--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless you have spent your life doing…" description: "\"Unless you have spent your life doing something, you are not likely to be successful, so always partner with people who are smarter than you.\" — Dolly ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/dolly-parton-366_being-successful_unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-so_1022042.jpg" --- # Unless you have spent your life doing something, you are… ![“Unless you have spent your life doing something, you are not likely to be successful, so always partner with people who are smarter than you.” quote by Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/dolly-parton-366_being-successful_unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-so_1022042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/dolly-parton-366_being-successful_unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-so_1022042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/dolly-parton-366_being-successful_unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-so_1022042.jpg) > “Unless you have spent your life doing something, you are not likely to be successful, so always partner with people who are smarter than you.” [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. Success often requires collaboration; partnering with more knowledgeable people boosts outcomes. **In simple terms:** Work with smarter people to succeed. Key Takeaway Seek mentors and collaborators. Themes collaboration success learning Mood optimistic determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - startup teams - career advancement - project leadership Key Concepts networking expertise mentorship Questions to Reflect On - Who can you learn from now? - How do you balance input and autonomy? A Different Perspective Relying on others may limit personal growth if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Doing Likely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-likely-1358550/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Partner People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partner-people-2285542/) [Partners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partners/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Smarter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-smarter/) [Smarter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smarter/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful Partner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-partner-2285541/) ## Related quotes > [Choices with Clout" "If what we are thinking about doing is likely to produce good results, we can be reasonably sure we will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilbur-lucius-cross/choices-with-clout-if-what-we-are-thinking-about-doing-is-likely-to/) [Wilbur Lucius Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilbur-lucius-cross/) > [What I really want are students who want to partner with other people, to be part of an organization and to influence people so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/what-i-really-want-are-students-who-want-to-partner-with-other-people/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [Never fight with or disrespect your partner in front of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divyanka-tripathi/never-fight-with-or-disrespect-your-partner-in-front-of-other-people/) [Divyanka Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divyanka-tripathi/) > [“Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact. That is—everything around you that you call life was made up by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishen-lakhiani/life-can-be-much-broader-once-you-discover-one-simple-fact-that-is/) [Vishen Lakhiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishen-lakhiani/) > [“LIFE IS TOUGH WHEN YOU ARE ALWAYS TALKING TO PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chetan-bhagat/life-is-tough-when-you-are-always-talking-to-people-smarter-than-you/) [Chetan Bhagat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chetan-bhagat/) > [I make progress by having people around me who are smarter than I am and listening to them. And I assume that everyone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-j-kaiser/i-make-progress-by-having-people-around-me-who-are-smarter-than-i-am/) [Henry J. Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-j-kaiser/) > [I want to literally make people smarter by jamming things in their brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-ming/i-want-to-literally-make-people-smarter-by-jamming-things-in-their/) [Vivienne Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-ming/) > [Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact — everything around you that you call life was made up by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/life-can-be-much-broader-once-you-discover-one-simple-fact-everything/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [A good leader is always looking for people smarter and more experienced than they are. If you are the smartest one in the room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/a-good-leader-is-always-looking-for-people-smarter-and-more/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Once again the Naderites were onstage attacking the Educational Testing Service - the organization which develops and administers the scholastic aptitude tests...the reason for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-seligman/once-again-the-naderites-were-onstage-attacking-the-educational/) [Daniel Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-seligman/) > [I'd be nicer, if people were smarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-john-parker-minnesota/i-d-be-nicer-if-people-were-smarter/) [Ryan John Parker - Minnesota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-john-parker-minnesota/) > [“Many people are smarter than their stupid bosses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/many-people-are-smarter-than-their-stupid-bosses/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [So I think, as much as possible, I try to be open myself. I think that's probably something that falls with young people. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-moodysson/so-i-think-as-much-as-possible-i-try-to-be-open-myself-i-think-that-s/) [Lukas Moodysson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-moodysson/) > [I want to make other people around me smarter and more powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fantastic-negrito/i-want-to-make-other-people-around-me-smarter-and-more-powerful/) [Fantastic Negrito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fantastic-negrito/) > [I think, there are many people who are much smarter than I am, and many, many, many who are much harder-working than I am,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/i-think-there-are-many-people-who-are-much-smarter-than-i-am-and-many/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) ## 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 Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) [Chris Kirubi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirubi/) > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) [Blair Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blair-hull/) [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unless you have spent your life doing something, you are not likely to be successful, so always partner with people who are smarter than you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dolly Parton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-something-you-are-not-likely-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being successful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-something-you-are-not-likely-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/dolly-parton-366_being-successful_unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-so_1022042.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/dolly-parton-366_being-successful_unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-so_1022042.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e4/dolly-parton-366_being-successful_unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-so_1022042.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unless you have spent your life doing something, you are not likely to be successful, so always partner with…” — 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": "Unless you have spent your life...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-something-you-are-not-likely-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/unless-you-have-spent-your-life-doing-something-you-are-not-likely-to/#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 } } ] } ```