--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't matter if people are playing…" description: "\"It doesn't matter if people are playing jazz or writing poetry. If they want to be successful, they need to learn how to persist and persevere and keep..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/jonah-lehrer-9286_achievement_it-doesn-t-matter-if-people-are-playing_2455826.jpg" --- # It doesn't matter if people are playing jazz or writing… ![“It doesn't matter if people are playing jazz or writing poetry. If they want to be successful, they need to learn how to persist and persevere and keep on working until the work is done... I bet there isn't a single highly successful person who has not depended on grit. Nobody is talented enough…” quote by Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/jonah-lehrer-9286_achievement_it-doesn-t-matter-if-people-are-playing_2455826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/jonah-lehrer-9286_achievement_it-doesn-t-matter-if-people-are-playing_2455826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/jonah-lehrer-9286_achievement_it-doesn-t-matter-if-people-are-playing_2455826.jpg) > “It doesn't matter if people are playing jazz or writing poetry. If they want to be successful, they need to learn how to persist and persevere and keep on working until the work is done... I bet there isn't a single highly successful person who has not depended on grit. Nobody is talented enough to not have to work hard, and that's what grit allows you to do.” [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on sustained effort and perseverance rather than innate talent alone. **In simple terms:** Hard work and grit are essential for success. Key Takeaway Cultivate perseverance. Themes grit effort success talent hard work Mood determined inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - artistic projects - academic research - entrepreneurship - sports training Key Concepts psychology motivation resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you develop grit in daily habits? - What role does environment play in sustaining effort? A Different Perspective Grit alone may not overcome systemic barriers or lack of resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Grit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grit/) [Grit Allows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grit-allows-609115/) [Grit Talented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grit-talented-609113/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persevere/) [Persevere Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persevere-working-609114/) [Persist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persist/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Playing jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-jazz/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Successful person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-person/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-poetry/) ## Related quotes > [“It doesn't matter if people are playing jazz or writing poetry -- if they want to be successful, they need to learn how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-doesn-t-matter-if-people-are-playing-jazz-or-writing-poetry-if/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [To really be conscious of how long the journey is, be patient, push yourself, persevere and always be working on your craft while waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/to-really-be-conscious-of-how-long-the-journey-is-be-patient-push/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [You're going to hit some rough patches. You're going to run into obstacles. People are going to say, 'You can't do it.' But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-harris-jr/you-re-going-to-hit-some-rough-patches-you-re-going-to-run-into/) [Chris Harris, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-harris-jr/) > [I started off with classical music, and I got into jazz when I was about 14 years old. And I've been playing jazz ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/i-started-off-with-classical-music-and-i-got-into-jazz-when-i-was/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I'm playing jazz throughout the song 'Black Sabbath.' That's what it is there. I mean, I'm moving some other things around, but that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ward/i-m-playing-jazz-throughout-the-song-black-sabbath-that-s-what-it-is/) [Bill Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ward/) > [You know, it's funny... when you're making money, people don't think you're playing jazz. Now when you're not making money, people think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-fountain/you-know-it-s-funny-when-you-re-making-money-people-don-t-think-you/) [Pete Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-fountain/) > [Playing jazz in restaurants is too stereotypical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryuichi-sakamoto/playing-jazz-in-restaurants-is-too-stereotypical/) [Ryuichi Sakamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryuichi-sakamoto/) > [“...teaching is like playing jazz. Even if you perform the same number over and over, it never comes out the same twice, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-babbie/teaching-is-like-playing-jazz-even-if-you-perform-the-same-number/) [Earl Babbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-babbie/) > [Switch to piano! No. Really, if you like an instrument that sings, play the saxophone. At its best it's like the human voice. Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-getz/switch-to-piano-no-really-if-you-like-an-instrument-that-sings-play/) [Stan Getz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-getz/) > [Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-parker/master-your-instrument-master-the-music-and-then-forget-all-that/) [Charlie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-parker/) > [I have a theory that musicians recognize each other and if they are destined to collaborate together they will. Mainly, they recognize each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vlatko-stefanovski/i-have-a-theory-that-musicians-recognize-each-other-and-if-they-are/) [Vlatko Stefanovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vlatko-stefanovski/) > [We grew up with musicians coming over jamming. We had tons of instruments. So holidays were always like, 50 people would come over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/we-grew-up-with-musicians-coming-over-jamming-we-had-tons-of/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [It was liberating to do comedy. It felt like playing in a jazz band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/it-was-liberating-to-do-comedy-it-felt-like-playing-in-a-jazz-band/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I started playing jazz by slowing down Tal Farlow records and analyzing his runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-breau/i-started-playing-jazz-by-slowing-down-tal-farlow-records-and/) [Lenny Breau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-breau/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## More by Jonah Lehrer > [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/) > [“When the mind is denied the emotional sting of losing , it never figures out how to win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/when-the-mind-is-denied-the-emotional-sting-of-losing-it-never/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Insights, after all, come from the overlap between seemingly unrelated thoughts. They emerge when concepts are transposed, when the rules of one place are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/insights-after-all-come-from-the-overlap-between-seemingly-unrelated/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Every brilliant experiment, like every great work of art, starts with an act of imagination. Unfortunately, our current culture subscribes to a very narrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/every-brilliant-experiment-like-every-great-work-of-art-starts-with/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“You break out of the box by stepping into shackles. From Imagine: How Creativity Works pg 23 (hardcover)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/you-break-out-of-the-box-by-stepping-into-shackles-from-imagine-how/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [So let's not pretend that travel is always fun. We don't spend 10 hours lost in the Louvre because we like it, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/so-let-s-not-pretend-that-travel-is-always-fun-we-don-t-spend-10/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“In fact, most of us see perseverance as a distinctly uncreative approach, the sort of strategy that people with mediocre ideas are forced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/in-fact-most-of-us-see-perseverance-as-a-distinctly-uncreative/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Grit is the stubborn refusal to quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/grit-is-the-stubborn-refusal-to-quit/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Even when alternative views are clearly wrong, being exposed to them still expands our creative potential. In a way, the power of dissent is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/even-when-alternative-views-are-clearly-wrong-being-exposed-to-them/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Cities force us to interact with strangers and with the strange. They pry the mind open. And that is why they are the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/cities-force-us-to-interact-with-strangers-and-with-the-strange-they/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/distance-and-difference-are-the-secret-tonic-of-creativity-when-we/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [In fact, the only way to remain creative over time--to not be undone by our expertise--is to experiment with ignorance, to stare at things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/in-fact-the-only-way-to-remain-creative-over-time-to-not-be-undone-by/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Science has discovered that, like any work of literature, the human genome is a text in need of commentary, for what Eliot said of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/science-has-discovered-that-like-any-work-of-literature-the-human/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [...new ideas are merely several old thoughts that occur at the exact same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/new-ideas-are-merely-several-old-thoughts-that-occur-at-the-exact/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Like a work of art, we exceed our materials. Science needs art to frame the mystery, but art needs science so that not everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/like-a-work-of-art-we-exceed-our-materials-science-needs-art-to-frame/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) [Explore all 74 Jonah Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) [Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. But it seems that some people are trying to push the same agenda of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bassem-youssef/we-have-internet-now-and-people-are-not-stupid-but-it-seems-that-some/) [Bassem Youssef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bassem-youssef/) > [“If you find a way where there seems to be no way, that’s what we call miracle, not personal achievement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/if-you-find-a-way-where-there-seems-to-be-no-way-that-s-what-we-call/) [Nkwachukwu Ogbuagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Cease speaking of enemies when an achievement can kindle a great light. Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) [Nicholas Roerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-roerich/) > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) [Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't matter if people are playing jazz or writing poetry. If they want to be successful, they need to learn how to persist and persevere and keep on working until the work is done... 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