--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started performing in college, but I…" description: "\"I started performing in college, but I wasn't writing a lot.\" — Cole Swindell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/cole-swindell-5865_college_i-started-performing-in-college-but-i-wa_174732.jpg" --- # I started performing in college, but I wasn't writing a lot. ![“I started performing in college, but I wasn't writing a lot.” quote by Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/cole-swindell-5865_college_i-started-performing-in-college-but-i-wa_174732.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/cole-swindell-5865_college_i-started-performing-in-college-but-i-wa_174732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a5/cole-swindell-5865_college_i-started-performing-in-college-but-i-wa_174732.jpg) > “I started performing in college, but I wasn't writing a lot.” [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early performance experience can precede songwriting, showing growth can start with practice before creation. **In simple terms:** Performing can come before writing songs. Key Takeaway Practice first, then write. Themes growth creativity career learning Mood motivational hopeful Type advice personal When to use this quote - college gigs - open mic nights - songwriting workshops - collaborations Key Concepts skill development artistic evolution Questions to Reflect On - What skills did performing teach you? - When did you feel ready to write? A Different Perspective Writing may feel pressured without performance confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I moved to New York and went to a performing arts college, but it wasn't until UCB that I started performing on the regular,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-byer/i-moved-to-new-york-and-went-to-a-performing-arts-college-but-it-wasn/) [Nicole Byer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-byer/) > [I hate school at that time. Now, little did I know that actually if I had stayed in school I would've actually really liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-hate-school-at-that-time-now-little-did-i-know-that-actually-if-i/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [I think you're lucky if you discover what you really love at a young age. College wasn't something I was going to do. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-think-you-re-lucky-if-you-discover-what-you-really-love-at-a-young/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [College wasn't for us. We just didn't have the attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-bella/college-wasn-t-for-us-we-just-didn-t-have-the-attention-span/) [Brie Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-bella/) > [I really feel like I came out of the water when I graduated from college, because I wasn't really aware of what was going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-jaar/i-really-feel-like-i-came-out-of-the-water-when-i-graduated-from/) [Nicolas Jaar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-jaar/) > [I started performing when I was 9 or 10, doing magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mcgorry/i-started-performing-when-i-was-9-or-10-doing-magic/) [Matt McGorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mcgorry/) > [When you are in the midst of writing a book, I think it is important to touch base every day. If I wasn't writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-healey/when-you-are-in-the-midst-of-writing-a-book-i-think-it-is-important/) [Emma Healey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-healey/) > [It's hard to remember a time when I wasn't writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/it-s-hard-to-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-writing/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [I didn't understand that TV writing wasn't writing; it was pitching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanya-saracho/i-didn-t-understand-that-tv-writing-wasn-t-writing-it-was-pitching/) [Tanya Saracho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanya-saracho/) > [I had written many things as a journalist, but I had no idea if I could write something scary or romantic or touching that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-giles/i-had-written-many-things-as-a-journalist-but-i-had-no-idea-if-i/) [Jeff Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-giles/) > [When I was in high school, I was writing all the time, it was such good practice. But I wasn't writing my best songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/when-i-was-in-high-school-i-was-writing-all-the-time-it-was-such-good/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [It was a roller-coaster process. For a long time I had no idea what I was doing. I wasn't writing with an outline. And,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rabe/it-was-a-roller-coaster-process-for-a-long-time-i-had-no-idea-what-i/) [David Rabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rabe/) > [I wasn't taking drugs or drinking. I was working and working and working. But I wasn't writing anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/i-wasn-t-taking-drugs-or-drinking-i-was-working-and-working-and/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [When Shakespeare was writing, he wasn't writing for stuff to lie on the page; it was supposed to get up and move around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/when-shakespeare-was-writing-he-wasn-t-writing-for-stuff-to-lie-on/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [When I was doing it, I just thought, 'I'm going to do this because it's fun.' I wasn't writing for a publisher or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/when-i-was-doing-it-i-just-thought-i-m-going-to-do-this-because-it-s/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) ## More by Cole Swindell > [It was an incredible experience performing for the members and attendees at the Diamond Resorts Invitational; it was such an impressive event, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/it-was-an-incredible-experience-performing-for-the-members-and/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [When you find what you love, and you find people that will support you, you're living the dream whatever you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/when-you-find-what-you-love-and-you-find-people-that-will-support-you/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [I always say, 'If it looks good on a T-shirt, it would probably be a pretty cool title or cool song.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/i-always-say-if-it-looks-good-on-a-t-shirt-it-would-probably-be-a/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [I know how music makes me feel; I know how it affects my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/i-know-how-music-makes-me-feel-i-know-how-it-affects-my-life/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [My first album, I had to write everything. Nobody was going to send me stuff just because I had a little success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/my-first-album-i-had-to-write-everything-nobody-was-going-to-send-me/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [I've had the chance to meet families with children who are sick, and it's heartbreaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/i-ve-had-the-chance-to-meet-families-with-children-who-are-sick-and/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [The fact that I have the chance to learn from the names I've been on tour with, I don't think you can ask for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/the-fact-that-i-have-the-chance-to-learn-from-the-names-i-ve-been-on/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [I always said, if I got a record deal, I'd want to record the best songs I could, whether I wrote them or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/i-always-said-if-i-got-a-record-deal-i-d-want-to-record-the-best/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [When I'm getting a chance to do my job or make somebody's day, and be on stage where I love, and see all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-swindell/when-i-m-getting-a-chance-to-do-my-job-or-make-somebody-s-day-and-be/) [Cole Swindell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-swindell/) > [I am so happy to be able to do what I love. 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Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [The number of poor, and poorly prepared, students who succeed in college and beyond undercuts the simplistic notion that economic or educational disadvantage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-merullo/the-number-of-poor-and-poorly-prepared-students-who-succeed-in/) [Roland Merullo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-merullo/) > [Doing away with separate black colleges meets resistance from alumni and other blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/doing-away-with-separate-black-colleges-meets-resistance-from-alumni/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [My son going to college is a big milestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gore/my-son-going-to-college-is-a-big-milestone/) [Frank Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gore/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. 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