---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I'd been a better long-term planner…"
description: "\"If I'd been a better long-term planner, I'd still be in music, as a musician someplace. So I'll take it one step at a time.\" — Condoleezza Rice"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/condoleezza-rice-807_better_if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i_2179905.jpg"
---

#  If I'd been a better long-term planner, I'd still be in…

![“If I'd been a better long-term planner, I'd still be in music, as a musician someplace. So I'll take it one step at a time.” quote by Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/condoleezza-rice-807_better_if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i_2179905.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/condoleezza-rice-807_better_if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i_2179905.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/condoleezza-rice-807_better_if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i_2179905.jpg)

> “If I'd been a better long-term planner, I'd still be in music, as a musician someplace. So I'll take it one step at a time.”

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

## About This Quote

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

Accepting past planning errors, I now focus on incremental progress in music.

**In simple terms:** I’m taking music one step at a time after past planning flaws.

Key Takeaway

Embrace small steps toward goals.

Themes

planning music incremental progress

Mood

hopeful determined

Type

motivational reflective

When to use this quote

- career transition
- skill learning
- daily practice

Key Concepts

Goal setting self‑compassion

Questions to Reflect On

- What small step can you take today?
- How to balance patience with ambition?

A Different Perspective

Over‑focus on small steps may delay larger achievements.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-musician-266299/) [Musician Someplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician-someplace-4704046/) [Planner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planner/) [Planner Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planner-music-4704045/) [Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm a terrible long-term planner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-a-terrible-long-term-planner/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [It's interesting because all I want to do is make music. I want to sit in my room, play the guitar, make beats, sing...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-rogers/it-s-interesting-because-all-i-want-to-do-is-make-music-i-want-to-sit/)

[Maggie Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-rogers/)

> [I like having my hair and face done, but I'm not going to lose weight because someone tells me to. I make music to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele/i-like-having-my-hair-and-face-done-but-i-m-not-going-to-lose-weight/)

[Adele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele/)

> [I would not want to do anything that would take away from my career in music. I will always be a musician first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anoushka-shankar/i-would-not-want-to-do-anything-that-would-take-away-from-my-career/)

[Anoushka Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anoushka-shankar/)

> [To be honest, the biggest reason I write music and became a musician was to create the amount of joy that I felt about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hozier/to-be-honest-the-biggest-reason-i-write-music-and-became-a-musician/)

[Hozier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hozier/)

> [All I ever thought about was music and being a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-deyoung/all-i-ever-thought-about-was-music-and-being-a-musician/)

[Dennis DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-deyoung/)

> [Do not categorize about music. You take each musician at the time and open yourself to that musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/do-not-categorize-about-music-you-take-each-musician-at-the-time-and/)

[Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/)

> [The difference between noise and music is in what the musician does with the sounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-michel-jarre/the-difference-between-noise-and-music-is-in-what-the-musician-does/)

[Jean-Michel Jarre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-michel-jarre/)

> [I suppose ultimately I'm interested in music. I'm a musician. I'm not a gunslinger. That's the difference between what I do and what a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edge/i-suppose-ultimately-i-m-interested-in-music-i-m-a-musician-i-m-not-a/)

[Edge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edge/)

> [“I make music to be a musician, not to be on the cover of a playboy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-make-music-to-be-a-musician-not-to-be-on-the-cover-of-a-playboy/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I hope that I am, in a way, helping and touching other people with my music, and being a musician and having this as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-garratt/i-hope-that-i-am-in-a-way-helping-and-touching-other-people-with-my/)

[Jack Garratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-garratt/)

> [The most important thing is that you make sure you follow the music, which is a musician's way of saying follow your heart. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robben-ford/the-most-important-thing-is-that-you-make-sure-you-follow-the-music/)

[Robben Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robben-ford/)

> [When you are so strongly drawn to music, you can't not be a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-davies/when-you-are-so-strongly-drawn-to-music-you-can-t-not-be-a-musician/)

[Debbie Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-davies/)

> [In reality everybody has got musical thoughts. If you are able to overcome the part of it which is muscle training, which is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/in-reality-everybody-has-got-musical-thoughts-if-you-are-able-to/)

[Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/)

> [“The Super-Good Project Planner”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-super-good-project-planner/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Condoleezza Rice

