--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you're trying to create is a certain…" description: "\"What you're trying to create is a certain kind of an indispensable presence, where your position in the narrative is not contingent on whether somebody..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/kerry-james-marshall-5157_create_what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certai_1866970.jpg" --- # What you're trying to create is a certain kind of an… ![“What you're trying to create is a certain kind of an indispensable presence, where your position in the narrative is not contingent on whether somebody likes you, or somebody knows you, or somebody's a friend, or somebody's being generous to you.” quote by Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/kerry-james-marshall-5157_create_what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certai_1866970.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/kerry-james-marshall-5157_create_what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certai_1866970.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/kerry-james-marshall-5157_create_what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certai_1866970.jpg) > “What you're trying to create is a certain kind of an indispensable presence, where your position in the narrative is not contingent on whether somebody likes you, or somebody knows you, or somebody's a friend, or somebody's being generous to you.” [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vital role is earned through intrinsic value, not external approval or relationships. **In simple terms:** Earn respect by being essential, not liked. Key Takeaway Focus on being indispensable. Themes authenticity influence self‑worth Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - team projects - creative collaborations - public speaking Key Concepts existentialism social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate essential contributions? - What does being indispensable mean to you? A Different Perspective It may be hard to measure indispensability objectively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Presence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presence/) ## Related quotes > [If you are a friend of somebody and that friend is in trouble, you don't just drop them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tang/if-you-are-a-friend-of-somebody-and-that-friend-is-in-trouble-you-don/) [David Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tang/) > [I just feel that if somebody happened to fancy somebody else, well, then, I should be a friend that he can say it to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-corr/i-just-feel-that-if-somebody-happened-to-fancy-somebody-else-well/) [Andrea Corr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-corr/) > [I would never knowingly go and date somebody that my friend loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-st-clair/i-would-never-knowingly-go-and-date-somebody-that-my-friend-loved/) [Jessica St. Clair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-st-clair/) > [Be somebody's Friend but nobody's Fool..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/be-somebody-s-friend-but-nobody-s-fool/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [A friend is somebody who doesn't lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/a-friend-is-somebody-who-doesn-t-lie/) [Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/) > [A friend is somebody you want to be around when you feel like being by yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-burrow/a-friend-is-somebody-you-want-to-be-around-when-you-feel-like-being/) Barbara Burrow > [A true friend is somebody who you call at 3 a.m. and say "I'm in a prison in Mexico" and he replies "No worries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-is-somebody-who-you-call-at-3-a-m-and-say-i-m-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A FRIEND IS SOMEBODY THAT KNOWS ALL ABOUT YOU AND STILL LOVES YOU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-friend-is-somebody-that-knows-all-about-you-and-still-loves-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No matter who you are, you need two kinds of friends in your life. The first kind is one you can call when something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/no-matter-who-you-are-you-need-two-kinds-of-friends-in-your-life-the-2/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [A true friend is somebody who can make us do what we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-is-somebody-who-can-make-us-do-what-we-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“People offer many complex reasons for why Bill rates so highly. In my experience it’s pretty simple. No matter who you are, you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/people-offer-many-complex-reasons-for-why-bill-rates-so-highly-in-my/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [I want someone I can call my best friend; somebody that will not allow anything to come between what we have going on and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keyshia-cole/i-want-someone-i-can-call-my-best-friend-somebody-that-will-not-allow/) [Keyshia Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keyshia-cole/) > [My definition of a friend is somebody who adores you even though they know the things you're most ashamed of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/my-definition-of-a-friend-is-somebody-who-adores-you-even-though-they/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [“No matter who you are, you need two kinds of friends in your life. The first kind is one you can call when something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/no-matter-who-you-are-you-need-two-kinds-of-friends-in-your-life-the/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [“You‘re my best friend. You‘re the only somebody I got.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-suede/you-re-my-best-friend-you-re-the-only-somebody-i-got/) [Damon Suede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-suede/) ## More by Kerry James Marshall > [There's nothing more special than intellect and labour that makes painting work. There's no magic there; it's information, and it's work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/there-s-nothing-more-special-than-intellect-and-labour-that-makes/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [When art works travel from place to place, what you have is the opportunity to engage with the intellect of another person who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/when-art-works-travel-from-place-to-place-what-you-have-is-the/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [I try to make work about things that matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-try-to-make-work-about-things-that-matter/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [I stumbled upon Charles White purely by chance while looking through a book 'Great Negroes, Past and Present' in the library at Forty-Ninth Street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/i-stumbled-upon-charles-white-purely-by-chance-while-looking-through/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [The lighter the skin, the more acceptable you are. The darker the skin, the more marginalised you become. I want to demonstrate that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/the-lighter-the-skin-the-more-acceptable-you-are-the-darker-the-skin/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [Artwork operates on two different levels: On one level