--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...made up, as one makes up the better…" description: "\"“...made up, as one makes up the better part of life...making oneself up; ...creating an exquisite amusement...”\" — Virginia Woolf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/virginia-woolf-49_art-of-life_made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part_2097028.jpg" --- # ...made up, as one makes up the better part of… ![“...made up, as one makes up the better part of life...making oneself up; ...creating an exquisite amusement...” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/virginia-woolf-49_art-of-life_made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part_2097028.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/virginia-woolf-49_art-of-life_made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part_2097028.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/virginia-woolf-49_art-of-life_made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part_2097028.jpg) > ““...made up, as one makes up the better part of life...making oneself up; ...creating an exquisite amusement...”” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on life as a construct we constantly shape, creating personal narratives and pleasures. **In simple terms:** Life is a self‑made story and enjoyment. Key Takeaway Embrace creativity in shaping your identity. Themes identity creativity existence Mood reflective introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - personal growth - artistic expression Key Concepts narrative self‑construction Questions to Reflect On - How do you “make up” your life? - What role does imagination play in daily routine? A Different Perspective May ignore external constraints on identity formation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amusement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) [Art of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-life/) [Exquisite Amusement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exquisite-amusement-4172055/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-making/) [Making Oneself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-oneself-4172056/) [Oneself Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oneself-creating-2553613/) [Part of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/part-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [A longing for excitement can be satisfied without external means within oneself: For creating is the most intense excitement one can come to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anni-albers/a-longing-for-excitement-can-be-satisfied-without-external-means/) [Anni Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anni-albers/) > [Well, I’ve had my fun; I’ve had it, he thought, looking up at the swinging baskets of pale geraniums. And it was smashed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/well-i-ve-had-my-fun-i-ve-had-it-he-thought-looking-up-at-the/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It's a queer business, making oneself blind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/it-s-a-queer-business-making-oneself-blind/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Bodybuilding is about making oneself seem larger than life. It's about creating the illusion of perfection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-nelson/bodybuilding-is-about-making-oneself-seem-larger-than-life-it-s-about/) [Mariah Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-nelson/) > [Two possibilities: making oneself infinitely small or being so. The second is perfection, that is to say, inactivity, the first is beginning, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/two-possibilities-making-oneself-infinitely-small-or-being-so-the/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“The family we're born into is important, sure, but they're not all we have. They're not all we are. A part of life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-family-we-re-born-into-is-important-sure-but-they-re-not-all-we-2/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [A very elementary exercise in psychology, not to be dignified by the name of psycho-analysis, showed me, on looking at my notebook, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-very-elementary-exercise-in-psychology-not-to-be-dignified-by-the/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [What is amusing now had to be taken in desperate earnest once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-is-amusing-now-had-to-be-taken-in-desperate-earnest-once/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“You can't just sit there hating the wound, Tan, or indulging in bitterness. Whatever you become in life, always ask yourself, am I making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-d-o-brien/you-can-t-just-sit-there-hating-the-wound-tan-or-indulging-in/) [Michael D. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-d-o-brien/) > [“Thinking positive, Life is our own making I believe nothing can be achieved without our ambition and hard work however we pray for more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-v-rao/thinking-positive-life-is-our-own-making-i-believe-nothing-can-be/) [T.V. Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-v-rao/) > [Life is all about making choices and I'm very happy with mine. I have had a wonderful time raising four children and I've also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/life-is-all-about-making-choices-and-i-m-very-happy-with-mine-i-have/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [Next to God we are indebted to women, first for life itself, and then for making it worth living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mcleod-bethune/next-to-god-we-are-indebted-to-women-first-for-life-itself-and-then/) [Mary McLeod Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mcleod-bethune/) > [“If you go through life without making mistakes, you’re sure to blend in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-hatzikostas/if-you-go-through-life-without-making-mistakes-you-re-sure-to-blend-in/) [Erin Hatzikostas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-hatzikostas/) > [These days her entire life was about making people believe she was someone she wasn't anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/these-days-her-entire-life-was-about-making-people-believe-she-was/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [Life is about making mistakes. Death is about wishing you made more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/life-is-about-making-mistakes-death-is-about-wishing-you-made-more/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Sometimes he woke with a brain like lead; at others it was as if a thousand wax tapers were alight and people were throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/sometimes-he-woke-with-a-brain-like-lead-at-others-it-was-as-if-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Love ought to stop on both sides, don’t you think, simultaneously?’ He spoke without any stress on the words, so as not to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/love-ought-to-stop-on-both-sides-don-t-you-think-simultaneously-he/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It is so vast an alleviation to be able to point for another to look at. And then not to talk. To follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-so-vast-an-alleviation-to-be-able-to-point-for-another-to-look/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“What a vast fertility of pleasure books hold for me! (...) I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More Amusement quotes > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Every producer in Hollywood had set me down as a type. I was both amused and disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi/every-producer-in-hollywood-had-set-me-down-as-a-type-i-was-both/) [Bela Lugosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi/) > [By amusing myself with all these games, all this nonsense, all these picture puzzles, I became famous... I am only a public entertainer who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/by-amusing-myself-with-all-these-games-all-this-nonsense-all-these/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I just started writing for my own amusement and occasionally singing in little clubs around Los Angeles. Then I wrote 'The Rose,' and through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-mcbroom/i-just-started-writing-for-my-own-amusement-and-occasionally-singing/) [Amanda McBroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-mcbroom/) > [Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/happiness-does-not-consist-in-pastimes-and-amusements-but-in-virtuous/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Ordinary people simply don't know what books mean to us, shut up here. Reading, learning, and the radio are our amusements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/ordinary-people-simply-don-t-know-what-books-mean-to-us-shut-up-here/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [My first job was at an amusement park in Virginia. It was the worst. I loved the park but once I'd worked there all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-mcbride/my-first-job-was-at-an-amusement-park-in-virginia-it-was-the-worst-i/) [Danny McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-mcbride/) > [The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I realized, "Gee, you're making the same film over and over here." I just kept making them for my own amusement, but also with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-realized-gee-you-re-making-the-same-film-over-and-over-here-i-just/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [I like these boots," I told Vayl. "Do you think they'd sell them to me cheap? I keep ruining mine." "Since when do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rardin/i-like-these-boots-i-told-vayl-do-you-think-they-d-sell-them-to-me/) [Jennifer Rardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rardin/) > [It has to be now,” he insisted, a flick of amusement in his voice. He nudged his burgeoning loins against her. “After all, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/it-has-to-be-now-he-insisted-a-flick-of-amusement-in-his-voice-he/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Act as if the universe is a prodigious miracle created for your amusement and illumination. Assume that secret helpers are working behind the scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/act-as-if-the-universe-is-a-prodigious-miracle-created-for-your/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Browse all 567 Amusement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“...made up, as one makes up the better part of life...making oneself up; ...creating an exquisite amusement...”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Virginia Woolf" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part-of-life-making-oneself-up/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amusement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part-of-life-making-oneself-up/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/virginia-woolf-49_art-of-life_made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part_2097028.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/virginia-woolf-49_art-of-life_made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part_2097028.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92d/virginia-woolf-49_art-of-life_made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part_2097028.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“...made up, as one makes up the better part of life...making oneself up; ...creating an exquisite amusement...” — Virginia Woolf", "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": "Virginia Woolf", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“...made up, as one makes up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part-of-life-making-oneself-up/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/made-up-as-one-makes-up-the-better-part-of-life-making-oneself-up/#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 } } ] } ```