--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the moment you start trying to…" description: "\"I think the moment you start trying to please a fan base is when you start going downhill. I'm going to always, always write about what I want, even if..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/ed-sheeran-2162_always_i-think-the-moment-you-start-trying-to-p_1343642.jpg" --- # I think the moment you start trying to please a fan base… ![“I think the moment you start trying to please a fan base is when you start going downhill. I'm going to always, always write about what I want, even if it doesn't necessarily cater to most of them.” quote by Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/ed-sheeran-2162_always_i-think-the-moment-you-start-trying-to-p_1343642.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/ed-sheeran-2162_always_i-think-the-moment-you-start-trying-to-p_1343642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d2/ed-sheeran-2162_always_i-think-the-moment-you-start-trying-to-p_1343642.jpg) > “I think the moment you start trying to please a fan base is when you start going downhill. I'm going to always, always write about what I want, even if it doesn't necessarily cater to most of them.” [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing personal artistic vision over catering to fans prevents creative decline. **In simple terms:** Write for yourself, not the crowd. Key Takeaway Stay true to your own voice. Themes creativity authenticity artistic integrity Mood determined defiant Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - album releases - live performances - social media engagement Key Concepts self‑expression audience expectations creative risk Questions to Reflect On - How does staying authentic affect your career longevity? - What balance can you strike between personal vision and audience appeal? A Different Perspective Fans may feel alienated, reducing commercial success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“My life has been going downhill ever since I stopped pedaling on my bicycle. But I suppose that’s a good thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/my-life-has-been-going-downhill-ever-since-i-stopped-pedaling-on-my/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Life is a slope. As long as you're going up you're always looking towards the top and you feel happy, but when you reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/life-is-a-slope-as-long-as-you-re-going-up-you-re-always-looking/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [If the going is getting too easy, maybe you're going downhill!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-frisch/if-the-going-is-getting-too-easy-maybe-you-re-going-downhill/) [Max Frisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-frisch/) > [You have to be aware. Like, I'm not going to do any downhill skiing. It looks like a whole lot of fun, but I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-neuwirth/you-have-to-be-aware-like-i-m-not-going-to-do-any-downhill-skiing-it/) [Bebe Neuwirth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-neuwirth/) > [“Sometimes your life rolls away with you, like a big stone going downhill fast,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/sometimes-your-life-rolls-away-with-you-like-a-big-stone-going/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I think as soon as you determine you do not have anything to improve upon, that is when everything starts going downhill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/i-think-as-soon-as-you-determine-you-do-not-have-anything-to-improve/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [Things are going downhill with you!' he said to himself, and laughed about it, and as he was saying it, he happened to glance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/things-are-going-downhill-with-you-he-said-to-himself-and-laughed/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [You see a lot of guys going downhill as they get older, but I'm going the other way, and that's because of diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-fish/you-see-a-lot-of-guys-going-downhill-as-they-get-older-but-i-m-going/) [Mardy Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-fish/) > [Anytime the going seems easy, youd better check to see if you are going downhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/anytime-the-going-seems-easy-youd-better-check-to-see-if-you-are/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“Maybe the problem was that we never struggled. We just coasted along. The thing about coasting is that it usually means you're going downhill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/maybe-the-problem-was-that-we-never-struggled-we-just-coasted-along/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) > [“It's as if I had been going downhill when I thought I was going uphill. That's how it was. In society's opinion I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/it-s-as-if-i-had-been-going-downhill-when-i-thought-i-was-going-2/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The MS really started going downhill in 1990.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pryor/the-ms-really-started-going-downhill-in-1990/) [Richard Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pryor/) > [Hiking up a hill is an ass kicker, going downhill is a little easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-teti/hiking-up-a-hill-is-an-ass-kicker-going-downhill-is-a-little-easier/) [Joe Teti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-teti/) > [You may have noticed that society is rapidly going downhill. Inflation, lack of fuel and even war cast deep shadows over the world. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/you-may-have-noticed-that-society-is-rapidly-going-downhill-inflation/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [Lately everything in my life is going downhill. They say the power of prayer is strong, so that's exactly what I'm going to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lately-everything-in-my-life-is-going-downhill-they-say-the-power-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ed Sheeran > [I'd like to say that I'm a rock star, but I'm not - I'm honestly more of a relationship kind of guy. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-d-like-to-say-that-i-m-a-rock-star-but-i-m-not-i-m-honestly-more-of/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [I'm out of sight, I'm out of mind. I'll do it all for you in time. And out of all these things I've done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-m-out-of-sight-i-m-out-of-mind-i-ll-do-it-all-for-you-in-time-and/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [“ You're wasting your time Giving me that speech you try to don't reach: your smile <3 You're holding your tears Your insides are dead You're eating your fears, In a cigarette. You've waited too long, to finally see... Sunshine in the rain is as deep as the sea. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/you-re-wasting-your-time-giving-me-that-speech-you-try-to-don-t-reach/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [Everyone still thinks I'm Scottish - that's totally wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/everyone-still-thinks-i-m-scottish-that-s-totally-wicked/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [Paper or razor blade, never give up And just remember just to hold out more A couple years ago I couldn't just control that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/paper-or-razor-blade-never-give-up-and-just-remember-just-to-hold-out/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [Well you only need the light when it's burning low Only miss the sun when it starts to snow Only know you love her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/well-you-only-need-the-light-when-it-s-burning-low-only-miss-the-sun/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [I don't think that there's much that sets me apart from other musicians, but I think there are definitely things that set me apart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-don-t-think-that-there-s-much-that-sets-me-apart-from-other/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70 And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23 And I'm thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/and-darling-i-will-be-loving-you-til-we-re-70-and-baby-my-heart-could/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [I've never dated anyone in Hollywood - or anyone famous, for that matter. I don't know that I'm ever gonna write a song that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-ve-never-dated-anyone-in-hollywood-or-anyone-famous-for-that-matter/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [Emil Nava brother is Jake Nava, who did Beyonce's Crazy In Love and stuff. He's always lived in his brother's shadow, and this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/emil-nava-brother-is-jake-nava-who-did-beyonce-s-crazy-in-love-and/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [Everyone knows almost everything about me. I make it very clear that I'm cool with people knowing all my personal life through my songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/everyone-knows-almost-everything-about-me-i-make-it-very-clear-that-i/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [I think YouTube has destroyed the genre barrier. People can be into Justin Bieber and Eminem at the same time. It's a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-think-youtube-has-destroyed-the-genre-barrier-people-can-be-into/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [We keep this love in a photograph We made these memories for ourselves Where our eyes are never closing Hearts are never broken And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/we-keep-this-love-in-a-photograph-we-made-these-memories-for/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [“It's too cold outside for angels to flyy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/it-s-too-cold-outside-for-angels-to-flyy/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [If I was gonna go somewhere, I'd be there by now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/if-i-was-gonna-go-somewhere-i-d-be-there-by-now/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) [Explore all 181 Ed Sheeran quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the moment you start trying to please a fan base is when you start going downhill. 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