [Win Awards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-awards-510519/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I think when you start analyzing trends and start making shows for a particular audience, you are making a fatal move. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-prince/i-think-when-you-start-analyzing-trends-and-start-making-shows-for-a/) [Harold Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-prince/) > [There are two aspects to making movies: One is the feeling of wanting to push myself into stuff that I don't know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bujalski/there-are-two-aspects-to-making-movies-one-is-the-feeling-of-wanting/) [Andrew Bujalski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bujalski/) > [“If you force yourself to start making small talk wherever you go -- be it the grocery store or on public transit -- you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-force-yourself-to-start-making-small-talk-wherever-you-go-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can start making films as a child. It's become easier to find your groove as a filmmaker, and I'm extremely interested in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/you-can-start-making-films-as-a-child-it-s-become-easier-to-find-your/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [You can start making up any kind of story if you want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/you-can-start-making-up-any-kind-of-story-if-you-want-to/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [“This is the essence of Rembrandt's advice to Van Hoogstraten: the authentic craft develops naturally from one's own experience. So, it seems reasonable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-spurgeon/this-is-the-essence-of-rembrandt-s-advice-to-van-hoogstraten-the/) [Tad Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-spurgeon/) > [When I had the idea to build a home studio, the purpose was to start making records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-trucks/when-i-had-the-idea-to-build-a-home-studio-the-purpose-was-to-start/) [Derek Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-trucks/) > [God, just shoot me the day I start making music you can just put on in the car and have a conversation over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/god-just-shoot-me-the-day-i-start-making-music-you-can-just-put-on-in/) [Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/) > [When you start making music, you start making music at a young age, and for me, I just thought, like, 'Ahh, once you make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle/when-you-start-making-music-you-start-making-music-at-a-young-age-and/) [Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle/) > [Why do we make records? Because we want to say something. Why are you in art? Because you want to say something. The second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/why-do-we-make-records-because-we-want-to-say-something-why-are-you/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [“Get the chisel out and start making something real. Anything else is just a distraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/get-the-chisel-out-and-start-making-something-real-anything-else-is/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [“Until you actually start making something, your brilliant idea is just that, an idea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-fried/until-you-actually-start-making-something-your-brilliant-idea-is-just/) [Jason Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-fried/) > [“No body takes you serious until you start making a threat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/just-me/no-body-takes-you-serious-until-you-start-making-a-threat/) [Jùst Mè](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/just-me/) > [What can you do right now to begin to turn your life around? The very first thing is to start making a list of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-vitale/what-can-you-do-right-now-to-begin-to-turn-your-life-around-the-very/) [Joe Vitale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-vitale/) > [“Don't wait until you know who you are to get started. If I'd waited to know who I was or what I was about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/don-t-wait-until-you-know-who-you-are-to-get-started-if-i-d-waited-to/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) ## More by John Tiffany > [The only thing I fear is when people say, 'I should go to the theatre more.' I say, 'We should create work that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/the-only-thing-i-fear-is-when-people-say-i-should-go-to-the-theatre/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [“Pain Must & Will Come”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/pain-must-will-come/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [When I get really down, I remember that we all share 99.99 per cent of our DNA with Beyonce. And suddenly, the world doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/when-i-get-really-down-i-remember-that-we-all-share-99-99-per-cent-of/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [I'm not interested in putting naturalism on stage - I want passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/i-m-not-interested-in-putting-naturalism-on-stage-i-want-passion/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [“Those that we love never truly leave us, Harry. There are things that death cannot touch. Paint . . . and memory . . . and love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/those-that-we-love-never-truly-leave-us-harry-there-are-things-that/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [The physicality of a production needs evolution and breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/the-physicality-of-a-production-needs-evolution-and-breath/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [Some actors just have a quality, a way of combining music and character and story, where everything just falls into place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/some-actors-just-have-a-quality-a-way-of-combining-music-and/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [“There are mountain trolls riding Graphorns through Hungary, there are giants with winged tattoos on their backs walking through the Greek Seas, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/there-are-mountain-trolls-riding-graphorns-through-hungary-there-are/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [“Ministry seized an illegal Time-Turner