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Be prepared Quote by Mary Gaitskill

“There isn't going to be anyone to tell you what to do most of the time. It has to be your own decision and you have to learn to trust that, or learn that it's wrong. The hard truth is that there are people who believe they're writers and work hard at it and are sincere about it, but they don't…” quote by Mary Gaitskill
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“There isn't going to be anyone to tell you what to do most of the time. It has to be your own decision and you have to learn to trust that, or learn that it's wrong. The hard truth is that there are people who believe they're writers and work hard at it and are sincere about it, but they don't make it. You have to be prepared for that possibility.”

Mary Gaitskill

About This Quote

Source Book: Because of the Dawn, 1995

You must own your choices and accept that success isn’t guaranteed, especially in creative fields.

In simple terms: Own decisions; accept risk.

Key Takeaway

Trust yourself, expect failure.

Themes

self-reliance creativity realism

Mood

reflective determined

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

  • career planning
  • artistic projects
  • personal goals
  • decision making

Key Concepts

risk authenticity resilience

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance confidence with humility?
  • What safeguards can you set for creative risk?
A Different Perspective

Not all effort leads to success; external factors matter.

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