--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing I'm always thinking about…" description: "\"One thing I'm always thinking about myself is what am I willing to make up? And the answer is not much.\" — Pam Houston" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/pam-houston-11232_always-thinking_one-thing-i-m-always-thinking-about-myse_1320856.jpg" --- # One thing I'm always thinking about myself is what am I… ![“One thing I'm always thinking about myself is what am I willing to make up? And the answer is not much.” quote by Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/pam-houston-11232_always-thinking_one-thing-i-m-always-thinking-about-myse_1320856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/pam-houston-11232_always-thinking_one-thing-i-m-always-thinking-about-myse_1320856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/641/pam-houston-11232_always-thinking_one-thing-i-m-always-thinking-about-myse_1320856.jpg) > “One thing I'm always thinking about myself is what am I willing to make up? And the answer is not much.” [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑assessment reveals we often overestimate our capacity to meet personal expectations, leading to disappointment. **In simple terms:** We rarely admit our limits. Key Takeaway Set realistic personal goals. Themes self‑awareness growth expectations Mood reflective cautious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship building - health goals Key Concepts psychology personal development Questions to Reflect On - What limits are you willing to accept? - How do you balance ambition and realism? A Different Perspective Over‑optimism can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-thinking/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Thing Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-thinking-1464444/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-willing-3821347/) [Willing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing/) [Willing Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing-make-795725/) ## Related quotes > [Your mind must always go, even while you're shaking hands and going through all the maneuvers. I developed the ability long ago to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/your-mind-must-always-go-even-while-you-re-shaking-hands-and-going/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [When you can agree on one thing, you should have no expectation that suddenly a person is converted to your way of thinking. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-bee/when-you-can-agree-on-one-thing-you-should-have-no-expectation-that/) [Samantha Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-bee/) > [I do believe in thinking and willing things into existence, obviously putting in the work for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-barrera/i-do-believe-in-thinking-and-willing-things-into-existence-obviously/) [Melissa Barrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-barrera/) > [“I was just thinking that he might be willing. It’s not like he needs his semen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-andrews/i-was-just-thinking-that-he-might-be-willing-it-s-not-like-he-needs/) [Buffy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-andrews/) > [“The only thing to thinking, is seeing something noticeable, that makes you see something you weren't noticing, that makes you see something that isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mclean/the-only-thing-to-thinking-is-seeing-something-noticeable-that-makes/) [Norman Mclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mclean/) > [The mind is a vagrant thing ... Thinking is not analogous to a person working in a laboratory who invents something on company time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-mind-is-a-vagrant-thing-thinking-is-not-analogous-to-a-person/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [The last thing I'm thinking about is anybody from my past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-mena/the-last-thing-i-m-thinking-about-is-anybody-from-my-past/) [Erica Mena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-mena/) > [It's one thing thinking something and another thing knowing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-ois-lelord/it-s-one-thing-thinking-something-and-another-thing-knowing-it/) [François Lelord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-ois-lelord/) > [“I had chosen the dead rather than the living, the thing thought rather than the thing thinking!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-had-chosen-the-dead-rather-than-the-living-the-thing-thought-rather/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [If you're for the right thing, you do it without thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-you-re-for-the-right-thing-you-do-it-without-thinking/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If everybody's thinking the same thing, then nobody's thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/if-everybody-s-thinking-the-same-thing-then-nobody-s-thinking/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [If one looks at a thing with the intention of trying to discover what it means, one ends up no longer seeing the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-magritte/if-one-looks-at-a-thing-with-the-intention-of-trying-to-discover-what/) [Rene Magritte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-magritte/) > [“Curiosity is a terrible thing, he was thinking. How is it possible to stop oneself from needing to know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/curiosity-is-a-terrible-thing-he-was-thinking-how-is-it-possible-to/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [The music is the last thing I'm thinking about right now, in order of what's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-bacharach/the-music-is-the-last-thing-i-m-thinking-about-right-now-in-order-of/) [Burt Bacharach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-bacharach/) > [The mind is a vagrant thing… Thinking is not analogous to a person working in a laboratory who invents something on company time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-mind-is-a-vagrant-thing-thinking-is-not-analogous-to-a-person-2/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) ## More by Pam Houston > [Give me a labyrinth to walk and I can usually free my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/give-me-a-labyrinth-to-walk-and-i-can-usually-free-my-mind/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [When a book is in its final stages, I've just got to be home, looking at it seventeen hours a day, and that's fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/when-a-book-is-in-its-final-stages-i-ve-just-got-to-be-home-looking/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [I've been to a lot of school and read a lot of thick books, but at my very core there's a made-for-TV-movie mentality I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/i-ve-been-to-a-lot-of-school-and-read-a-lot-of-thick-books-but-at-my/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [Life gives us what we need when we need it; receiving what it gives us is a whole other thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/life-gives-us-what-we-need-when-we-need-it-receiving-what-it-gives-us/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [Cheryl Strayed is a courageous, gritty, and deceptively elegant writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/cheryl-strayed-is-a-courageous-gritty-and-deceptively-elegant-writer/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [Sometimes no matter how well you prepare, no matter how