--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm a big believer in, and creator for…" description: "\"I'm a big believer in, and creator for myself, of deadlines. Deadlines are your friend.\" — Stephen Schwartz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/stephen-schwartz-3036_big_i-m-a-big-believer-in-and-creator-for-my_2668670.jpg" --- # I'm a big believer in, and creator for myself, of… ![“I'm a big believer in, and creator for myself, of deadlines. Deadlines are your friend.” quote by Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/stephen-schwartz-3036_big_i-m-a-big-believer-in-and-creator-for-my_2668670.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/stephen-schwartz-3036_big_i-m-a-big-believer-in-and-creator-for-my_2668670.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/stephen-schwartz-3036_big_i-m-a-big-believer-in-and-creator-for-my_2668670.jpg) > “I'm a big believer in, and creator for myself, of deadlines. Deadlines are your friend.” [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deadlines act as motivators, turning creative ideas into completed work and providing structure. **In simple terms:** Deadlines help finish projects. Key Takeaway Set and respect deadlines for productivity. Themes productivity creativity discipline time management motivation Mood motivational practical Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing sessions - film production - software development - academic research Key Concepts project management psychology creative process Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance urgency with quality? - What strategies keep deadlines realistic? A Different Perspective Deadlines can cause stress and reduce quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believer Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer-creator-2260531/) [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Creator Deadlines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator-deadlines-2485002/) [Deadline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadline/) [Deadlines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadlines/) [Deadlines Deadlines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadlines-deadlines-381893/) [Deadlines Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deadlines-friend-2485001/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [All writers are forced to live within deadlines, and deadlines determine how good they can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/all-writers-are-forced-to-live-within-deadlines-and-deadlines/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [Publishing is, by its nature, about deadlines, and deadlines are toxic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/publishing-is-by-its-nature-about-deadlines-and-deadlines-are-toxic/) [Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/) > [“There is, in fact, no worldview more reprehensible in its arrogance than that of a religious believer: the creator of the universe takes an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/there-is-in-fact-no-worldview-more-reprehensible-in-its-arrogance/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [Deadlines just aren't real to me until I'm staring one in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/deadlines-just-aren-t-real-to-me-until-i-m-staring-one-in-the-face/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Meeting external deadlines is much harder than meeting internal ones. On the other hand, internal deadlines sometimes don't feel real, and are therefore easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/meeting-external-deadlines-is-much-harder-than-meeting-internal-ones/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [To be honest with you, I'd rather not be working. When you work, there are all sorts of deadlines and pressures. I like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benicio-del-toro/to-be-honest-with-you-i-d-rather-not-be-working-when-you-work-there/) [Benicio Del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benicio-del-toro/) > [I no longer feel I'll be dead by thirty; now it's sixty. I suppose these deadlines we set for ourselves are really a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-no-longer-feel-i-ll-be-dead-by-thirty-now-it-s-sixty-i-suppose/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [The danger of having too close deadlines... It could lead you to just accept an avenue that's not quite good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-weir/the-danger-of-having-too-close-deadlines-it-could-lead-you-to-just/) [Judith Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-weir/) > [I am one of those people who thrive on deadlines. Nothing brings on inspiration more readily than desperation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/i-am-one-of-those-people-who-thrive-on-deadlines-nothing-brings-on/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [You put deadlines on people you really don't want, because that's how you feel about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-leiter/you-put-deadlines-on-people-you-really-don-t-want-because-that-s-how/) [Al Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-leiter/) > [Deadlines concentrate the mind. But deadlines should not be dogmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/deadlines-concentrate-the-mind-but-deadlines-should-not-be-dogmas/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [A harsh reality of newspaper editing is that the deadlines don't allow for the polish that you expect in books or even magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walsh/a-harsh-reality-of-newspaper-editing-is-that-the-deadlines-don-t/) [Bill Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walsh/) > [There are no unrealistic goals, only unrealistic deadlines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/there-are-no-unrealistic-goals-only-unrealistic-deadlines/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Nothing focuses attention like a real deadline. If you are in a field where life and death, or having a job or not having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry/nothing-focuses-attention-like-a-real-deadline-if-you-are-in-a-field/) [John Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry/) > [To be perfectly honest the old habits, specifically deadlines, still very much inform what I do. I am brutally disciplined about getting manuscripts in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-winchester/to-be-perfectly-honest-the-old-habits-specifically-deadlines-still/) [Simon Winchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-winchester/) ## More by Stephen Schwartz > [Bringing your show to Broadway is an economic decision on the part of producers and investors that may or may not happen, but sharing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/bringing-your-show-to-broadway-is-an-economic-decision-on-the-part-of/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [You wouldn't walk into a music store and walk out with a piece of music under your arm. So why would it be acceptable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/you-wouldn-t-walk-into-a-music-store-and-walk-out-with-a-piece-of/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [There have always been discussions about a 'Pippin' movie. I think it would lend itself very well to film if one could solve how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/there-have-always-been-discussions-about-a-pippin-movie-i-think-it/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [When I was in high school, I worked at a theatre on Long Island, where I grew up, in the box office and parking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/when-i-was-in-high-school-i-worked-at-a-theatre-on-long-island-where/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [When I perform I try and focus on the lyrics and my interpretation of the lyrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/when-i-perform-i-try-and-focus-on-the-lyrics-and-my-interpretation-of/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [I think it would be really cool to see 'Enchanted' on Broadway - there's been discussion of it from time to time. You'd have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/i-think-it-would-be-really-cool-to-see-enchanted-on-broadway-there-s/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [I was very happy in Hollywood. I was doing extremely well there and things were good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/i-was-very-happy-in-hollywood-i-was-doing-extremely-well-there-and/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [That was what I always wanted to do for my whole life, to write music in the service of telling stories and communicating ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/that-was-what-i-always-wanted-to-do-for-my-whole-life-to-write-music/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [I had always been interested in opera, going back to my college days at Carnegie Mellon. In my last year there, I even wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/i-had-always-been-interested-in-opera-going-back-to-my-college-days/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [With Bernstein, because we wound up always working music first, it was where I really feel I learned how to write lyrics as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/with-bernstein-because-we-wound-up-always-working-music-first-it-was/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [In 'Wicked,' we developed the concept that Glinda has a public persona who sings in soprano and a private persona who is, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/in-wicked-we-developed-the-concept-that-glinda-has-a-public-persona/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [Alan Menken is so gifted in terms of coming up with these great melodies. What I learned from working with him was how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/alan-menken-is-so-gifted-in-terms-of-coming-up-with-these-great/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [I like works about familiar stories, where one spins the point of view and looks at it from another angle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/i-like-works-about-familiar-stories-where-one-spins-the-point-of-view/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [Excuse me, there's no pretense here. I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/excuse-me-there-s-no-pretense-here-i-happen-to-be-genuinely-self/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) > [Dancers are the unsung heroes Broadway musicals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/dancers-are-the-unsung-heroes-broadway-musicals/) [Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) [Explore all 141 Stephen Schwartz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [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/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) [Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm a big believer in, and creator for myself, of deadlines. 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