--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best thing is to always keep honest…" description: "\"The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that know that you're making a mistake but let y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/kendrick-lamar-1241_art_the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest_1382947.jpg" --- # The best thing is to always keep honest people around… ![“The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that know that you're making a mistake but let you go on with it, that's when it ruins your mind state as an artist.” quote by Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/kendrick-lamar-1241_art_the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest_1382947.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/kendrick-lamar-1241_art_the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest_1382947.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/kendrick-lamar-1241_art_the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest_1382947.jpg) > “The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that know that you're making a mistake but let you go on with it, that's when it ruins your mind state as an artist.” [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surrounding oneself with honest peers prevents artistic stagnation caused by complacent approval. **In simple terms:** Honest people protect creativity. Key Takeaway Seek truth‑telling companions. Themes creativity honesty influence Mood cautious determined Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - professional environments - collaborative projects Key Concepts artistic growth feedback loops Questions to Reflect On - Who challenges your assumptions? - How do you handle dissent? A Different Perspective Yes‑men can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-people/) [Letting you go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-you-go/) [Making mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-mistakes/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) ## Related quotes > [A long war is degenerating - it ruins the mind and the soul and psyche of individuals and nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/a-long-war-is-degenerating-it-ruins-the-mind-and-the-soul-and-psyche/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [A sound discretion is not so much indicated by never making a mistake as by never repeating it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/a-sound-discretion-is-not-so-much-indicated-by-never-making-a-mistake/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [The secret of making a mistake is not to regret it, or regret it until a certain point, but to learn from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gino-d-acampo/the-secret-of-making-a-mistake-is-not-to-regret-it-or-regret-it-until/) [Gino D'Acampo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gino-d-acampo/) > [General Napoleon says that 'Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.' Well, I suggest doing the opposite: Interrupt your enemy when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/general-napoleon-says-that-never-interrupt-your-enemy-when-he-is/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“later you might discover that what you said is not true. When you do not know that what you are saying is untrue, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-berry/later-you-might-discover-that-what-you-said-is-not-true-when-you-do/) [Joy Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-berry/) > [Be cautious, but not too cautious; do not be too much afraid of making a mistake; a man who never makes a mistake will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lubbock/be-cautious-but-not-too-cautious-do-not-be-too-much-afraid-of-making/) [John Lubbock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lubbock/) > [The worst part is not in making a mistake but in trying to justify it, instead of using it as a heaven-sent warning of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/the-worst-part-is-not-in-making-a-mistake-but-in-trying-to-justify-it/) [Santiago Ramon y Cajal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-ramon-y-cajal/) > [Maybe I am making a mistake but at least let me live and learn from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/maybe-i-am-making-a-mistake-but-at-least-let-me-live-and-learn-from-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Am I making a mistake? Maybe. But it's mine to make.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-yoon/am-i-making-a-mistake-maybe-but-it-s-mine-to-make/) [Nicola Yoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-yoon/) > [Nothing will stop you being creative more effectively as the fear of making a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nothing-will-stop-you-being-creative-more-effectively-as-the-fear-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [No one is perfect, everyone is capable of making a mistake, so drop the attitude, and give people a second chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-is-perfect-everyone-is-capable-of-making-a-mistake-so-drop-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Demand perfection of yourself and you'll seldom attain it. Fear of making a mistake is the biggest single cause of making one. Relax -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-winter/demand-perfection-of-yourself-and-you-ll-seldom-attain-it-fear-of/) Lloyd Winter > [Anything from making a mistake on an experiment that would ruin some scientist on earth's experiment - career, potentially - to doing something wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/anything-from-making-a-mistake-on-an-experiment-that-would-ruin-some/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [“I think you’re making a mistake,” she whispered. “You don’t need to go that party to meet a guy, you’ve got one that’s crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/i-think-you-re-making-a-mistake-she-whispered-you-don-t-need-to-go/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [Making a mistake is also an achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-dewar-1st-baron-dewar/making-a-mistake-is-also-an-achievement/) [Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-dewar-1st-baron-dewar/) ## More by Kendrick Lamar > [I think that's why I put my energy into making music. That's how I get my thoughts out, instead of being crazy all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/i-think-that-s-why-i-put-my-energy-into-making-music-that-s-how-i-get/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [ Got in the studio at sixteen, \[and\] that's when I felt like I wanted to make this a career. I had a passion for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/got-in-the-studio-at-sixteen-and-that-s-when-i-felt-like-i-wanted-to/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [Black and brown pride have been taught in my household for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/black-and-brown-pride-have-been-taught-in-my-household-for-a-long-time/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [Everybody has their own way of hearing songs. My fans are usually pretty on point. 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And if you read between the lines, we'll learn how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/brother-kendrick-lamar-he-s-not-a-rapper-he-s-a-writer-he-s-an-author/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [You can have the platinum album, but when you still feel like you haven't quite found your place in the world - it kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/you-can-have-the-platinum-album-but-when-you-still-feel-like-you/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [You really can't categorize my music, it's human music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/you-really-can-t-categorize-my-music-it-s-human-music/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [My passion is bringing storylines around and constructing a full body of work rather than just a 16-bar verse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/my-passion-is-bringing-storylines-around-and-constructing-a-full-body/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [I'm only as good as my last word, my last hook, my last bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/i-m-only-as-good-as-my-last-word-my-last-hook-my-last-bridge/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [The message I'm sending to myself - I can't change the world until I change myself first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/the-message-i-m-sending-to-myself-i-can-t-change-the-world-until-i/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [We all seem to stumble, planning our own demise, Getting the big picture, and making it wallet-sized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/we-all-seem-to-stumble-planning-our-own-demise-getting-the-big/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [I was raised inside the gang culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/i-was-raised-inside-the-gang-culture/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [We look so much on color that we forget about the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/we-look-so-much-on-color-that-we-forget-about-the-soul/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) [Explore all 266 Kendrick Lamar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that know that you're making a mistake but let you go on with it, that's when it ruins your mind state as an artist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kendrick Lamar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest-people-around-because-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest-people-around-because-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/kendrick-lamar-1241_art_the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest_1382947.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/kendrick-lamar-1241_art_the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest_1382947.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d8/kendrick-lamar-1241_art_the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest_1382947.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that…” — Kendrick Lamar", "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": "Kendrick Lamar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The best thing is to always...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest-people-around-because-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/the-best-thing-is-to-always-keep-honest-people-around-because-when/#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 } } ] } ```