--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course I don't look busy, I did it…" description: "\"Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time.\" — Scott Adams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/scott-adams-666_busy_of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-rig_1795761.jpg" --- # Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time. ![“Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time.” quote by Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/scott-adams-666_busy_of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-rig_1795761.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/scott-adams-666_busy_of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-rig_1795761.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/scott-adams-666_busy_of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-rig_1795761.jpg) > “Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time.” [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-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 speaker claims their work appears effortless because they did it correctly from the start. **In simple terms:** Doing it right avoids appearing busy. Key Takeaway Focus on quality over appearance. Themes efficiency confidence productivity Mood pragmatic confident Type professional motivational When to use this quote - project management - design - leadership Key Concepts process improvement expertise Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure quality early on? - What risks come with appearing “not busy”? A Different Perspective Perfectionism may cause unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [I never heard my mom say, "Not now, I'm busy." But I did have extraordinary experiences that I'm very aware were extraordinary. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/i-never-heard-my-mom-say-not-now-i-m-busy-but-i-did-have/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [I am so busy now that if I did not spend three hours each day in prayer, I could not get through the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-am-so-busy-now-that-if-i-did-not-spend-three-hours-each-day-in/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Jesus is coming, everyone look busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jc-samples/jesus-is-coming-everyone-look-busy/) JC Samples > [Big Brother is watching... look busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-boyd/big-brother-is-watching-look-busy/) [Brandon Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-boyd/) > [The hardest job of all is trying to look busy when you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/the-hardest-job-of-all-is-trying-to-look-busy-when-you-re-not/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [Some folks can look so busy doing ' that they seem indispensable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kin-hubbard/some-folks-can-look-so-busy-doing-that-they-seem-indispensable/) [Kin Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kin-hubbard/) > [Some folks can look so busy doing nothing that they seem indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kin-hubbard/some-folks-can-look-so-busy-doing-nothing-that-they-seem-indispensable/) [Kin Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kin-hubbard/) > [When you find yourself in uncomfortable social situations... you look busy when you are chewing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-elordi/when-you-find-yourself-in-uncomfortable-social-situations-you-look/) [Jacob Elordi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-elordi/) > [If Eric thinks I did something right, I must have done it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/if-eric-thinks-i-did-something-right-i-must-have-done-it-wrong/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Now take a good look at the life you're living and tell me: Did they do the right thing?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/now-take-a-good-look-at-the-life-you-re-living-and-tell-me-did-they/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [I always felt that if I did the right thing, that if I trained hard and worked hard, I'd be rewarded somehow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micky-ward/i-always-felt-that-if-i-did-the-right-thing-that-if-i-trained-hard/) [Micky Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micky-ward/) > [Don't ask yourself what you did wrong; ask yourself what you did right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kessel/don-t-ask-yourself-what-you-did-wrong-ask-yourself-what-you-did-right/) [John Kessel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kessel/) > [I'm not saying that everything I did was right, but everything I did was for an honourable purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-kuan-yew/i-m-not-saying-that-everything-i-did-was-right-but-everything-i-did/) [Lee Kuan Yew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-kuan-yew/) > [“Growing up wasn't so bad, as long as you did it with the right person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-alexander/growing-up-wasn-t-so-bad-as-long-as-you-did-it-with-the-right-person/) [Monica Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-alexander/) > [I take full responsability...for what we did. It was the right thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/i-take-full-responsability-for-what-we-did-it-was-the-right-thing-to/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) ## More by Scott Adams > [The creator of the universe works in mysterious ways. But he uses a base ten counting system and likes round numbers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-creator-of-the-universe-works-in-mysterious-ways-but-he-uses-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“If you think your odds of solving your problem are bad, don’t rule out the possibility that what is really happening is that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-think-your-odds-of-solving-your-problem-are-bad-don-t-rule-out/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Frankly, I’m suspicious of anyone who has a strong opinion on a complicated issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/frankly-i-m-suspicious-of-anyone-who-has-a-strong-opinion-on-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“If you want success, figure out the price, then pay it. It sounds trivial and obvious, but if you unpack the idea it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/if-you-want-success-figure-out-the-price-then-pay-it-it-sounds/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [Ideas are worthless, execution is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/ideas-are-worthless-execution-is-everything/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [For five hundred dollars, I'll name a subatomic particle after you. Some of my satisfied customers include Arthur C. Quark and George Meson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/for-five-hundred-dollars-i-ll-name-a-subatomic-particle-after-you/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Failure always brings something valuable with it. I don’t let it leave until I extract that value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/failure-always-brings-something-valuable-with-it-i-don-t-let-it-leave/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The longer you verk here, diverse it gets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-longer-you-verk-here-diverse-it-gets/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“On all the important stuff, we are emotional creatures who make decisions first and rationalize them after the fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/on-all-the-important-stuff-we-are-emotional-creatures-who-make/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“What you rarely see is a stillborn failure that transmogrifies into a stellar success. Small successes can grow into big ones, but failures rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/what-you-rarely-see-is-a-stillborn-failure-that-transmogrifies-into-a/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Because everything you perceive is a metaphor for something your brain is not equipped to fully understand. God is as real as the clothes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/because-everything-you-perceive-is-a-metaphor-for-something-your/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [“Capitalism is rotten at every level, and yet it adds up to something extraordinarily useful for society over time. The paradox of capitalism is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/capitalism-is-rotten-at-every-level-and-yet-it-adds-up-to-something/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The best part about being my age is in knowing how my life worked out. 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My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) The Shawshank Redemption Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-right-the-first-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-right-the-first-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/scott-adams-666_busy_of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-rig_1795761.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/scott-adams-666_busy_of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-rig_1795761.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/646/scott-adams-666_busy_of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-rig_1795761.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Of course I don't look busy, I did it right the first time.” — Scott Adams", "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": "Scott Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Of course I don't look busy,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-right-the-first-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/of-course-i-don-t-look-busy-i-did-it-right-the-first-time/#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 } } ] } ```