--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think successful musicians were…" description: "\"I don't think successful musicians were really put on this planet in order to have a great time, pat themselves on the back and say, 'Oh, what a clever..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/ian-anderson-10053_am_i-don-t-think-successful-musicians-were_1271575.jpg" --- # I don't think successful musicians were really put on this… ![“I don't think successful musicians were really put on this planet in order to have a great time, pat themselves on the back and say, 'Oh, what a clever boy I am!' I think that, like most artists, we were put on the planet to suffer just a little. And we do.” quote by Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/ian-anderson-10053_am_i-don-t-think-successful-musicians-were_1271575.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/ian-anderson-10053_am_i-don-t-think-successful-musicians-were_1271575.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5cc/ian-anderson-10053_am_i-don-t-think-successful-musicians-were_1271575.jpg) > “I don't think successful musicians were really put on this planet in order to have a great time, pat themselves on the back and say, 'Oh, what a clever boy I am!' I think that, like most artists, we were put on the planet to suffer just a little. And we do.” [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists are meant to endure some suffering; it fuels authentic expression rather than mere self‑congratulation. **In simple terms:** Artists suffer to create genuine work. Key Takeaway Embrace hardship as creative fuel. Themes art suffering authenticity humility Mood reflective honest Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - songwriting - performing - recording - personal growth Key Concepts creative struggle self‑reflection purposeful pain Questions to Reflect On - What pain fuels your best work? - How can artists protect themselves from destructive suffering? A Different Perspective Suffering can lead to burnout if not managed healthily. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Clever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clever/) [Great time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-time/) [Great times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-times/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Musicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musicians/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [No one can say how long the process of human extinction might take, but as it proceeds, the same global order will prevail that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-sternfeld/no-one-can-say-how-long-the-process-of-human-extinction-might-take/) [Joel Sternfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-sternfeld/) > [Successful musicians are entrepreneurs - they work hard, way beyond 9 to 5.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-conte/successful-musicians-are-entrepreneurs-they-work-hard-way-beyond-9-to/) [Jack Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-conte/) > [I feel like if you compare yourself to other successful musicians you will never be successful, because there will always be someone above you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomston/i-feel-like-if-you-compare-yourself-to-other-successful-musicians-you/) [Thomston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomston/) > [If you look at the history of popular music, the most successful musicians have started out being really marginal and esoteric. 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They aren't as smart as me...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-e-smith/a-lot-of-musicians-are-really-hard-to-deal-with-they-aren-t-as-smart/) [Mark E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-e-smith/) ## More by Ian Anderson > [Writing lyrics is part spontaneous, intuitive and part really thought through and carefully analyzed as you write it. It's a mixture of two approaches,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/writing-lyrics-is-part-spontaneous-intuitive-and-part-really-thought/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [Cafe society is as old as the hills. Starbucks and its imitators are the coffee face of the new man in a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/cafe-society-is-as-old-as-the-hills-starbucks-and-its-imitators-are/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [It's nice to be recognized, but it's not great to have it too conspicuously recognized, if you see what I mean. 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