--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have a few things that I have written…" description: "\"I have a few things that I have written over the years that haven't been made, but I sort of feel like there was a good reason why they were not made. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/steven-zaillian-43283_anxious_i-have-a-few-things-that-i-have-written_2168529.png" --- # I have a few things that I have written over the years… ![“I have a few things that I have written over the years that haven't been made, but I sort of feel like there was a good reason why they were not made. So I am not anxious to go back and fix them. I don't have something in the desk drawer that I think, "The time is right now. If I just do this…” quote by Steven Zaillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/steven-zaillian-43283_anxious_i-have-a-few-things-that-i-have-written_2168529.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/steven-zaillian-43283_anxious_i-have-a-few-things-that-i-have-written_2168529.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13f/steven-zaillian-43283_anxious_i-have-a-few-things-that-i-have-written_2168529.png) > “I have a few things that I have written over the years that haven't been made, but I sort of feel like there was a good reason why they were not made. So I am not anxious to go back and fix them. I don't have something in the desk drawer that I think, "The time is right now. If I just do this, it'll be great." It is kind of out of sight and out of mind. I am thinking ahead rather than back.” [Steven Zaillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-zaillian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unfinished works may remain untouched because they serve a purpose, and revisiting them can disrupt forward momentum. **In simple terms:** Unfinished work can be intentional and useful. Key Takeaway Accept that some ideas stay dormant. Themes creativity patience focus Mood reflective calm Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - writing projects - creative cycles - prioritizing new work Key Concepts Opportunity cost psychological distance Questions to Reflect On - Do you fear losing potential by not revisiting old work? - How does letting go affect future creativity? A Different Perspective Leaving ideas unfinished may cause regret if opportunities arise later. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking ahead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-ahead/) ## Related quotes > [There's a reason why I do anxious characters - it comes from a lot of personal anxiety. 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I've been there before while climbing. You are not thinking ahead. You are just thinking about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aron-ralston/i-kind-of-entered-a-flow-state-i-ve-been-there-before-while-climbing/) [Aron Ralston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aron-ralston/) > [Thinking always ahead, thinking always of trying to do more, brings a state of mind in which nothing is impossible. 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I don't go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/i-don-t-ever-think-about-the-roads-i-didn-t-take-because-i-spend-too/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [When I'm working on one book, part of my imagination is thinking ahead to the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/when-i-m-working-on-one-book-part-of-my-imagination-is-thinking-ahead/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [At Uniqlo, we're thinking ahead. We're thinking about how to create new, innovative products... and sell that to everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/at-uniqlo-we-re-thinking-ahead-we-re-thinking-about-how-to-create-new/) [Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/) > [I don't concern myself with thinking ahead to the finished product. I focus more specifically on what the character is experiencing. Once you relieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-don-t-concern-myself-with-thinking-ahead-to-the-finished-product-i/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More by Steven Zaillian > [I'm not one of those people who writes long soliloquies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-zaillian/i-m-not-one-of-those-people-who-writes-long-soliloquies/) [Steven Zaillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-zaillian/) > [I find that most of my scripts have a lot more scenes than most films, so the average movie might have 100 scenes, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-zaillian/i-find-that-most-of-my-scripts-have-a-lot-more-scenes-than-most-films/) [Steven Zaillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-zaillian/) > [The similarity between the big directors I've worked with is that they allow the writer to find a way of doing what they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-zaillian/the-similarity-between-the-big-directors-i-ve-worked-with-is-that/) [Steven Zaillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-zaillian/) > [I have no problem with anyone being precise about small things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-zaillian/i-have-no-problem-with-anyone-being-precise-about-small-things/) [Steven Zaillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-zaillian/) > [You do a draft and you get more notes. 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But I will say that there was reason to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/i-it-s-simply-not-for-me-to-evaluate-an-independent-rating-agency-s/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [I don't understand why gay people are so anxious to get married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-margolyes/i-don-t-understand-why-gay-people-are-so-anxious-to-get-married/) [Miriam Margolyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-margolyes/) [Browse all 1,159 Anxious quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have a few things that I have written over the years that haven't been made, but I sort of feel like there was a good reason why they were not made. So I am not anxious to go back and fix them. I don't have something in the desk drawer that I think, \"The time is right now. If I just do this, it'll be great.\" It is kind of out of sight and out of mind. 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