--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always just wanted to write and maybe…" description: "\"I always just wanted to write and maybe direct. I'm really only interested in that. And yet the business that I'm in has forced me into being a salesma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/rob-thomas-8849_always_i-always-just-wanted-to-write-and-maybe_1939793.jpg" --- # I always just wanted to write and maybe direct. I'm really… ![“I always just wanted to write and maybe direct. I'm really only interested in that. And yet the business that I'm in has forced me into being a salesman - that's the last thing that 17-year-old me would imagine I'd end up being. I'm uncomfortable trying to sell anything, but that's what you're…” quote by Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/rob-thomas-8849_always_i-always-just-wanted-to-write-and-maybe_1939793.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/rob-thomas-8849_always_i-always-just-wanted-to-write-and-maybe_1939793.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/rob-thomas-8849_always_i-always-just-wanted-to-write-and-maybe_1939793.jpg) > “I always just wanted to write and maybe direct. I'm really only interested in that. And yet the business that I'm in has forced me into being a salesman - that's the last thing that 17-year-old me would imagine I'd end up being. I'm uncomfortable trying to sell anything, but that's what you're doing every time you walk into a pitch.” [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work can feel commercialized, forcing artists into sales roles that clash with their original passions. **In simple terms:** Artists often must sell their work, which can feel uncomfortable. Key Takeaway Find ways to align artistic integrity with necessary promotion. Themes creativity career authenticity Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - freelance work - marketing for artists - networking events Key Concepts artistic identity commercial pressure self‑promotion Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance art and commerce? - What strategies help you stay true to your vision? A Different Perspective Selling can fund creative freedom but may dilute vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anything/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Every time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-time/) [Forced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forced/) [Forced Salesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forced-salesman-3084651/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interested/) [Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just/) [Last](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last/) [Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Pitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitch/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Salesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesman/) [Salesman Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salesman-thing-3084649/) [Sell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sell/) [Sell Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sell-doing-3084650/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Sell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-sell-539537/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walk/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-write/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I'm trying to sell every audience something; that something is me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-arnold/i-m-trying-to-sell-every-audience-something-that-something-is-me/) [Eddy Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-arnold/) > [We need our own people in this business to stop knocking each other. All they do is knock, when we should be trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-baffert/we-need-our-own-people-in-this-business-to-stop-knocking-each-other/) [Bob Baffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-baffert/) > [Creating art (music, books, films, etc.) can be beautiful and liberating, but trying to sell art, well, that is the movie business. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-apteker/creating-art-music-books-films-etc-can-be-beautiful-and-liberating/) [Ronnie Apteker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-apteker/) > [STOP trying to SELL YOURSELF to someone who DOES NOT VALUE YOUR WORTH! REMEMBER, SOME PEOPLE will BID ON YOUR HEART only for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-clark/stop-trying-to-sell-yourself-to-someone-who-does-not-value-your-worth/) [Jason Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-clark/) > [Don't be constantly selling and shilling. Figure out how you can help others, tell them stories, and share openly everything you know so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-chapman/don-t-be-constantly-selling-and-shilling-figure-out-how-you-can-help/) [C.C. Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-chapman/) > [We millennials have been advertised to our entire lives, and we can tell when somebody is just trying to sell us something. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/we-millennials-have-been-advertised-to-our-entire-lives-and-we-can/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [We've been trying to sell out for years, nobody's buying!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/we-ve-been-trying-to-sell-out-for-years-nobody-s-buying/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) > [“Being relevant to your customers only when you’re trying to sell something means choosing to be irrelevant to them for the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-slap/being-relevant-to-your-customers-only-when-you-re-trying-to-sell/) [Stan Slap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-slap/) > [What my whole object was is not to really sell records. I was trying to sell songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/what-my-whole-object-was-is-not-to-really-sell-records-i-was-trying/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I started selling in the early '90s, because at 18 years old, it's tough to go to your parents and say, 'Can I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dolmayan/i-started-selling-in-the-early-90s-because-at-18-years-old-it-s-tough/) [John Dolmayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dolmayan/) > [As you know President Bush has been traveling around the country trying to sell his new Social Security plan. He wants to take our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/as-you-know-president-bush-has-been-traveling-around-the-country/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [My dad was in the Navy; he was in Vietnam. My mom was trying to sell real estate on the side. We didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/my-dad-was-in-the-navy-he-was-in-vietnam-my-mom-was-trying-to-sell/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [The fact is that the intrinsic worth of the book, play or whatever the author is trying to sell is the least, last factor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-fact-is-that-the-intrinsic-worth-of-the-book-play-or-whatever-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [When a man is trying to sell you something, don't imagine that he is polite all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-man-is-trying-to-sell-you-something-don-t-imagine-that-he-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I used to joke that I was trying to sell out, and nobody would buy me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-used-to-joke-that-i-was-trying-to-sell-out-and-nobody-would-buy-me/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) ## More by Rob Thomas > [… Our lives are made in these small hours, these little wonders, these twists & turns of fate. Time falls away, but these small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/our-lives-are-made-in-these-small-hours-these-little-wonders-these/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [People think that we're crazy because we do six nights a week. I would physically not be able to take it, especially when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/people-think-that-we-re-crazy-because-we-do-six-nights-a-week-i-would/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [“ I asked for a pony. And year after year I'm disappointed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/i-asked-for-a-pony-and-year-after-year-i-m-disappointed/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [We're all looking for something, something to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/we-re-all-looking-for-something-something-to-be/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [Teenage years are hard. And, having taught high school for a number of years, I think they're particularly hard on teenage girls. The most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/teenage-years-are-hard-and-having-taught-high-school-for-a-number-of/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [Reading 'Youth in Revolt' might have ruined my career because suddenly I wanted to abandon all the emotional truth of something and just go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/reading-youth-in-revolt-might-have-ruined-my-career-because-suddenly/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [“And she’d also found Logan again. Now he was her … what? New-old boyfriend? Lover? Skype buddy? Pen pal with benefits? Whatever his title,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/and-she-d-also-found-logan-again-now-he-was-her-what-new-old/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [One reason I relate to 'Veronica Mars' fans is because I can totally geek out about shows. I mean, I write Vince Gilligan fan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/one-reason-i-relate-to-veronica-mars-fans-is-because-i-can-totally/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [It's funny: I always, as a high school teacher and particularly as a high school yearbook teacher, because yearbook staffs are 90 percent female,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/it-s-funny-i-always-as-a-high-school-teacher-and-particularly-as-a/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [“Ah, the twin pillars of outrage journalism: slut shaming and victim blaming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/ah-the-twin-pillars-of-outrage-journalism-slut-shaming-and-victim/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [I've had the pleasure of working closely with Marc Von Em as a singer, but when I heard his original stuff, I asked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/i-ve-had-the-pleasure-of-working-closely-with-marc-von-em-as-a-singer/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [I could not finance a movie on my own. Frankly, I could not even afford to take a year off. I, like most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/i-could-not-finance-a-movie-on-my-own-frankly-i-could-not-even-afford/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [Ryan Hansen is my favorite person on the planet. He is my discovery. I'm so proud of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/ryan-hansen-is-my-favorite-person-on-the-planet-he-is-my-discovery-i/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [I love 'Arrested Development.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/i-love-arrested-development/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) > [I started my career as a novelist. 'Veronica Mars' was first imagined as a novel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thomas/i-started-my-career-as-a-novelist-veronica-mars-was-first-imagined-as/) [Rob Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) [Explore all 77 Rob Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thomas/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always just wanted to write and maybe direct. 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