conservative your decision making, no matter how few Y chromosomes are along on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/sometimes-no-matter-how-well-you-prepare-no-matter-how-conservative/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [Stillness is a harder concept for me than ecstasy, but I can imagine it best when I am fully present and paying strict attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/stillness-is-a-harder-concept-for-me-than-ecstasy-but-i-can-imagine/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [“I still don't see how it would make me feel any better to think of the pain in my hip and spine as anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/i-still-don-t-see-how-it-would-make-me-feel-any-better-to-think-of/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [My parents were travelers. Every time my parents got ten dollars ahead they went somewhere. That's what they did. So I got the bug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/my-parents-were-travelers-every-time-my-parents-got-ten-dollars-ahead/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [“Find yourself a place in the universe,' she said, 'a place where the dirt feels like goodness under your feet. Take the right picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/find-yourself-a-place-in-the-universe-she-said-a-place-where-the-dirt/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [I'm always out looking for weird, beautiful things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/i-m-always-out-looking-for-weird-beautiful-things/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [I always think, when I'm in motion, writing seems like the most natural thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/i-always-think-when-i-m-in-motion-writing-seems-like-the-most-natural/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [I'm about going out in the world and noticing stuff, and going home and writing it down, and putting it next to other stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/i-m-about-going-out-in-the-world-and-noticing-stuff-and-going-home/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [“And even though I knew in my head there’s nothing a man can do that a woman can’t, I also knew in my heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/and-even-though-i-knew-in-my-head-there-s-nothing-a-man-can-do-that-a/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) > [Traveling is my priority, because it drives the writing, so I teach around the travel, and sometimes the travel is the teaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-houston/traveling-is-my-priority-because-it-drives-the-writing-so-i-teach/) [Pam Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) [Explore all 61 Pam Houston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-houston/) ## More Always thinking quotes > [You're always thinking, "What does that add up to?" You can't really get a handle on it. I was curious. I felt like it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hell/you-re-always-thinking-what-does-that-add-up-to-you-can-t-really-get/) [Richard Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hell/) > [I am not a finisher, I am a starter. And I am always thinking, what is the next project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-eisenman/i-am-not-a-finisher-i-am-a-starter-and-i-am-always-thinking-what-is/) [Peter Eisenman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-eisenman/) > [I think it's important to know what you're going to do with the ball before it comes to you. So you're always thinking before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/i-think-it-s-important-to-know-what-you-re-going-to-do-with-the-ball/) [Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/) > [People who are always thinking of the feelings of others can be very destructive because they are hiding so much from themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/people-who-are-always-thinking-of-the-feelings-of-others-can-be-very/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [I am always thinking 'What am I doing here? Is this the way I am supposed to feel?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-am-always-thinking-what-am-i-doing-here-is-this-the-way-i-am/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I'm always thinking about that young girl or young boy who doesn't quite know if their music, their messaging, their imaging, their voice is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-m-always-thinking-about-that-young-girl-or-young-boy-who-doesn-t/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [We're trying, despite having done research and having obviously preconceived ideas, we try our best to be as open-hearted as possible, and try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/we-re-trying-despite-having-done-research-and-having-obviously/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [I'm always thinking of ideas and sounds. I am waiting on something new and dope to inspire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-ink/i-m-always-thinking-of-ideas-and-sounds-i-am-waiting-on-something-new/) [Kid Ink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-ink/) > [I want to feel like the things I did made a difference. That's one of the reasons I spend time greeting people on rope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-want-to-feel-like-the-things-i-did-made-a-difference-that-s-one-of/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [Successful people are always thinking about what they can do to move to the next level. Initiative is the drive to do it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/successful-people-are-always-thinking-about-what-they-can-do-to-move/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [Meditation is one of the rare occasions when we're not doing anything. Otherwise, we're always doing something, we're always thinking something, we're always occupied.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/meditation-is-one-of-the-rare-occasions-when-we-re-not-doing-anything/) [Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzongsar-jamyang-khyentse-rinpoche/) > [The only reason why we are always thinking of our own ego is that we have to live with it more continuously than with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/the-only-reason-why-we-are-always-thinking-of-our-own-ego-is-that-we/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [I'm not a nosy person, but I'm always thinking 'I wonder why he did that? I wonder why this week he was this much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-douglas/i-m-not-a-nosy-person-but-i-m-always-thinking-i-wonder-why-he-did/) [Jill Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-douglas/) > [Fiction writing is a twenty-four-hou r-a-day occupation. You never leave your work behind. It is always with you, and to some extent, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/fiction-writing-is-a-twenty-four-hou-r-a-day-occupation-you-never/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [I tend to write about love because I'm always thinking about it. I think a lot though and struggle with overanalyzing. Way over. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-hervey/i-tend-to-write-about-love-because-i-m-always-thinking-about-it-i/) [Jillian Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-hervey/) [Browse all 94 Always thinking quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always-thinking/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One thing I'm always thinking about myself is what am I willing to make up? 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