Family Quote by Tao Lin
““It was a year, that year, Ellen knew, as she’d noticed from her 10th grade classmates and from observing her family — her new year’s resolution (it was stupid to have one but she was bored in class and made a list, then picked one) had been to be more alert, to think more truthfully about things, and it had affected her, she guessed, with better grades, an increase in self-esteem that was actually just a realization of how dumb everyone was, and nerdy, slightly annoying insights like this one — for doing something not even that exciting or wild and then saying, “Why not?” Or else saying, “Why not?” then doing something sort of forced and meaningless. Mostly people just went around saying, “Why not?” and, later on, when it came time to act, saying, “It’s too hard,” without ever actually doing anything.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman, 2017
A young woman’s resolution to be more alert leads to better grades and self‑esteem, but she observes that many people ask “Why not?” yet never act, citing difficulty later.
In simple terms: Seeking awareness can boost confidence, yet many avoid action despite curiosity.
Key Takeaway
Turn curiosity into effort, not excuses.
Themes
self‑improvement
confidence
action
self‑awareness
Mood
reflective
critical
motivational
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- school
- career
- personal projects
- habit formation
Key Concepts
psychology
motivation
behavioral inertia
Questions to Reflect On
- What small step can you take today?
- Why do we default to “too hard”?
A Different Perspective
People often overestimate intent and underestimate effort required.
