--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If it's just a pastime, keep doing it…" description: "\"If it's just a pastime, keep doing it because it's relaxing and to blow off some steam. But if you're not sure if you want to do it, or you're thinking..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/joan-jett-2373_band_if-it-s-just-a-pastime-keep-doing-it-bec_2250589.jpg" --- # If it's just a pastime, keep doing it because it's… ![“If it's just a pastime, keep doing it because it's relaxing and to blow off some steam. But if you're not sure if you want to do it, or you're thinking you can be famous, you shouldn't do it because you want to be famous. You have to do it because you love it and you want to play for people. And…” quote by Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/joan-jett-2373_band_if-it-s-just-a-pastime-keep-doing-it-bec_2250589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/joan-jett-2373_band_if-it-s-just-a-pastime-keep-doing-it-bec_2250589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9c/joan-jett-2373_band_if-it-s-just-a-pastime-keep-doing-it-bec_2250589.jpg) > “If it's just a pastime, keep doing it because it's relaxing and to blow off some steam. But if you're not sure if you want to do it, or you're thinking you can be famous, you shouldn't do it because you want to be famous. You have to do it because you love it and you want to play for people. And if that's what you want to do, then do it, but you can't go into it with that mindset of "we'll be in a band and we'll be famous."” [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Passion should drive creative pursuits, not fame‑driven ambition; true fulfillment comes from love of the craft. **In simple terms:** Do it for love, not fame. Key Takeaway Create for joy, not fame. Themes creativity motivation authenticity Mood inspired reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - musicians - artists - hobbyists - entrepreneurs - career changers Key Concepts Intrinsic motivation self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What would you pursue if no one watched? - How does fame change your creative process? A Different Perspective Fame can distort priorities and erode intrinsic joy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) [Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blow/) [Famous Shouldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-shouldn-2226640/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mindset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindset/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Not sure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-sure/) [Pastime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pastime/) [Pastime Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pastime-doing-5138597/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Steam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steam/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-famous-5138596/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-famous/) [What you want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/what-you-want/) ## Related quotes > [The press attack people to sell more papers without thinking, but when you get famous you have to put up with this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-cavalli/the-press-attack-people-to-sell-more-papers-without-thinking-but-when/) [Roberto Cavalli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-cavalli/) > [There's a definite responsibility that comes with being famous. You shouldn't be able to just dress up and look pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/there-s-a-definite-responsibility-that-comes-with-being-famous-you/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) > [Hearing other celebrities moaning about the bad things about being famous - there is no worst thing. If you don't want to be famous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gino-d-acampo/hearing-other-celebrities-moaning-about-the-bad-things-about-being/) [Gino D'Acampo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gino-d-acampo/) > [I don't want to be famous, I just want to be noticed.. I want people to know I'm someone on this earth, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-morin/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-i-just-want-to-be-noticed-i-want-people-to/) [Mindy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-morin/) > [I want to be so famous that I'm the pop-culture reference that people would make to try and be racist to me. So I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumail-nanjiani/i-want-to-be-so-famous-that-i-m-the-pop-culture-reference-that-people/) [Kumail Nanjiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumail-nanjiani/) > [I don't want to be famous, or recognizable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sia-furler/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-or-recognizable/) [Sia Furler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sia-furler/) > [I wanted to be able to play music, and then when I went out in my private life, my personal life, I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-wanted-to-be-able-to-play-music-and-then-when-i-went-out-in-my/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [I wanted to be a stage actress. I wanted to be a New York actress and have a community with other actors. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-wanted-to-be-a-stage-actress-i-wanted-to-be-a-new-york-actress-and/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [Some people don't care why they are famous; they just want to be famous, and that makes my skin crawl a bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ezra/some-people-don-t-care-why-they-are-famous-they-just-want-to-be/) [George Ezra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ezra/) > [It's not a matter of becoming a superstar. Fame and money aren't the purpose of all this. No actor's going to say, 'I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lambert/it-s-not-a-matter-of-becoming-a-superstar-fame-and-money-aren-t-the/) [Christopher Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lambert/) > [I want to be the most famous actor the world's ever seen. I don't want to be able to walk down the street or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shahi/i-want-to-be-the-most-famous-actor-the-world-s-ever-seen-i-don-t-want/) [Sarah Shahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shahi/) > [If I'm going to be famous, I want to be famous for doing something good - having talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-lowe/if-i-m-going-to-be-famous-i-want-to-be-famous-for-doing-something/) [Daisy Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-lowe/) > [Well, I knew I wanted to be an actor, and I didn't necessarily need or want to be famous or a celebrity actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-fischer/well-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-and-i-didn-t-necessarily-need-or/) [Jenna Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-fischer/) > [Why