--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you work diligently... without saying…" description: "\"If you work diligently... without saying to yourself beforehand, 'I want to make this or that,' if you work as though you were making a pair of shoes, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/vincent-van-gogh-486_art_if-you-work-diligently-without-saying-to_3153243.jpg" --- # If you work diligently... without saying to yourself… ![“If you work diligently... without saying to yourself beforehand, 'I want to make this or that,' if you work as though you were making a pair of shoes, without artistic preoccupation, you will not always find you do well. But the days you least expect it, you will find a subject which holds its own…” quote by Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/vincent-van-gogh-486_art_if-you-work-diligently-without-saying-to_3153243.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/vincent-van-gogh-486_art_if-you-work-diligently-without-saying-to_3153243.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e1/vincent-van-gogh-486_art_if-you-work-diligently-without-saying-to_3153243.jpg) > “If you work diligently... without saying to yourself beforehand, 'I want to make this or that,' if you work as though you were making a pair of shoes, without artistic preoccupation, you will not always find you do well. But the days you least expect it, you will find a subject which holds its own with the work of those who have gone before.” [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that over‑planning can stifle creativity; unexpected success may arise from humble effort. **In simple terms:** Over‑planning hinders work; surprise success can happen. Key Takeaway Embrace simplicity and stay open to surprise. Themes creativity work humility unexpectedness Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - painting - writing - craftsmanship - learning new skills Key Concepts art process mindset Questions to Reflect On - Do you plan your work or let it flow? - How can you balance effort and spontaneity? A Different Perspective Too much structure can limit innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Diligently Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diligently-saying-5669688/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Make Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-work/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Pair of shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pair-of-shoes/) [Pairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pairs/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Preoccupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preoccupation/) [Shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoes/) [Subjects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjects/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Diligently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-diligently-425362/) [Work Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-making-1720555/) ## Related quotes > [I work as diligently on my canvases as the laborers do in their fields.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-work-as-diligently-on-my-canvases-as-the-laborers-do-in-their-fields/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [A man at work, making something which he feels will exist because he is working at it and wills it, is exercising the energies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/a-man-at-work-making-something-which-he-feels-will-exist-because-he-2/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [Work is making a living out of being bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/work-is-making-a-living-out-of-being-bored/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [A man at work, making something which he feels will exist because he is working atit and wills it, is exercising theenergies of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/a-man-at-work-making-something-which-he-feels-will-exist-because-he/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [If you work at making someone believe in you, sometimes they can start to believe in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-macdonald/if-you-work-at-making-someone-believe-in-you-sometimes-they-can-start/) [Kyle MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-macdonald/) > [Doing something that empowers people makes you realise how boring it would be to work for a place where the goal is just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/doing-something-that-empowers-people-makes-you-realise-how-boring-it/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [I don't like watching people work if they're making art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duchovny/i-don-t-like-watching-people-work-if-they-re-making-art/) [David Duchovny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duchovny/) > [There are a million people who can come up with little bits. The hard work is making those bits into something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lynne/there-are-a-million-people-who-can-come-up-with-little-bits-the-hard/) [Jeff Lynne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lynne/) > [Work diligently. Diligently. Work patiently and persistently. Patiently and persistently. And you're bound to be successful. Bound to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-n-goenka/work-diligently-diligently-work-patiently-and-persistently-patiently/) [S. N. Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-n-goenka/) > [Works,and not birth,determine one's place in the world.At all times one should work diligently and with earnestness.Hard work is praised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddhism/works-and-not-birth-determine-one-s-place-in-the-world-at-all-times/) [BUDDHISM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddhism/) > [I had so many people care so much and work so diligently to make sure I didn't end up in the wrong place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-pasdar/i-had-so-many-people-care-so-much-and-work-so-diligently-to-make-sure/) [Adrian Pasdar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-pasdar/) > [You must always be very cautious and be as vigilant as you can. You work diligently to provide a secure environment,.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/you-must-always-be-very-cautious-and-be-as-vigilant-as-you-can-you/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [I think when somebody wants to work diligently, when somebody wants to take away the cobwebs and see where attention is needed, to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smriti-irani/i-think-when-somebody-wants-to-work-diligently-when-somebody-wants-to/) [Smriti Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smriti-irani/) > [“Work diligently to discern the facts of the matter, and then use your principles to respond. They”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-ricks/work-diligently-to-discern-the-facts-of-the-matter-and-then-use-your/) [Thomas E Ricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-ricks/) > [My goal is to work diligently to become the top philanthropist in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-guangbiao/my-goal-is-to-work-diligently-to-become-the-top-philanthropist-in-the/) [Chen Guangbiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-guangbiao/) ## More by Vincent Van Gogh > [What am I in most people's eyes? A nonentity or an eccentric and disagreeable man... I should want my work to show what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-am-i-in-most-people-s-eyes-a-nonentity-or-an-eccentric-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/the-heart-of-man-is-very-much-like-the-sea-it-has-its-storms-it-has/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“I take great care of myself by carefully shutting myself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-take-great-care-of-myself-by-carefully-shutting-myself-away/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [There certainly is an affinity between a person and his work, but it is not easy to define what this affinity is, and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/there-certainly-is-an-affinity-between-a-person-and-his-work-but-it/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [I confess I do not know why, but looking at the stars always makes me dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-confess-i-do-not-know-why-but-looking-at-the-stars-always-makes-me/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah, Manet has come very, very close to it and Courbet - the marrying of form and colour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-manet-has-come-very-very-close-to-it-and-courbet-the-marrying-of/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [We must not judge God from this world. It's just a study that didn't come off. It's only a master who could make such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/we-must-not-judge-god-from-this-world-it-s-just-a-study-that-didn-t/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/our-goals-can-only-be-reached-through-a-vehicle-of-a-plan-in-which-we/) [Vincent van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [One can never study nature too much and too hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/one-can-never-study-nature-too-much-and-too-hard/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [But by fighting the difficulties in which one finds oneself, an inner strength develops from within our heart, which improves in life's fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/but-by-fighting-the-difficulties-in-which-one-finds-oneself-an-inner/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Ah! My dear friend painting is to us what the music of Berlioz and Wagner was before us - a consolatory art for sore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/ah-my-dear-friend-painting-is-to-us-what-the-music-of-berlioz-and/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [Painting demands an intelligent model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/painting-demands-an-intelligent-model/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [That this awareness of my own fallibility will prevent me from making many mistakes doesn't alter the fact that I'm bound to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/that-this-awareness-of-my-own-fallibility-will-prevent-me-from-making/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [What is drawing? It is working oneself through an invisible iron wall that seems to stand between what one feels and what one can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/what-is-drawing-it-is-working-oneself-through-an-invisible-iron-wall/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [You will say that everyone has seen landscapes and figures from childhood on. The question is: Has everybody also been reflexive as a child?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/you-will-say-that-everyone-has-seen-landscapes-and-figures-from/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) [Explore all 508 Vincent Van Gogh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you work diligently... without saying to yourself beforehand, 'I want to make this or that,' if you work as though you were making a pair of shoes, without artistic preoccupation, you will not always find you do well. 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