--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I practice and work hard at my music, but…" description: "\"I practice and work hard at my music, but I'm not saving lives here.\" — Harry Connick, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/harry-connick-jr-3461_hard_i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but_74950.png" --- # I practice and work hard at my music, but I'm not saving… ![“I practice and work hard at my music, but I'm not saving lives here.” quote by Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/harry-connick-jr-3461_hard_i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but_74950.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/harry-connick-jr-3461_hard_i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but_74950.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/harry-connick-jr-3461_hard_i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but_74950.png) > “I practice and work hard at my music, but I'm not saving lives here.” [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) ## 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 emphasizes dedication to craft while acknowledging the limited societal impact of their profession. **In simple terms:** Hard work in art vs. life-saving work Key Takeaway Artistic effort is valuable but not life-saving Themes dedication humility artistic purpose self-awareness Mood reflective humble Type personal insight motivational When to use this quote - musician rehearsing - artist reflecting on career - comparing professions - evaluating personal contribution Key Concepts work ethic role of art impact vs. effort Practical Applications - motivating artists to persist - balancing pride with realistic expectations Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing limits shape motivation? - What value does art provide beyond tangible outcomes? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving/) [Saving Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-lives/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [When you adopt an animal at a shelter you are saving two lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ostrosky-stern/when-you-adopt-an-animal-at-a-shelter-you-are-saving-two-lives/) [Beth Ostrosky Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ostrosky-stern/) > [I think I did everything possible known to any mayor in the country as it relates to saving lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-nagin/i-think-i-did-everything-possible-known-to-any-mayor-in-the-country/) [Ray Nagin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-nagin/) > [What should we do? We have no wish to interrupt the destroyer's work of saving lives... But war is war and the people being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-niemoller/what-should-we-do-we-have-no-wish-to-interrupt-the-destroyer-s-work/) [Martin Niemoller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-niemoller/) > [I care much more about saving the lives of mothers and babies than I do about a fancy museum somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melinda-gates/i-care-much-more-about-saving-the-lives-of-mothers-and-babies-than-i/) [Melinda Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melinda-gates/) > [Every seventeen minutes in America, someone commits suicide. Mostly, I have been impressed by how little value our society puts on saving the lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/every-seventeen-minutes-in-america-someone-commits-suicide-mostly-i/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [He has known joy and violence. Felt the warmth of children and the cruelty of abuse. He has nearly died saving lives and merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-sewell/he-has-known-joy-and-violence-felt-the-warmth-of-children-and-the/) [Anna Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-sewell/) > [It would be right to say that the helicopter's role in saving lives represents one of the most glorious pages in the history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-sikorsky/it-would-be-right-to-say-that-the-helicopter-s-role-in-saving-lives/) [Igor Sikorsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-sikorsky/) > [Saving lives is not a top priority in the halls of power. Being compassionate and concerned about human life can cause a man to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myriam-miedzian/saving-lives-is-not-a-top-priority-in-the-halls-of-power-being/) [Myriam Miedzian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myriam-miedzian/) > [I simply want to celebrate the fact that right near your home, year in and year out, a community college is quietly - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-ryan/i-simply-want-to-celebrate-the-fact-that-right-near-your-home-year-in/) [Kay Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-ryan/) > [I lived in Scotland a long time, and I became aware of Mogwai really from the beginning. They seemed to be fusing hard music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-richter/i-lived-in-scotland-a-long-time-and-i-became-aware-of-mogwai-really/) [Max Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-richter/) > [To be a composer, you have to be a die-hard music lover - which I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/to-be-a-composer-you-have-to-be-a-die-hard-music-lover-which-i-am/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [I think it's really hard to describe music without alienating somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-petrucci/i-think-it-s-really-hard-to-describe-music-without-alienating-somebody/) [John Petrucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-petrucci/) > [I don't actually have a lot of discipline. I've worked hard at music. But I feel like you know, I felt like kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-jones/i-don-t-actually-have-a-lot-of-discipline-i-ve-worked-hard-at-music/) [Norah Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-jones/) > [I guess everyone has their own definition of what folk is or pop or whatever. I find it incredibly hard to describe music these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-droste/i-guess-everyone-has-their-own-definition-of-what-folk-is-or-pop-or/) [Ed Droste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-droste/) > [I get so much inspiration from people working hard at music, even though it's nothing to do with what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-scharpling/i-get-so-much-inspiration-from-people-working-hard-at-music-even/) [Tom Scharpling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-scharpling/) ## More by Harry Connick, Jr > [The two are unrelated. I'm not into turtles or space stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/the-two-are-unrelated-i-m-not-into-turtles-or-space-stuff/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [ I'm a big fan of \[Frank\] Sinatra, he was the best at what he did. The last thing I do is model my career… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-a-big-fan-of-frank-sinatra-he-was-the-best-at-what-he-did-the/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [Many people in and out of showbiz live their lives in different ways. I try to be the best I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/many-people-in-and-out-of-showbiz-live-their-lives-in-different-ways/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [ \[When asked how he's keeping his 12-year marriage to wife Jill fresh\] Hookers, drugs. We're playing the field right now. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/when-asked-how-he-s-keeping-his-12-year-marriage-to-wife-jill-fresh/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [If your record doesn't sell that well, man, who cares? All the satisfaction I need... comes when I step out onstage and see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/if-your-record-doesn-t-sell-that-well-man-who-cares-all-the/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I'm sure that there are reasonable people that had some reasonable projections about the future of New Orleans, but none of those could include…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-sure-that-there-are-reasonable-people-that-had-some-reasonable/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [Well, I'm an optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/well-i-m-an-optimist/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I do the things I like to do. It's sort of a bigger version of having more than one hobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-do-the-things-i-like-to-do-it-s-sort-of-a-bigger-version-of-having/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I've spent hours playing video games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-ve-spent-hours-playing-video-games/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [ \[My mother is\] a half-Chinese, half-Jamaican woman, who grew up the ninth of nine kids, getting a law degree from Harvard. Academically brilliant, but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/my-mother-is-a-half-chinese-half-jamaican-woman-who-grew-up-the-ninth/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [You have to read scripts and audition and develop relationships. It takes a long time to develop a body of work but over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/you-have-to-read-scripts-and-audition-and-develop-relationships-it/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I love my wife and I know she loves me. We're best friends. We're just lucky to have found each other. It takes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-love-my-wife-and-i-know-she-loves-me-we-re-best-friends-we-re-just/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [Let's kick the tires and light the fires, big daddy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/let-s-kick-the-tires-and-light-the-fires-big-daddy/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I say sorry to my wife about five times a day for various reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-say-sorry-to-my-wife-about-five-times-a-day-for-various-reasons/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I think a dad has to make his daughter feel that he's genuinely interested in what she's going through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-think-a-dad-has-to-make-his-daughter-feel-that-he-s-genuinely/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) [Explore all 130 Harry Connick, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/) Out Spoken > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. 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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/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) Browse all 29,826 Hard quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I practice and work hard at my music, but I'm not saving lives here.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Connick, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but-i-m-not-saving-lives-here/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but-i-m-not-saving-lives-here/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/harry-connick-jr-3461_hard_i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but_74950.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/harry-connick-jr-3461_hard_i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but_74950.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f26/harry-connick-jr-3461_hard_i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but_74950.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I practice and work hard at my music, but I'm not saving lives here.” — Harry Connick, Jr", "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": "Harry Connick, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I practice and work hard at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but-i-m-not-saving-lives-here/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-practice-and-work-hard-at-my-music-but-i-m-not-saving-lives-here/#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 } } ] } ```