---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Success is a beast. And it actually puts…"
description: "\"Success is a beast. And it actually puts the emphasis on the wrong thing. You get away with more instead of looking within.\" — Brad Pitt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brad-pitt-1608_beast_success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts_2598016.jpg"
---

#  Success is a beast. And it actually puts the emphasis on…

![“Success is a beast. And it actually puts the emphasis on the wrong thing. You get away with more instead of looking within.” quote by Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brad-pitt-1608_beast_success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts_2598016.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brad-pitt-1608_beast_success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts_2598016.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brad-pitt-1608_beast_success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts_2598016.jpg)

> “Success is a beast. And it actually puts the emphasis on the wrong thing. You get away with more instead of looking within.”

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

## About This Quote

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

Success often distracts from inner growth, emphasizing external achievements over self‑reflection.

**In simple terms:** Success can mislead focus away from inner work.

Key Takeaway

Balance external goals with inner development.

Themes

success self‑awareness values

Mood

reflective motivational

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal coaching
- mindfulness practice

Key Concepts

ego external validation

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you measure success beyond fame?
- What inner work supports sustainable achievement?

A Different Perspective

External accolades can become a hollow pursuit.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Emphasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis/) [Emphasis Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis-wrong-1920248/) [Get away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-away/) [Instead Looking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instead-looking-564739/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-beast-1920247/) [Wrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong/) [Wrong thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-thing/)

## Related quotes

> [Instead of looking for love, let it happen by being the best you that you can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-sylver/instead-of-looking-for-love-let-it-happen-by-being-the-best-you-that/)

[Marshall Sylver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-sylver/)

> [“Instead of looking outside for happiness, become the well of happiness within and share it with others instead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-gillette/instead-of-looking-outside-for-happiness-become-the-well-of-happiness/)

[Franklin Gillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-gillette/)

> [“.. after reflecting for a few moments, he added, 'I think that everything would be a lot simpler if instead of looking for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilio-calderon/after-reflecting-for-a-few-moments-he-added-i-think-that-everything/)

[Emilio Calderon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilio-calderon/)

> [I have never looked back on what I have done. Instead I am looking for new things to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/i-have-never-looked-back-on-what-i-have-done-instead-i-am-looking-for/)

[Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/)

> [We take more time looking at what we lost instead of looking at what we might have won in the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-damaj/we-take-more-time-looking-at-what-we-lost-instead-of-looking-at-what/)

[Omar Damaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-damaj/)

> [I have seen many people, who while you are speaking to them, instead, of looking at, and attending to you, fix their eyes upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/i-have-seen-many-people-who-while-you-are-speaking-to-them-instead-of/)

[Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/)

> [There was so much that you could do, instead of looking for things that you couldn't do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/there-was-so-much-that-you-could-do-instead-of-looking-for-things/)

[Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/)

> [Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/instead-of-looking-at-the-past-i-put-myself-ahead-twenty-years-and/)

[Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/)

> [“Instead of looking for the rainbow...paint it yourself..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenita-vangellis/instead-of-looking-for-the-rainbow-paint-it-yourself/)

[Lenita Vangellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenita-vangellis/)

> [Instead of looking at the screen, what I want to do is to turn around and look the other way. When we look the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-vallee/instead-of-looking-at-the-screen-what-i-want-to-do-is-to-turn-around/)

[Jacques Vallee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-vallee/)

> [When we fail, instead of looking for someone to blame, we should rather look for a better way to fight again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/when-we-fail-instead-of-looking-for-someone-to-blame-we-should-rather/)

[Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/)

> [Find the goddess inside yourself instead of looking for the god in someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/find-the-goddess-inside-yourself-instead-of-looking-for-the-god-in/)

[Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/)

> [Instead of looking for the success in your life, look for the thing that is going to bring you the greatest joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/instead-of-looking-for-the-success-in-your-life-look-for-the-thing/)

[Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/)

> [Instead of looking at other's blessings, why not try starting to count yours...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonora-r-aquino/instead-of-looking-at-other-s-blessings-why-not-try-starting-to-count/)

[Leonora R Aquino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonora-r-aquino/)

> [MARRIAGE, SUCCESSFUL, is best assured when, instead of looking at each other, the two look out in the same direction;](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/marriage-successful-is-best-assured-when-instead-of-looking-at-each/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

