--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing I have throughout my career, it…" description: "\"One thing I have throughout my career, it felt like I did my best to align myself with quality artists, quality work, and it is a situation of steel sh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/common-2673_align_one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it_499463.png" --- # One thing I have throughout my career, it felt like I did… ![“One thing I have throughout my career, it felt like I did my best to align myself with quality artists, quality work, and it is a situation of steel sharpening steel.” quote by Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/common-2673_align_one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it_499463.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/common-2673_align_one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it_499463.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/common-2673_align_one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it_499463.png) > “One thing I have throughout my career, it felt like I did my best to align myself with quality artists, quality work, and it is a situation of steel sharpening steel.” [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collaborating with talented peers creates a mutually sharpening environment, like steel sharpening steel, fostering growth and excellence. **In simple terms:** Working with great people improves everyone. Key Takeaway Surround yourself with high‑quality collaborators. Themes career development collaboration excellence Mood motivational inspirational Type leadership professional development When to use this quote - team projects - creative workshops - professional networks Key Concepts Mentorship peer learning skill enhancement Questions to Reflect On - How do you find and maintain high‑quality collaborations? - What practices keep mutual improvement alive? A Different Perspective If partners lack quality, growth stalls. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Align](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/align/) [Align Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/align-quality-4256367/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Career Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-felt-556899/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Quality work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality-work/) [Sharpening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharpening/) [Sharpening Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharpening-steel-3811539/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steel/) [Steel Sharpening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steel-sharpening-4256366/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Throughout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throughout/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“The sharpening of the steel was less about the cutting edge of the blade than it was about the cutting edge of the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/the-sharpening-of-the-steel-was-less-about-the-cutting-edge-of-the/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [In my career I have never felt that my being a woman was an obstacle or an advantage. I guess I've been oblivious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/in-my-career-i-have-never-felt-that-my-being-a-woman-was-an-obstacle/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [For the first ten years of my career, I felt suffocated. People constantly stood over me while I tried to create. And in 2009,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie/for-the-first-ten-years-of-my-career-i-felt-suffocated-people/) [India Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie/) > [You always want to play at the highest level possible and make the most of your career, and I felt like I did everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-dempsey/you-always-want-to-play-at-the-highest-level-possible-and-make-the/) [Clint Dempsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-dempsey/) > [I really wasn't even sure if I should continue acting. I would like try and figure out if I could be good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-really-wasn-t-even-sure-if-i-should-continue-acting-i-would-like/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > ['300' was a real turning point in my career. Until then, I felt like a steam train that was slowly chugging to the top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/300-was-a-real-turning-point-in-my-career-until-then-i-felt-like-a/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [At the very beginning of my career I felt very strongly about what type of artist I wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/at-the-very-beginning-of-my-career-i-felt-very-strongly-about-what/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [Tennis was my hobby which became my career but it never felt like a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-henman/tennis-was-my-hobby-which-became-my-career-but-it-never-felt-like-a/) [Tim Henman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-henman/) > [To me, OVW was one of my favorite periods in my career. I felt like I was on the greatest adventure of all time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wade-barrett/to-me-ovw-was-one-of-my-favorite-periods-in-my-career-i-felt-like-i/) [Wade Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wade-barrett/) > [There was a time in my career when I felt like I wasn't being true to myself. I was being moulded into an artist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-beer/there-was-a-time-in-my-career-when-i-felt-like-i-wasn-t-being-true-to/) [Madison Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-beer/) > [I was raised in, and presumably to, the cutlery business. I really didn't think that that's what I wanted to do for a career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-was-raised-in-and-presumably-to-the-cutlery-business-i-really-didn/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [There were times in my career when I felt like I was serving several different masters, and for me, that wasn't beneficial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-harper/there-were-times-in-my-career-when-i-felt-like-i-was-serving-several/) [Luke Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-harper/) > [In my own personal career, I have felt almost the most difficult thing to deal with is someone who doesn't tell you what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-wintour/in-my-own-personal-career-i-have-felt-almost-the-most-difficult-thing/) [Anna Wintour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-wintour/) > [There hasn't been one moment in my career where I felt I didn't have any control over the creative aspects of my records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-iglesias/there-hasn-t-been-one-moment-in-my-career-where-i-felt-i-didn-t-have/) [Enrique Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrique-iglesias/) > [Actually even at the beginning of my career, I never felt rejected. I was still working hard and believed in myself. I wasn't in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/actually-even-at-the-beginning-of-my-career-i-never-felt-rejected-i/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) ## More by Common > [Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame. Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/raised-by-game-where-niggas-ain-t-phased-by-fame-come-to-the-crib-get/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [He demeanor of the Ghetto, to never stay settled. Aldermen and corrupt men play Pharaoh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/he-demeanor-of-the-ghetto-to-never-stay-settled-aldermen-and-corrupt/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [I'm a black man that is proud to be black, and I want to help the black community, but I love all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-m-a-black-man-that-is-proud-to-be-black-and-i-want-to-help-the/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [This is street radio, for unsung heroes. Riding in they regal, trying to stay legal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/this-is-street-radio-for-unsung-heroes-riding-in-they-regal-trying-to/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [Burn a Bush cause for peace he no push no button. