--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs. I have…" description: "\"I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs. I have to start writing even if it's miserable some days.\" — Sarah Dessen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/sarah-dessen-110_days_i-can-t-sit-and-twiddle-my-thumbs-i-have_596074.png" --- # I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs. I have to start writing… ![“I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs. I have to start writing even if it's miserable some days.” quote by Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/sarah-dessen-110_days_i-can-t-sit-and-twiddle-my-thumbs-i-have_596074.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/sarah-dessen-110_days_i-can-t-sit-and-twiddle-my-thumbs-i-have_596074.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba0/sarah-dessen-110_days_i-can-t-sit-and-twiddle-my-thumbs-i-have_596074.png) > “I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs. I have to start writing even if it's miserable some days.” [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Procrastination is a barrier; action must begin despite discomfort. **In simple terms:** Don't wait for perfect conditions; start writing. Key Takeaway Begin work even when it feels hard. Themes productivity creativity discipline overcoming resistance Mood encouraging realistic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - author deadlines - personal journaling - learning new skills Key Concepts habit formation self‑motivation writing process Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take today? - How do you handle creative blocks? A Different Perspective Miserable days may lead to burnout if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/days/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [Miserable Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable-days-403805/) [Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit/) [Sit Twiddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-twiddle-4869129/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start/) [Start Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-writing/) [Thumbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thumbs/) [Twiddle Thumbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twiddle-thumbs-4061362/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-miserable-2476134/) ## Related quotes > [When my father retired, all he did was twiddle his thumbs. I don't want to go down that road. As long as I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-virgo/when-my-father-retired-all-he-did-was-twiddle-his-thumbs-i-don-t-want/) [John Virgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-virgo/) > [Do you want to do this thing? Sit down and do it. Are you not writing? Keep sitting there. Does it not feel right?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/do-you-want-to-do-this-thing-sit-down-and-do-it-are-you-not-writing/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [Writing is a miserable, awful business. Stay with it. It is better than anything in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/writing-is-a-miserable-awful-business-stay-with-it-it-is-better-than/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“In my life I've had good days and bad days. Miserable days. Painful days. And no matter how bad the bad ones get, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jael-mchenry/in-my-life-i-ve-had-good-days-and-bad-days-miserable-days-painful/) [Jael McHenry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jael-mchenry/) > [Everybody has blue days,these are miserable days when you feel lousy,grumpy,lonely,and utterly exhausted,days when you feel small and insignificant,when everything seems just out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-g/everybody-has-blue-days-these-are-miserable-days-when-you-feel-lousy/) [Jeremy G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-g/) > [Flying is so miserable these days. You have to go through security, and get up at the crack of dawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waite/flying-is-so-miserable-these-days-you-have-to-go-through-security-and/) [John Waite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waite/) > [“A FEW DAYS passed. Miserable days; they should have been gray and overcast. I hated that they weren’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyta-sunday/a-few-days-passed-miserable-days-they-should-have-been-gray-and/) [Anyta Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyta-sunday/) > [“With him, life was routine, without him, life was unbearable. I stayed miserable for two days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/with-him-life-was-routine-without-him-life-was-unbearable-i-stayed/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [There comes a point when you either embrace who and what you are, or condemn yourself to be miserable all your days. Other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/there-comes-a-point-when-you-either-embrace-who-and-what-you-are-or/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Usually when I finish the draft of a book, I'm sure I'll never write another one. I'm just that tired and sick of myself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/usually-when-i-finish-the-draft-of-a-book-i-m-sure-i-ll-never-write/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should constantly write because your writing is always evolving and progressing. It's really important to start writing young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-goulding/you-should-constantly-write-because-your-writing-is-always-evolving/) [Ellie Goulding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-goulding/) > [“I suggested to her that she start writing. "I can't write at all," she said. "Neither can many bestsellers," I replied. "But that pesky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-suggested-to-her-that-she-start-writing-i-can-t-write-at-all-she/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I usually start writing stories from tone and not from content - kind of like people who create music and invent the lyrics later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etgar-keret/i-usually-start-writing-stories-from-tone-and-not-from-content-kind/) [Etgar Keret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etgar-keret/) > [“Advice? I don’t have advice. Stop aspiring and start writing. If you’re writing, you’re a writer. Write like you’re a goddamn death row inmate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-wilson-watts/advice-i-don-t-have-advice-stop-aspiring-and-start-writing-if-you-re/) [Alan Wilson Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-wilson-watts/) ## More