--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My inspiration is really very simple: I'm…" description: "\"My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things that I want to know more about. I really do react just as a curious person: who is this pers..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/susan-orlean-2207_behinds_my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m_206570.png" --- # My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things… ![“My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things that I want to know more about. I really do react just as a curious person: who is this person? What's the story behind this situation? Why do people like this or dislike this thing?” quote by Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/susan-orlean-2207_behinds_my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m_206570.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/susan-orlean-2207_behinds_my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m_206570.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/susan-orlean-2207_behinds_my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m_206570.png) > “My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things that I want to know more about. I really do react just as a curious person: who is this person? What's the story behind this situation? Why do people like this or dislike this thing?” [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes curiosity as the driver of learning, urging inquiry into people, stories, and motivations. **In simple terms:** Curiosity fuels learning about people and stories. Key Takeaway Cultivate inquisitive mindset. Themes curiosity learning storytelling Mood inquisitive inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - research projects - interviews - reading - creative writing Key Concepts psychology of curiosity journalistic inquiry Questions to Reflect On - What questions spark your deepest interest? - How do you balance curiosity with action? A Different Perspective Curiosity can lead to information overload without focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious/) [Curious person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curious-person/) [Dislike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dislike/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Just Curious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-curious-412392/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Person Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-story-515359/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-know/) ## Related quotes > [“I’m not brave, just curious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-brave-just-curious/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I'm not brave, I tell her. Just curious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-febos/i-m-not-brave-i-tell-her-just-curious/) [Melissa Febos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-febos/) > [I'm not lesbian; I'm not bisexual; I'm not straight. I'm just curious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-m-not-lesbian-i-m-not-bisexual-i-m-not-straight-i-m-just-curious/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [I'm just a very curious guy who has a lot of possibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-zanardi/i-m-just-a-very-curious-guy-who-has-a-lot-of-possibility/) [Alex Zanardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-zanardi/) > [I have always read all my reviews, the bad along with the good (although you remember the bad much more than the good!). I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-spotnitz/i-have-always-read-all-my-reviews-the-bad-along-with-the-good/) [Frank Spotnitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-spotnitz/) > [When I'm happy they never take a look at me.. but when I'm sad they just ACT to care about me but in fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-jhonson/when-i-m-happy-they-never-take-a-look-at-me-but-when-i-m-sad-they/) [Sam Jhonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-jhonson/) > [I am an eternally curious person, but I wouldn't go to such lengths to know what it is like to be someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-carter/i-am-an-eternally-curious-person-but-i-wouldn-t-go-to-such-lengths-to/) [Matthew Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-carter/) > [I'm a permanently curious person. I probably waste my time being curious about things that have got nothing to do with the business sometimes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/i-m-a-permanently-curious-person-i-probably-waste-my-time-being/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [I am not a genius, I am just curious. I ask many questions. and when the answer is simple, then God is answering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-am-not-a-genius-i-am-just-curious-i-ask-many-questions-and-when-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I know that when people ask me about my boyfriend, they're not disrespectful but just curious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ileana-d-cruz/i-know-that-when-people-ask-me-about-my-boyfriend-they-re-not/) [Ileana D'Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ileana-d-cruz/) > [“And I'm not assuming and I'm not judging. I'm just being curious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/and-i-m-not-assuming-and-i-m-not-judging-i-m-just-being-curious/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [I am just a curious gal who is continuing to be curious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-wearstler/i-am-just-a-curious-gal-who-is-continuing-to-be-curious/) [Kelly Wearstler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-wearstler/) > [From our point of view, we're just curious, we're poking around and having fun. If it's science, if it's accurate, if it's not accurate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/from-our-point-of-view-we-re-just-curious-we-re-poking-around-and/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [Be careful who you open up to. Only a few people actually care, the rest are just curious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-careful-who-you-open-up-to-only-a-few-people-actually-care-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never dreamt of becoming a ballerina. I was just curious about it, it was something to explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/i-never-dreamt-of-becoming-a-ballerina-i-was-just-curious-about-it-it/) [Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/) ## More by Susan Orlean > [I've used Twitter now and again to try to figure something out; it's an amazing resource. But I think you have to use it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-ve-used-twitter-now-and-again-to-try-to-figure-something-out-it-s/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [Who on earth is going to use 'utilize' in a text message, a whopping seven characters including the always-hard-to-type 'z,' when you can say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/who-on-earth-is-going-to-use-utilize-in-a-text-message-a-whopping/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [When my son was born, and after a day of lying-in I was told that I could leave the hospital and take him home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/when-my-son-was-born-and-after-a-day-of-lying-in-i-was-told-that-i/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I'm happy to be reminded that an ordinary day full of nothing but nothingness can make you feel like you've won the lottery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-m-happy-to-be-reminded-that-an-ordinary-day-full-of-nothing-but/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I once had a boyfriend who couldn't write unless he was wearing a necktie and a dress shirt, which I thought was really weird,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-once-had-a-boyfriend-who-couldn-t-write-unless-he-was-wearing-a/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [“I, too, had set out to be remembered. I had wanted to create something permanent in my life- some proof that everything in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-too-had-set-out-to-be-remembered-i-had-wanted-to-create-something/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I think of myself as something of a connoisseur of procrastination, creative and dogged in my approach to not getting things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-think-of-myself-as-something-of-a-connoisseur-of-procrastination/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I'm very excited about my new Spotify account, which gives me access to twenty gazillion songs any time, all the time. The day I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-m-very-excited-about-my-new-spotify-account-which-gives-me-access/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I approach stories as a private educational enterprise: I want to learn about something. I teach myself through research, reporting, and thinking, and then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-approach-stories-as-a-private-educational-enterprise-i-want-to/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [We're fascinated by animals because it's almost like having Martians living among us. We can see some familiarity in them, but they're entirely different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/we-re-fascinated-by-animals-because-it-s-almost-like-having-martians/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I am dismayed to realize that much of the advice I used to parcel out to aspiring writers has passed its sell-by date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-am-dismayed-to-realize-that-much-of-the-advice-i-used-to-parcel-out/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [I wish I had coined the phrase 'tyranny of choice,' but someone beat me to it. The counterintuitive truth is that have an abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/i-wish-i-had-coined-the-phrase-tyranny-of-choice-but-someone-beat-me/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [My ace in the hole as a human being used to be my capacity for remembering birthdays. I worked at it. Whenever I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/my-ace-in-the-hole-as-a-human-being-used-to-be-my-capacity-for/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [Sometimes I think I've figured out some order in the universe, but then I find myself in Florida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/sometimes-i-think-i-ve-figured-out-some-order-in-the-universe-but/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) > [Unlimited choice is paralyzing. The Internet has made this form of paralysis due to option overload a standard feature of comfortable modern life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/unlimited-choice-is-paralyzing-the-internet-has-made-this-form-of/) [Susan Orlean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) [Explore all 179 Susan Orlean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things that I want to know more about. I really do react just as a curious person: who is this person? What's the story behind this situation? Why do people like this or dislike this thing?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Susan Orlean" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m-struck-by-things-that-i-want/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m-struck-by-things-that-i-want/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/susan-orlean-2207_behinds_my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m_206570.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/susan-orlean-2207_behinds_my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m_206570.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/843/susan-orlean-2207_behinds_my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m_206570.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My inspiration is really very simple: I'm struck by things that I want to know more about. I really do react…” — Susan Orlean", "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": "Susan Orlean", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-orlean/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My inspiration is really very simple:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m-struck-by-things-that-i-want/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-orlean/my-inspiration-is-really-very-simple-i-m-struck-by-things-that-i-want/#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 } } ] } ```