--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't think of it as art, think of it as…" description: "\"Don't think of it as art, think of it as work.\" — Paddy Chayefsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/paddy-chayefsky-17963_art_don-t-think-of-it-as-art-think-of-it-as_341041.jpg" --- # Don't think of it as art, think of it as work. ![“Don't think of it as art, think of it as work.” quote by Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/paddy-chayefsky-17963_art_don-t-think-of-it-as-art-think-of-it-as_341041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/paddy-chayefsky-17963_art_don-t-think-of-it-as-art-think-of-it-as_341041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42d/paddy-chayefsky-17963_art_don-t-think-of-it-as-art-think-of-it-as_341041.jpg) > “Don't think of it as art, think of it as work.” [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing creative effort as labor emphasizes discipline, responsibility, and practical purpose over aesthetic indulgence. **In simple terms:** Treat creativity like work, not just art. Key Takeaway Focus on effort and impact. Themes discipline responsibility creativity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - design - production - project management Key Concepts work ethic artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing art as work change your motivation? - Can practicality coexist with artistic freedom? A Different Perspective Creative work still needs inspiration and joy, which can be stifled by a purely utilitarian view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [When I think of art I think of beauty. Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye it is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-martin/when-i-think-of-art-i-think-of-beauty-beauty-is-the-mystery-of-life/) [Agnes Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-martin/) > [We want people to experience art and think about it. 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There's some really great work being produced outside of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/all-too-often-when-people-think-about-art-in-the-u-k-they-think/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [Artists don't talk about art. Artists talk about work. If I have anything to say to young writers, it's stop thinking of writing as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/artists-don-t-talk-about-art-artists-talk-about-work-if-i-have/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [Stop thinking about writing as art. Think of it as work. If you’re an artist, whatever you do is going to be art. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/stop-thinking-about-writing-as-art-think-of-it-as-work-if-you-re-an/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [I can't imagine not working, really. 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And then, I realized that I kind of recognized this pattern where the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bradley/when-i-was-younger-i-was-very-opinionated-about-art-and-then-i/) [Joe Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bradley/) > [What art should do, I think, is advance the generation into the next era. It should be one step ahead of the ordinary, ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-couturier/what-art-should-do-i-think-is-advance-the-generation-into-the-next/) [Andy Couturier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-couturier/) ## More by Paddy Chayefsky > [We've established the most enormous medical entity ever conceived... and people are sicker than ever. We cure nothing! We heal nothing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/we-ve-established-the-most-enormous-medical-entity-ever-conceived-and/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [The best thing that can happen is for the theme to be nice and clear from the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/the-best-thing-that-can-happen-is-for-the-theme-to-be-nice-and-clear/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [It's not greed and ambition that makes wars--it's goodness. Wars are always fought for the best of reasons, for liberation or manifest destiny, always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/it-s-not-greed-and-ambition-that-makes-wars-it-s-goodness-wars-are/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [It is the international system of currency which determines the totality of life on this planet. 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If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/stop-thinking-about-writing-as-art-think-of-it-as-work-if-you-re-an/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [Television is Democracy at it's ugliest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-democracy-at-it-s-ugliest/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [Television is god-damned amusement park. Television is a circus, a carnival, a traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, sideshow freaks, lion tamers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/television-is-god-damned-amusement-park-television-is-a-circus-a/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) > [I'm afraid to look in the mirror. 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I see nothing noble in widows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-chayefsky/i-m-not-sentimental-about-war-i-see-nothing-noble-in-widows/) [Paddy Chayefsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) [Explore all 36 Paddy Chayefsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-chayefsky/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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