--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only real failure is trying to…" description: "\"The only real failure is trying to second-guess the taste of an audience. Nothing comes out of that except a kind of inward humiliation.\" — David Bowie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/david-bowie-508_audience_the-only-real-failure-is-trying-to-secon_3094647.jpg" --- # The only real failure is trying to second-guess the taste… ![“The only real failure is trying to second-guess the taste of an audience. Nothing comes out of that except a kind of inward humiliation.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/david-bowie-508_audience_the-only-real-failure-is-trying-to-secon_3094647.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/david-bowie-508_audience_the-only-real-failure-is-trying-to-secon_3094647.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/david-bowie-508_audience_the-only-real-failure-is-trying-to-secon_3094647.jpg) > “The only real failure is trying to second-guess the taste of an audience. Nothing comes out of that except a kind of inward humiliation.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Attempting to predict audience taste leads to self‑humiliation and stifles authentic expression. **In simple terms:** Trying to guess what people want makes you feel embarrassed. Key Takeaway Trust your own artistic instincts. Themes creativity audience authenticity humility artistic risk Mood reflective inspired cautious Type artistic motivational When to use this quote - performing live - writing music - marketing campaigns - product design Key Concepts self‑expression confidence feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if you ignored audience expectations? - How can you balance personal vision with listener appeal? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on market research can dilute originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Humiliation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humiliation/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) ## Related quotes > [I make films according to the taste of the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-vasu/i-make-films-according-to-the-taste-of-the-audience/) [P. Vasu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-vasu/) > [“Cosby read some advice that he took to heart: “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-keller/cosby-read-some-advice-that-he-took-to-heart-i-don-t-know-the-key-to/) [Gary Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-keller/) > [My dad encouraged us to fail. Growing up, he would ask us what we failed at that week. If we didn't have something, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/my-dad-encouraged-us-to-fail-growing-up-he-would-ask-us-what-we/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [The fact that you tried something and failed does not make you a failure; the only time you become a failure is when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fact-that-you-tried-something-and-failed-does-not-make-you-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I cant tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-cant-tell-you-the-key-to-success-but-the-key-to-failure-is-trying/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [You cannot be a failure until you keep trying and until you admit that you are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/you-cannot-be-a-failure-until-you-keep-trying-and-until-you-admit/) Senoraroy > [“Keep writing. The only failure is in not trying at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erzabet-bishop/keep-writing-the-only-failure-is-in-not-trying-at-all/) Erzabet Bishop > [It's not about failure; it's about trying something and risking something for attaining your goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-alt/it-s-not-about-failure-it-s-about-trying-something-and-risking/) [Carol Alt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-alt/) > [The quickest road to failure is trying to please everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-quickest-road-to-failure-is-trying-to-please-everybody/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only thing that hurts harder than a failure is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apoorve-dubey/the-only-thing-that-hurts-harder-than-a-failure-is-not-trying/) [Apoorve Dubey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apoorve-dubey/) > [I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/i-don-t-know-the-key-to-success-but-the-key-to-failure-is-trying-to/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [There's no secret to success, but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/there-s-no-secret-to-success-but-the-secret-to-failure-is-trying-to/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“The only true failure is the failure of not trying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-clink/the-only-true-failure-is-the-failure-of-not-trying/) Tony Clink > [When Marconi suggested the possibility of wireless transmission of sound (the radio),he was committed to a mental institution. But people like Lincoln, Edison, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-marconi-suggested-the-possibility-of-wireless-transmission-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only failure is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-failure-is-not-trying/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only real failure is trying to second-guess the taste of an audience. 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