> [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [It has been hard to muster the resources to support fledgling democracies and to intervene on behalf of the most desperate. The AIDS orphans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/it-has-been-hard-to-muster-the-resources-to-support-fledgling/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [I remember at the time of 9/11 that there were women who went out of their way to escort Muslim women to grocery stores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-remember-at-the-time-of-9-11-that-there-were-women-who-went-out-of/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [The first step for a leader is to be right with yourself. Integrity is the basis of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-first-step-for-a-leader-is-to-be-right-with-yourself-integrity-is/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [A lot is being done to bring additional protective measures, particularly the critical infrastructure locations around the United States, ... There is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/a-lot-is-being-done-to-bring-additional-protective-measures/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [I'm not personally fearful, but I look out, and there are a number of things that concern me, and I'm hopeful that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-not-personally-fearful-but-i-look-out-and-there-are-a-number-of/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [ \[I'm\] very fortunate and blessed person who still has a lot of living to do. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-very-fortunate-and-blessed-person-who-still-has-a-lot-of-living/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [Football is like war. It's about taking territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/football-is-like-war-it-s-about-taking-territory/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [I think there are plenty of men out there who are capable and accomplished in their own realm. You don't have to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-think-there-are-plenty-of-men-out-there-who-are-capable-and/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [I've always said as a political scientist that "culture" is what we use when we can't explain things. I think it's more about accessibility.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-ve-always-said-as-a-political-scientist-that-culture-is-what-we-use/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [I believed Afghanistan was always going to be hard. It's the fifth poorest country in the world. And when you fly over it, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-believed-afghanistan-was-always-going-to-be-hard-it-s-the-fifth/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [I'm very glad my mother didn't let me quit piano lessons at age 10. She said I wasn't old enough or good enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-m-very-glad-my-mother-didn-t-let-me-quit-piano-lessons-at-age-10/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

> [The idea the president of the United States was warned that Al-Qaeda was going to attack the United States and did nothing about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-idea-the-president-of-the-united-states-was-warned-that-al-qaeda/)

[Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

[Explore all 365 Condoleezza Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/)

## More Better quotes

> [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. I'm still very shy. Music opened up doors. I would get to my choir class,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-fonsi/everybody-has-their-cliques-and-i-was-very-shy-i-m-still-very-shy/)

[Luis Fonsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-fonsi/)

> [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/)

[Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/)

> [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/)

> [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

> [The Little you Give !! The Better it Gets !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-stanyer/the-little-you-give-the-better-it-gets/)

[Mario Stanyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-stanyer/)

> [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [In my first 100 days as Ontario's Minister of Transportation, I found a willing municipal partner in the City of Toronto that shares our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-mulroney/in-my-first-100-days-as-ontario-s-minister-of-transportation-i-found/)

[Caroline Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-mulroney/)

> [It hasn't been a conscious thing, like, 'I don't want to listen to a bunch of dudes,' but I genuinely like music by women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/it-hasn-t-been-a-conscious-thing-like-i-don-t-want-to-listen-to-a/)

[Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/)

> [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/)

[John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/)

> [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/)

[Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/)

> [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/)

[Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/)

> [Not having drops and not taking plays off, if I do that it will make everyone around me better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demaryius-thomas/not-having-drops-and-not-taking-plays-off-if-i-do-that-it-will-make/)

[Demaryius Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demaryius-thomas/)

> [Cara Delevingne and I took an eyebrow selfie. We both have prominent eyebrows, but hers are much better than mine. Maybe we should do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/cara-delevingne-and-i-took-an-eyebrow-selfie-we-both-have-prominent/)

[Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/)

> [I never really look at it past one year. I look at last year and my whole goal is to be a better player…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-never-really-look-at-it-past-one-year-i-look-at-last-year-and-my/)

[Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/)

[Browse all 17,085 Better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If I'd been a better long-term planner, I'd still be in music, as a musician someplace. So I'll take it one step at a time.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Condoleezza Rice"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i-d-still-be-in-music-as-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Better"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i-d-still-be-in-music-as-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/condoleezza-rice-807_better_if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i_2179905.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/condoleezza-rice-807_better_if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i_2179905.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/105/condoleezza-rice-807_better_if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i_2179905.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If I'd been a better long-term planner, I'd still be in music, as a musician someplace. So I'll take it one…” — Condoleezza Rice",
                "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": "Condoleezza Rice",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If I'd been a better long-term...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i-d-still-be-in-music-as-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/if-i-d-been-a-better-long-term-planner-i-d-still-be-in-music-as-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
