--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always thought it was important to…" description: "\"I always thought it was important to overdeliver, and when I got one of my first jobs, writing jokes for Garry Shandling when he was hosting the Grammy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/judd-apatow-1471_all-night_i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-ove_2161025.jpg" --- # I always thought it was important to overdeliver, and when… ![“I always thought it was important to overdeliver, and when I got one of my first jobs, writing jokes for Garry Shandling when he was hosting the Grammys, I stayed up all night and wrote a hundred jokes, and I thought, "I'm always going to be the person that gives them more than they requested, and…” quote by Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/judd-apatow-1471_all-night_i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-ove_2161025.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/judd-apatow-1471_all-night_i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-ove_2161025.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/judd-apatow-1471_all-night_i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-ove_2161025.jpg) > “I always thought it was important to overdeliver, and when I got one of my first jobs, writing jokes for Garry Shandling when he was hosting the Grammys, I stayed up all night and wrote a hundred jokes, and I thought, "I'm always going to be the person that gives them more than they requested, and that's why they'll want to keep me around."” [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believed that consistently exceeding expectations secures future opportunities and trust. **In simple terms:** Exceed expectations to stay valuable. Key Takeaway Overdeliver to build lasting relationships. Themes career work ethic trust relationships Mood motivated proud Type advice career When to use this quote - first job - writing gigs - performance reviews - client negotiations Key Concepts overdelivery reputation management professionalism Questions to Reflect On - How do you set realistic limits? - When does overdelivering become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Overdelivery may lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-night/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hosting Grammys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hosting-grammys-4584818/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Overdeliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-overdeliver-4584817/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Jokes Garry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes-garry-4584819/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Thought Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-important/) [Up all night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up-all-night/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Wrote Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-jokes-1357247/) ## Related quotes > [What really got my goat at MGM were comedians like The Marx Brothers who never wrote their own jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-keaton/what-really-got-my-goat-at-mgm-were-comedians-like-the-marx-brothers/) [Buster Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-keaton/) > [I sat down and wrote some jokes and went to the talent show, got up on stage, fell in love with it and never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanda-sykes/i-sat-down-and-wrote-some-jokes-and-went-to-the-talent-show-got-up-on/) [Wanda Sykes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanda-sykes/) > [I don't think that women necessarily always write like women. I was a writer on the 'Comedy Central Roasts' for a while, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-cummings/i-don-t-think-that-women-necessarily-always-write-like-women-i-was-a/) [Whitney Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-cummings/) > [For the first few years I wrote jokes and performed them word for word and then wrote tags for them and did that word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-gulman/for-the-first-few-years-i-wrote-jokes-and-performed-them-word-for/) [Gary Gulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-gulman/) > [I wasn't really that good at being a musician. And then I tried being a standup. I was an actor. I was a photographer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-marshall/i-wasn-t-really-that-good-at-being-a-musician-and-then-i-tried-being/) [Garry Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-marshall/) > [There are certain things that I wrote jokes about that didn't make various specials because I was like, you know what? I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-tomlinson/there-are-certain-things-that-i-wrote-jokes-about-that-didn-t-make/) [Taylor Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-tomlinson/) > [I've been developing mobile for years before anybody else really thought it was that important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-levchin/i-ve-been-developing-mobile-for-years-before-anybody-else-really/) [Max Levchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-levchin/) > [I always thought that it's important to have other things, not just work, and I often even suggested my managers take some time off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernesto-bertarelli/i-always-thought-that-it-s-important-to-have-other-things-not-just/) [Ernesto Bertarelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernesto-bertarelli/) > [I thought I needed to go to one of the top five schools in the nation and never even thought 'What's important to me?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-delle-donne/i-thought-i-needed-to-go-to-one-of-the-top-five-schools-in-the-nation/) [Elena Delle Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-delle-donne/) > [“I have everything I thought was important and nothing that really is. -Lily Francone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorena-bathey/i-have-everything-i-thought-was-important-and-nothing-that-really-is/) [Lorena Bathey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorena-bathey/) > [“Solara: I didn't think you'd ever give up the book, I thought it was too important to you Eli: It was, I was carrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/book-of-eli-movie/solara-i-didn-t-think-you-d-ever-give-up-the-book-i-thought-it-was/) [Book of Eli Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/book-of-eli-movie/) > [I have always thought it was important to maintain some connection for myself to what it takes to make a song work by myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/i-have-always-thought-it-was-important-to-maintain-some-connection/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [“Because I am thought to be important I am left alone. They call me doctor but I am not the kind of doctor they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jourdan/because-i-am-thought-to-be-important-i-am-left-alone-they-call-me/) [Phil Jourdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jourdan/) > [“The most important things are the hardest to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them -- words shrink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-most-important-things-are-the-hardest-to-say-they-are-the-things/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I first talked to you, I never thought you would be this important to me(:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-first-talked-to-you-i-never-thought-you-would-be-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Judd Apatow > [I was in the recording studio when Pink was recording for a part of the gay rights anthem. It was just amazing to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-was-in-the-recording-studio-when-pink-was-recording-for-a-part-of/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [Just trying to tell the truth about, you know, the struggle of - being alive is funny, it's just inherently tragic and also hilarious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/just-trying-to-tell-the-truth-about-you-know-the-struggle-of-being/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I feel like everybody's waiting for a job y'know, you can make a movie on your phone. And so there really is no reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-feel-like-everybody-s-waiting-for-a-job-y-know-you-can-make-a-movie/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [It's funny, now there are so many bands that I can never remember any of their names. Maybe it's because I'm old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/it-s-funny-now-there-are-so-many-bands-that-i-can-never-remember-any/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I like human comedies - or dramedies. More