does anybody want to be famous? You know what's important to me? Having lunch! Pasta! Seeing my friends! Is that so crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-stringfield/why-does-anybody-want-to-be-famous-you-know-what-s-important-to-me/) [Sherry Stringfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-stringfield/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) ## More by Joan Jett > [As a kid, in the Runaways, I would see the interviewers start to ask about our personal lives and what we did — and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/as-a-kid-in-the-runaways-i-would-see-the-interviewers-start-to-ask/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [When I met you you were oh so sweet, now you give me the bread and you take all the meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/when-i-met-you-you-were-oh-so-sweet-now-you-give-me-the-bread-and-you/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [When I came back to it, we amicably separated from Warner Bros. I just picked up where I left off, trying to write the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/when-i-came-back-to-it-we-amicably-separated-from-warner-bros-i-just/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I don't really care if you think I'm strange--I ain't gonna change!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/i-don-t-really-care-if-you-think-i-m-strange-i-ain-t-gonna-change/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [That was exactly why people didn't want to give us any kind of life, because we were threatening their status quo, and they just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/that-was-exactly-why-people-didn-t-want-to-give-us-any-kind-of-life/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I'm concentrating on staying healthy, having peace, being happy, remembering what is important, taking in nature and animals, spending time reading, trying to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/i-m-concentrating-on-staying-healthy-having-peace-being-happy/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [Only because The Runaways were my baby and there's no reason to get it back together except to totally have fun. If that's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/only-because-the-runaways-were-my-baby-and-there-s-no-reason-to-get/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [If you really believe in yourself, you cannot listen to other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/if-you-really-believe-in-yourself-you-cannot-listen-to-other-people/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [The thing that sometimes gets lost is people look at the harder edge of me ... the leather jacket and the tough rock 'n'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/the-thing-that-sometimes-gets-lost-is-people-look-at-the-harder-edge/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I love rock and roll, so put another dime in the juke box, baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/i-love-rock-and-roll-so-put-another-dime-in-the-juke-box-baby/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [Rock 'n' roll music is what gets me off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/rock-n-roll-music-is-what-gets-me-off/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [When you're onstage and the audience is smiling and singing and bopping along and you're all on the same level, it's the best feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/when-you-re-onstage-and-the-audience-is-smiling-and-singing-and/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [For me the challenge isn't to be different but to be consistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/for-me-the-challenge-isn-t-to-be-different-but-to-be-consistent/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I think the media has got into this Enquirer mentality. Years ago, legitimate press didn't really concern itself with sordid details of people's personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/i-think-the-media-has-got-into-this-enquirer-mentality-years-ago/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [I was in drama, wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/i-was-in-drama-wanted-to-be-an-actor/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) [Explore all 169 Joan Jett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) ## More Band quotes > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [My Nirvana experience was much different than the other three guys. For me, it was really new and exciting. I was just a guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-smear/my-nirvana-experience-was-much-different-than-the-other-three-guys/) [Pat Smear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-smear/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There is more to me than just having been in the Runaways. And even though I'm really, really proud of what the band accomplished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-fuchs/there-is-more-to-me-than-just-having-been-in-the-runaways-and-even/) [Jackie Fuchs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-fuchs/) > [I like the bad-boy types. Generally the guy I'm attracted to is the guy in the club with all the tattoos and nail polish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-like-the-bad-boy-types-generally-the-guy-i-m-attracted-to-is-the/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [Bass guitar is the engine of the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/bass-guitar-is-the-engine-of-the-band/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [I just became accustomed to being all the members of the band. That was something that was really exciting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-collier/i-just-became-accustomed-to-being-all-the-members-of-the-band-that/) [Jacob Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-collier/) > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. And we were always trying to get ahead, trying to rehearse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-d-been-playing-in-bands-for-something-like-seven-years-at-this/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) > [Metallica's the only band i've ever been in. I'm not sure that when it ends in five, ten years, I'm going to put an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-ulrich/metallica-s-the-only-band-i-ve-ever-been-in-i-m-not-sure-that-when-it/) [Lars Ulrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lars-ulrich/) [Browse all 6,497 Band quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/band/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If it's just a pastime, keep doing it because it's relaxing and to blow off some steam. But if you're not sure if you want to do it, or you're thinking you can be famous, you shouldn't do it because you want to be famous. You have to do it because you love it and you want to play for people. 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