--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I keep calling it the I-thought. It's a…" description: "\"I keep calling it the I-thought. It's a thought. There is no I. This gives you a clue.\" — Robert Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/robert-adams-4362_calling_i-keep-calling-it-the-i-thought-it-s-a-t_2846404.png" --- # I keep calling it the I-thought. It's a thought. There is… ![“I keep calling it the I-thought. It's a thought. There is no I. This gives you a clue.” quote by Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/robert-adams-4362_calling_i-keep-calling-it-the-i-thought-it-s-a-t_2846404.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/robert-adams-4362_calling_i-keep-calling-it-the-i-thought-it-s-a-t_2846404.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26c/robert-adams-4362_calling_i-keep-calling-it-the-i-thought-it-s-a-t_2846404.png) > “I keep calling it the I-thought. It's a thought. There is no I. This gives you a clue.” [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that the self is an illusion and that thoughts exist without an “I”. **In simple terms:** Self is an illusion; thoughts exist without a self. Key Takeaway Recognize thoughts as impersonal. Themes identity philosophy mindfulness Mood contemplative neutral Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - meditation - psychology - spiritual practice Key Concepts non-duality selflessness Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing thoughts as not belonging to an “I” affect your self‑concept? - Can you experience thoughts without labeling them as yours? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) ## Related quotes > [“Everything you do gives a clue about yourself! The clothes you wear, the books you read, the cars you drive, the songs you listen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/everything-you-do-gives-a-clue-about-yourself-the-clothes-you-wear/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [It is the power of thought that gives man power over nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-andersen/it-is-the-power-of-thought-that-gives-man-power-over-nature/) [Hans Christian Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-andersen/) > [Each mental act opens up a new dimension of actuality. In a manner of speaking, your slightest thought gives birth to worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/each-mental-act-opens-up-a-new-dimension-of-actuality-in-a-manner-of/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [Many people find their calling very early in their lives. These are the kind of people we read about in school books and newspapers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhanush/many-people-find-their-calling-very-early-in-their-lives-these-are/) [Dhanush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhanush/) > [“Is it true?        2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?        3. 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It has to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-bleckner/if-you-follow-the-process-of-a-thought-any-thought-not-just-about-art/) [Ross Bleckner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-bleckner/) > [You know, ever since I first met him, I always thought, man, I hope I dont mess this up. Because thats what I do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerhia/you-know-ever-since-i-first-met-him-i-always-thought-man-i-hope-i/) [Jerhia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerhia/) > [Nothing remains beautiful and interesting except thought, because the thought is the life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/nothing-remains-beautiful-and-interesting-except-thought-because-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“Freedom is not an idea; a philosophy written about freedom is not freedom. Either one is free or one is not. One is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/freedom-is-not-an-idea-a-philosophy-written-about-freedom-is-not/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Once you've done that, push the thought of no thought away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/once-you-ve-done-that-push-the-thought-of-no-thought-away/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“She thought no one could see her. I thought she was beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/she-thought-no-one-could-see-her-i-thought-she-was-beautiful/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [Is action merely the incidental product of thought, or is thought the consequential product of action?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/is-action-merely-the-incidental-product-of-thought-or-is-thought-the/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) ## More by Robert Adams > [Among the most compelling truths in some of the early photographs is their implication of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/among-the-most-compelling-truths-in-some-of-the-early-photographs-is/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [Philosophy can forsake too easily the details of experience… many writers and painters have demonstrated that thinking long about what art is or ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/philosophy-can-forsake-too-easily-the-details-of-experience-many/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [The experience of life that you and I have is pretty much a jigsaw puzzle in the box: Day-to-day experiences of disconnected pieces that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/the-experience-of-life-that-you-and-i-have-is-pretty-much-a-jigsaw/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [“Everything is simplicity there is nothing to do. There is no place to go. There is no thing to become. You are that, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/everything-is-simplicity-there-is-nothing-to-do-there-is-no-place-to/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [When art is defined by Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons, you've got a society that's impoverished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/when-art-is-defined-by-damien-hirst-and-jeff-koons-you-ve-got-a/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [When photographers get beyond copying the achievements of others, or just repeating their own accidental first successes, they learn that they do not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/when-photographers-get-beyond-copying-the-achievements-of-others-or/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [A lake that is noisy cannot reflect anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/a-lake-that-is-noisy-cannot-reflect-anything/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [No one, though has to go to college to make or understand or enjoy art. Wonderful artists and critics - some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/no-one-though-has-to-go-to-college-to-make-or-understand-or-enjoy-art/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [Still photographs often differ from life more by their silence than by the immobility of their subjects. Landscape pictures tend to converge with life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/still-photographs-often-differ-from-life-more-by-their-silence-than/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [Almost all photographers have incurred large expenses in the pursuit of tiny audiences, finding that the wonder they'd hoped to share is something few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/almost-all-photographers-have-incurred-large-expenses-in-the-pursuit/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [You've always been free. You've always been bright and shining. Everything else is just nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/you-ve-always-been-free-you-ve-always-been-bright-and-shining/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [The thing that keeps you scrambling over the rocks, risking snakes, and swatting at the flies is the view. It is only your enjoyment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/the-thing-that-keeps-you-scrambling-over-the-rocks-risking-snakes-and/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [Why is Form beautiful? Because, I think, it helps us confront our worst fear: the suspicion that life may be chaos and that therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/why-is-form-beautiful-because-i-think-it-helps-us-confront-our-worst/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [All land, no matter what has happened to it, has over it a grace, an absolutely persistent beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/all-land-no-matter-what-has-happened-to-it-has-over-it-a-grace-an/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [The only things that distinguish the photographer from everybody else are his pictures: they alone are the basis for our special interest in him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/the-only-things-that-distinguish-the-photographer-from-everybody-else/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) [Explore all 112 Robert Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) ## More Calling quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [\*Calling someone I don't want to answer\* \*Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail..\* Hello? -\_\_\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/calling-someone-i-don-t-want-to-answer-please-go-to-voice-mail-please/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you... This turning toward what you deeply love saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sometimes-you-hear-a-voice-through-the-door-calling-you-this-turning/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) Browse all 3,811 Calling quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I keep calling it the I-thought. It's a thought. There is no I. 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