--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be an aritst is not to wait for others…" description: "\"To be an aritst is not to wait for others to define us, but to define ourselves, claim our lives.\" — Jan Phillips" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/jan-phillips-29456_claims_to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-other_917868.jpg" --- # To be an aritst is not to wait for others to define us… ![“To be an aritst is not to wait for others to define us, but to define ourselves, claim our lives.” quote by Jan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/jan-phillips-29456_claims_to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-other_917868.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/jan-phillips-29456_claims_to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-other_917868.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/jan-phillips-29456_claims_to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-other_917868.jpg) > “To be an aritst is not to wait for others to define us, but to define ourselves, claim our lives.” [Jan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑definition requires proactive agency rather than waiting for external labels. **In simple terms:** Define yourself, don’t wait for others. Key Takeaway Take charge of your identity. Themes self‑empowerment creativity autonomy Mood determined assertive Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career building - artistic pursuits - personal branding Key Concepts identity formation personal agency Questions to Reflect On - How do you assert your identity? - What external labels limit you? A Different Perspective Self‑definition can be hindered by social expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [“When Jesus tells us to give all we have...we don't have authority to decline. 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You must live your life so that person can find you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/there-s-someone-out-there-who-needs-you-you-must-live-your-life-so/) [Jan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-phillips/) > [You can tell the real Christians by their acts. They are the ones serving, the ones loving, the ones sharing whatever they have. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/you-can-tell-the-real-christians-by-their-acts-they-are-the-ones/) [Jan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-phillips/) > [I believe that what it is I have been called to do will make itself known when I have made myself ready.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/i-believe-that-what-it-is-i-have-been-called-to-do-will-make-itself/) [Jan Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-phillips/) > [We are vulnerable to fear only when we leave the present. 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A few weeks of phone calls, hundreds of texts, all of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/what-did-it-take-to-claim-a-person-really-one-perfect-night-a-few/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [No One Else Is Responsible For You. You Are In Full Control Of Your Life So Long As You Claim It And Own It...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/no-one-else-is-responsible-for-you-you-are-in-full-control-of-your/) Pacifiersucker Browse all 447 Claim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be an aritst is not to wait for others to define us, but to define ourselves, claim our lives.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jan Phillips" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-others-to-define-us-but-to-define/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Claim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-others-to-define-us-but-to-define/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/jan-phillips-29456_claims_to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-other_917868.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/jan-phillips-29456_claims_to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-other_917868.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/18c/jan-phillips-29456_claims_to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-other_917868.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be an aritst is not to wait for others to define us, but to define ourselves, claim our lives.” — Jan Phillips", "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": "Jan Phillips", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-phillips/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be an aritst is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-others-to-define-us-but-to-define/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-phillips/to-be-an-aritst-is-not-to-wait-for-others-to-define-us-but-to-define/#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 } } ] } ```