--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My aspiration was to write a book that…" description: "\"My aspiration was to write a book that you could still read in 10 years. That's hard. Then you start doubting every sentence you write.\" — Rutger Bregman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/rutger-bregman-2463_book_my-aspiration-was-to-write-a-book-that-y_1237690.jpg" --- # My aspiration was to write a book that you could still… ![“My aspiration was to write a book that you could still read in 10 years. That's hard. Then you start doubting every sentence you write.” quote by Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/rutger-bregman-2463_book_my-aspiration-was-to-write-a-book-that-y_1237690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/rutger-bregman-2463_book_my-aspiration-was-to-write-a-book-that-y_1237690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd7/rutger-bregman-2463_book_my-aspiration-was-to-write-a-book-that-y_1237690.jpg) > “My aspiration was to write a book that you could still read in 10 years. That's hard. Then you start doubting every sentence you write.” [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Writing a timeless book is hard; self‑doubt follows each sentence. **In simple terms:** Writing lasting books is tough and causes doubt. Key Takeaway Embrace revision, not perfection. Themes writing legacy self‑doubt Mood determined reflective Type advice creative When to use this quote - author workshops - self‑editing - publishing - creative retreats Key Concepts literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance doubt and confidence? - What makes a book timeless? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspiration Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspiration-write-3851854/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Doubting Sentence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubting-sentence-3851855/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Start Doubting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-doubting-791959/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Write Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-book/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Years Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-hard-453060/) ## Related quotes > [Before you start doubting yourself, take a look at your life from the past up to now. 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Do not doubt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-you-are-going-to-doubt-someone-then-do-so-all-the-way-to-the-end/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [You have to make a decision. You have to believe. Once you start doubting, you change your brain chemistry and you're done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-noakes/you-have-to-make-a-decision-you-have-to-believe-once-you-start/) [Tim Noakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-noakes/) > [“Don’t start doubting who you are and what you’re capable of because things didn’t go exactly the way you anticipated. Your plans have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonya-lampley/don-t-start-doubting-who-you-are-and-what-you-re-capable-of-because/) [Tonya Lampley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonya-lampley/) > [“Once you start doubting, just like you’re supposed to doubt, you ask me if the science is true. You say no, we don’t know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/once-you-start-doubting-just-like-you-re-supposed-to-doubt-you-ask-me/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [If you start doubting yourself like that, thinking, 'Am I good enough?' - maybe there is a reason you're thinking that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-verstappen/if-you-start-doubting-yourself-like-that-thinking-am-i-good-enough/) [Max Verstappen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-verstappen/) > [Don't doubt, don't stop... The only 2 things that can stop you is to stop working and start doubting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronda-rousey/don-t-doubt-don-t-stop-the-only-2-things-that-can-stop-you-is-to-stop/) [Ronda Rousey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronda-rousey/) > [When a film doesn't do well, people start doubting you as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-nitin-mukesh/when-a-film-doesn-t-do-well-people-start-doubting-you-as-an-actor/) [Neil Nitin Mukesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-nitin-mukesh/) > [I overthink everything. I'm just like, 'Wait, why do they want to hear me?' I start doubting myself. Other times, I'll just get so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-van-etten/i-overthink-everything-i-m-just-like-wait-why-do-they-want-to-hear-me/) [Sharon Van Etten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-van-etten/) > [People are still crazy about Python after twenty-five years, which I find hard to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/people-are-still-crazy-about-python-after-twenty-five-years-which-i/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) ## More by Rutger Bregman > [“If all the developed countries would let in just 3% more immigrants, the world’s poor would have $305 billion more to spend, say scientists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-all-the-developed-countries-would-let-in-just-3-more-immigrants/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“When Lehman Brothers collapsed on September 15, 2008, and inaugurated the biggest crisis since the 1930s, there were no real alternatives to hand. 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There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/precisely-when-we-should-be-shouldering-the-historic-task-of/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Believing in the good of humanity is a revolutionary act - it means that we don't need all those managers and CEO's, kings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/believing-in-the-good-of-humanity-is-a-revolutionary-act-it-means/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [Poor people aren't making dumb decisions because they are dumb, but because they're living in a context in which anyone would make dumb decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/poor-people-aren-t-making-dumb-decisions-because-they-are-dumb-but/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [“The bottom line is that wealth can be concentrated somewhere, but that doesn’t also mean that’s where it’s being created. 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