## More by Brad Pitt

> [Though 'Moneyball' had the talents of screenwriters Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin going for it, they weren't baseball insiders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/though-moneyball-had-the-talents-of-screenwriters-steven-zaillian-and/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [Getting a burp out of your little thing when she needs it is probably the greatest satisfaction I've come across at this point in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/getting-a-burp-out-of-your-little-thing-when-she-needs-it-is-probably/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [Stop being perfect, because obsessing over being perfect stops you from growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/stop-being-perfect-because-obsessing-over-being-perfect-stops-you/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [I always thought that if I wanted to do a family, I wanted to do it big. I wanted there to be chaos in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/i-always-thought-that-if-i-wanted-to-do-a-family-i-wanted-to-do-it/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [ The scouts \[in "Moneyball"\] could lend an authenticity that's even beyond what we had on the page. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/the-scouts-in-moneyball-could-lend-an-authenticity-that-s-even-beyond/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [Crime is just unvarnished capitalism, after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/crime-is-just-unvarnished-capitalism-after-all/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [I have very few friends. I have a handful of close friends, and I have my family, and I haven't known life to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/i-have-very-few-friends-i-have-a-handful-of-close-friends-and-i-have/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [ I don't have a chance \[on being elected Mayor of New Orleans\]. I'm running on the gay marriage, no religion, legalization and taxation of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/i-don-t-have-a-chance-on-being-elected-mayor-of-new-orleans-i-m/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [Any love involves loss, and that's the risk you take. And the greater the love, the greater the loss. I certainly feel that now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/any-love-involves-loss-and-that-s-the-risk-you-take-and-the-greater/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [I liked turning 40. Maybe I had a crisis earlier or something. Maybe I had it in my 30s. One thing that sucks though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/i-liked-turning-40-maybe-i-had-a-crisis-earlier-or-something-maybe-i/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [So I swear to God, I took one year where I just said, This year, I'm just going to cop to it and say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/so-i-swear-to-god-i-took-one-year-where-i-just-said-this-year-i-m/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [You shouldn't speak until you know what you're talking about. That's why I get uncomfortable with interviews. Reporters ask me what I feel China…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/you-shouldn-t-speak-until-you-know-what-you-re-talking-about-that-s/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [I believe everyone should have the same rights. They say gay marriage ruins families and hurts kids. Well, I've had the privilege of seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/i-believe-everyone-should-have-the-same-rights-they-say-gay-marriage/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [Man, when I'm riding with the helmet on, I'm invisible. And people just deal with me as the guy on the bike... it gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/man-when-i-m-riding-with-the-helmet-on-i-m-invisible-and-people-just/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

> [ There are certain aspects of celebrity that I understand, although that's not the main point of the story \[in Assassination of Jesse James\] ,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/there-are-certain-aspects-of-celebrity-that-i-understand-although/)

[Brad Pitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

[Explore all 223 Brad Pitt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/)

## More Beast quotes

> [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/)

[Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/)

> [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/)

[Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/)

> [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [In giving us dominion over the animal kingdom God has signified His will that we subdue the beast within ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/in-giving-us-dominion-over-the-animal-kingdom-god-has-signified-his/)

[John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/)

> [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/)

[Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/)

> [As a beast of toil an ox is fixed capital. If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/)

[Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/)

> [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/)

[Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/)

> [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/)

[Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/)

> [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/)

[Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/)

> [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/)

[Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/)

> [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/)

[J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/)

> [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [My hero among heroes is my grandmother, she's the epitome of strength and I try to mock that strength all the time. She's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/my-hero-among-heroes-is-my-grandmother-she-s-the-epitome-of-strength/)

[Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/)

> [You've heard tales of beauty and the beast. How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/you-ve-heard-tales-of-beauty-and-the-beast-how-a-fair-maid-falls-in/)

[Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/)

[Browse all 1,640 Beast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Success is a beast. And it actually puts the emphasis on the wrong thing. You get away with more instead of looking within.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brad Pitt"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts-the-emphasis-on-the-wrong/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beast"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts-the-emphasis-on-the-wrong/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brad-pitt-1608_beast_success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts_2598016.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brad-pitt-1608_beast_success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts_2598016.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/482/brad-pitt-1608_beast_success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts_2598016.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Success is a beast. And it actually puts the emphasis on the wrong thing. You get away with more instead of…” — Brad Pitt",
                "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": "Brad Pitt",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-pitt/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Success is a beast. And it...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts-the-emphasis-on-the-wrong/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-pitt/success-is-a-beast-and-it-actually-puts-the-emphasis-on-the-wrong/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
