--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I can bring joy into the world, if I…" description: "\"If I can bring joy into the world, if I can get people to stop thinking about their pain for a moment, or the fact the tomorrow morning they're going t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/bobby-mcferrin-12039_about_if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-c_2069659.png" --- # If I can bring joy into the world, if I can get people to… ![“If I can bring joy into the world, if I can get people to stop thinking about their pain for a moment, or the fact the tomorrow morning they're going to get up and tell their boss off... then I'll be successful.” quote by Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/bobby-mcferrin-12039_about_if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-c_2069659.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/bobby-mcferrin-12039_about_if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-c_2069659.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/bobby-mcferrin-12039_about_if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-c_2069659.png) > “If I can bring joy into the world, if I can get people to stop thinking about their pain for a moment, or the fact the tomorrow morning they're going to get up and tell their boss off... then I'll be successful.” [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is measured by bringing joy and temporary relief from pain to others. **In simple terms:** Joyful impact defines success. Key Takeaway Focus on uplifting others. Themes happiness service empathy performance Mood hopeful energetic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - entertainment - therapy - leadership - customer service Key Concepts psychology of joy social influence Questions to Reflect On - How can you create lasting joy? - What responsibilities come with influencing others? A Different Perspective Joy may be fleeting and not solve underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morning/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Tomorrow morning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-morning/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [If you've ever had a brush with cancer, you're always thinking a pain might be something serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-jillian/if-you-ve-ever-had-a-brush-with-cancer-you-re-always-thinking-a-pain/) [Ann Jillian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-jillian/) > [The mind is more powerful than anything. So, during the birth I wasn't thinking about the pain. I was in a meditation state. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisele-bundchen/the-mind-is-more-powerful-than-anything-so-during-the-birth-i-wasn-t/) [Gisele Bundchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisele-bundchen/) > [And no. I must not go on thinking. For the pain will never go away. You just go on and live. In the dust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/and-no-i-must-not-go-on-thinking-for-the-pain-will-never-go-away-you/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [“My head ached. I was thinking of the pain, and wondering how it was possible for physical agony to be so intense. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frigyes-karinthy/my-head-ached-i-was-thinking-of-the-pain-and-wondering-how-it-was/) Frigyes Karinthy > [“How much do we remember of what hurts us most? I’ve been thinking about pain, how each of us constructs our past to justify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/how-much-do-we-remember-of-what-hurts-us-most-i-ve-been-thinking/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [Did you think you could have the good without the evil? Did you think you could have the joy without the sorrow? . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stannard-baker/did-you-think-you-could-have-the-good-without-the-evil-did-you-think/) [Ray Stannard Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stannard-baker/) > [To me, it's our job as artists. You must bring joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/to-me-it-s-our-job-as-artists-you-must-bring-joy/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [If I can bring joy into the world, then I'll be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-then-i-ll-be-successful/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [There are a lot of other things in this world that can and will bring me joy. Acting is one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-other-things-in-this-world-that-can-and-will-bring/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [Tell your boss what you really think about him, and the truth shall set you free, from your job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tell-your-boss-what-you-really-think-about-him-and-the-truth-shall-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That's the mark of a good office. The people who do the work get on with it without bothering to tell the boss.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pearce/that-s-the-mark-of-a-good-office-the-people-who-do-the-work-get-on/) Michael Pearce > [Try to keep your mouth shut until you have a job offer, especially if your move is not entirely certain. There are only a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-levit/try-to-keep-your-mouth-shut-until-you-have-a-job-offer-especially-if/) [Alexandra Levit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-levit/) > [I'm going city to city, I'm already lost. Tell the boss who is new in town. I'll ride this horse till it it bucks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sage-francis/i-m-going-city-to-city-i-m-already-lost-tell-the-boss-who-is-new-in/) [Sage Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sage-francis/) > [If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-tell-the-boss-you-were-late-for-work-because-you-had-a-flat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Tell your boss what you really think about him and the truth shall set you free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-murray/tell-your-boss-what-you-really-think-about-him-and-the-truth-shall/) [Patrick Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-murray/) ## More by Bobby McFerrin > [The true musician is to bring light into people's hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-true-musician-is-to-bring-light-into-people-s-hearts/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Well, I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/well-i-started-conducting-kind-of-by-accident-i-wanted-to-give-myself/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [The voice gets to the soul of a person more than any other instrument. Because it's the voice. It sings talks, it cries, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-voice-gets-to-the-soul-of-a-person-more-than-any-other-instrument/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Then I left that school and I went to Cerritos College, which was in southern California; they had one of the best big band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/then-i-left-that-school-and-i-went-to-cerritos-college-which-was-in/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I have a lot of albums yet to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-have-a-lot-of-albums-yet-to-do/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [The audience is like my instrument. It's not just me up there, it's collaborative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/the-audience-is-like-my-instrument-it-s-not-just-me-up-there-it-s/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Here's a little song I wrote. You might want to sing it note for note. Don't worry, be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/here-s-a-little-song-i-wrote-you-might-want-to-sing-it-note-for-note/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [When we listen to improvisational jazz, or solo classical violinists, the way they phrase and inflect melodies feels vocal, like they’re talking to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/when-we-listen-to-improvisational-jazz-or-solo-classical-violinists/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I do a lot of performing, but don't get a chance to go to the studio and write good music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-do-a-lot-of-performing-but-don-t-get-a-chance-to-go-to-the-studio/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I use the audience as my color palette, my instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-use-the-audience-as-my-color-palette-my-instrument/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I prepared five songs, I sang them, and he hired me. I started working about a month later at the piano bar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-prepared-five-songs-i-sang-them-and-he-hired-me-i-started-working/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [It's not that I don't love the song. My songs are like my children: some you want around and some you want to send…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/it-s-not-that-i-don-t-love-the-song-my-songs-are-like-my-children/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [My biggest musical influences are probably my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/my-biggest-musical-influences-are-probably-my-parents/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [I’m not a scholar or a psychologist, so I don’t really think about why. But I do think about what it means to sing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/i-m-not-a-scholar-or-a-psychologist-so-i-don-t-really-think-about-why/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) > [Remembering that life can be full of surprises is useful in any part of your life. You can try a new way of singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/remembering-that-life-can-be-full-of-surprises-is-useful-in-any-part/) [Bobby McFerrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) [Explore all 56 Bobby McFerrin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. 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I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I can bring joy into the world, if I can get people to stop thinking about their pain for a moment, or the fact the tomorrow morning they're going to get up and tell their boss off... then I'll be successful.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bobby McFerrin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-can-get-people-to-stop/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-can-get-people-to-stop/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/bobby-mcferrin-12039_about_if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-c_2069659.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/bobby-mcferrin-12039_about_if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-c_2069659.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/bobby-mcferrin-12039_about_if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-c_2069659.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I can bring joy into the world, if I can get people to stop thinking about their pain for a moment, or…” — Bobby McFerrin", "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": "Bobby McFerrin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-mcferrin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I can bring joy into...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-can-get-people-to-stop/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-mcferrin/if-i-can-bring-joy-into-the-world-if-i-can-get-people-to-stop/#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 } } ] } ```