--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a long time, I've had a recurring…" description: "\"For a long time, I've had a recurring dream - I dream I don't have to write any more, that I'm free. I'm not free, alas; I'm still clearing the same te..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/patrick-modiano-14360_dream_for-a-long-time-i-ve-had-a-recurring-dre_634620.jpg" --- # For a long time, I've had a recurring dream - I dream I… ![“For a long time, I've had a recurring dream - I dream I don't have to write any more, that I'm free. I'm not free, alas; I'm still clearing the same terrain, with the impression that it's never finished.” quote by Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/patrick-modiano-14360_dream_for-a-long-time-i-ve-had-a-recurring-dre_634620.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/patrick-modiano-14360_dream_for-a-long-time-i-ve-had-a-recurring-dre_634620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/patrick-modiano-14360_dream_for-a-long-time-i-ve-had-a-recurring-dre_634620.jpg) > “For a long time, I've had a recurring dream - I dream I don't have to write any more, that I'm free. I'm not free, alas; I'm still clearing the same terrain, with the impression that it's never finished.” [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The writer feels trapped by endless revisions, yearning for creative freedom that never arrives. **In simple terms:** Creative work feels endless and unfree. Key Takeaway Seek balance between creation and rest. Themes creativity perfectionism restlessness Mood melancholic introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - painting - software development - research Key Concepts artistic drive unfinished work Questions to Reflect On - What does “finished” mean to you? - How can you accept imperfection? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We have this recurring dream that we're human beings, that we have bodies, that we're in time and space, that there is birth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-have-this-recurring-dream-that-we-re-human-beings-that-we-have/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I get really restless when I haven't worked for a day and a half. I have a recurring dream that people are lined up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-get-really-restless-when-i-haven-t-worked-for-a-day-and-a-half-i/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [A recurring dream probably merits close attention. Something wants you to pay attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hardie/a-recurring-dream-probably-merits-close-attention-something-wants-you/) [Amy Hardie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hardie/) > [I remember I had this recurring dream that we were playing a night game and instead of eye black we had mashed up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-remember-i-had-this-recurring-dream-that-we-were-playing-a-night/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [I used to have a recurring dream where I was at a party in a country house, surrounded by the same people each evening.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-used-to-have-a-recurring-dream-where-i-was-at-a-party-in-a-country/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [ I have a nightmare about Tony \[Blair\] and Gordon \[Brown\] killing each other. Not every month, but now and then. I also have a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-campbell/i-have-a-nightmare-about-tony-blair-and-gordon-brown-killing-each/) [Alastair Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-campbell/) > [I think everybody has a dream of flying at least once in their life. For me, it's been over and over a recurring dream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/i-think-everybody-has-a-dream-of-flying-at-least-once-in-their-life-2/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [I tend to have more anxious dreams where I'm late getting to places. That's definitely a recurring dream; I hate being late to places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicia-day/i-tend-to-have-more-anxious-dreams-where-i-m-late-getting-to-places/) [Felicia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicia-day/) > [One recurring dream, many others have also: you go into a familiar house, discover a door or hallway, and find the house continues into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-hirshfield/one-recurring-dream-many-others-have-also-you-go-into-a-familiar/) [Jane Hirshfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-hirshfield/) > [We just try to write about things that are close to our hearts. We don't sit around trying to write another 'Free Bird' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-medlocke/we-just-try-to-write-about-things-that-are-close-to-our-hearts-we-don/) [Rickey Medlocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-medlocke/) > [I write for free online out of love, passion, and often, rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kameron-hurley/i-write-for-free-online-out-of-love-passion-and-often-rage/) [Kameron Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kameron-hurley/) > [If I can quote myself, I explained whatever it is I'm doing once for No Tell Motel, and I still think it's the clearest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mccrae/if-i-can-quote-myself-i-explained-whatever-it-is-i-m-doing-once-for/) [Shane McCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mccrae/) > [I write not because I'm free but because everyday I find some time for myself¦](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-write-not-because-i-m-free-but-because-everyday-i-find-some-time/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Here's the deal: You can't go in with the intent that, 'All right, we're gonna write another 'Free Bird' or 'What's Your Name.'' You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-medlocke/here-s-the-deal-you-can-t-go-in-with-the-intent-that-all-right-we-re/) [Rickey Medlocke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-medlocke/) > [In order to understand what they need to understand, in order to write what they write, they have to be free. And yet, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-davison/in-order-to-understand-what-they-need-to-understand-in-order-to-write/) [Peter Davison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-davison/) ## More by Patrick Modiano > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I write in the most classical French because this form is necessary for my novels: to translate the murky, floating, unsettling atmosphere I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/i-write-in-the-most-classical-french-because-this-form-is-necessary/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [On winning Literature Nobel Prize: I was actually in the street. Yes, I was in the street. It was my daughter who notified me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/on-winning-literature-nobel-prize-i-was-actually-in-the-street-yes-i/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [Encourage aspiring writers to continue writing when things are going against them, when it feels hard. Explain the typical obstacles that occur, and encourage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/encourage-aspiring-writers-to-continue-writing-when-things-are-going/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [“For me the autumn has never been a sad season. The dead leaves and the increasingly shorter days have never suggested the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/for-me-the-autumn-has-never-been-a-sad-season-the-dead-leaves-and-the/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [Something happens between a novel and its reader which is similar to the process of developing photographs, the way they did it before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/something-happens-between-a-novel-and-its-reader-which-is-similar-to/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [A novelist can never be his own reader, except when he is ridding his manuscript of syntax errors, repetitions, or the occasional superfluous paragraph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/a-novelist-can-never-be-his-own-reader-except-when-he-is-ridding-his/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [Really, I prefer not to read my early books. Not that I don't like them, but I don't recognize myself anymore, like an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/really-i-prefer-not-to-read-my-early-books-not-that-i-don-t-like-them/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I think I became a writer because I didn't know of anything else to do. Maybe some incident from my childhood influenced me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/i-think-i-became-a-writer-because-i-didn-t-know-of-anything-else-to/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [A man without scenery is completely disarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/a-man-without-scenery-is-completely-disarmed/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [The more things remain obscure and mysterious, the more they interest me. I even try to find mystery in things that have none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/the-more-things-remain-obscure-and-mysterious-the-more-they-interest/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I just have two daughters and a grandson. So not a big family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/i-just-have-two-daughters-and-a-grandson-so-not-a-big-family/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I quickly realised that it is difficult to get started when writing a novel. You have this dream of what you want to create,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/i-quickly-realised-that-it-is-difficult-to-get-started-when-writing-a/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [My wife's a lot younger than me ... thirty years difference . . . You should never marry a woman a lot younger than you ... Never ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/my-wife-s-a-lot-younger-than-me-thirty-years-difference-you-should/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [Writing is a strange and solitary activity. There are dispiriting times when you start working on the first few pages of a novel. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/writing-is-a-strange-and-solitary-activity-there-are-dispiriting/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) [Explore all 32 Patrick Modiano quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a long time, I've had a recurring dream - I dream I don't have to write any more, that I'm free. 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