--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I basically had the idea when I was 18…" description: "\"I basically had the idea when I was 18 that I wanted to write my own songs. I knew it was going to be a long, tough road, and I was like, if I just beg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/jason-mraz-975_be-good_i-basically-had-the-idea-when-i-was-18-t_655665.jpg" --- # I basically had the idea when I was 18 that I wanted to… ![“I basically had the idea when I was 18 that I wanted to write my own songs. I knew it was going to be a long, tough road, and I was like, if I just begin now, by the time I'm 40, I'll be good at it.” quote by Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/jason-mraz-975_be-good_i-basically-had-the-idea-when-i-was-18-t_655665.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/jason-mraz-975_be-good_i-basically-had-the-idea-when-i-was-18-t_655665.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3bb/jason-mraz-975_be-good_i-basically-had-the-idea-when-i-was-18-t_655665.jpg) > “I basically had the idea when I was 18 that I wanted to write my own songs. I knew it was going to be a long, tough road, and I was like, if I just begin now, by the time I'm 40, I'll be good at it.” [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He recognized that mastering songwriting is a long, challenging journey, but starting early gives time to improve by middle age. **In simple terms:** Start early to become skilled over time. Key Takeaway Begin now, progress will follow. Themes patience growth creativity Mood hopeful determined Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - songwriting practice - daily writing - mentor feedback - performance gigs Key Concepts skill development long‑term planning music composition Questions to Reflect On - How can you structure consistent practice? - What milestones will keep you motivated? A Different Perspective Early start may not guarantee talent without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Friends...we can paralyze ourselves with the need to have all the details in order, with the desire to know all of the hows, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/friends-we-can-paralyze-ourselves-with-the-need-to-have-all-the/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [“Never worry about how much money, ability, or equipment you are starting with; just begin with a million dollars’ worth of determination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mason/never-worry-about-how-much-money-ability-or-equipment-you-are/) [John Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mason/) > [Learning how to do some of the technical work on the film can be helpful too and allows you to start the film on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hegedus/learning-how-to-do-some-of-the-technical-work-on-the-film-can-be/) [Chris Hegedus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hegedus/) > [There's nothing really difficult if you only begin - some people contemplate a task until it looms so big, it seems impossible, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shaw-billings/there-s-nothing-really-difficult-if-you-only-begin-some-people/) [John Shaw Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shaw-billings/) > [The Life have Just begin for you, never ended because of someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ngan-hoai-tran-vo/the-life-have-just-begin-for-you-never-ended-because-of-someone/) [Ngan Hoai Tran Vo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ngan-hoai-tran-vo/) > [The surprising thing is when we met Judas Priest, they all recognized us. They knew our songs. They knew 'Gimme Chocolate!' and started dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzuka-nakamoto/the-surprising-thing-is-when-we-met-judas-priest-they-all-recognized/) [Suzuka Nakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzuka-nakamoto/) > [I'm not sure how young kids get to the point where they're memorizing and knowing songs, but I knew the words to 'Missing You'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-flowers/i-m-not-sure-how-young-kids-get-to-the-point-where-they-re-memorizing/) [Brandon Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-flowers/) > [I recorded a lot of songs that I knew I didn't like just because maybe part of me wanted to be nice, maybe part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara-larsson/i-recorded-a-lot-of-songs-that-i-knew-i-didn-t-like-just-because/) [Zara Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara-larsson/) > [I was surrounded by music in my family, surrounded by people who sang songs - every single person I knew as a child growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roisin-murphy/i-was-surrounded-by-music-in-my-family-surrounded-by-people-who-sang/) [Roisin Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roisin-murphy/) > [With 'Sherry,' we were looking for a sound. 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When you sing a song of love, you're actually giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/there-s-a-certain-feeling-of-giving-a-certain-feeling-of-generosity/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I was raised playing music in coffeehouses and I feel that was the foundation for my career. I think it is important that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-was-raised-playing-music-in-coffeehouses-and-i-feel-that-was-the/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The best thing for you to do is shop at your local farmer's market and support the organic growers who are there. Because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/the-best-thing-for-you-to-do-is-shop-at-your-local-farmer-s-market/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [In my relationship, I was giving myself away to make the relationship better, but in actuality, wasn't doing better by doing that. I became…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/in-my-relationship-i-was-giving-myself-away-to-make-the-relationship/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [It's our God forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/it-s-our-god-forsaken-right-to-be-loved-loved-loved/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The measure of your character is not what you do when people are looking. It’s what you do when you think no one is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/the-measure-of-your-character-is-not-what-you-do-when-people-are/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Being out in nature inspires me as a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/being-out-in-nature-inspires-me-as-a-writer/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I get my most creative energy after a show, so I love to go back to the hotel and compose new material. I generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-get-my-most-creative-energy-after-a-show-so-i-love-to-go-back-to/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Whenever I'm in need of inspiration and mantras, I go straight to simple affirmations. 'I am strong', 'I am brave', 'I can do this'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/whenever-i-m-in-need-of-inspiration-and-mantras-i-go-straight-to/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Everything in life influences my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/everything-in-life-influences-my-music/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [Growing up as a singer, and a cast member, and now as an adult, a songwriter, I get the luxury of choosing the kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/growing-up-as-a-singer-and-a-cast-member-and-now-as-an-adult-a/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I had a gig in Sweden. There were thousands of people there, and when I launched into 'I'm Yours,' they were all singing along.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-had-a-gig-in-sweden-there-were-thousands-of-people-there-and-when-i/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [“I won't give up on us”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-won-t-give-up-on-us/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I have a very awesome seat in the house every time I play. When the lights come up, and the sound turns on, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/i-have-a-very-awesome-seat-in-the-house-every-time-i-play-when-the/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) [Explore all 316 Jason Mraz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) ## More Be good quotes > [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/) [David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. 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Right now, however, the world is in a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hany-abu-assad/most-of-us-want-to-live-in-harmony-and-peace-and-be-good-to-others/) [Hany Abu-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hany-abu-assad/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [The producers felt that 24 would be good for the audience, to really get to know who these 12 and 12 are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-abdul/the-producers-felt-that-24-would-be-good-for-the-audience-to-really/) [Paula Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-abdul/) > [All will concede that in order to have good neighbors, we must also be good neighbors. That applies in every field of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/all-will-concede-that-in-order-to-have-good-neighbors-we-must-also-be/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Everybody wants to be good, but not many are prepared to make the sacrifices it takes to be great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everybody-wants-to-be-good-but-not-many-are-prepared-to-make-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The difference in being good at some thing and being great at something is usually found in the little things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-anderson/the-difference-in-being-good-at-some-thing-and-being-great-at/) Randy Anderson > [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. 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Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) Browse all 1,747 Be good quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I basically had the idea when I was 18 that I wanted to write my own songs. 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