--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A defining moment in my life was my first…" description: "\"A defining moment in my life was my first actual VMA performance… That was the first time in my head I said I made it. Everybody knows who you are now...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/chris-brown-1887_artist_a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-firs_589709.jpg" --- # A defining moment in my life was my first actual VMA… ![“A defining moment in my life was my first actual VMA performance… That was the first time in my head I said I made it. Everybody knows who you are now. At that point everything in my life was flawless… I was just overwhelmed, I was happy, I was successful as an artist. I think I was in cruise…” quote by Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/chris-brown-1887_artist_a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-firs_589709.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/chris-brown-1887_artist_a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-firs_589709.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/chris-brown-1887_artist_a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-firs_589709.jpg) > “A defining moment in my life was my first actual VMA performance… That was the first time in my head I said I made it. Everybody knows who you are now. At that point everything in my life was flawless… I was just overwhelmed, I was happy, I was successful as an artist. I think I was in cruise control – like a little bit of bliss.” [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a breakthrough performance as a moment of personal validation and bliss, feeling recognized and successful. **In simple terms:** A defining performance made him feel validated and happy. Key Takeaway Embrace moments that confirm your growth. Themes validation success bliss recognition confidence Mood elated proud reflective Type inspirational personal narrative When to use this quote - award acceptance - public performance - career reflection Key Concepts self‑actualization celebration career milestone Questions to Reflect On - What does true validation feel like? - How can you stay grounded after success? A Different Perspective Such moments can create pressure to maintain perfection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bliss/) [Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruise/) [Defining moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining-moment/) [Defining moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defining-moments/) [Flawless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flawless/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“There are no defining moments. There are only your moments to define.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-dowd/there-are-no-defining-moments-there-are-only-your-moments-to-define/) Thomas B Dowd > [“my career in public life, I have had the rare privilege of being a participant in many of the defining moments of our country’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pranab-mukherjee/my-career-in-public-life-i-have-had-the-rare-privilege-of-being-a/) [Pranab Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pranab-mukherjee/) > [I did it through our ministries. We had ordination and basically understanding there ought - to be ordained that God has set apart, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/i-did-it-through-our-ministries-we-had-ordination-and-basically/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [“I think that perhaps there are no such defining moments at all. Beginnings and ends are fluid, long chains of events where some links…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-olsson/i-think-that-perhaps-there-are-no-such-defining-moments-at-all/) [Linda Olsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-olsson/) > [There was a race that I was running in Mexico City and I was the only high school athlete running against grown women. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-felix/there-was-a-race-that-i-was-running-in-mexico-city-and-i-was-the-only/) [Allyson Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-felix/) > [The men I idolized built their bodies and became somebody - like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger - and I thought, 'That can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-men-i-idolized-built-their-bodies-and-became-somebody-like/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [I think that for many of us, the years of the Civil Rights movements - Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy running for president in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-think-that-for-many-of-us-the-years-of-the-civil-rights-movements/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Abraham is trying to obey God, but not to kill. I feel that moment is one of the defining moments of Jewish faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/abraham-is-trying-to-obey-god-but-not-to-kill-i-feel-that-moment-is/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Our lives will be full of defining moments, but those moments don't have to define us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-lives-will-be-full-of-defining-moments-but-those-moments-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our lives a series of defining moments, strung together by passing time. Surrender fully to this moment, because it is not the moment...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-lives-a-series-of-defining-moments-strung-together-by-passing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are defining moments, while the pain maybe great, the joy maybe greater.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/these-are-defining-moments-while-the-pain-maybe-great-the-joy-maybe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Grads need to remember that it's \[showcases\] just a jumping off point for their career, not the defining moment. