---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't keep somebody from being a star…"
description: "\"I can't keep somebody from being a star, and I can't make somebody a star, and nobody can.\" — Dolly Parton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/dolly-parton-366_astronomy_i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star_591187.jpg"
---

#  I can't keep somebody from being a star, and I can't make…

![“I can't keep somebody from being a star, and I can't make somebody a star, and nobody can.” quote by Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/dolly-parton-366_astronomy_i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star_591187.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/dolly-parton-366_astronomy_i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star_591187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/dolly-parton-366_astronomy_i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star_591187.jpg)

> “I can't keep somebody from being a star, and I can't make somebody a star, and nobody can.”

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

## About This Quote

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

Talent cannot be forced; fame depends on personal effort and opportunity.

**In simple terms:** You can't force talent or fame.

Key Takeaway

Accept limits, nurture growth.

Themes

talent fame effort acceptance

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- career development
- creative pursuits
- personal branding
- mentorship

Key Concepts

selfdetermination agency recognition

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you support others without imposing expectations?
- What role does personal agency play in achieving fame?

A Different Perspective

Even with support, success requires personal drive.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/)

## Related quotes

> [“A Scientist can discover a new star but he cannot make one. He would have to ask an engineer to do it for him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-l-glegg/a-scientist-can-discover-a-new-star-but-he-cannot-make-one-he-would/)

Gordon L. Glegg

> [I guess I must be wishing on somebody else's star cause everybody else keeps getting what I'm wishing for..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-chable/i-guess-i-must-be-wishing-on-somebody-else-s-star-cause-everybody/)

[Ana Chable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-chable/)

> [Guys have to look up to somebody. Everybody needs to have their own role and somebody has to be the star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-monroe/guys-have-to-look-up-to-somebody-everybody-needs-to-have-their-own/)

[Earl Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-monroe/)

> [Making an impact behind the scenes with 'Be-A-Star' and 'Make-A-Wish,' how cool is it to do those things?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mojo-rawley/making-an-impact-behind-the-scenes-with-be-a-star-and-make-a-wish-how/)

[Mojo Rawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mojo-rawley/)

> [I play Sun-Hi, a Korean-American girl who is a social media expert and dreams of becoming a worldwide star. Being on Make It Pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-lee/i-play-sun-hi-a-korean-american-girl-who-is-a-social-media-expert-and/)

[Megan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-lee/)

> [“Who am I? Or possibly, who AM I? Make it who I WAS, because once I was somebody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-baker/who-am-i-or-possibly-who-am-i-make-it-who-i-was-because-once-i-was/)

Dorothy Baker

> [Make somebody happy. Mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-somebody-happy-mind-your-own-business/)

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

> [It's really cool to come from nothing and essentially be a nobody and make yourself somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logic/it-s-really-cool-to-come-from-nothing-and-essentially-be-a-nobody-and/)

[Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logic/)

> [You can't make somebody love you, no matter what you do to yourself. You can get implants, you can get all these procedures, thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-ballas/you-can-t-make-somebody-love-you-no-matter-what-you-do-to-yourself/)

[Shirley Ballas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-ballas/)

> [God didn't have time to make a nobody, only a somebody.I believe that each of us has God-given talents within us waiting to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/god-didn-t-have-time-to-make-a-nobody-only-a-somebody-i-believe-that/)

[Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/)

> [Your take on things is what is either going to make you somebody people talk about or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-soderbergh/your-take-on-things-is-what-is-either-going-to-make-you-somebody/)

[Steven Soderbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-soderbergh/)

> [Don't Make A Somebody A Priority If they Only Make You An Option...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/don-t-make-a-somebody-a-priority-if-they-only-make-you-an-option/)

Pacifiersucker

> [Take time to make a difference. Don't just obsess about how you can make your life better. Think about how you can make somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/take-time-to-make-a-difference-don-t-just-obsess-about-how-you-can/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [You were created to make somebody else’s life better. Somebody needs your smile. They need your love, your encouragement &amp; your gifts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-created-to-make-somebody-else-s-life-better-somebody-needs/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-hardest-challenge-is-to-be-yourself-in-a-world-where-everyone-is/)

