--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ninety percent of what we create is not…" description: "\"Ninety percent of what we create is not our best work.\" — Robert McKee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/robert-mckee-8479_best-work_ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not_2906171.jpg" --- # Ninety percent of what we create is not our best work. ![“Ninety percent of what we create is not our best work.” quote by Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/robert-mckee-8479_best-work_ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not_2906171.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/robert-mckee-8479_best-work_ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not_2906171.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/robert-mckee-8479_best-work_ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not_2906171.jpg) > “Ninety percent of what we create is not our best work.” [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Most creative output falls short of an artist’s highest standards, reflecting the difficulty of achieving excellence. **In simple terms:** Most work isn’t our best. Key Takeaway Strive for higher quality. Themes creativity quality self‑critique Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing - film production - personal projects - skill development Key Concepts artistic standards creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify and improve your weakest pieces? - What standards define your “best work”? A Different Perspective Even the best creators produce mediocre work at times. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-work/) [Create Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create-best-694859/) [Ninety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ninety/) [Ninety percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ninety-percent/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Percent Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent-create-4160054/) ## Related quotes > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of the preparation we do as actors is just jive. It doesn't do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/ninety-percent-of-the-preparation-we-do-as-actors-is-just-jive-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Ninety-nine percent of humanity does not know that we have the option to "make it" economically on this planet and in the Universe. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/ninety-nine-percent-of-humanity-does-not-know-that-we-have-the-option/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [Ninety percent of the friction of daily life is caused by tone of voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-bennett/ninety-percent-of-the-friction-of-daily-life-is-caused-by-tone-of/) [Arnold Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-bennett/) > [Ninety-five percent of all statistics, including this one, are bogus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-waterhouse/ninety-five-percent-of-all-statistics-including-this-one-are-bogus/) [Keith Waterhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-waterhouse/) > [Ninety percent of the cases of polio are in security-vulnerable areas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/ninety-percent-of-the-cases-of-polio-are-in-security-vulnerable-areas/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Baseball is ninety percent mental. The other half is physical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yogi-berra/baseball-is-ninety-percent-mental-the-other-half-is-physical/) [Yogi Berra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yogi-berra/) > [Ninety percent of our managers started in the hourly ranks or started in the lower ranks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-bill-marriott-jr/ninety-percent-of-our-managers-started-in-the-hourly-ranks-or-started/) [J. W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-bill-marriott-jr/) > [Ninety-nine percent of getting over a problem is mental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-hopkins/ninety-nine-percent-of-getting-over-a-problem-is-mental/) [Bernard Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-hopkins/) > [Ninety percent of intelligence was knowing when to shut up.’ – Cherise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/ninety-percent-of-intelligence-was-knowing-when-to-shut-up-cherise/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“If you’re not consistently carrying out your plan ninety percent of the time, you really don’t have a plan at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alwyn-cosgrove/if-you-re-not-consistently-carrying-out-your-plan-ninety-percent-of/) [Alwyn Cosgrove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alwyn-cosgrove/) > [And just being there is ninety-nine percent of what matters when your world falls apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-goldberg-sloan/and-just-being-there-is-ninety-nine-percent-of-what-matters-when-your/) [Holly Goldberg Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-goldberg-sloan/) > [Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-feinstein/ninety-percent-of-leadership-is-the-ability-to-communicate-something/) [Dianne Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-feinstein/) > [Ninety percent of politics is deciding whom to blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-greenfield/ninety-percent-of-politics-is-deciding-whom-to-blame/) [Meg Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-greenfield/) > [Ninety-nine percent of all work on self is attitudinal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-j-gold/ninety-nine-percent-of-all-work-on-self-is-attitudinal/) [E. J. Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-j-gold/) ## More by Robert McKee > [Story isn't a flight from reality but a vehicle that carries us on our search for reality,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/story-isn-t-a-flight-from-reality-but-a-vehicle-that-carries-us-on/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Don't be didactic - don't write about poverty. Write about poor people. When you dramatize their lives and let life and characters be your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/don-t-be-didactic-don-t-write-about-poverty-write-about-poor-people/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [To connect to people at the deepest level, you need stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/to-connect-to-people-at-the-deepest-level-you-need-stories/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Talent without craft is like fuel without an engine, it burns wildly but accomplishes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/talent-without-craft-is-like-fuel-without-an-engine-it-burns-wildly/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [“If the story you're telling, is the story you're telling, you're in deep shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/if-the-story-you-re-telling-is-the-story-you-re-telling-you-re-in/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Classical design is a mirror of the human mind. It's how we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/classical-design-is-a-mirror-of-the-human-mind-it-s-how-we-see-the/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [To get the truth, you want to get your own heart to pound while you write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/to-get-the-truth-you-want-to-get-your-own-heart-to-pound-while-you/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [What happens is fact, not truth. Truth is what we think about what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/what-happens-is-fact-not-truth-truth-is-what-we-think-about-what/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [The universal erosion of values has lead to the universal erosion of story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/the-universal-erosion-of-values-has-lead-to-the-universal-erosion-of/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [In a world of lies and liars, an honest work of art is always an act of social responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/in-a-world-of-lies-and-liars-an-honest-work-of-art-is-always-an-act/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Influence is just persuasion in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/influence-is-just-persuasion-in-slow-motion/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Good story' means something worth telling that the world wants to hear. Finding this is your lonely task...But the love of a good story,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/good-story-means-something-worth-telling-that-the-world-wants-to-hear/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Most of life's actions are within our reach, but decisions take willpower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/most-of-life-s-actions-are-within-our-reach-but-decisions-take/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [We realize we can't go around saying and doing what we're actually thinking and feeling. If we all did that, life would be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/we-realize-we-can-t-go-around-saying-and-doing-what-we-re-actually/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) > [Oh, by the way, I tend to use a lot of profanities. I do that for a reason: I like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/oh-by-the-way-i-tend-to-use-a-lot-of-profanities-i-do-that-for-a/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) [Explore all 78 Robert McKee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## More Best work quotes > [I do my best work when I am in pain and turmoil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-do-my-best-work-when-i-am-in-pain-and-turmoil/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [The only features I've done have been on the lower-budget end, for what they were. It's really all about getting the best people aboard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-garris/the-only-features-i-ve-done-have-been-on-the-lower-budget-end-for/) [Mick Garris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-garris/) > [The books we enjoy as children stay with us forever -- they have a special impact. Paragraph after paragraph and page after page, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-fleischman/the-books-we-enjoy-as-children-stay-with-us-forever-they-have-a/) [Sid Fleischman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-fleischman/) > [“One's best work comes when we are fully alive, happy, and inspired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schiffer/one-s-best-work-comes-when-we-are-fully-alive-happy-and-inspired/) [Eric Schiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schiffer/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I know some people say it's not the best to work with your family, but I have never understood that because it's always worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/i-know-some-people-say-it-s-not-the-best-to-work-with-your-family-but/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [We enjoy what we do and, for me, playing football is the best work in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joao-moutinho/we-enjoy-what-we-do-and-for-me-playing-football-is-the-best-work-in/) [Joao Moutinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joao-moutinho/) > [You and I are stymied in our own creativity. We can only create as sub-creators, and even then our best work is only sub-creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/you-and-i-are-stymied-in-our-own-creativity-we-can-only-create-as-sub/) [Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/) > [There's no way a director can communicate with every single person on the set and yet they need to motivate and instill an ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kennedy/there-s-no-way-a-director-can-communicate-with-every-single-person-on/) [Kathleen Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kennedy/) > [Hope for the best and work for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/hope-for-the-best-and-work-for-it/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [All I can do is focus on doing my best work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ryder/all-i-can-do-is-focus-on-doing-my-best-work/) [Sam Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ryder/) > [I was wondering if the best was behind me, had the high point of my career already happened. Then I saw what Manolo had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cox/i-was-wondering-if-the-best-was-behind-me-had-the-high-point-of-my/) [Patrick Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cox/) > [The only thing I can do is wipe my arse, brush my teeth, turn up and do the best work I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hardy/the-only-thing-i-can-do-is-wipe-my-arse-brush-my-teeth-turn-up-and-do/) [Tom Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hardy/) > [The best work for creative folks on the team is when the problem is big and the solution escapes everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sinofsky/the-best-work-for-creative-folks-on-the-team-is-when-the-problem-is/) [Steven Sinofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sinofsky/) > [There should always be that leeway because if you think of your character as sort of absolutely fixed, then you just try and find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-abrahamson/there-should-always-be-that-leeway-because-if-you-think-of-your/) [Lenny Abrahamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-abrahamson/) [Browse all 403 Best work quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-work/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ninety percent of what we create is not our best work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert McKee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not-our-best-work/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best work" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not-our-best-work/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/robert-mckee-8479_best-work_ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not_2906171.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/robert-mckee-8479_best-work_ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not_2906171.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/30c/robert-mckee-8479_best-work_ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not_2906171.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ninety percent of what we create is not our best work.” — Robert McKee", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert McKee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ninety percent of what we create...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not-our-best-work/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/ninety-percent-of-what-we-create-is-not-our-best-work/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```