--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the beginning, because of the Pavement…" description: "\"In the beginning, because of the Pavement thing, we were able to sell a certain amount of records. We were able to sell not such a great amount of reco..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/david-berman-3689_beginning_in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement_2442424.png" --- # In the beginning, because of the Pavement thing, we were… ![“In the beginning, because of the Pavement thing, we were able to sell a certain amount of records. We were able to sell not such a great amount of records, but enough to live on. So there was no incentive to do what didn't come naturally.” quote by David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/david-berman-3689_beginning_in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement_2442424.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/david-berman-3689_beginning_in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement_2442424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/david-berman-3689_beginning_in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement_2442424.png) > “In the beginning, because of the Pavement thing, we were able to sell a certain amount of records. We were able to sell not such a great amount of records, but enough to live on. So there was no incentive to do what didn't come naturally.” [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initial modest success can reduce incentives to innovate, leading to complacency. **In simple terms:** Early sales may make you comfortable and less creative. Key Takeaway Seek growth beyond comfort zones. Themes creativity complacency motivation growth Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - music production - writing - entrepreneurship - product development Key Concepts intrinsic motivation market pressure artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to keep creating after early success? - How can you stay motivated without external pressure? A Different Perspective Complacency can stall long‑term success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Beginning Pavement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning-pavement-498538/) [Certain Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-records-372836/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Incentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive/) [Incentive Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive-didn-498534/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Pavement Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pavement-thing-498536/) ## Related quotes > [There are certain records that you love because the songs are great, but you don't go to them as an example of great production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/there-are-certain-records-that-you-love-because-the-songs-are-great/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [I'm the type, when I used to go to the record store I used to buy two or three copies of certain records so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-jon/i-m-the-type-when-i-used-to-go-to-the-record-store-i-used-to-buy-two/) [Lil Jon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-jon/) > [I do go through periods of obsession with certain records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-daniel/i-do-go-through-periods-of-obsession-with-certain-records/) [Britt Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-daniel/) > [There are certain records from the 80s and early 90s that you love because the songs are great, but you don't go to them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/there-are-certain-records-from-the-80s-and-early-90s-that-you-love/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [“Even hell will give you an incentive not to reach for heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-crystal/even-hell-will-give-you-an-incentive-not-to-reach-for-heaven/) [Garry Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-crystal/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. And the reason we don’t is because it is detrimental to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-also-have-no-incentive-compensation-of-any-kind-and-the-reason-we/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [If you want people to perform better, you reward them, right? Bonuses, commissions, their own reality show. Incentivize them. ¦ But thats not happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-people-to-perform-better-you-reward-them-right-bonuses/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We don’t mean to create the impression that any problem can be fixed with a simple shift of the framework or a clever incentive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-don-t-mean-to-create-the-impression-that-any-problem-can-be-fixed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When it's easy to make money, you have no incentive to think about development of talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-it-s-easy-to-make-money-you-have-no-incentive-to-think-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think with every successful consumer Internet business, there will be lawyers that are interested in going after your company, especially when they think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/i-think-with-every-successful-consumer-internet-business-there-will/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [The best move you can make in negotiation is to think of an incentive the other person hasn't even thought of - and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/the-best-move-you-can-make-in-negotiation-is-to-think-of-an-incentive/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [The incentive for business is not, and cannot, be anything other than the root incentive for all business: they must profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-incentive-for-business-is-not-and-cannot-be-anything-other-than/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [We've been paying for 100 percent of preventive care. But if you're not getting annual physicals, then you're not going to gain a financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-burd/we-ve-been-paying-for-100-percent-of-preventive-care-but-if-you-re/) [Steven Burd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-burd/) > [In providing this $5,000 tax credit for those purchasing rural homes, we're offering an important incentive to encourage people to live in smaller communities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-mchugh/in-providing-this-5-000-tax-credit-for-those-purchasing-rural-homes/) [John M. McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-mchugh/) > [Only free people have an incentive to be virtuous. Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/only-free-people-have-an-incentive-to-be-virtuous-only-people-who/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) ## More by David Berman > [I don't know if I actually respect other artists as people as much as I should. I look at their work as excellent data…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-don-t-know-if-i-actually-respect-other-artists-as-people-as-much-as/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [...and my signature is drawn in magic markeron the lower right hand corner of the windowso when something passes in the darkit's captured for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/and-my-signature-is-drawn-in-magic-markeron-the-lower-right-hand/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Nude descending a staircase headless, not knowing where she is going but brave because all dreams lack conclusions and she is not enlisted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/nude-descending-a-staircase-headless-not-knowing-where-she-is-going/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [I trust myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-trust-myself/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [For Berkeley (normal) vision is a language whereby God tells us about the tangible world. But prior to having experience of the tangible world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/for-berkeley-normal-vision-is-a-language-whereby-god-tells-us-about/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [I am about to learn what it's like to live here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-am-about-to-learn-what-it-s-like-to-live-here/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [I try every day and every night to find a movie or a TV show that I can watch, but I just can't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-try-every-day-and-every-night-to-find-a-movie-or-a-tv-show-that-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [Fan reaction is so out-sized and hyperbolic in rock music compared to other arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/fan-reaction-is-so-out-sized-and-hyperbolic-in-rock-music-compared-to/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [I mean, I wasn't fortunate enough to have ever experienced starting out with a band and sticking with them, so that would be interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-mean-i-wasn-t-fortunate-enough-to-have-ever-experienced-starting/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [Spend regularly and constantly two or three hours of the morning in study and retirement. I do not take upon me to prescribe what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/spend-regularly-and-constantly-two-or-three-hours-of-the-morning-in/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [Mostly i write on an unplugged Mustang or a Baby Taylor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/mostly-i-write-on-an-unplugged-mustang-or-a-baby-taylor/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [I've never done much to try to build an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-ve-never-done-much-to-try-to-build-an-audience/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [It would be wrong of me to suppose that just because I can form private mental images, that everyone can. As Francis Galton and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/it-would-be-wrong-of-me-to-suppose-that-just-because-i-can-form/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [I have always had a blank spot where my regret is supposed to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/i-have-always-had-a-blank-spot-where-my-regret-is-supposed-to-be/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) [Explore all 124 David Berman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) [Adam Imad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-imad/) > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The only vocal training I had was playing with a tape recorder as a kid, and you know, doing the beginning of the 'Lone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/the-only-vocal-training-i-had-was-playing-with-a-tape-recorder-as-a/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [January is the beginning of a new year for us in the Western world. Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) [Manae Poet Of Carisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manae-poet-of-carisis/) > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) [Jacklyn H Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacklyn-h-lucas/) [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the beginning, because of the Pavement thing, we were able to sell a certain amount of records. We were able to sell not such a great amount of records, but enough to live on. So there was no incentive to do what didn't come naturally.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Berman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement-thing-we-were-able-to-sell-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beginning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement-thing-we-were-able-to-sell-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/david-berman-3689_beginning_in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement_2442424.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/david-berman-3689_beginning_in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement_2442424.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae7/david-berman-3689_beginning_in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement_2442424.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the beginning, because of the Pavement thing, we were able to sell a certain amount of records. We were…” — David Berman", "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": "David Berman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the beginning, because of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement-thing-we-were-able-to-sell-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/in-the-beginning-because-of-the-pavement-thing-we-were-able-to-sell-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 } } ] } ```