there's artwork as a mode of expressivity, and then there's the other side, where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/artwork-operates-on-two-different-levels-on-one-level-there-s-artwork/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [One of the things I recognized early on, doing whatever studies of black history I have, is that even though black folks were transported…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/one-of-the-things-i-recognized-early-on-doing-whatever-studies-of/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [If you walk into any magazine store, I guarantee that nine out of 10 covers will feature white, blonde, blue-eyed, slim women because that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/if-you-walk-into-any-magazine-store-i-guarantee-that-nine-out-of-10/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [For black people who are really dark - and a lot of black people were averse to be dark skinned - it was believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/for-black-people-who-are-really-dark-and-a-lot-of-black-people-were/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [Before people outside of the Western European tradition started asking to be in there, the people who were accumulating objects for the museum were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/before-people-outside-of-the-western-european-tradition-started/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [What I hope 'Mastry' ends up doing is completely undermining or doing away with the notion that artists are a savant: that they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/what-i-hope-mastry-ends-up-doing-is-completely-undermining-or-doing/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [My dream was always to be in museums. It's a big and important milestone and a fulfillment of one of my primary ambitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/my-dream-was-always-to-be-in-museums-it-s-a-big-and-important/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [ In \[Ralph\] Ellison's case, it's more psychological than it is phenomenal, and it's conditioned by anger, animosity, and lack of desire to engage with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/in-ralph-ellison-s-case-it-s-more-psychological-than-it-is-phenomenal/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [When I started, I was aware of using the black as a rhetorical device. It's understanding that black people come in a wide range…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/when-i-started-i-was-aware-of-using-the-black-as-a-rhetorical-device/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [No one has a right to occupy the privileged position all the time, so it should be contested. It should always be messy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/no-one-has-a-right-to-occupy-the-privileged-position-all-the-time-so/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) [Explore all 103 Kerry James Marshall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) ## More Create quotes > [As far as Vern and I go, we have had situations where people have tried to take photographs of me and cut Vernon out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/as-far-as-vern-and-i-go-we-have-had-situations-where-people-have/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [I'm proud to stand with U.S. Impact Team in their initiative to create harmony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-stanton-king/i-m-proud-to-stand-with-u-s-impact-team-in-their-initiative-to-create/) [Angela Stanton-King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-stanton-king/) > [I am not a nationalist in any way, and I hate flag waving, and I don't think much good has come out of nationalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-am-not-a-nationalist-in-any-way-and-i-hate-flag-waving-and-i-don-t/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [My favourite designers always create a strong silhouette, like McQueen and Tom Ford and Alaia. I like structured things that you can throw on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberty-ross/my-favourite-designers-always-create-a-strong-silhouette-like-mcqueen/) [Liberty Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberty-ross/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [United Way works to create a safe and healthy home for everyone in our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steward/united-way-works-to-create-a-safe-and-healthy-home-for-everyone-in/) [David Steward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steward/) > [Renewable energy could reduce emissions but also create jobs and improve public health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-polman/renewable-energy-could-reduce-emissions-but-also-create-jobs-and/) [Paul Polman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-polman/) > [“If I can create something unique in the world, so can you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scifurz/if-i-can-create-something-unique-in-the-world-so-can-you/) SciFurz > [“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/if-you-can-imagine-it-you-can-create-it-if-you-can-dream-it-you-can/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [For a long time at Blackburn and at Fulham last season, I was playing on the right wing. I've never seen myself as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cairney/for-a-long-time-at-blackburn-and-at-fulham-last-season-i-was-playing/) [Tom Cairney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cairney/) > [We've got to get back to a country that can get things done. And my whole career has been marching and charging at and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-booker/we-ve-got-to-get-back-to-a-country-that-can-get-things-done-and-my/) [Cory Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-booker/) Browse all 5,654 Create quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What you're trying to create is a certain kind of an indispensable presence, where your position in the narrative is not contingent on whether somebody likes you, or somebody knows you, or somebody's a friend, or somebody's being generous to you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kerry James Marshall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certain-kind-of-an-indispensable/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Create" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certain-kind-of-an-indispensable/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/kerry-james-marshall-5157_create_what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certai_1866970.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/kerry-james-marshall-5157_create_what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certai_1866970.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2f/kerry-james-marshall-5157_create_what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certai_1866970.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What you're trying to create is a certain kind of an indispensable presence, where your position in the…” — Kerry James Marshall", "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": "Kerry James Marshall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What you're trying to create is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certain-kind-of-an-indispensable/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/what-you-re-trying-to-create-is-a-certain-kind-of-an-indispensable/#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 } } ] } ```