--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On bad days, I think I'd like to be a…" description: "\"On bad days, I think I'd like to be a plastic surgeon who goes to Third World countries and operates on children in villages with airlifts, and then I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/tama-janowitz-19512_bad-day_on-bad-days-i-think-i-d-like-to-be-a-pla_3212114.jpg" --- # On bad days, I think I'd like to be a plastic surgeon who… ![“On bad days, I think I'd like to be a plastic surgeon who goes to Third World countries and operates on children in villages with airlifts, and then I think, 'Yeah, right, I'm going to go back to undergraduate school and take all the biology I missed and then go to medical school.' No. No.” quote by Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/tama-janowitz-19512_bad-day_on-bad-days-i-think-i-d-like-to-be-a-pla_3212114.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/tama-janowitz-19512_bad-day_on-bad-days-i-think-i-d-like-to-be-a-pla_3212114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b0/tama-janowitz-19512_bad-day_on-bad-days-i-think-i-d-like-to-be-a-pla_3212114.jpg) > “On bad days, I think I'd like to be a plastic surgeon who goes to Third World countries and operates on children in villages with airlifts, and then I think, 'Yeah, right, I'm going to go back to undergraduate school and take all the biology I missed and then go to medical school.' No. No.” [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dreaming of grand ambitions while avoiding current responsibilities reveals self‑delusion and procrastination. **In simple terms:** Big dreams can mask avoidance. Key Takeaway Recognize and act on realistic goals. Themes ambition procrastination self‑deception Mood reflective critical Type philosophical self‑help When to use this quote - career change - education - volunteering - medical training Key Concepts psychology career planning ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What small steps can you take now? - How do you balance idealism with realism? A Different Perspective Idealistic plans may ignore practical constraints and ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-day/) [Bad days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-days/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Graduate school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate-school/) [Medical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical/) [Medical school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medical-school/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Surgeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surgeons/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Third world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third-world/) [Third world countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/third-world-countries/) [Undergraduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undergraduate/) [Village](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/village/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Unfortunately, the Bible won't tell you directly, "Thou shalt take the new job in marketing..." or "Thou shalt go directly from undergraduate school to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/unfortunately-the-bible-won-t-tell-you-directly-thou-shalt-take-the/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [I was an undergraduate at Princeton, and I was pressed by the math department to go on to graduate school. Actually they gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-church/i-was-an-undergraduate-at-princeton-and-i-was-pressed-by-the-math/) [Alonzo Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-church/) > [When I first started out in Houston, it was theater or bust. And I loved it. I still love it. And then I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-was-theater-or-bust-and-i/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [The Vietnam War was causing people to get drafted; I had received a deferment to finish my undergraduate education, and in order to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/the-vietnam-war-was-causing-people-to-get-drafted-i-had-received-a/) [Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/) > [One thing to remember on the Eiger, never look up, or you may need a plastic surgeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-whillans/one-thing-to-remember-on-the-eiger-never-look-up-or-you-may-need-a/) Don Whillans > [She got her good looks from her father. He's a plastic surgeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/she-got-her-good-looks-from-her-father-he-s-a-plastic-surgeon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm keeping it real because I have not visited a plastic surgeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayla/i-m-keeping-it-real-because-i-have-not-visited-a-plastic-surgeon/) [Mayla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayla/) > [I had a friend who was a plastic surgeon, so he would do little things. I never had, like, a full thing. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-had-a-friend-who-was-a-plastic-surgeon-so-he-would-do-little-things/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [A woman went to a plastic surgeon and asked him to make her like Bo Derek. He gave her a lobotomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/a-woman-went-to-a-plastic-surgeon-and-asked-him-to-make-her-like-bo/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [Beauty lasts five minutes. Maybe longer if you have a good plastic surgeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tia-carrere/beauty-lasts-five-minutes-maybe-longer-if-you-have-a-good-plastic/) [Tia Carrere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tia-carrere/) > [I may be married to a plastic surgeon, but I'm 98 percent real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-dubrow/i-may-be-married-to-a-plastic-surgeon-but-i-m-98-percent-real/) [Heather Dubrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-dubrow/) > [If you had asked me what I wanted when I was 12 years old, I probably would have said, 'To marry a plastic surgeon.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/if-you-had-asked-me-what-i-wanted-when-i-was-12-years-old-i-probably/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) > [It's funny when people ask an actor what they want to play next, because you don't get to decide what you play. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-walsh/it-s-funny-when-people-ask-an-actor-what-they-want-to-play-next/) [Dylan Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-walsh/) > [Plastic surgery is a business. We need to sell you expensive procedures. But it's often better to do less invasive procedures. You will mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-dubrow/plastic-surgery-is-a-business-we-need-to-sell-you-expensive/) [Terry Dubrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-dubrow/) > [Plastic surgery for massive weight loss patients is very challenging under normal circumstances when you're a trained, board-certified plastic surgeon. When you're not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-dubrow/plastic-surgery-for-massive-weight-loss-patients-is-very-challenging/) [Terry Dubrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-dubrow/) ## More by Tama Janowitz > [Why would I want to read something about somebody that's just a really nice, decent person who overcomes terrible trials? That's not how life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/why-would-i-want-to-read-something-about-somebody-that-s-just-a/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [“I don't like him...he makes me feel like he's going to throw me in a coffin and walk around on top of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-don-t-like-him-he-makes-me-feel-like-he-s-going-to-throw-me-in-a/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [The older a woman gets, the more invisible you become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/the-older-a-woman-gets-the-more-invisible-you-become/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Brownstein's is a fresh and jaunty voice, with a jazz snap all his own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/brownstein-s-is-a-fresh-and-jaunty-voice-with-a-jazz-snap-all-his-own/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I felt my whole life was a facsimile of a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-felt-my-whole-life-was-a-facsimile-of-a-life/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I was like a social worker for lepers. My clients had a chunk of their body they wanted to give away; for a price…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-was-like-a-social-worker-for-lepers-my-clients-had-a-chunk-of-their/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [If you want to write about a person who isn't nice, people say, "This is a bad book. It's about somebody I couldn't stand."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/if-you-want-to-write-about-a-person-who-isn-t-nice-people-say-this-is/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I think in a lot of ways, writing, when you're really in there, is like being an actress because you're in somebody else's head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-think-in-a-lot-of-ways-writing-when-you-re-really-in-there-is-like/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I think it's true about people now being closer to their parents, since the '60s, really. The parents are no longer from a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-think-it-s-true-about-people-now-being-closer-to-their-parents/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I'm writing what I want to write. But it's almost an act of rebellion on my part. Because as a person, I've always wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-m-writing-what-i-want-to-write-but-it-s-almost-an-act-of-rebellion/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Long after the bomb falls and you and your good deeds are gone, cockroaches will still be here, prowling the streets like armored cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/long-after-the-bomb-falls-and-you-and-your-good-deeds-are-gone/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [“I had a hunger for things I knew realistically I didn't actually care for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-had-a-hunger-for-things-i-knew-realistically-i-didn-t-actually-care/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Whether I'm critically well received, whether or not I sell books - of course it becomes progressively harder to get them published - nevertheless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/whether-i-m-critically-well-received-whether-or-not-i-sell-books-of/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [Most of my life is just spent lying in bed. I mean, it's enough pressure to write the words. Do I need to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/most-of-my-life-is-just-spent-lying-in-bed-i-mean-it-s-enough/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) > [I think it's more difficult writing what it's like to be a child. You can pretend you know what it's like, but you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/i-think-it-s-more-difficult-writing-what-it-s-like-to-be-a-child-you/) [Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) [Explore all 32 Tama Janowitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/) ## More Bad day quotes > [“When you have a bad day, a really bad day, try and treat the world better than it treated you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/when-you-have-a-bad-day-a-really-bad-day-try-and-treat-the-world/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [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/) > [“My mum always taught me the value of knowing, recognizing and acknowledging when you had a good day. There are so many bad days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/my-mum-always-taught-me-the-value-of-knowing-recognizing-and/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [Today I will do my best.If I have a good day,i will be pruod of myself.If I have a bad day,I will not dwell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix-mae/today-i-will-do-my-best-if-i-have-a-good-day-i-will-be-pruod-of/) [Nix Mae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix-mae/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [If you're having a bad day already and everybody is just asking you petty questions, it drives people to the edge, or something really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-weixler/if-you-re-having-a-bad-day-already-and-everybody-is-just-asking-you/) [Jess Weixler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-weixler/) > [Remember, success is not measured by heights attained but by obstacles overcome. We're going to pass through many obstacles in our lives: good days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-jenner/remember-success-is-not-measured-by-heights-attained-but-by-obstacles/) [Bruce Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-jenner/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [“Thus in the bad days, in the dark swampy times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-russ/thus-in-the-bad-days-in-the-dark-swampy-times/) [Joanna Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-russ/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/to-be-tested-is-good-the-challenged-life-may-be-the-best-therapist/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [But just remember, the next time you see a person, do not judge whats on the outside, we could be having a bad day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/but-just-remember-the-next-time-you-see-a-person-do-not-judge-whats/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [Every night I go to sleep smiling, even when I have a bad day. I'm just thankful that God allowed me to live it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-night-i-go-to-sleep-smiling-even-when-i-have-a-bad-day-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you have a bad day,pray. If you have a good day,pray. Pray for the best. Pray with the best. Prayer is the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/if-you-have-a-bad-day-pray-if-you-have-a-good-day-pray-pray-for-the/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) [Browse all 1,054 Bad day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On bad days, I think I'd like to be a plastic surgeon who goes to Third World countries and operates on children in villages with airlifts, and then I think, 'Yeah, right, I'm going to go back to undergraduate school and take all the biology I missed and then go to medical school.' 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