than anything, I'm interested in people just dealing with everyday things that are difficult, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-like-human-comedies-or-dramedies-more-than-anything-i-m-interested/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [ My dad was a big fan of comedy. He wanted to be a stand-up. He loved Lenny \[Bruce\]. He also loved Lord Buckley and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/my-dad-was-a-big-fan-of-comedy-he-wanted-to-be-a-stand-up-he-loved/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [ It's so funny, all the similarities that we have \[with David Copperfield\] of being obsessed young people and finding a way to be around… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/it-s-so-funny-all-the-similarities-that-we-have-with-david/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I've made movies on every part of the spectrum, and you do understand when you go into certain movies that you're trying to elicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-ve-made-movies-on-every-part-of-the-spectrum-and-you-do-understand/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I love the Lonely Island. I wish there was more Lonely Island movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-love-the-lonely-island-i-wish-there-was-more-lonely-island-movies/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [Parents don't realize that when they teach you about the Holocaust too early, it ruins you for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/parents-don-t-realize-that-when-they-teach-you-about-the-holocaust/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [People talk about universal intelligence ... I'm reticent to believe almost anything, just because my parents weren't religious at all, but that's when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/people-talk-about-universal-intelligence-i-m-reticent-to-believe/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [You can work on a movie for years, and you won't know until you show it to an audience for the first time if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/you-can-work-on-a-movie-for-years-and-you-won-t-know-until-you-show/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [I literally cannot remember one joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-literally-cannot-remember-one-joke/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [You hear people say: "One day, when I'm in a good position I can make my passion project." I've seen a lot of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/you-hear-people-say-one-day-when-i-m-in-a-good-position-i-can-make-my/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) > [If we really talked about what's wrong with you, you'd need a 7-1/2-hour movie and nobody would know what category to put it in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/if-we-really-talked-about-what-s-wrong-with-you-you-d-need-a-7-1-2/) [Judd Apatow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) [Explore all 238 Judd Apatow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/) ## More All night quotes > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [I'm neurotic in the sense that I can have a crowd of 300 people cheering you, applauding you, standing O, but one guy come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/i-m-neurotic-in-the-sense-that-i-can-have-a-crowd-of-300-people/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [ Senator \[Tom\] Cotton has campaigned on wanting to kill Obamacare. He voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act back in January, but he now… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/senator-tom-cotton-has-campaigned-on-wanting-to-kill-obamacare-he/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [Teenagers complain there's nothing to do, then stay out all night doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-phillips/teenagers-complain-there-s-nothing-to-do-then-stay-out-all-night/) [Bob Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-phillips/) > [Few, if any, creatures are equally active all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/few-if-any-creatures-are-equally-active-all-night/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Everyone has seen people dancing all night. But take a man and make him dance for a quarter of an hour without music and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-de-saxe/everyone-has-seen-people-dancing-all-night-but-take-a-man-and-make/) [Maurice de Saxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-de-saxe/) > [Never walk near the bed; to a ghost your ankle is your most vulnerable part-once in bed, you're safe; he may lie around under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/never-walk-near-the-bed-to-a-ghost-your-ankle-is-your-most-vulnerable/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I memorize my lines and I show up. I think it's just instinctual, and sometimes it's wrong and the director says, "No, do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-memorize-my-lines-and-i-show-up-i-think-it-s-just-instinctual-and/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [I feel like a midget with muddy feet had been walking over my tongue all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/i-feel-like-a-midget-with-muddy-feet-had-been-walking-over-my-tongue/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [If I walk into a place, a party, say, and there's a bookshelf, I immediately gravitate toward it. Unless there's a bar. But even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-evison/if-i-walk-into-a-place-a-party-say-and-there-s-a-bookshelf-i/) [Jonathan Evison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-evison/) > [When you're doing a play you get to go full speed ahead, all night, in front of an audience. It's a roller-coaster ride, responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-patrick-thomas/when-you-re-doing-a-play-you-get-to-go-full-speed-ahead-all-night-in/) [Sean Patrick Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-patrick-thomas/) > [I'm kinda tired. I was up all night trying to round off infinity. Then I got bored and went out and painted passing lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-m-kinda-tired-i-was-up-all-night-trying-to-round-off-infinity-then/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I've been thinking of a story from the Old Testament: Moses stood all day and all night with outstretched arms, praying to God for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-scholl/i-ve-been-thinking-of-a-story-from-the-old-testament-moses-stood-all/) [Sophie Scholl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-scholl/) > [Basically Ken is a very gentle, home-loving person. I remember when one of his stick insects had a knee infection. He stayed up all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/basically-ken-is-a-very-gentle-home-loving-person-i-remember-when-one/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Browse all 335 All night quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-night/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always thought it was important to overdeliver, and when I got one of my first jobs, writing jokes for Garry Shandling when he was hosting the Grammys, I stayed up all night and wrote a hundred jokes, and I thought, \"I'm always going to be the person that gives them more than they requested, and that's why they'll want to keep me around.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Judd Apatow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-overdeliver-and-when-i-got-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "All night" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-overdeliver-and-when-i-got-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/judd-apatow-1471_all-night_i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-ove_2161025.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/judd-apatow-1471_all-night_i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-ove_2161025.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bd/judd-apatow-1471_all-night_i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-ove_2161025.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always thought it was important to overdeliver, and when I got one of my first jobs, writing jokes for…” — Judd Apatow", "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": "Judd Apatow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-apatow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always thought it was important...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-overdeliver-and-when-i-got-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-apatow/i-always-thought-it-was-important-to-overdeliver-and-when-i-got-one/#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 } } ] } ```