---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe I can pull at my breast in a kind…"
description: "\"Maybe I can pull at my breast in a kind of futile attempt to develop a woman's breast. It's not that simple to become a woman. But I think what was imp..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/vito-acconci-13895_effort_maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind_2795159.jpg"
---

#  Maybe I can pull at my breast in a kind of futile attempt…

![“Maybe I can pull at my breast in a kind of futile attempt to develop a woman's breast. It's not that simple to become a woman. But I think what was important, when I think back on that work, is something like The Little Engine That Could. It's me saying, I think I can, I think I can. Though I'm…” quote by Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/vito-acconci-13895_effort_maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind_2795159.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/vito-acconci-13895_effort_maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind_2795159.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/vito-acconci-13895_effort_maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind_2795159.jpg)

> “Maybe I can pull at my breast in a kind of futile attempt to develop a woman's breast. It's not that simple to become a woman. But I think what was important, when I think back on that work, is something like The Little Engine That Could. It's me saying, I think I can, I think I can. Though I'm doing something I obviously can't, it's the process toward it that is important. The will toward it, the effort . . . My work was about getting to a place that you couldn't get to.”

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Attempting impossible transformation reflects the power of belief and effort despite limitations.

**In simple terms:** Belief and effort drive progress, even if the goal seems unattainable.

Key Takeaway

Persist and trust the process.

Themes

artistic expression identity determination self‑belief process

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- creative practice
- personal development
- skill acquisition
- therapeutic exercises
- educational workshops

Key Concepts

performance art conceptual art psychology of effort

Questions to Reflect On

- What limits are you willing to push?
- How do you measure progress?

A Different Perspective

May overlook practical constraints, risk frustration.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Develop Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/develop-woman-3408234/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-think/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Maybe Pull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-pull-3329106/) [Pull Breast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pull-breast-3408233/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Woman Breast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-breast-1107307/)

## Related quotes

> [Here's what I advise any young struggling actress today: The important thing is to develop as a woman first, and a performer second. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/here-s-what-i-advise-any-young-struggling-actress-today-the-important/)

[Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/)

> [If you drive right, and your big is standing to the right, dish and keep going to their big - you grab an arm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lowry/if-you-drive-right-and-your-big-is-standing-to-the-right-dish-and/)

[Kyle Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lowry/)

> [I hope no one asks me to show them the ropes; I have no idea where they are. Maybe I could pull some strings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-hope-no-one-asks-me-to-show-them-the-ropes-i-have-no-idea-where/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [They say that a martini is like a woman's breast. One ain't enough and three is too many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gayle/they-say-that-a-martini-is-like-a-woman-s-breast-one-ain-t-enough-and/)

[Chris Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gayle/)

> [... But a coarse old man am I, I choose the second-best, I forget it all awhile Upon a woman's breast. Day-break and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/but-a-coarse-old-man-am-i-i-choose-the-second-best-i-forget-it-all/)

[William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/)

> [Love lodged in a woman's breast is but a guest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-lodged-in-a-woman-s-breast-is-but-a-guest/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Oh, it is sweet to sleep against a woman’s breast, a mother’s, or a mistress’s, but the mother’s is sweetest. LAURA.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/oh-it-is-sweet-to-sleep-against-a-woman-s-breast-a-mother-s-or-a/)

[August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/)

> [“Nothing in life is as important as you think it is when you are thinking about it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/nothing-in-life-is-as-important-as-you-think-it-is-when-you-are/)

[Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/)

> [Is listening important? I can't think of a single walk of life where it wouldn't be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/is-listening-important-i-can-t-think-of-a-single-walk-of-life-where/)

[Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/)

> [Nothing in life is quite as important as you think it is while you're thinking about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/nothing-in-life-is-quite-as-important-as-you-think-it-is-while-you-re/)

[Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/)

> [Job creation is important I think, but it's not the critical issue for Republicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-gutfeld/job-creation-is-important-i-think-but-it-s-not-the-critical-issue-for/)

[Greg Gutfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-gutfeld/)

> [I think social justice is important. I think it's not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-think-social-justice-is-important-i-think-it-s-not-fair/)

[John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/)

> [It was important to me and, I think, important to my parents that I be on my own and figure things out on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anderson-cooper/it-was-important-to-me-and-i-think-important-to-my-parents-that-i-be/)

[Anderson Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anderson-cooper/)

> [We can keep doing the same thing, but it would be unreasonable to expect a different result. It's very important, I think, for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/we-can-keep-doing-the-same-thing-but-it-would-be-unreasonable-to/)

[Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/)

> [It is very important not to think about losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/it-is-very-important-not-to-think-about-losing/)

[Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/)

