--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Know the difference between success and…" description: "\"Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. Fame is Madonna.\" — Erma Bombeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/erma-bombeck-780_differences_know-the-difference-between-success-and_3077306.png" --- # Know the difference between success and fame. Success is… ![“Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. Fame is Madonna.” quote by Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/erma-bombeck-780_differences_know-the-difference-between-success-and_3077306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/erma-bombeck-780_differences_know-the-difference-between-success-and_3077306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18e/erma-bombeck-780_differences_know-the-difference-between-success-and_3077306.png) > “Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. Fame is Madonna.” [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is measured by selfless service, while fame is about public attention; they are distinct. **In simple terms:** Success = service; fame = attention. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful impact rather than visibility. Themes success fame values legacy service Mood contemplative motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - volunteering - media presence - personal goals Key Concepts ethics social psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do you value impact over recognition? - How can you align your work with service? A Different Perspective Fame can be fleeting and superficial, while success may be less visible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Difference Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference-success/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Fame Madonna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame-madonna-5233918/) [Fame Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame-success-607834/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Success Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-fame-651700/) [Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teresa/) [Teresa Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teresa-fame-5233919/) ## Related quotes > [Don't confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/don-t-confuse-fame-with-success-madonna-is-one-helen-keller-is-the/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Dont confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/dont-confuse-fame-with-success-madonna-is-one-helen-keller-is-the/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [It's about enjoying your life. If you have no family, no friends to enjoy it with, it don't matter how much you have, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/it-s-about-enjoying-your-life-if-you-have-no-family-no-friends-to/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [People crave fame too much, they don't write their own songs, they just look pretty. That is sending wrong signals to kids. You should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naughty-boy/people-crave-fame-too-much-they-don-t-write-their-own-songs-they-just/) [Naughty Boy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naughty-boy/) > [Success and fame... both are temporary. There today, gone tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waheeda-rehman/success-and-fame-both-are-temporary-there-today-gone-tomorrow/) [Waheeda Rehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waheeda-rehman/) > [I found that speaking live to people, young people, about what I liked and what had been happening to me was very good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-found-that-speaking-live-to-people-young-people-about-what-i-liked/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [“Success, fame, and fortune, they're all illusions. All there is that is real is the friendship that two can share.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/success-fame-and-fortune-they-re-all-illusions-all-there-is-that-is/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [“There are some things success is not. It's not fame. It's not money or power. Success is waking up in the morning so excited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-burnett/there-are-some-things-success-is-not-it-s-not-fame-it-s-not-money-or/) [Allison Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-burnett/) > [Success is not fame or money or the power to bewitch. it is to have created something valuable from your own individuality and skill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-gray/success-is-not-fame-or-money-or-the-power-to-bewitch-it-is-to-have/) [Charlotte Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-gray/) > [It's success, not fame, that is quite addictive. 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Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## More by Erma Bombeck > [Cats invented self-esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/cats-invented-self-esteem/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To my way of thinking, the American family started to decline when parents began to communicate with their children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/to-my-way-of-thinking-the-american-family-started-to-decline-when/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The woman who says, 'My kids are all speaking to one another and they love us' is a psychopathic liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-woman-who-says-my-kids-are-all-speaking-to-one-another-and-they/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [The term 'working mother' is redundant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/the-term-working-mother-is-redundant/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [To say, "Well, I write when I really get into it" is a bunch of bull. 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B. Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-priestley/) [Browse all 8,110 Differences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Know the difference between success and fame. Success is Mother Teresa. 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