--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You do the best job you can. You take it…" description: "\"You do the best job you can. You take it step by step. It's hard enough to make a movie. If it works, that's great. If it means something beyond the mo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/oliver-stone-1812_enough_you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it_979202.jpg" --- # You do the best job you can. You take it step by step… ![“You do the best job you can. You take it step by step. It's hard enough to make a movie. If it works, that's great. If it means something beyond the moment to somebody, they can take it and it lasts through the years, we'll see.” quote by Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/oliver-stone-1812_enough_you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it_979202.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/oliver-stone-1812_enough_you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it_979202.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/oliver-stone-1812_enough_you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it_979202.jpg) > “You do the best job you can. You take it step by step. It's hard enough to make a movie. If it works, that's great. If it means something beyond the moment to somebody, they can take it and it lasts through the years, we'll see.” [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a movie is a step‑by‑step process; success depends on perseverance and lasting impact. **In simple terms:** Making a film requires patience and aims for lasting meaning. Key Takeaway Focus on incremental progress. Themes creativity perseverance legacy Mood determined reflective Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career development - project planning - artistic expression Key Concepts filmmaking artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What lasting impact do you want your work to have? - How do you stay motivated through setbacks? A Different Perspective Success may be fleeting without authentic purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Step By Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-by-step/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [If the movie works, nobody notices the mistakes... If the movie doesn't work, the only thing people notice are mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/if-the-movie-works-nobody-notices-the-mistakes-if-the-movie-doesn-t/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [It makes you feel good when a movie works. Usually when I see an old movie I've made, I say to myself, 'Oh God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/it-makes-you-feel-good-when-a-movie-works-usually-when-i-see-an-old/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [I've been making movies a long time. I'm a professional at it. I'm not a professional at making soundtracks - that's not my job.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-ve-been-making-movies-a-long-time-i-m-a-professional-at-it-i-m-not/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) > [You can't feel sorry for a scene. If the movie works without the scene, then you don't need the scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-gondry/you-can-t-feel-sorry-for-a-scene-if-the-movie-works-without-the-scene/) [Michel Gondry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-gondry/) > [A film is sort of binary - it either works or it doesn't work. It has nothing to do with how good a job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/a-film-is-sort-of-binary-it-either-works-or-it-doesn-t-work-it-has/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [You want to be in a movie where your part works. That's the main thing. No matter how you beat yourself working on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goldblum/you-want-to-be-in-a-movie-where-your-part-works-that-s-the-main-thing/) [Jeff Goldblum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goldblum/) > [ A great show means we have to connect; we have to prove to \[the audience\] that we do something great or blow their socks… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-avett/a-great-show-means-we-have-to-connect-we-have-to-prove-to-the/) [Scott Avett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-avett/) > [Whatever the word "great" means, Dickens was what it means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/whatever-the-word-great-means-dickens-was-what-it-means/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Own it. Just take it and say, 'Yes I will be great, I am going to be great.' Great doesn't mean being a movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-perez/own-it-just-take-it-and-say-yes-i-will-be-great-i-am-going-to-be/) [Rosie Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-perez/) > [What "Make America Great" means is it doesn't mean race, and it doesn't mean gender, and it doesn't mean sexual orientation, and it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/what-make-america-great-means-is-it-doesn-t-mean-race-and-it-doesn-t/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [A great means to preserve continual peace and tranquillity of soul is to receive everything from the hands of God, both great and small,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorotheus-of-gaza/a-great-means-to-preserve-continual-peace-and-tranquillity-of-soul-is/) [Dorotheus of Gaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorotheus-of-gaza/) > [If to be great means to be good, then Denis Diderot was a little man. But if to be great means to do great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-beatrice-hall/if-to-be-great-means-to-be-good-then-denis-diderot-was-a-little-man/) [Evelyn Beatrice Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-beatrice-hall/) > [A people may become great through many means, but there is only one measure by which its greatness is recognized and acknowledged. The final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/a-people-may-become-great-through-many-means-but-there-is-only-one/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [If you make the movie from your heart and it stands over time, that's what matters to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/if-you-make-the-movie-from-your-heart-and-it-stands-over-time-that-s/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [ “The worldly \[spiritual\] science is methodic (kramic) in nature; one progresses “step by step”; one has to ascent one step at a time. Whereas… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-worldly-spiritual-science-is-methodic-kramic-in-nature-one/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by Oliver Stone > [“The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion (to which few members of other religions were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/the-west-won-the-world-not-by-the-superiority-of-its-ideas-or-values/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I'm a dramatist. Dramatists have a right to look at history and interpret it the way they see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-m-a-dramatist-dramatists-have-a-right-to-look-at-history-and/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [Christianity did take a lot of Greek concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/christianity-did-take-a-lot-of-greek-concepts/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I've liked different women at different times in my life. I've been attracted to white women. I've been attracted to black women. I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-ve-liked-different-women-at-different-times-in-my-life-i-ve-been/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [By creating false environment of a war on drugs, and cruel and unusual punishment with these crimes, 50% of our U.S. population is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/by-creating-false-environment-of-a-war-on-drugs-and-cruel-and-unusual/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [Everyone in the world is impacted by the United States' Big Brother attitude toward the world. We need countries to say no to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/everyone-in-the-world-is-impacted-by-the-united-states-big-brother/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I might as well be myself. Everyone else is taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-might-as-well-be-myself-everyone-else-is-taken/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I didn't like my classmates at Yale. George W.Bush was in my class. I didn't know it then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-didn-t-like-my-classmates-at-yale-george-w-bush-was-in-my-class-i/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [There is this thing about time that you can't see at the time you're at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/there-is-this-thing-about-time-that-you-can-t-see-at-the-time-you-re/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I'm trying to understand my life. The one that I've experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-m-trying-to-understand-my-life-the-one-that-i-ve-experienced/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [Obama is now fighting for his life. He's fighting for a federal government. I believe in a federal government. I hope it sticks around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/obama-is-now-fighting-for-his-life-he-s-fighting-for-a-federal/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [Anybody who's been through a divorce will tell you that at one point. they've thought murder. The line between thinking murder and doing murder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/anybody-who-s-been-through-a-divorce-will-tell-you-that-at-one-point/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [The worst nightmare I ever had about Vietnam was that I had to go back. I woke up in a sweat, in total terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/the-worst-nightmare-i-ever-had-about-vietnam-was-that-i-had-to-go/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [There are a few versions of the Alexander movie on video, only two that matter. One is from 2007, and then the one from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/there-are-a-few-versions-of-the-alexander-movie-on-video-only-two/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) > [I gave up on America. I read the Times just to find out what they're thinking. I read blogs. I get most of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/i-gave-up-on-america-i-read-the-times-just-to-find-out-what-they-re/) [Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) [Explore all 207 Oliver Stone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/) ## More Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) Browse all 23,898 Enough quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You do the best job you can. You take it step by step. It's hard enough to make a movie. If it works, that's great. If it means something beyond the moment to somebody, they can take it and it lasts through the years, we'll see.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oliver Stone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it-step-by-step-it-s-hard-enough/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it-step-by-step-it-s-hard-enough/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/oliver-stone-1812_enough_you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it_979202.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/oliver-stone-1812_enough_you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it_979202.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/oliver-stone-1812_enough_you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it_979202.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You do the best job you can. You take it step by step. It's hard enough to make a movie. If it works, that's…” — Oliver Stone", "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": "Oliver Stone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You do the best job you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it-step-by-step-it-s-hard-enough/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/you-do-the-best-job-you-can-you-take-it-step-by-step-it-s-hard-enough/#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 } } ] } ```