--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never want projects to be finished; I…" description: "\"I never want projects to be finished; I have always believed in unfinished work. I got that from Schubert, you know, the 'Unfinished Symphony.'\" — Yoko..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/yoko-ono-726_always_i-never-want-projects-to-be-finished-i-h_1242822.png" --- # I never want projects to be finished; I have always… ![“I never want projects to be finished; I have always believed in unfinished work. I got that from Schubert, you know, the 'Unfinished Symphony.'” quote by Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/yoko-ono-726_always_i-never-want-projects-to-be-finished-i-h_1242822.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/yoko-ono-726_always_i-never-want-projects-to-be-finished-i-h_1242822.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/yoko-ono-726_always_i-never-want-projects-to-be-finished-i-h_1242822.png) > “I never want projects to be finished; I have always believed in unfinished work. I got that from Schubert, you know, the 'Unfinished Symphony.'” [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker values unfinished work, inspired by Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony,” seeing ongoing creation as essential. **In simple terms:** Unfinished art reflects continual creative evolution. Key Takeaway Allow projects to remain open-ended. Themes art creativity unfinished Mood contemplative inspirational Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - creative workshops - design thinking - musical composition - writing retreats Key Concepts process philosophy open-endedness artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How does leaving work unfinished affect its impact? - What benefits arise from embracing incompleteness? A Different Perspective Unfinished work may lack closure for audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed/) [Believed Unfinished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed-unfinished-3886790/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Know Unfinished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-unfinished-3886791/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Schubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schubert/) [Symphony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/symphony/) [Unfinished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfinished/) [Unfinished Symphony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfinished-symphony-1872229/) [Unfinished work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unfinished-work/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I always believed that my work should be unfinished in the sense that I encourage people to add their creativity to it, either conceptually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-always-believed-that-my-work-should-be-unfinished-in-the-sense-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [“Let’s just try taking one night at a time, and see where we end up come morning.” “You can tell yourself that if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-cole/let-s-just-try-taking-one-night-at-a-time-and-see-where-we-end-up/) [Scarlett Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-cole/) > [“The unfinished symphony that is your life is built on the harmony within your orchestra that grows in number of musicians every time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-jelbert/the-unfinished-symphony-that-is-your-life-is-built-on-the-harmony/) [Will Jelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-jelbert/) > [“Like an unfinished symphony, her story played on my mind for most of my life. It would rock to the tune of the passage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-armstrong/like-an-unfinished-symphony-her-story-played-on-my-mind-for-most-of/) [Sally Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-armstrong/) > [Of course I’m going to learn from the greats—Ronnie Lott, Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu. But there’s a lot of unfinished work they didn’t do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-thomas/of-course-i-m-going-to-learn-from-the-greats-ronnie-lott-ed-reed-troy/) [Earl Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-thomas/) > [In our dreams lies our unfinished work for the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/in-our-dreams-lies-our-unfinished-work-for-the-world/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [I think that, at least in my experience, it is difficult when there is unfinished work. That makes it difficult to think of dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-huxley/i-think-that-at-least-in-my-experience-it-is-difficult-when-there-is/) [Laura Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-huxley/) > [A person taking stock in middle age is like an artist or composer looking at an unfinished work; but whereas the composer and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-broudy/a-person-taking-stock-in-middle-age-is-like-an-artist-or-composer/) [Harry S. Broudy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-broudy/) > [A proper autobiography is a death-bed confession. A true man finds so much work to do that he has no time to contemplate his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-antin/a-proper-autobiography-is-a-death-bed-confession-a-true-man-finds-so/) [Mary Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-antin/) > [Our true remembrance to President Kennedy is in our actions to honor the unspoken words and finish the unfinished work today and tomorrow and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/our-true-remembrance-to-president-kennedy-is-in-our-actions-to-honor/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [“You are an unfinished work in progress. One of the good things about life’s challenges: You get to find out that you’re capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-an-unfinished-work-in-progress-one-of-the-good-things-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Unfinished works of great Authors are a triumph not a tragedy, it shows they gave us their all till the end”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-quinn/unfinished-works-of-great-authors-are-a-triumph-not-a-tragedy-it/) [A.C. Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-quinn/) > [Never show unfinished work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/never-show-unfinished-work/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [At my age, I realize that my most precious possession is time, and I've got too much unfinished work to do to spend even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-carter/at-my-age-i-realize-that-my-most-precious-possession-is-time-and-i-ve/) [Benny Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-carter/) > [Secure writers don't sell first drafts. They patiently rewrite until the script is as director-ready, as actor-ready as possible. Unfinished work invites tampering, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mckee/secure-writers-don-t-sell-first-drafts-they-patiently-rewrite-until/) [Robert McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mckee/) ## More by Yoko Ono > [Our public officials have forgotten that they are ultimately accountable to the people who put them in office, that the information they keep in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/our-public-officials-have-forgotten-that-they-are-ultimately/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you'll start to see a big difference in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/smile-in-the-mirror-do-that-every-morning-and-you-ll-start-to-see-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Think of the Earth as a turning point in eternity. Think of the Earth as a meeting point in infinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/think-of-the-earth-as-a-turning-point-in-eternity-think-of-the-earth/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [If your life changes, we can change the world, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/if-your-life-changes-we-can-change-the-world-too/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [ When people get cynical about love, they should look at us \[Yoko and John Lennon\] and see it is possible ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/when-people-get-cynical-about-love-they-should-look-at-us-yoko-and/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [True artists are prophets. I don't want to be that prophetic in that sense because it's so lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/true-artists-are-prophets-i-don-t-want-to-be-that-prophetic-in-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [The first idea, the first art piece I ever did, was when I was four. I cut the seed of a pear in half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/the-first-idea-the-first-art-piece-i-ever-did-was-when-i-was-four-i/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [John wrote with a very deep love for the human race and a concern for its future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/john-wrote-with-a-very-deep-love-for-the-human-race-and-a-concern-for/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [I always believed that my work should be unfinished in the sense that I encourage people to add their creativity to it, either conceptually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-always-believed-that-my-work-should-be-unfinished-in-the-sense-that/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Losing my daughter was a very serious pain. There was always some empty space in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/losing-my-daughter-was-a-very-serious-pain-there-was-always-some/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [People don't remember each tree in a park but all of us benefit from the trees. And in a way, artists are like trees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/people-don-t-remember-each-tree-in-a-park-but-all-of-us-benefit-from/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Marriage is a gamble, let's be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/marriage-is-a-gamble-let-s-be-honest/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [It's difficult to explain love. You want to explain water? You need a book for it. There are many different ways to explain what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/it-s-difficult-to-explain-love-you-want-to-explain-water-you-need-a/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Being alone is very difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/being-alone-is-very-difficult/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Many people do remember their births, but they deny it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/many-people-do-remember-their-births-but-they-deny-it/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) [Explore all 391 Yoko Ono quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never want projects to be finished; I have always believed in unfinished work. 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