--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You know, I wouldn’t have done this a…" description: "\"You know, I wouldn’t have done this a month ago. I wouldn’t have done it then. Then I was avoiding. Now I’m just waiting. Things happen to me. They do...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/martin-amis-704_avoiding_you-know-i-wouldn-t-have-done-this-a-mon_833552.jpg" --- # You know, I wouldn’t have done this a month ago. I… ![“You know, I wouldn’t have done this a month ago. I wouldn’t have done it then. Then I was avoiding. Now I’m just waiting. Things happen to me. They do. They have to go ahead and happen. You watch – you wait… Things still happen here and something is waiting to happen to me. I can tell. Recently my…” quote by Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/martin-amis-704_avoiding_you-know-i-wouldn-t-have-done-this-a-mon_833552.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/martin-amis-704_avoiding_you-know-i-wouldn-t-have-done-this-a-mon_833552.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96e/martin-amis-704_avoiding_you-know-i-wouldn-t-have-done-this-a-mon_833552.jpg) > “You know, I wouldn’t have done this a month ago. I wouldn’t have done it then. Then I was avoiding. Now I’m just waiting. Things happen to me. They do. They have to go ahead and happen. You watch – you wait… Things still happen here and something is waiting to happen to me. I can tell. Recently my life feels like a bloodcurdling joke. Recently my life has taken on \*form\* Something is waiting. I am waiting. Soon, it will stop waiting – any day now. Awful things can happen any time. This is the awful thing.” [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A narrator feels trapped in a waiting state, anticipating inevitable events while fearing the unknown. **In simple terms:** Waiting feels endless and scary. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty, act despite waiting. Themes waiting anticipation uncertainty existential dread Mood anxious reflective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - career decisions - personal crises - creative blocks - health anxieties Key Concepts existentialism psychology narrative tension Questions to Reflect On - What can you do now instead of waiting? - How does fear shape your perception of time? A Different Perspective Waiting can become passive paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) [Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Happen Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happen-waiting-580137/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Wait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait/) [Wait Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait-things-580138/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Waiting Happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting-happen/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) ## Related quotes > [“The worl is ful of things waiting to happen. Thats the meat and boan of it right there. You myt think you can jus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-hoban/the-worl-is-ful-of-things-waiting-to-happen-thats-the-meat-and-boan/) [Russell Hoban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-hoban/) > [“The best parts of life sometimes happen when you are waiting to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/the-best-parts-of-life-sometimes-happen-when-you-are-waiting-to-die/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [I don't know why this is, but I really believe that things don't happen when we're trying to will them into being. They don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dani-shapiro/i-don-t-know-why-this-is-but-i-really-believe-that-things-don-t/) [Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dani-shapiro/) > [So if waiting is an aggravation, it is at least partly because we do not like being reminded of our limits. We like doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/so-if-waiting-is-an-aggravation-it-is-at-least-partly-because-we-do/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [If you wait for things to be perfect, you walk away with NOTHING. Just jump in and get started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-wait-for-things-to-be-perfect-you-walk-away-with-nothing-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All truths wait in all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/all-truths-wait-in-all-things/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [If you wait for things to be perfect you'll just miss out on life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pratt/if-you-wait-for-things-to-be-perfect-you-ll-just-miss-out-on-life/) [Chris Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pratt/) > [To wait for destiny & things to be happened are for loosers.Dont wait things to be happened.Make it to be happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/to-wait-for-destiny-things-to-be-happened-are-for-loosers-dont-wait/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“A man without patience is already a patient. Those who wait, must do things time and situations demand. Waiting without working, is wasting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-anokute/a-man-without-patience-is-already-a-patient-those-who-wait-must-do/) [Angus Anokute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-anokute/) > [In life, don't wait for things to happen. Make them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-alvord/in-life-don-t-wait-for-things-to-happen-make-them/) [Tiffany Alvord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-alvord/) > [“Good things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. Rise & grind!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanina-king/good-things-may-come-to-those-who-wait-but-only-the-things-left-by/) [LaNina King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanina-king/) > [The things that come to those that wait may be the things left by those that got there first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/the-things-that-come-to-those-that-wait-may-be-the-things-left-by/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) > [Life is too short to just wait for things to happen, you need to make things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akila-sultana/life-is-too-short-to-just-wait-for-things-to-happen-you-need-to-make/) [Akila Sultana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akila-sultana/) > [If you sit around and wait for things to happen, they're not going to happen the way you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/if-you-sit-around-and-wait-for-things-to-happen-they-re-not-going-to/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [Trust in God's timing. It's better to have to wait a while and have things fall into place then to rush into something and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cappa/trust-in-god-s-timing-it-s-better-to-have-to-wait-a-while-and-have/) [Adam Cappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cappa/) ## More by Martin Amis > [“Yeah,' I