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hoffman/grads-need-to-remember-that-it-s-showcases-just-a-jumping-off-point/) [Rachel Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hoffman/) > [Hold'em - like life itself - has its defining moment. It's the flop. When you see the flop, you're looking at 71 percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-krieger/hold-em-like-life-itself-has-its-defining-moment-it-s-the-flop-when/) Lou Krieger > [I think this is really a defining moment for the Arab world. The problem is, it is all going to be about blood, sweat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-this-is-really-a-defining-moment-for-the-arab-world-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are defining moments in your life where the road ahead of you takes questionable turns but if GOD is your GPS you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-defining-moments-in-your-life-where-the-road-ahead-of-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Chris Brown > [Well the first time I performed, my mom was like how she is now when sees me on stage – all red, smiling from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/well-the-first-time-i-performed-my-mom-was-like-how-she-is-now-when/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I should've been a better man instead of wasting my time spending my life searching for the finer things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-should-ve-been-a-better-man-instead-of-wasting-my-time-spending-my/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I used to feel so shy speaking to girls. It was even worse when they were around their crew because they would diss me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-used-to-feel-so-shy-speaking-to-girls-it-was-even-worse-when-they/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [The worst moment was when I was performing and I was about to sing, but I choked. I had a tickle in my throat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/the-worst-moment-was-when-i-was-performing-and-i-was-about-to-sing/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I'm gonna do clothes, but stuff that kids can afford. I want to get into the high fashion world very soon, but the stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-m-gonna-do-clothes-but-stuff-that-kids-can-afford-i-want-to-get/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [Michael Jackson is the reason why I do music and why I am an entertainer. I am devastated by this great loss, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/michael-jackson-is-the-reason-why-i-do-music-and-why-i-am-an/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I got give her game proper. Spit it so she'll get it, there she is I got to stop her!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-got-give-her-game-proper-spit-it-so-she-ll-get-it-there-she-is-i/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I love Karrueche very much but I don't want to see her hurt over my friendship with Rihanna, i'd rather be single allowing us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-love-karrueche-very-much-but-i-don-t-want-to-see-her-hurt-over-my/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I'm gone give you what you askin' for but if you want more I'm gone make you beg!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-m-gone-give-you-what-you-askin-for-but-if-you-want-more-i-m-gone/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I'm the greatest! You bitch made haters. Shoes crocodile fuck gators! Ain't no need to talk nigga pay us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-m-the-greatest-you-bitch-made-haters-shoes-crocodile-fuck-gators/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [Please don't judge me, and I won't judge you. Cause it could get ugly, before it gets beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/please-don-t-judge-me-and-i-won-t-judge-you-cause-it-could-get-ugly/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I love sneakers on a girl. I don't know why, but I guess it's because I'm still a young. I really like just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-love-sneakers-on-a-girl-i-don-t-know-why-but-i-guess-it-s-because-i/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I don't see how you can hate from our side of the club, you can't even get in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-don-t-see-how-you-can-hate-from-our-side-of-the-club-you-can-t-even/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [I love attention. If I see a gang of girls? That makes me dance even more!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/i-love-attention-if-i-see-a-gang-of-girls-that-makes-me-dance-even/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [So let's do it one last time and fuck for the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/so-let-s-do-it-one-last-time-and-fuck-for-the-road/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) [Explore all 196 Chris Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) ## More Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [I am a horrible visual artist. I can't fix a car, sew, knit, cook, etc. Statistically, there is more I don't do than do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-brownstein/i-am-a-horrible-visual-artist-i-can-t-fix-a-car-sew-knit-cook-etc/) [Carrie Brownstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-brownstein/) [Browse all 32,600 Artist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A defining moment in my life was my first actual VMA performance… That was the first time in my head I said I made it. Everybody knows who you are now. At that point everything in my life was flawless… I was just overwhelmed, I was happy, I was successful as an artist. I think I was in cruise control – like a little bit of bliss.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-first-actual-vma-performance-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Artist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-first-actual-vma-performance-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/chris-brown-1887_artist_a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-firs_589709.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/chris-brown-1887_artist_a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-firs_589709.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/chris-brown-1887_artist_a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-firs_589709.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A defining moment in my life was my first actual VMA performance… That was the first time in my head I said…” — Chris Brown", "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": "Chris Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A defining moment in my life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-first-actual-vma-performance-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/a-defining-moment-in-my-life-was-my-first-actual-vma-performance-that/#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 } } ] } ```