--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's pointless to be critical of your…" description: "\"It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no importance once it's finished.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/paul-simon-1703_critical_it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-st_5929.png" --- # It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's… ![“It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no importance once it's finished.” quote by Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/paul-simon-1703_critical_it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-st_5929.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/paul-simon-1703_critical_it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-st_5929.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05f/paul-simon-1703_critical_it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-st_5929.png) > “It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no importance once it's finished.” [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting completed work without over‑analysis frees mental energy for future tasks. **In simple terms:** Stop over‑criticizing finished projects. Key Takeaway Embrace completion, not perfection. Themes productivity mindset perfectionism self‑compassion focus Mood relieved determined Type advice observation When to use this quote - after delivering a report - post‑presentation debrief - finishing a creative piece Key Concepts completion self‑criticism mental bandwidth Practical Applications - move quickly to next project - maintain momentum Questions to Reflect On - How does lingering critique affect your next effort? - What criteria truly matter for success? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agonising Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agonising-importance-308660/) [Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) [Critical Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical-stuff-288384/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Importance Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance-finished-308658/) [Over it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-it/) [Pointless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointless/) [Pointless Critical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointless-critical-308659/) [Stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Anything said before "but" is probably forgotten - only the critical stuff is remembered.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harris/anything-said-before-but-is-probably-forgotten-only-the-critical/) [Paul Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harris/) > [I play hard. So the critical stuff doesn't surprise me or bother me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gagosian/i-play-hard-so-the-critical-stuff-doesn-t-surprise-me-or-bother-me/) [Larry Gagosian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gagosian/) > [We are always over-critical about our own stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhhi-agerwal/we-are-always-over-critical-about-our-own-stuff/) [Nidhhi Agerwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhhi-agerwal/) > [Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/buddhism-teaches-that-a-craving-for-things-outside-ourselves-causes/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [“If you have no intention of loving or being loved then the whole journey is pointless”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/if-you-have-no-intention-of-loving-or-being-loved-then-the-whole/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [Perhaps the meaning of all human activity lies in the artistic consciousness, in the pointless and selfless creative act? Perhaps our capacity to create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/perhaps-the-meaning-of-all-human-activity-lies-in-the-artistic/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [Getting involved with pointless drama is stupid, there is more important things in life than to worry about than what someone thinks of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-involved-with-pointless-drama-is-stupid-there-is-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had become a perfect fake human, saying the stupid and pointless things that humans say to each other all day long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/i-had-become-a-perfect-fake-human-saying-the-stupid-and-pointless/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [I walked 10 miles in this dark road but still,i didn't still see the ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-walked-10-miles-in-this-dark-road-but-still-i-didn-t-still-see-the/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [I love 'Pointless.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-lycett/i-love-pointless/) [Joe Lycett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-lycett/) > [Might have, could have, may have, should have—the haves and have nots reduced to pointless possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/might-have-could-have-may-have-should-have-the-haves-and-have-nots/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [We had the city trying to demolish two of our exhibition spaces, which was at first pretty disturbing. But following the freak-out is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsha-kaechele/we-had-the-city-trying-to-demolish-two-of-our-exhibition-spaces-which/) [Kirsha Kaechele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsha-kaechele/) > [There comes a time in your life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama and the people who create it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-comes-a-time-in-your-life-when-you-have-to-let-go-of-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not going to drag it out or make a point, because points are pointless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-jordan/i-m-not-going-to-drag-it-out-or-make-a-point-because-points-are/) [Simon Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-jordan/) > [The Fundamental Principle that governs - or ought to govern -human affairs if we wish to avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, or pointless utopias, is negotiation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/the-fundamental-principle-that-governs-or-ought-to-govern-human/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## More by Paul Simon > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Medicine is magical and magical is art, the boy in the bubble, and the baby with the baboon heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/medicine-is-magical-and-magical-is-art-the-boy-in-the-bubble-and-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Two times two is twenty-two, four times four is forty-four. When numbers get serious, they leave a mark on your door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/two-times-two-is-twenty-two-four-times-four-is-forty-four-when/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [...what threatens us today in the world of computers and other invasions of privacy is not a national ID card but a number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/what-threatens-us-today-in-the-world-of-computers-and-other-invasions/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Life I love you, all is groovy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/life-i-love-you-all-is-groovy/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I would be willing to do almost anything to make Art happy. I care about our friendship. The only thing I won't do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-would-be-willing-to-do-almost-anything-to-make-art-happy-i-care/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I don't very often think I've done a good job. I don't like the majority of what I do. I shouldn't say I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-don-t-very-often-think-i-ve-done-a-good-job-i-don-t-like-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I rate each album as better than the last one. That's how I see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-rate-each-album-as-better-than-the-last-one-that-s-how-i-see-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [ I don't think \[Dylan and the Beatles\] influenced me a lot. I think it was inevitable; they were so powerful that you couldn't really… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-don-t-think-dylan-and-the-beatles-influenced-me-a-lot-i-think-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenements halls and whispered in the sounds of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/the-words-of-the-prophets-are-written-on-the-subway-walls-and/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I'm not in it for the money. I like music. I love to write music. I can't imagine myself not playing or singing or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-m-not-in-it-for-the-money-i-like-music-i-love-to-write-music-i-can/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [No one dare disturb the sound of silence...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/no-one-dare-disturb-the-sound-of-silence/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [A fundamental requirement, overriding any other for this job, is an understanding of deafness-what it is and how it affects the educational experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-fundamental-requirement-overriding-any-other-for-this-job-is-an/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [My whole artistic life has always been about change, change, change, move on, move on. It's the only thing I find interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/my-whole-artistic-life-has-always-been-about-change-change-change/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) [Explore all 214 Paul Simon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) ## More Critical quotes > [People will pay a price for putting political obstruction over progress in a time that is so critical and urgent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/people-will-pay-a-price-for-putting-political-obstruction-over/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [But whether you stay or go, the critical decision you can make is to stop letting your partner distort the lens of your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/but-whether-you-stay-or-go-the-critical-decision-you-can-make-is-to/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [As a businessperson, I dont have the power to change the government. That is in the hands of the political leaders. However, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/as-a-businessperson-i-dont-have-the-power-to-change-the-government/) [Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) [Victor J. Dzau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-j-dzau/) > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/there-is-no-royal-path-to-good-writing-and-such-paths-as-exist-do-not/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The critical question about regret is whether experience led to growth and new learning. Some people seem to keep on making the same mistakes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-catherine-bateson/the-critical-question-about-regret-is-whether-experience-led-to/) [Mary Catherine Bateson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-catherine-bateson/) > [Obama did organize a great large number of people and many enthusiastic people, what's called in the press 'Obama's Army.' But the army is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-did-organize-a-great-large-number-of-people-and-many/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Too often we forget that social and political movements don't happen overnight. They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Recruitment and retention are critical to sustain our Armed Forces with the best men and women willing to stand in the gap and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/recruitment-and-retention-are-critical-to-sustain-our-armed-forces/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,389 Critical quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critical/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. 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