said and started smoking another cigarette. Unless I inform you otherwise, I'm always smoking another cigarette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/yeah-i-said-and-started-smoking-another-cigarette-unless-i-inform-you/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“barrios; each barrio has two or three gangs, and all the gangs are theoretically”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/barrios-each-barrio-has-two-or-three-gangs-and-all-the-gangs-are/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I'm not interested in making a diagnostic novel or a concern. I'm 100 percent committed in fiction to the pleasure principle - that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-m-not-interested-in-making-a-diagnostic-novel-or-a-concern-i-m-100/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“If we all downed tools and joined hands for ten minutes and stopped believing in money, then money would no longer exist. We never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/if-we-all-downed-tools-and-joined-hands-for-ten-minutes-and-stopped/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [When I see a lot of young faces in the audience, it's just sort of sinking in how important that is. Because you're old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/when-i-see-a-lot-of-young-faces-in-the-audience-it-s-just-sort-of/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“I was informed by my viscera that now was the time to put my arm around her shoulders. I ignored them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-was-informed-by-my-viscera-that-now-was-the-time-to-put-my-arm/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [You use a different part of your heart with girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/you-use-a-different-part-of-your-heart-with-girls/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [It's becoming clearer and clearer to me that the world is there to be celebrated by writers, and in fact this is what all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/it-s-becoming-clearer-and-clearer-to-me-that-the-world-is-there-to-be/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [In her final months Princess Diana was being shat upon by the tabloids -- basically for sleeping with an Arab. When she died, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/in-her-final-months-princess-diana-was-being-shat-upon-by-the/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [If you feel you have a strong constituency among the young, you can really die happy, because the great unanswered question, the only valid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/if-you-feel-you-have-a-strong-constituency-among-the-young-you-can/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [My life looked good on paper - where, in fact, almost all of it was being lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/my-life-looked-good-on-paper-where-in-fact-almost-all-of-it-was-being/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [I say, 'If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children's book', but otherwise the idea of being conscious of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/i-say-if-i-had-a-serious-brain-injury-i-might-well-write-a-children-s/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [The future could go this way, that way. The future's futures have never looked so rocky. Don't put money on it. Take my advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/the-future-could-go-this-way-that-way-the-future-s-futures-have-never/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Each life is a game of chess that went to hell on the seventh move(...)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/each-life-is-a-game-of-chess-that-went-to-hell-on-the-seventh-move/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [ “There exists a subterranean world where pathological fantasies disguised as ideas are churned out by crooks and half-educated fanatics \[notably the lower clergy\] for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/there-exists-a-subterranean-world-where-pathological-fantasies/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) [Explore all 393 Martin Amis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## More Avoiding quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [I know a bit about taxation and the remarkable effort that goes in to avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-know-a-bit-about-taxation-and-the-remarkable-effort-that-goes-in-to/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) [Raymond Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-briggs/) > [Resisting and avoiding pain sucks energy-and time. The more you let yourself feel those minute-and-a-half hells, the quicker you'll start feeling those minute-and-a-half happinesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-newman/resisting-and-avoiding-pain-sucks-energy-and-time-the-more-you-let/) [Leigh Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-newman/) > [Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/reading-is-sometimes-an-ingenious-device-for-avoiding-thought/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When someone starts Ignoring you, just back off without staying there with them Just to know the reason for avoiding..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishak/when-someone-starts-ignoring-you-just-back-off-without-staying-there/) [Vishak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishak/) > [You know what takes effort? Being kind, being patient, being respectful, telling someone how you feel politely instead of just avoiding them for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-tapper/you-know-what-takes-effort-being-kind-being-patient-being-respectful/) [Jake Tapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-tapper/) > [It's all about being flexible, and avoiding choices whenever possible. Choices suck, they are inherently limiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-armstrong/it-s-all-about-being-flexible-and-avoiding-choices-whenever-possible/) [Craig Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-armstrong/) > [In my personal life I'm very conservative. I've been married to the same person for nearly 50 years, I'm scrupulous about paying bills, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/in-my-personal-life-i-m-very-conservative-i-ve-been-married-to-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) [Browse all 713 Avoiding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You know, I wouldn’t have done this a month ago. I wouldn’t have done it then. Then I was avoiding. Now I’m just waiting. Things happen to me. They do. They have to go ahead and happen. You watch – you wait… Things still happen here and something is waiting to happen to me. I can tell. Recently my life feels like a bloodcurdling joke. Recently my life has taken on *form* Something is waiting. I am waiting. Soon, it will stop waiting – any day now. Awful things can happen any time. 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