---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I try to be good at it, whatever part I'm…"
description: "\"I try to be good at it, whatever part I'm playing - even in my daily life or when the spotlight hits me on the stage to perform - I gotta be alive ever..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8f/dolly-parton-366_alive_i-try-to-be-good-at-it-whatever-part-i-m_287822.jpg"
---

#  I try to be good at it, whatever part I'm playing - even…

![“I try to be good at it, whatever part I'm playing - even in my daily life or when the spotlight hits me on the stage to perform - I gotta be alive every second in this world. With or without the applause!” quote by Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8f/dolly-parton-366_alive_i-try-to-be-good-at-it-whatever-part-i-m_287822.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8f/dolly-parton-366_alive_i-try-to-be-good-at-it-whatever-part-i-m_287822.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8f/dolly-parton-366_alive_i-try-to-be-good-at-it-whatever-part-i-m_287822.jpg)

> “I try to be good at it, whatever part I'm playing - even in my daily life or when the spotlight hits me on the stage to perform - I gotta be alive every second in this world. With or without the applause!”

[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.

She emphasizes living fully and authentically, regardless of external validation.

**In simple terms:** Live fully, with or without applause.

Key Takeaway

Stay authentic always.

Themes

authenticity performance self‑esteem

Mood

motivational empowering

Type

inspirational personal

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- creative work
- daily interactions

Key Concepts

stage presence personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you stay true when unnoticed?
- What fuels your inner drive?

A Different Perspective

Applause can be fleeting and unreliable.

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[Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Applause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/applause/) [Daily life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daily-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Spotlight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spotlight/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

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> [I like to put my money where my mouth is and go out there and perform and do what I gotta do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aljamain-sterling/i-like-to-put-my-money-where-my-mouth-is-and-go-out-there-and-perform/)

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> [We can't all be stars; we can't all be leaders. We are all God's creatures, living life, and we have that God light in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/we-can-t-all-be-stars-we-can-t-all-be-leaders-we-are-all-god-s/)

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> [The melancholy ghosts of dead renown, Whispering faint echoes of the world's applause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/the-melancholy-ghosts-of-dead-renown-whispering-faint-echoes-of-the/)

[Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/)

> [For official record, announce instructor, the state requires no epic hero. No strive achieve personal celebrity of spotlight and applause. Lectures instructor, the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/for-official-record-announce-instructor-the-state-requires-no-epic/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [Music and dance influence my style in a lot of ways. Sometimes I go off to work dressed up like I'm going to hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/china-anne-mcclain/music-and-dance-influence-my-style-in-a-lot-of-ways-sometimes-i-go/)

[China Anne McClain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/china-anne-mcclain/)

> [When I go on stage and perform, I'm an extreme version of myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/when-i-go-on-stage-and-perform-i-m-an-extreme-version-of-myself/)

[Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/)

> [I like to leave all of my soul on the stage where I perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-benet/i-like-to-leave-all-of-my-soul-on-the-stage-where-i-perform/)

[Eric Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-benet/)

> [I feel that I'm at my best as a person and that I'm coming home when I walk on to a set, or on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-black/i-feel-that-i-m-at-my-best-as-a-person-and-that-i-m-coming-home-when/)

[Claudia Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-black/)

> [Yes, sharing super-personal experiences is scary, but I can only get up on stage and perform it if I really connect with the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel/yes-sharing-super-personal-experiences-is-scary-but-i-can-only-get-up/)

[Mabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mabel/)

> [My career is over because I don't have the stage to perform where athletes get the proper respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanderlei-silva/my-career-is-over-because-i-don-t-have-the-stage-to-perform-where/)

[Wanderlei Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanderlei-silva/)

> [My most embarrassing moment was probably when I was on tour and I would throw the mic out of my hand and catch it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-desman/my-most-embarrassing-moment-was-probably-when-i-was-on-tour-and-i/)

Shawn Desman

> [Women's sports just needs a stage. If we have a stage we can show up and perform and show people what we're all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelly-korda/women-s-sports-just-needs-a-stage-if-we-have-a-stage-we-can-show-up/)

[Nelly Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelly-korda/)

> [I don't need a stage to perform. We just need something to stand on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-scott/i-don-t-need-a-stage-to-perform-we-just-need-something-to-stand-on/)

[Travis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-scott/)

> [If you can stand on stage and perform a record, you should be able to stand on stage and captivate the audience without the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torae/if-you-can-stand-on-stage-and-perform-a-record-you-should-be-able-to/)

[Torae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torae/)

## 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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> [ 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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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> [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/)

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> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

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Adam Ant

> [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/)

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> [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/)

[Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/)

> [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/)

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> [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/)

[Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/)

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> [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/)

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> [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/)

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> [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/)

[John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/)

> [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/)

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