## More by Vito Acconci

> [I like Richard Serra sculptures too but I wish they had a goddamn hot dog stand inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/i-like-richard-serra-sculptures-too-but-i-wish-they-had-a-goddamn-hot/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [It was an incredible way to grow up, because words that you're taught - these definite things - you realize they sort of beautifully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/it-was-an-incredible-way-to-grow-up-because-words-that-you-re-taught/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [Architecture is inherently a totalitarian activity. One thing we hate about it is that when you design a space, you're probably designing people's behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/architecture-is-inherently-a-totalitarian-activity-one-thing-we-hate/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [ \[Photography was necessary to\] make my place in the art-world: in order to do this, I had to make a picture, since a picture… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/photography-was-necessary-to-make-my-place-in-the-art-world-in-order/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [Especially once those poetry events began, because, yeah, the stuff was still on the page, but the page was starting to spill into real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/especially-once-those-poetry-events-began-because-yeah-the-stuff-was/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [I became much more interested in plot when I really didn't consider myself a writer anymore. When I was in an art context and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/i-became-much-more-interested-in-plot-when-i-really-didn-t-consider/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [The kind of influence you want is a much deeper influence. It's like empowerment. Things are like this, but what if they were like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/the-kind-of-influence-you-want-is-a-much-deeper-influence-it-s-like/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [If something's public then it seems like the important thing is the person in that public. And the notion of rhetoric. I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/if-something-s-public-then-it-seems-like-the-important-thing-is-the/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [Everybody uses labels: they give you a handle on things - an over-simplified handle, sure, but without labels, without ads, without words, the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/everybody-uses-labels-they-give-you-a-handle-on-things-an-over/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [My first pieces, in an art context, were ways to get myself off the page and into real space. These photographic pieces were ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/my-first-pieces-in-an-art-context-were-ways-to-get-myself-off-the/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [I came from the time of so-called New Criticism - the poem in itself, the writing in itself - but around that time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/i-came-from-the-time-of-so-called-new-criticism-the-poem-in-itself/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [There's a legal term for a problem in public space: something that might draw people to an area-say, across train tracks-where they might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/there-s-a-legal-term-for-a-problem-in-public-space-something-that/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [Public space can be a lot better with some private space to contradict it and vice versa. It keeps the system alive. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/public-space-can-be-a-lot-better-with-some-private-space-to/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [As a kid I learned notions of art and notions of not having any money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/as-a-kid-i-learned-notions-of-art-and-notions-of-not-having-any-money/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

> [Maybe I had to stop photographing so that I could learn to touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/maybe-i-had-to-stop-photographing-so-that-i-could-learn-to-touch/)

[Vito Acconci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

[Explore all 48 Vito Acconci quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/)

## More Effort quotes

> [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/)

[Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/)

> [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/)

[Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/)

> [Now I try to make efforts, you know, I'm just, the best effort I can do is just stay sober myself. I can at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dick/now-i-try-to-make-efforts-you-know-i-m-just-the-best-effort-i-can-do/)

[Andy Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dick/)

> [Reading counts as partying, even if you're not enjoying it! Even if someone's forcing you to read, you can find a way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-w-k/reading-counts-as-partying-even-if-you-re-not-enjoying-it-even-if/)

[Andrew W.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-w-k/)

> [ Bernie \[Ecclestone\] is the commercial rights holder so the more outgoing the champion is, the better. Of course. I also do think about our… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-ecclestone/bernie-ecclestone-is-the-commercial-rights-holder-so-the-more/)

[Bernie Ecclestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-ecclestone/)

> [All efforts to render politics aesthetic culminate in one thing: war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-efforts-to-render-politics-aesthetic-culminate-in-one-thing-war/)

[Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/)

> [Im tired, tired of putting more effort than you do. Im tired of always having to start the conversation and if I dont, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-tired-tired-of-putting-more-effort-than-you-do-im-tired-of-always/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/)

[Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/)

> [Only alone can you go into eternity. Only alone can you feel the transcendental light. It is not a shared experience because if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/only-alone-can-you-go-into-eternity-only-alone-can-you-feel-the/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [I love a pocket. I'm about helping women look as good as possible on the least amount of effort. I want versatility and comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-mccartney/i-love-a-pocket-i-m-about-helping-women-look-as-good-as-possible-on/)

[Stella McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-mccartney/)

> [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/)

[Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/)

> [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/)

[Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/)

> [“Dreams will come true as long as you give some effort towards your goal”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dayana/dreams-will-come-true-as-long-as-you-give-some-effort-towards-your/)

[Dayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dayana/)

> [I should have liked to get married, but over many decades I have lived essentially alone. I go to sleep when I'm tired, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-should-have-liked-to-get-married-but-over-many-decades-i-have-lived/)

[Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/)

[Browse all 8,602 Effort quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Maybe I can pull at my breast in a kind of futile attempt to develop a woman's breast. It's not that simple to become a woman. But I think what was important, when I think back on that work, is something like The Little Engine That Could. It's me saying, I think I can, I think I can. Though I'm doing something I obviously can't, it's the process toward it that is important. The will toward it, the effort . . . My work was about getting to a place that you couldn't get to.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Vito Acconci"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind-of-futile-attempt-to-develop/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Effort"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind-of-futile-attempt-to-develop/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/vito-acconci-13895_effort_maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind_2795159.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/vito-acconci-13895_effort_maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind_2795159.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b0/vito-acconci-13895_effort_maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind_2795159.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Maybe I can pull at my breast in a kind of futile attempt to develop a woman's breast. It's not that simple…” — Vito Acconci",
                "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": "Vito Acconci",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vito-acconci/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Maybe I can pull at my...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind-of-futile-attempt-to-develop/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vito-acconci/maybe-i-can-pull-at-my-breast-in-a-kind-of-futile-attempt-to-develop/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