from Theodore Nott and has kept it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/ministry-seized-an-illegal-time-turner-from-theodore-nott-and-has/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [Theatre is a living organism. You only know if your show is working when you see it with an audience. You can also tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/theatre-is-a-living-organism-you-only-know-if-your-show-is-working/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [“Harry, you have one of the greatest hearts of any wizard who ever lived, and I do not believe your heart told you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/harry-you-have-one-of-the-greatest-hearts-of-any-wizard-who-ever/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > ['West Side Story' is one of the greatest theatrical experiences I've had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/west-side-story-is-one-of-the-greatest-theatrical-experiences-i-ve-had/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [There are some actors who see a show as something to do before going out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/there-are-some-actors-who-see-a-show-as-something-to-do-before-going/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [“Sometimes costs are made to be borne.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/sometimes-costs-are-made-to-be-borne/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) > [I don't know how films get made, and I think I'll leave it to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tiffany/i-don-t-know-how-films-get-made-and-i-think-i-ll-leave-it-to-other/) [John Tiffany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) [Explore all 110 John Tiffany quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tiffany/) ## More Art making quotes > [Russia and the USA are two largest nuclear powers in the world; it's a really important relationship. How do we start making this work?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-w-tillerson/russia-and-the-usa-are-two-largest-nuclear-powers-in-the-world-it-s-a/) [Rex W. Tillerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-w-tillerson/) > [“Someone’s coming.” Terry McCaleb looked at his wife and then followed her eyes down to the winding road below. He could see the golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/someone-s-coming-terry-mccaleb-looked-at-his-wife-and-then-followed/) [Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/) > [“Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out what it means. I've never heard of bonds sharing languages either, and yet...' I pull her even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-messenger/yeah-i-m-just-trying-to-figure-out-what-it-means-i-ve-never-heard-of/) [Shannon Messenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-messenger/) > [Whenever we start making a 'Devil May Cry' game, one thing we think about is, 'What new weapons are we going to have for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hideaki-itsuno/whenever-we-start-making-a-devil-may-cry-game-one-thing-we-think/) [Hideaki Itsuno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hideaki-itsuno/) > [Before we start making blanket statements about abolishing the IRS, I think it's important to focus on what the tax code for the 21st…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/before-we-start-making-blanket-statements-about-abolishing-the-irs-i/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [I grew up watching monster movies and horror movies, which I felt were like fairy tales and I think this always spoke to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/i-grew-up-watching-monster-movies-and-horror-movies-which-i-felt-were/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [“Should we start making preparations here? (Tory) Punk-ass won’t come to my island! He knows better. You don’t tap on the Devil’s shoulder unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/should-we-start-making-preparations-here-tory-punk-ass-won-t-come-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [In a way, to have whatever people talk about as "crossover success," I think it means you start making bad music. I mean, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/in-a-way-to-have-whatever-people-talk-about-as-crossover-success-i/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [“Strong Mercy: My desires are many and my cry is pitiful, but ever didst thou save me by hard refusals; and this strong mercy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/strong-mercy-my-desires-are-many-and-my-cry-is-pitiful-but-ever-didst/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Where did this whole thing begin? If what we think of as reality is just a pattern that somebody brought Outside, and the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/where-did-this-whole-thing-begin-if-what-we-think-of-as-reality-is/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [We never sit down before we start making a record and talk about this new sonic palette that we are going to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/we-never-sit-down-before-we-start-making-a-record-and-talk-about-this/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [I think it killed my sister as the times she was living in were so conformist. This is a subject I really want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/i-think-it-killed-my-sister-as-the-times-she-was-living-in-were-so/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [It's kind of true that they just start making the same movie over and over again. It's also true that the times dictate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/it-s-kind-of-true-that-they-just-start-making-the-same-movie-over-and/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [“One of the advantages of no longer being young is that you're expected to start making up your mind about certain things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-teachout/one-of-the-advantages-of-no-longer-being-young-is-that-you-re/) [Terry Teachout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-teachout/) > [The art is not in making money, but in keeping it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/the-art-is-not-in-making-money-but-in-keeping-it/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/) [Browse all 415 Art making quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-making/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can only make the work that you have to make. 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