by Sarah Dessen > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“if i were a book i would be so open”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-i-were-a-book-i-would-be-so-open/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Harder to get in than out, like so little else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/harder-to-get-in-than-out-like-so-little-else/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“At times, I found myself questioning his very existence, even though I knew I had, in fact, spotted him, with my own eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/at-times-i-found-myself-questioning-his-very-existence-even-though-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No relationship is perfect, ever. There are always some ways you have to bend, to compromise, to give something up in order to gain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/no-relationship-is-perfect-ever-there-are-always-some-ways-you-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [When you had to do something, you had to do it. And eventually, if you were lucky, you did it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/when-you-had-to-do-something-you-had-to-do-it-and-eventually-if-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [the truth about forever is that it is happening right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-truth-about-forever-is-that-it-is-happening-right-now/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I jammed my hand in my jacket pocket, bracing myself fo the next hit, and fel something. Something grainy and samll, sticking to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-jammed-my-hand-in-my-jacket-pocket-bracing-myself-fo-the-next-hit/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I had no illusions about love anymore. It came, it went, it left casualties or it didn't. People weren't meant to be together forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-had-no-illusions-about-love-anymore-it-came-it-went-it-left/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But maybe that isn't so bad. You can't love anyone that way more than once in a lifetime. It's too hard and it hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/but-maybe-that-isn-t-so-bad-you-can-t-love-anyone-that-way-more-than/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [This was just one night, one chance to vary and see where it took me. The fireflies were probably already out: maybe it wasn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-just-one-night-one-chance-to-vary-and-see-where-it-took-me/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [call it chicken salad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/call-it-chicken-salad/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“For me, however, it was a mix of the two, this constant push and pull. I loved it here. But I'd been in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/for-me-however-it-was-a-mix-of-the-two-this-constant-push-and-pull-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I think whenever a writer is really enjoying themselves and liking what they are doing, that shows on the page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-think-whenever-a-writer-is-really-enjoying-themselves-and-liking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) [Explore all 1,251 Sarah Dessen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More Days quotes > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [We're on the road 300 days a year. There's no recovery time. It's a test of your physical and mental endurance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-phoenix/we-re-on-the-road-300-days-a-year-there-s-no-recovery-time-it-s-a/) [Beth Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-phoenix/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [When I wake up on a Monday morning, it's nice knowing for the next 10-12 days that I don't have to do much of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-i-wake-up-on-a-monday-morning-it-s-nice-knowing-for-the-next-10/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [Everybody has bad days, but how you respond to it is a testament to whether you are a winner or a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/everybody-has-bad-days-but-how-you-respond-to-it-is-a-testament-to/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [I recently had an epiphany and now I'm making the most of my days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-recently-had-an-epiphany-and-now-i-m-making-the-most-of-my-days/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [I've always been a fan of old-time hymns and Scots-Irish dirges, though I wouldn't necessarily consider myself an expert on the type of music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-bingham/i-ve-always-been-a-fan-of-old-time-hymns-and-scots-irish-dirges/) [Ryan Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-bingham/) > [Everything is barely weeks. Everything is days. We have minutes to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/everything-is-barely-weeks-everything-is-days-we-have-minutes-to-live/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [These were days when my heart was volcanic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allen-poe/these-were-days-when-my-heart-was-volcanic/) [Edgar Allen Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allen-poe/) > [Some days, I'm going to miss shots; some days, I'm not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-green/some-days-i-m-going-to-miss-shots-some-days-i-m-not/) [Gerald Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-green/) > [Whose school-hours are all the days and nights of our existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/whose-school-hours-are-all-the-days-and-nights-of-our-existence/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [We simply do not have time as we move from one meeting to the next to have hours to peruse leisure websites of whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/we-simply-do-not-have-time-as-we-move-from-one-meeting-to-the-next-to/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [The country of Iraq is somewhat of an artificial creation going back to colonial days. And so you have the Kurds and then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-clapper/the-country-of-iraq-is-somewhat-of-an-artificial-creation-going-back/) [James Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-clapper/) [Browse all 4,561 Days quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/days/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs. 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