--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you don't know what you're talking…" description: "\"When you don't know what you're talking about, it's hard to know when you're finished.\" — Tommy Smothers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/tommy-smothers-41892_finished_when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking_1531131.jpg" --- # When you don't know what you're talking about, it's hard… ![“When you don't know what you're talking about, it's hard to know when you're finished.” quote by Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/tommy-smothers-41892_finished_when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking_1531131.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/tommy-smothers-41892_finished_when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking_1531131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/tommy-smothers-41892_finished_when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking_1531131.jpg) > “When you don't know what you're talking about, it's hard to know when you're finished.” [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Not understanding a topic makes it difficult to recognize when you have finished discussing it. **In simple terms:** Ignorance hides completion. Key Takeaway Seek clarity before concluding. Themes communication learning humility Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - debates - presentations - teaching - writing Key Concepts knowledge gaps self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - What signs show you truly understand? - How can you test your grasp before ending? A Different Perspective If you think you know, you may miss deeper insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-know/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-know/) [Know Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-finished-615300/) [Know Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-talking/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-hard-1927164/) ## Related quotes > [Women are always talking about how hard it is to find a good man, but nowadays, it's hard to even find a good person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/women-are-always-talking-about-how-hard-it-is-to-find-a-good-man-but/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Screaming, it's not me. I tried it before! Action is more my thing. Not talking. It's hard for me to have word fights, fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/screaming-it-s-not-me-i-tried-it-before-action-is-more-my-thing-not/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [“I’m going to need you to stop talking about that, because I’m hard as stone, and you have no idea the temptation I’m battling.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristy-cunning/i-m-going-to-need-you-to-stop-talking-about-that-because-i-m-hard-as/) [Kristy Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristy-cunning/) > [When you're at the basketball court watching a game, one person may be talking about a fight he had with his wife, another is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/when-you-re-at-the-basketball-court-watching-a-game-one-person-may-be/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [At a certain point my novels set. They set just as hard as that jam jar. And then I know they are finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivy-compton-burnett/at-a-certain-point-my-novels-set-they-set-just-as-hard-as-that-jam/) [Ivy Compton-Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivy-compton-burnett/) > [Doing nothing is the hardest thing to do. You don't know when will you be finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/doing-nothing-is-the-hardest-thing-to-do-you-don-t-know-when-will-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Doing nothing is extremely hard as you never know when your finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/doing-nothing-is-extremely-hard-as-you-never-know-when-your-finished/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [“The problem with doing nothing is that you never know when you're finished.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/the-problem-with-doing-nothing-is-that-you-never-know-when-you-re/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [For me to give my advice to somebody who's thinking about going back to an ex or keeps on going back to their ex,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sevyn-streeter/for-me-to-give-my-advice-to-somebody-who-s-thinking-about-going-back/) [Sevyn Streeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sevyn-streeter/) > [I don't know what to do,' she finished. 'I feel like I'm the one who has to keep everyone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-shepard/i-don-t-know-what-to-do-she-finished-i-feel-like-i-m-the-one-who-has/) [Sara Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-shepard/) > [Doing nothing is very tough to do because you never know when you're finished. The upside is that from the moment you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-nielsen/doing-nothing-is-very-tough-to-do-because-you-never-know-when-you-re/) [Leslie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-nielsen/) > [In response to the question, 'How do you know when you're finished?' Pollock replied, 'How do you know when you're finished making love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/in-response-to-the-question-how-do-you-know-when-you-re-finished/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [How do you know when you're finished making love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/how-do-you-know-when-you-re-finished-making-love/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [Something will eventually replace the Internet. But it's hard to know what and when it will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-hastings/something-will-eventually-replace-the-internet-but-it-s-hard-to-know/) [Reed Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-hastings/) > [“Like what you feel do you? Because there is more of me that’s just as hard you know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-berry/like-what-you-feel-do-you-because-there-is-more-of-me-that-s-just-as/) [Kitty Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-berry/) ## More by Tommy Smothers > [The ultimate censorship is the flick of the dial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/the-ultimate-censorship-is-the-flick-of-the-dial/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [“You can talk all you want about freedom of speech, but it's freedom of hearing that