--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I play piano, but not well enough to play…" description: "\"I play piano, but not well enough to play professionally.\" — Gordon Lightfoot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/gordon-lightfoot-7499_enough_i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play_2313613.jpg" --- # I play piano, but not well enough to play professionally. ![“I play piano, but not well enough to play professionally.” quote by Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/gordon-lightfoot-7499_enough_i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play_2313613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/gordon-lightfoot-7499_enough_i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play_2313613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/gordon-lightfoot-7499_enough_i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play_2313613.jpg) > “I play piano, but not well enough to play professionally.” [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker acknowledges a skill but admits it falls short of professional standards. **In simple terms:** I can play piano, but not at a professional level. Key Takeaway Accept your current level and decide if you want to improve. Themes self‑assessment skill ambition Mood reflective determined Type personal motivational When to use this quote - personal hobby - career planning - music education - performance preparation Key Concepts musicianship growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - Do you enjoy playing for personal fulfillment? - What would it take to reach professional level? A Different Perspective Professional standards may be subjective and vary across contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [If you can play the piano, you can play any instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-40/if-you-can-play-the-piano-you-can-play-any-instrument/) E-40 > [If you play professionally, you can expect to go broke at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hellmuth/if-you-play-professionally-you-can-expect-to-go-broke-at-some-point/) [Phil Hellmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hellmuth/) > [When I was about 16, I started to believe I could play professionally. I worked hard and focused more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marouane-fellaini/when-i-was-about-16-i-started-to-believe-i-could-play-professionally/) [Marouane Fellaini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marouane-fellaini/) > [The way I learnt to play was to go out there and enjoy myself. I never thought I'd play professionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-jay-okocha/the-way-i-learnt-to-play-was-to-go-out-there-and-enjoy-myself-i-never/) [Jay-Jay Okocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-jay-okocha/) > [I grew up playing golf, and if I were ever good enough to play professionally, I would get to travel the world while playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-cole/i-grew-up-playing-golf-and-if-i-were-ever-good-enough-to-play/) Taylor Cole > [When you play professionally, you get accustomed to turnover. Players come and go - they get injured, they get transferred, they get cut from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/when-you-play-professionally-you-get-accustomed-to-turnover-players/) [Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/) > [My mom actively did not want me to play professionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-tiafoe/my-mom-actively-did-not-want-me-to-play-professionally/) [Frances Tiafoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-tiafoe/) > [I also went to art school and learned to play a piano there, but I play by ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayall/i-also-went-to-art-school-and-learned-to-play-a-piano-there-but-i/) [John Mayall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayall/) > [I've always wanted to walk into a hotel, sit at a piano and play 'Piano Man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cowher/i-ve-always-wanted-to-walk-into-a-hotel-sit-at-a-piano-and-play-piano/) [Bill Cowher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cowher/) > [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/) > [Love is like playing the piano. First, you have to play by the rule. Then you have to forget the rule and play by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-playing-the-piano-first-you-have-to-play-by-the-rule/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I learned when I started to study piano that I could play by ear. I could hear a song on the radio a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-milsap/i-learned-when-i-started-to-study-piano-that-i-could-play-by-ear-i/) [Ronnie Milsap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-milsap/) > [When I am back home, I have an upright piano and I play constantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kygo/when-i-am-back-home-i-have-an-upright-piano-and-i-play-constantly/) [Kygo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kygo/) > [For the past eighty years I have started each day in the same manner... I go to the piano, and I play preludes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-casals/for-the-past-eighty-years-i-have-started-each-day-in-the-same-manner/) [Pablo Casals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-casals/) > [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More by Gordon Lightfoot > [You just get the vibes of your surroundings and it rubs off on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/you-just-get-the-vibes-of-your-surroundings-and-it-rubs-off-on-you/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [There is always something wrong with a song, you can't be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/there-is-always-something-wrong-with-a-song-you-can-t-be-perfect/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I love jazz. I still do. Dave Brubeck and Stan Getz are so good. I took a notification course in Jazz Orchestration. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-love-jazz-i-still-do-dave-brubeck-and-stan-getz-are-so-good-i-took/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I was a drummer in the bugle band in cadets. I marched. It's probably quite funny to look back on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-was-a-drummer-in-the-bugle-band-in-cadets-i-marched-it-s-probably/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I wrote one called 'The No Hotel.' I got inspired in 1989 while I was on a trip down to Brazil, and I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-wrote-one-called-the-no-hotel-i-got-inspired-in-1989-while-i-was-on/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I never believed - or knew for sure - if I would be able to make a professional life in music. But it turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-never-believed-or-knew-for-sure-if-i-would-be-able-to-make-a/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I try to keep it light and positive most of the time, whereas earlier on I didn't always do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-try-to-keep-it-light-and-positive-most-of-the-time-whereas-earlier/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I try to write songs. At our concerts, we take the cream of the crop from my back catalogue and I don't know if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-try-to-write-songs-at-our-concerts-we-take-the-cream-of-the-crop/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [Sometimes a broken dream will make you sad or make you mean. Sometimes things ain't bad as they seem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/sometimes-a-broken-dream-will-make-you-sad-or-make-you-mean-sometimes/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [She is my flower and she blooms for the one who loves her best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/she-is-my-flower-and-she-blooms-for-the-one-who-loves-her-best/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [If there's a reason for the way that life is I'd like to find it. After all, who's life is it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/if-there-s-a-reason-for-the-way-that-life-is-i-d-like-to-find-it/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [I was happy to be in England, because my mother had always loved the royals, and so do I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-was-happy-to-be-in-england-because-my-mother-had-always-loved-the/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [ It was very interesting time to be in England. Even at that point \[John\] Lennon and \[Paul\] McCartney influenced my writing. I thought, "maybe… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/it-was-very-interesting-time-to-be-in-england-even-at-that-point-john/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [The giant neon spinning discs are a reminder of the huge role that Sam Sniderman and his store played in the cultural life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/the-giant-neon-spinning-discs-are-a-reminder-of-the-huge-role-that/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) > [She been looking like a queen in a sailor's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/she-been-looking-like-a-queen-in-a-sailor-s-dream/) [Gordon Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) [Explore all 90 Gordon Lightfoot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/) ## More Enough quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [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've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) Rena Kornreich Gelissen > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [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/) > [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've been to Manchester enough to know it's a real place. It's not Factory Records and the Smiths bicycling around. I get it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-ve-been-to-manchester-enough-to-know-it-s-a-real-place-it-s-not/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [New York is large, glamorous, easy-going, kindly and incurious, but above all it is a crucible - because it is large enough to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/new-york-is-large-glamorous-easy-going-kindly-and-incurious-but-above/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) Browse all 23,898 Enough quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I play piano, but not well enough to play professionally.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gordon Lightfoot" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play-professionally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play-professionally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/gordon-lightfoot-7499_enough_i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play_2313613.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/gordon-lightfoot-7499_enough_i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play_2313613.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/951/gordon-lightfoot-7499_enough_i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play_2313613.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I play piano, but not well enough to play professionally.” — Gordon Lightfoot", "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": "Gordon Lightfoot", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-lightfoot/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I play piano, but not well...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play-professionally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-lightfoot/i-play-piano-but-not-well-enough-to-play-professionally/#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 } } ] } ```