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction, How can we follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/burn-a-bush-cause-for-peace-he-no-push-no-button-killing-over-oil-and/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [I want to be the voice of the people; black, white, everyday, oppressed people. A person trying to make it and to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-want-to-be-the-voice-of-the-people-black-white-everyday-oppressed/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [Every song you make Joe is really hoe music. I heard you said you wasn't a bitch because you sing. You a bitch because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/every-song-you-make-joe-is-really-hoe-music-i-heard-you-said-you-wasn/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [I want a better world, I want love and harmony amongst people no matter what color you are, what race or what background you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-want-a-better-world-i-want-love-and-harmony-amongst-people-no/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [Black people in America have come from slavery to other forms of being oppressed and there are some things that come with that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/black-people-in-america-have-come-from-slavery-to-other-forms-of/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [Love has no limit lets spend it slow forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/love-has-no-limit-lets-spend-it-slow-forever/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [The possibility of an Oscar is something I definitely think about and the fact that I can even say that is just a blessing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/the-possibility-of-an-oscar-is-something-i-definitely-think-about-and/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [God is my guide, so I try to not judge myself too much, knowing that at the end of the day, my greatest judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/god-is-my-guide-so-i-try-to-not-judge-myself-too-much-knowing-that-at/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [I think and speak clearer since I cut the dairy out. I can breathe better and perform at a better rate, and my voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-think-and-speak-clearer-since-i-cut-the-dairy-out-i-can-breathe/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [She walk into the court her knees buckle Saying for a man to survive he needn't hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/she-walk-into-the-court-her-knees-buckle-saying-for-a-man-to-survive/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [The human being that I strive to be is a great human being, like a loving human being, but as an actor, you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/the-human-being-that-i-strive-to-be-is-a-great-human-being-like-a/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) [Explore all 155 Common quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) ## More Align quotes > [Height should not matter, 'cause when you lay in bed with someone all body parts will align just perfectly :-)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rey-mellomida/height-should-not-matter-cause-when-you-lay-in-bed-with-someone-all/) [Rey Mellomida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rey-mellomida/) > [“With best thoughts, words and actions we align our past, present and future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-dallas-jr/with-best-thoughts-words-and-actions-we-align-our-past-present-and/) [John R. Dallas Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-dallas-jr/) > [Above all else, align with customers. Win when they win. Win only when they win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/above-all-else-align-with-customers-win-when-they-win-win-only-when/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Making a movie is still very difficult in Hollywood, regardless of what you have and what level you're at. It is a house of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-faxon/making-a-movie-is-still-very-difficult-in-hollywood-regardless-of/) [Nat Faxon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-faxon/) > [What is clear is that business leaders must commit to champion change - to be transparent about their goals for change, to align their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-brooke/what-is-clear-is-that-business-leaders-must-commit-to-champion-change/) [Beth Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-brooke/) > [“It is time to “align IT to the customer” rather than “align IT with the business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/it-is-time-to-align-it-to-the-customer-rather-than-align-it-with-the/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [“Extremists and their supports cause you to align yourself with something you're not in order to get as far away as possible from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/extremists-and-their-supports-cause-you-to-align-yourself-with/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [Am I willing to go to Mars? Yes, but I'm not willing to spend nine months getting there, then wait 18 more months until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/am-i-willing-to-go-to-mars-yes-but-i-m-not-willing-to-spend-nine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“One must not align himself with the beliefs that limit his thinking; free from all beliefs and superstitions; we all make difference.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/one-must-not-align-himself-with-the-beliefs-that-limit-his-thinking/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [I think people hear and feel the genuine nature of my passion for the causes. Specifically, with the non-profit in Uganda, my mother is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-dushku/i-think-people-hear-and-feel-the-genuine-nature-of-my-passion-for-the/) [Eliza Dushku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-dushku/) > [Now is the time to align our goals with God's goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/now-is-the-time-to-align-our-goals-with-god-s-goals/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [Absolutely, I think coming out has allowed me to align who I am with with my creative self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/absolutely-i-think-coming-out-has-allowed-me-to-align-who-i-am-with/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [Consumers no longer want only a great product - they want to buy products from companies that align with their own character and values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhtar-kent/consumers-no-longer-want-only-a-great-product-they-want-to-buy/) [Muhtar Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhtar-kent/) > [“When your passions and desires align you cannot hold them back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/when-your-passions-and-desires-align-you-cannot-hold-them-back/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [In greenside bunkers, the big thing is to adapt your stance to the shot. It's rare that you get a flat lie in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-spieth/in-greenside-bunkers-the-big-thing-is-to-adapt-your-stance-to-the/) [Jordan Spieth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-spieth/) [Browse all 37 Align quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/align/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One thing I have throughout my career, it felt like I did my best to align myself with quality artists, quality work, and it is a situation of steel sharpening steel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Common" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it-felt-like-i-did-my-best-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Align" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it-felt-like-i-did-my-best-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/common-2673_align_one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it_499463.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/common-2673_align_one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it_499463.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2b/common-2673_align_one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it_499463.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One thing I have throughout my career, it felt like I did my best to align myself with quality artists…” — Common", "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": "Common", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One thing I have throughout my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it-felt-like-i-did-my-best-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/one-thing-i-have-throughout-my-career-it-felt-like-i-did-my-best-to/#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 } } ] } ```