counts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/you-can-talk-all-you-want-about-freedom-of-speech-but-it-s-freedom-of/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [I'm an American, I don't have to see something to know it's stupid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/i-m-an-american-i-don-t-have-to-see-something-to-know-it-s-stupid/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [I heard there were two local guys in town doing songs and comedy so I thought I'd take a look…they took my breath away...with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/i-heard-there-were-two-local-guys-in-town-doing-songs-and-comedy-so-i/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [The only valid censorship of ideas is the right of people not to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/the-only-valid-censorship-of-ideas-is-the-right-of-people-not-to/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [Professor Irwin Corey had some of the best timing in the world, and that is something you can't steal. He talked nonsense, not punch-lines,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/professor-irwin-corey-had-some-of-the-best-timing-in-the-world-and/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [There's one word that exists in every language on the face of the Earth and in every society since man began to speak. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/there-s-one-word-that-exists-in-every-language-on-the-face-of-the/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [You can say the dirty words now, but there is no content - political satire is limited to small podiums and little soap boxes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/you-can-say-the-dirty-words-now-but-there-is-no-content-political/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) > [Red meat is not really bad for a person. Now, blue-green meat - that's damaging of you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/red-meat-is-not-really-bad-for-a-person-now-blue-green-meat-that-s/) [Tommy Smothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) [Explore all 10 Tommy Smothers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/) ## More Finished quotes > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [When you do a voice in an animated film, you don't see the finished product at all. You're not animating. You're not doing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-mirren/when-you-do-a-voice-in-an-animated-film-you-don-t-see-the-finished/) [Helen Mirren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-mirren/) > [When you begin your work, nothing exists. When it is finished it looks as if it just happened, spontaneously, effortlessly, convincingly. It looks as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-zeisel/when-you-begin-your-work-nothing-exists-when-it-is-finished-it-looks/) [Eva Zeisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-zeisel/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-stuff-once-it-s-done-i-don-t/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I think I can recognize when a piece is at a state of completion. I always say to my wife, "Oh yeah, it's roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/i-think-i-can-recognize-when-a-piece-is-at-a-state-of-completion-i/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can’t do Moonlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/i-plead-with-my-moonlight-fans-to-give-this-show-a-chance-if-they-let/) [Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [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/) > [A good, finished scandal, fully armed and equipped, such as circulates in the world, is rarely the production of a single individual, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/a-good-finished-scandal-fully-armed-and-equipped-such-as-circulates/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [With the great people that you work with, it's that they're never giving up and they're never thinking something's finished until they've really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-price/with-the-great-people-that-you-work-with-it-s-that-they-re-never/) [Steven Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-price/) > [Don't be intimidated by the size of your problem or the size of your dream. God will see to it that it is finished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/don-t-be-intimidated-by-the-size-of-your-problem-or-the-size-of-your/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Since the recording process is instantaneous, and the nature of the image such that it cannot survive corrective handwork, it is obvious that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/since-the-recording-process-is-instantaneous-and-the-nature-of-the/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [As a matter of fact, even when I finished law school, I had no notion of public service then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dinkins/as-a-matter-of-fact-even-when-i-finished-law-school-i-had-no-notion/) [David Dinkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dinkins/) [Browse all 2,024 Finished quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you don't know what you're talking about, it's hard to know when you're finished.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tommy Smothers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking-about-it-s-hard-to-know-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Finished" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking-about-it-s-hard-to-know-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/tommy-smothers-41892_finished_when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking_1531131.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/tommy-smothers-41892_finished_when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking_1531131.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80a/tommy-smothers-41892_finished_when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking_1531131.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you don't know what you're talking about, it's hard to know when you're finished.” — Tommy Smothers", "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": "Tommy Smothers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-smothers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you don't know what you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking-about-it-s-hard-to-know-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-smothers/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-talking-about-it-s-hard-to-know-when/#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 } } ] } ```