--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't accomplish much by swimming…" description: "\"You don't accomplish much by swimming with the mainstream. Hell, a dead fish can do that.\" — Kinky Friedman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kinky-friedman-2471_accomplish_you-don-t-accomplish-much-by-swimming-wi_1725432.png" --- # You don't accomplish much by swimming with the mainstream… ![“You don't accomplish much by swimming with the mainstream. Hell, a dead fish can do that.” quote by Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kinky-friedman-2471_accomplish_you-don-t-accomplish-much-by-swimming-wi_1725432.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kinky-friedman-2471_accomplish_you-don-t-accomplish-much-by-swimming-wi_1725432.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/890/kinky-friedman-2471_accomplish_you-don-t-accomplish-much-by-swimming-wi_1725432.png) > “You don't accomplish much by swimming with the mainstream. Hell, a dead fish can do that.” [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conformity leads to mediocrity; true success requires bold, unconventional choices. **In simple terms:** Following the crowd yields mediocrity. Key Takeaway Dare to be different and pursue unique paths. Themes individualism nonconformity creativity success risk Mood defiant motivational provocative Type cultural philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - artistic pursuits - entrepreneurship - social activism Key Concepts existentialism innovation rebellion Questions to Reflect On - What unconventional path have you considered? - How do you balance risk with reward? A Different Perspective Nonconformity can be socially isolating or risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream/) ## Related quotes > [“If you want a fried fish to fly and enter your mouth, you must keep waiting till the unending time ends. Dead fish doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-want-a-fried-fish-to-fly-and-enter-your-mouth-you-must-keep/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Only dead fishes go with the flow.. I guess that make me a dead fish!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanai-campbell/only-dead-fishes-go-with-the-flow-i-guess-that-make-me-a-dead-fish/) Shanai Campbell > [If you believe in your heart that you are right, you must fight with all your might to do it your way. Only dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-ellerbee/if-you-believe-in-your-heart-that-you-are-right-you-must-fight-with/) [Linda Ellerbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-ellerbee/) > [You can be the dead fish. I'll be the old stick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/you-can-be-the-dead-fish-i-ll-be-the-old-stick/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Only dead fish go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-dead-fish-go-with-the-flow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only dead fish go with the current.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-dead-fish-go-with-the-current/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Whats up, Q?" asked Gus. Oh, we're just scattering some dead fish about town, breaking some windows, photographing naked guys, hanging out in skyscraper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/whats-up-q-asked-gus-oh-we-re-just-scattering-some-dead-fish-about/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Drifting on the black, rippling surface were fingers. Thumbs. Dozens of them. Hundreds, floating like dead fish in a dynamited pond. I saw part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-hirshberg/drifting-on-the-black-rippling-surface-were-fingers-thumbs-dozens-of/) [Glen Hirshberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-hirshberg/) > [“Remember, a dead fish can float down stream, it takes a live one to swim against the current. W. C. Fields”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-k-prescott/remember-a-dead-fish-can-float-down-stream-it-takes-a-live-one-to/) E.K. Prescott > [Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/even-a-dead-fish-can-go-with-the-flow/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [“Only dead fish go with the flow .. I'm not dead yet, and I'm not fish either.. !!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmad-el-esseily/only-dead-fish-go-with-the-flow-i-m-not-dead-yet-and-i-m-not-fish/) Ahmad El Esseily > [“Nur tote Fische schwimmen mit dem Strom. Only dead fish go with the flow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nur-tote-fische-schwimmen-mit-dem-strom-only-dead-fish-go-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ In ten years \[i.e., 1980\] all important animal life in the sea will be extinct. Large areas of coastline will have to be evacuated… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/in-ten-years-i-e-1980-all-important-animal-life-in-the-sea-will-be/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [People say 'go with the flow' but do you know what goes with the flow? Dead fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-keane/people-say-go-with-the-flow-but-do-you-know-what-goes-with-the-flow/) [Roy Keane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-keane/) > [“My sperm came out into the water, unaccustomed to the light, and instantly it became a misty, stringy kind of thing and swirled out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brautigan/my-sperm-came-out-into-the-water-unaccustomed-to-the-light-and/) [Richard Brautigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brautigan/) ## More by Kinky Friedman > [I believe that voices like Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, Ralph Nader should be heard. They don't have to be president. Give 'em