---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Exactly, I repeated myself. I believe we…"
description: "\"“Exactly, I repeated myself. I believe we do it all the time. We always take up certain elements again. How can it be avoided? An actor’s voice always ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/orson-welles-1628_repeated_exactly-i-repeated-myself-i-believe-we-d_2387571.jpg"
---

#  Exactly, I repeated myself. I believe we do it all the…

![“Exactly, I repeated myself. I believe we do it all the time. We always take up certain elements again. How can it be avoided? An actor’s voice always has the same timbre and, consequently, he repeats himself. It is the same for a singer, a painter…There are always certain things that come back…” quote by Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/orson-welles-1628_repeated_exactly-i-repeated-myself-i-believe-we-d_2387571.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/orson-welles-1628_repeated_exactly-i-repeated-myself-i-believe-we-d_2387571.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/623/orson-welles-1628_repeated_exactly-i-repeated-myself-i-believe-we-d_2387571.jpg)

> ““Exactly, I repeated myself. I believe we do it all the time. We always take up certain elements again. How can it be avoided? An actor’s voice always has the same timbre and, consequently, he repeats himself. It is the same for a singer, a painter…There are always certain things that come back, for they are part of one’s personality, of one’s style. If these things didn’t come into play, a personality would be so complex that it would become impossible to identify it. It is not my intention to repeat myself, but in my work there should certainly be references to what I have done in the past. Say what you will, but The Trial is the best film I ever made…I have never been so happy as when I made this film. (talking about directing, The Trial (1962) - from Orson Welles: Interviews (book))””

[Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Artists inevitably repeat motifs because those traits define their unique voice; repetition is a signature, not a flaw.

**In simple terms:** Repeating style shows identity.

Key Takeaway

Embrace and reference your own past work.

Themes

creativity identity artistic style

Mood

reflective introspective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- film directing
- visual arts
- music composition
- writing
- personal branding

Key Concepts

self‑reference signature recognizability

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance signature elements with fresh ideas?
- When does repetition hinder growth?

A Different Perspective

Repetition can become stagnant if not balanced with innovation.

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[Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

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> [“Repetition will be repeated”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nightbits/repetition-will-be-repeated/)

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> [The truth was, history repeated itself on a daily basis; mistakes were made over and over. People were haunted by what they had done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/the-truth-was-history-repeated-itself-on-a-daily-basis-mistakes-were/)

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> [What can be sustained and repeated without emptying out?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-peacock/what-can-be-sustained-and-repeated-without-emptying-out/)

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## More by Orson Welles

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> [I am essentially a hack, a commercial person. If I had a hobby, I would immediately make money on it or abandon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-am-essentially-a-hack-a-commercial-person-if-i-had-a-hobby-i-would/)

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> [The essential is to excite the spectators. If that means playing Hamlet on a flying trapeze or in an aquarium, you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-essential-is-to-excite-the-spectators-if-that-means-playing/)

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> [I hate women, hate them generally, not in particular but in an abstract way. I hate them because one never really learns anything about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-hate-women-hate-them-generally-not-in-particular-but-in-an-abstract/)

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> [When television came along, I'd already done more than 10 years of radio work and I thought everyone would want me. I sat around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/when-television-came-along-i-d-already-done-more-than-10-years-of/)

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> [Look at the real prodigies, and I look like nothing compared to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/look-at-the-real-prodigies-and-i-look-like-nothing-compared-to-them/)

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> [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/)

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> [“repeated to me personally, that he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-f-kennedy-jr-2/repeated-to-me-personally-that-he/)

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Browse all 185 Repeated quotes

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