--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only time that I am really truly…" description: "\"The only time that I am really truly happy—when I feel at my best—is when I'm on the stage.\" — Etta James" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/etta-james-10990_feel_the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-hap_2629276.jpg" --- # The only time that I am really truly happy—when I feel at… ![“The only time that I am really truly happy—when I feel at my best—is when I'm on the stage.” quote by Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/etta-james-10990_feel_the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-hap_2629276.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/etta-james-10990_feel_the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-hap_2629276.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/etta-james-10990_feel_the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-hap_2629276.jpg) > “The only time that I am really truly happy—when I feel at my best—is when I'm on the stage.” [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True happiness is found when one is performing at their best, especially on stage. **In simple terms:** Happiness comes from doing what you love. Key Takeaway Seek moments where you feel your best. Themes happiness performance self‑actualization Mood joyful inspired Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - concerts - theater shows - public speaking - creative work Key Concepts Artistic expression flow state identity Questions to Reflect On - What activity makes you feel most alive? - How can you bring that feeling into daily life? A Different Perspective Happiness may be fleeting and dependent on external validation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Truly happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-happy/) ## Related quotes > [You can have the best production, the best stage in the world, but without a crowd, the festival is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardwell/you-can-have-the-best-production-the-best-stage-in-the-world-but/) [Hardwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardwell/) > [Getting to know each others is always the best stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/getting-to-know-each-others-is-always-the-best-stage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We're committed to giving the independent artists we support the best stage to share their mind-blowing work with audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rosenthal/we-re-committed-to-giving-the-independent-artists-we-support-the-best/) [Jane Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rosenthal/) > [I'm at best on stage. It's one of the only places where I actually can feel like a million bucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doseone/i-m-at-best-on-stage-it-s-one-of-the-only-places-where-i-actually-can/) [Doseone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doseone/) > [I want to be happy, I should be, but I still feel that nudge pushing me to the edge...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-want-to-be-happy-i-should-be-but-i-still-feel-that-nudge-pushing-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm happy. I feel good about music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-m-happy-i-feel-good-about-music/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [“I’m so happy I feel like tiny bright stars are surrounding my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-michele/i-m-so-happy-i-feel-like-tiny-bright-stars-are-surrounding-my-heart/) [Beth Michele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-michele/) > [Your love has given me so many things and I cannot tell you how happy I feel. Sometimes all you can do is just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/your-love-has-given-me-so-many-things-and-i-cannot-tell-you-how-happy/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [I am so happy when I feel emotion about the way my team plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-guardiola/i-am-so-happy-when-i-feel-emotion-about-the-way-my-team-plays/) [Pep Guardiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pep-guardiola/) > [When you are happy and feel the greatness in your inner mind, allow your mind to leads you beyond your imagination and see beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/when-you-are-happy-and-feel-the-greatness-in-your-inner-mind-allow/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [Well, I think some people are very happy in retirement. And in a year and a half I'm going to see how happy I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/well-i-think-some-people-are-very-happy-in-retirement-and-in-a-year/) [Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/) > [I don't need a "reason" to be happy. I don't have to consult the future to know how happy I feel now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-prather/i-don-t-need-a-reason-to-be-happy-i-don-t-have-to-consult-the-future/) [Hugh Prather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-prather/) > [How can you be happy when all you feel is nothing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rose/how-can-you-be-happy-when-all-you-feel-is-nothing/) [Amber Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rose/) > [“I did not want to be anything more. I was entirely happy. Perhaps we feel like that when we die and become a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/i-did-not-want-to-be-anything-more-i-was-entirely-happy-perhaps-we/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [The more I swear that I'm happy the more I feel alone..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-i-swear-that-i-m-happy-the-more-i-feel-alone/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Etta James > [I want a Sunday kind of love A love to last past Saturday night And I’d like to know it’s more than love at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/i-want-a-sunday-kind-of-love-a-love-to-last-past-saturday-night-and-i/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [It feels so good to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/it-feels-so-good-to-be-happy/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [People that can't stand to listen to the blues, they've got to be phonies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/people-that-can-t-stand-to-listen-to-the-blues-they-ve-got-to-be/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [My mother always wanted me to be glamorous. When I thought about that, it really fired me up, and once I lost all those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/my-mother-always-wanted-me-to-be-glamorous-when-i-thought-about-that/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [I talked to the record company about what I had in mind. They said they wanted something lush. I figured the best thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/i-talked-to-the-record-company-about-what-i-had-in-mind-they-said/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [Now I can stand up on the stage again like I used to after five years of sitting down while I sang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/now-i-can-stand-up-on-the-stage-again-like-i-used-to-after-five-years/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [What happens is, when I perform, I'm somewhere else. I go back in time and get in touch with who I really am. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/what-happens-is-when-i-perform-i-m-somewhere-else-i-go-back-in-time/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [The music was thunder and joy. Lightning bolts of happiness and praise, foot-stomping, dance-shouting, good-feeling singing from the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/the-music-was-thunder-and-joy-lightning-bolts-of-happiness-and-praise/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [See, I don't like places where people can't dance - don't like clubs or theatres where a bunch of bourgeois people sit around tip,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/see-i-don-t-like-places-where-people-can-t-dance-don-t-like-clubs-or/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [That's where it begins and ends for me and these songs were the ones that touched me the deepest. It was like I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/that-s-where-it-begins-and-ends-for-me-and-these-songs-were-the-ones/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [You know the one with the big ears? Wait a minute, he ain't my president, he might be yours, he ain't my president. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/you-know-the-one-with-the-big-ears-wait-a-minute-he-ain-t-my/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [Bobby Womack is always very real, both with his music and as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/bobby-womack-is-always-very-real-both-with-his-music-and-as-a-person/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [I'm not starry eyed, and I'm not money crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/i-m-not-starry-eyed-and-i-m-not-money-crazy/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [My mother was a jazz fanatic and she wanted me to play the piano so I could play jazz tunes. I wish I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/my-mother-was-a-jazz-fanatic-and-she-wanted-me-to-play-the-piano-so-i/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) > [They said that Etta James is still vulgar. I said, Oh, how dare them say I'm still vulgar. I'm vulgar because I dance in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/they-said-that-etta-james-is-still-vulgar-i-said-oh-how-dare-them-say/) [Etta James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) [Explore all 62 Etta James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/) ## More Feel quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/) [AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [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/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I feel as though I've fooled the world into thinking I'm an adult and now they're letting me procreate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-murray/i-feel-as-though-i-ve-fooled-the-world-into-thinking-i-m-an-adult-and/) [George Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-murray/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [I like to wear bodysuits and things that make me feel really active and athletic and also really sensual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hawley-weld/i-like-to-wear-bodysuits-and-things-that-make-me-feel-really-active/) [Sophie Hawley-Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hawley-weld/) > [You can't force people to feel in a certain way, and the sooner you understand that,the better. I feel everything has its way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidharth-malhotra/you-can-t-force-people-to-feel-in-a-certain-way-and-the-sooner-you/) [Sidharth Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidharth-malhotra/) > [You make me feel brand new today. Even my day is full of trials and pain…Thanks for everything...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lantapi/you-make-me-feel-brand-new-today-even-my-day-is-full-of-trials-and/) [Richard Lantapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lantapi/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I don't know how people feel,that's the beauty of TV, is they can see us, but we can't see them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/i-don-t-know-how-people-feel-that-s-the-beauty-of-tv-is-they-can-see/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) Browse all 26,675 Feel quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only time that I am really truly happy—when I feel at my best—is when I'm on the stage.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Etta James" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-happy-when-i-feel-at-my-best-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Feel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-happy-when-i-feel-at-my-best-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/etta-james-10990_feel_the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-hap_2629276.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/etta-james-10990_feel_the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-hap_2629276.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/etta-james-10990_feel_the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-hap_2629276.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only time that I am really truly happy—when I feel at my best—is when I'm on the stage.” — Etta James", "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": "Etta James", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etta-james/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only time that I am...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-happy-when-i-feel-at-my-best-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etta-james/the-only-time-that-i-am-really-truly-happy-when-i-feel-at-my-best-is/#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 } } ] } ```