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

## More by Dolly Parton

> [Got those moods a swinging, tears a slinging, nothing fits me, when it hits me, ranting, raving, misbehaving, PMS blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/got-those-moods-a-swinging-tears-a-slinging-nothing-fits-me-when-it/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [It's great at this stage in my life to still be in the running, that people appreciate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/it-s-great-at-this-stage-in-my-life-to-still-be-in-the-running-that/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [No matter how beautiful a woman might be, you're always threatened by certain... You're always threatened by](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/no-matter-how-beautiful-a-woman-might-be-you-re-always-threatened-by/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [Music is my personal addiction. So much of everything I've done has only been to open more doors for the music itself. It all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/music-is-my-personal-addiction-so-much-of-everything-i-ve-done-has/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [If you don't like the road youre walking, start paving another one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/if-you-don-t-like-the-road-youre-walking-start-paving-another-one/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [After you reach a certain age, they think you’re over. Well, I will never be over. I’ll be making records if I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/after-you-reach-a-certain-age-they-think-you-re-over-well-i-will/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [ I think \[music and acting\], they are connected, all that stuff. It's your emotional self, is pretty much how you do it, I think,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-think-music-and-acting-they-are-connected-all-that-stuff-it-s-your/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [Understanding isn't learned from punishment and anger. An iron has no gentle touch, and love ain't learned from hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/understanding-isn-t-learned-from-punishment-and-anger-an-iron-has-no/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [You'll pay the highest price on back roads and in back seats and in a cheap highway motel. But what's a few more strangers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/you-ll-pay-the-highest-price-on-back-roads-and-in-back-seats-and-in-a/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [I went to bed hungry many nights as a child. It was a Dream that dressed me up when I was ragged, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-went-to-bed-hungry-many-nights-as-a-child-it-was-a-dream-that/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [I know it's corny - but I love 'Jingle Bells!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-it-s-corny-but-i-love-jingle-bells/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [I figure if I keep my health, I have no intention of retiring. I love to work. I want to be like Bob Hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-figure-if-i-keep-my-health-i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-i-love/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [There are some people who physically are not beautiful. But the way they are, the way they treat people, they become beautiful, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/there-are-some-people-who-physically-are-not-beautiful-but-the-way/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

[Explore all 638 Dolly Parton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

## More Astronomy quotes

> [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Wen daylight turns to a darkened hue, D lovely stars hinting at u, ur heart beat tells u something true, That some 1 badly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wen-daylight-turns-to-a-darkened-hue-d-lovely-stars-hinting-at-u-ur/)

Butterfly\_Kisses

> [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/)

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

> [In the movie, the stars above the ship bear no correspondence to any constellations in a real sky. Worse yet, while the heroine bobs...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/in-the-movie-the-stars-above-the-ship-bear-no-correspondence-to-any/)

[Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/)

> [Astronomers have built telescopes which can show myriads of stars unseen before; but when a man looks through a tear in his own eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/astronomers-have-built-telescopes-which-can-show-myriads-of-stars/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [From the grasses in the field to the stars in the sky, each one is doing just that; and there is such profound peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/from-the-grasses-in-the-field-to-the-stars-in-the-sky-each-one-is/)

[Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/)

> [“Sentinels of trees breathe life into bodies of earthly flesh As their mighty arms reach to the stars we join in their quest for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-ravenswood/sentinels-of-trees-breathe-life-into-bodies-of-earthly-flesh-as-their/)

[Ramon Ravenswood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-ravenswood/)

> [“If there are no stars on the sky, you must try to be happy with the shining streetlights!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-there-are-no-stars-on-the-sky-you-must-try-to-be-happy-with-the/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/)

Nicole Gentile

> [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/)

[Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/)

> [“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars." ... quote has been credited to Les Brown.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylviek/shoot-for-the-moon-even-if-you-miss-it-you-will-land-among-the-stars/)

Sylviek

> [When certain stars take you under their wing, it does help as they gauge your potential and are willing to work with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/when-certain-stars-take-you-under-their-wing-it-does-help-as-they/)

[Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/)

> [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

[Browse all 6,190 Astronomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I can't keep somebody from being a star, and I can't make somebody a star, and nobody can.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Dolly Parton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star-and-i-can-t-make-somebody-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Astronomy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star-and-i-can-t-make-somebody-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/dolly-parton-366_astronomy_i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star_591187.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/dolly-parton-366_astronomy_i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star_591187.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/dolly-parton-366_astronomy_i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star_591187.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I can't keep somebody from being a star, and I can't make somebody a star, and nobody can.” — Dolly Parton",
                "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": "Dolly Parton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I can't keep somebody from being...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star-and-i-can-t-make-somebody-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-can-t-keep-somebody-from-being-a-star-and-i-can-t-make-somebody-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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
