--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing that kept me going was…" description: "\"The only thing that kept me going was stories. Stories are hope. They take you out of yourself for a bit, and when you get dropped back in, you're diff..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/neil-gaiman-29_currency_the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-was-st_2398081.jpg" --- # The only thing that kept me going was stories. Stories are… ![“The only thing that kept me going was stories. Stories are hope. They take you out of yourself for a bit, and when you get dropped back in, you're different- you're stronger, you've seen more, you've felt more. Stories are like spiritual currency.” quote by Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/neil-gaiman-29_currency_the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-was-st_2398081.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/neil-gaiman-29_currency_the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-was-st_2398081.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/neil-gaiman-29_currency_the-only-thing-that-kept-me-going-was-st_2398081.jpg) > “The only thing that kept me going was stories. Stories are hope. They take you out of yourself for a bit, and when you get dropped back in, you're different- you're stronger, you've seen more, you've felt more. Stories are like spiritual currency.” [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories provide hope and transform us by expanding our perspective and emotional resilience. **In simple terms:** Stories give hope and change us. Key Takeaway Seek stories that challenge you. Themes hope transformation storytelling Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative writing - therapy - education Key Concepts spiritual currency emotional growth Questions to Reflect On - How have stories changed your outlook? - What story gave you strength? A Different Perspective Stories may not replace real action or support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Currency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currency/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Felt Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-stories-4838291/) [Going Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-stories-3294663/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Kept Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-going/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Stories Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-hope-494118/) [Stories Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-stories-266387/) [Stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stronger/) ## Related quotes > [I wasn't sure how people were going to take to the stories I was telling and the things I wanted to sing about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-harris/i-wasn-t-sure-how-people-were-going-to-take-to-the-stories-i-was/) [Jackson Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-harris/) > [“I told her about school and how I sat on a wall there and felt stories and words move through me ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-told-her-about-school-and-how-i-sat-on-a-wall-there-and-felt/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“All of these heroes had failed to cajole and coerce the masters of America. Their ambition of a better world had been frustrated. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/all-of-these-heroes-had-failed-to-cajole-and-coerce-the-masters-of/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [People across the world are yearning to be connected to stories of hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/people-across-the-world-are-yearning-to-be-connected-to-stories-of/) [Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/) > [“The Word of God is a hub where stories of hope are told, from the young to the old.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/the-word-of-god-is-a-hub-where-stories-of-hope-are-told-from-the/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [I don't write stories about despair. I write stories about hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/i-don-t-write-stories-about-despair-i-write-stories-about-hope/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [The most hopeful thing in the stories, I hope, is wit. I make it up. If I make up a world in which we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/the-most-hopeful-thing-in-the-stories-i-hope-is-wit-i-make-it-up-if-i/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [All I thought about when I wrote my stories was, "I hope that these comic books would sell so I can keep my job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/all-i-thought-about-when-i-wrote-my-stories-was-i-hope-that-these/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [As long as we have our stories there is hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/as-long-as-we-have-our-stories-there-is-hope/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I just think that good stories are stories that reflect ourselves back at us and each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/i-just-think-that-good-stories-are-stories-that-reflect-ourselves/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [“What she needs are stories. Stories are a way to preserve one's self. To be remembered. And to forget. Stories come in so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/what-she-needs-are-stories-stories-are-a-way-to-preserve-one-s-self/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [What on earth did you say to Isola? She stopped in on her way to pick up Pride and Prejudice and to berate me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-shaffer/what-on-earth-did-you-say-to-isola-she-stopped-in-on-her-way-to-pick/) [Mary Ann Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-shaffer/) > [“so we had to tell our stories and they were stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/so-we-had-to-tell-our-stories-and-they-were-stories/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“We are not only the tellers of our stories, we are the stories themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/we-are-not-only-the-tellers-of-our-stories-we-are-the-stories/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“that each affects the other and tho other affects the next, and the world is full of stories, but the stories are all one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/that-each-affects-the-other-and-tho-other-affects-the-next-and-the/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More by Neil Gaiman > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. It takes thought and research and a backache and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/people-talk-about-books-that-write-themselves-and-it-s-a-lie-books/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Like all sentient beings, Fat Charlie had a weirdness quotient. For some days the needle had been over in the red, occasionally banging jerkily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/like-all-sentient-beings-fat-charlie-had-a-weirdness-quotient-for/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Shadow crawled across the floor to the yellow foam-rubber pad and climbed onto it, pulling the thin blanket over himself, and closed his eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/shadow-crawled-across-the-floor-to-the-yellow-foam-rubber-pad-and/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [ “\[T\]hey could not help being amused every time another little human believed itself the center of its world, as each of us does.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/t-hey-could-not-help-being-amused-every-time-another-little-human/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [So many things to see, people to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/so-many-things-to-see-people-to-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“The quickest way is sometimes the longest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/the-quickest-way-is-sometimes-the-longest/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“They were spells, spelled with words to make worlds, waiting for me, in the pages of books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/they-were-spells-spelled-with-words-to-make-worlds-waiting-for-me-in/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [What do stars do? They shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-do-stars-do-they-shine/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“What," asked Mr Croup, "do you want?" "What," asked the Marquis de Carabas, a little more rhetorically, "does anyone want?" "Dead things," suggested Mr…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/what-asked-mr-croup-do-you-want-what-asked-the-marquis-de-carabas-a/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [You get on with your own life. Lettie gave it to you. You just have to grow up and try and be worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-get-on-with-your-own-life-lettie-gave-it-to-you-you-just-have-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Eyes will not see you. Minds will not hold you. Where you are is nothing and nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/eyes-will-not-see-you-minds-will-not-hold-you-where-you-are-is/) [neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) [Explore all 2,526 Neil Gaiman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More Currency quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [The bitcoin network is not a payments network and it is not a scaling network.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-bankman-fried/the-bitcoin-network-is-not-a-payments-network-and-it-is-not-a-scaling/) [Sam Bankman-Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-bankman-fried/) > [I'm not in the business of bayoneting the wounded. I feel the blockchain revolution is kind of my victory. I don't care whether I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-m-byrne/i-m-not-in-the-business-of-bayoneting-the-wounded-i-feel-the/) [Patrick M. Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-m-byrne/) > [If you do more than your share you'd better want to: otherwise, you're paying yourself in a currency recognized nowhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/if-you-do-more-than-your-share-you-d-better-want-to-otherwise-you-re/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [“Relationships are the currency of business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-basilico/relationships-are-the-currency-of-business/) [Brian Basilico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-basilico/) > [The spectacle of a great, solvent government paying a fictitious price for gold it did not want and did not need and doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garet-garrett/the-spectacle-of-a-great-solvent-government-paying-a-fictitious-price/) [Garet Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garet-garrett/) > [I had been exposed to bitcoin early. I thought the consumer application of it felt, to me, further away. I thought there would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-garlinghouse/i-had-been-exposed-to-bitcoin-early-i-thought-the-consumer/) [Brad Garlinghouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-garlinghouse/) > [This is not really currency that circulates. It's like the old joke about expensive vintage wine. Wine prices will go up and once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/this-is-not-really-currency-that-circulates-it-s-like-the-old-joke/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. 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By late 2013, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-hanke/in-2008-bitcoin-was-mysteriously-introduced-to-the-world-in-an/) [Steve Hanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-hanke/) [Browse all 1,256 Currency quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currency/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing that kept me going was stories. Stories are hope. They take you out of yourself for a bit, and when you get dropped back in, you're different- you're stronger, you've seen more, you've felt more. 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