a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-believe-that-voices-like-ross-perot-pat-buchanan-ralph-nader-should/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I don't believe in carrying a weapon. If somebody wants to shoot me, he'll have to bring his own gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-don-t-believe-in-carrying-a-weapon-if-somebody-wants-to-shoot-me-he/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [The system is not perfect. Until it's perfect, let's do away with the death penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/the-system-is-not-perfect-until-it-s-perfect-let-s-do-away-with-the/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [That's the government. Having been a politician and a musician, I can tell you which one is a higher calling. If musicians ran the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/that-s-the-government-having-been-a-politician-and-a-musician-i-can/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I'm too young for Medicare and too old for women to care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-m-too-young-for-medicare-and-too-old-for-women-to-care/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I never apologize for the truth. And the truth here is that racists come in many different colors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-never-apologize-for-the-truth-and-the-truth-here-is-that-racists/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [God created whiskey to keep the Irish from taking over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/god-created-whiskey-to-keep-the-irish-from-taking-over-the-world/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I suffer from the curse of being multi-talented. There's no doubt about it. Politics and literature have gotten in the way of songwriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-suffer-from-the-curse-of-being-multi-talented-there-s-no-doubt/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [The teachers are getting screwed, blued, and tattooed by the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/the-teachers-are-getting-screwed-blued-and-tattooed-by-the-system/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [ I want to be governor \[of Texas\] because I need the closet space. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-want-to-be-governor-of-texas-because-i-need-the-closet-space/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [On the whole I prefer cats to women because cats seldom if ever use the word 'relationship'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/on-the-whole-i-prefer-cats-to-women-because-cats-seldom-if-ever-use/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [My plan is to bring back like the Bracero Program from 1944 that ran for 20 years where the Mexican government vets these people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/my-plan-is-to-bring-back-like-the-bracero-program-from-1944-that-ran/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [I don't think I have even achieved fame. Of course, Hemingway says that fame is death's little sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/i-don-t-think-i-have-even-achieved-fame-of-course-hemingway-says-that/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [If you gotta kill two birds, might as well get stoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/if-you-gotta-kill-two-birds-might-as-well-get-stoned/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) > [People may surprise you with unexpected kindness. Dogs have a depth of loyalty that often we seem unworthy of. But the love of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinky-friedman/people-may-surprise-you-with-unexpected-kindness-dogs-have-a-depth-of/) [Kinky Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) [Explore all 165 Kinky Friedman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinky-friedman/) ## More Accomplish quotes > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [God has given believers the responsibility of spreading the Gospel to all the world, and we need to use all at our disposal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-epp/god-has-given-believers-the-responsibility-of-spreading-the-gospel-to/) [Theodore Epp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-epp/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [There's things that you want to accomplish, but to do that you have to work. That's the name of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/there-s-things-that-you-want-to-accomplish-but-to-do-that-you-have-to/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [We have to think about the future and what it is we want to accomplish from this party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/we-have-to-think-about-the-future-and-what-it-is-we-want-to/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [Everything that I have ever hoped to accomplish, she has done and done better than anyone I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/everything-that-i-have-ever-hoped-to-accomplish-she-has-done-and-done/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For what we want to accomplish in the future, we have to be able to view everything from the eyes of the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-katz/for-what-we-want-to-accomplish-in-the-future-we-have-to-be-able-to/) [Karen Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-katz/) > [And for me the only way to live life is to grab the bull by the horns and call up recording studios and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/and-for-me-the-only-way-to-live-life-is-to-grab-the-bull-by-the-horns/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [A great tennis career is something that a 15-year-old normally doesn't have. I hope my example helps other teens believe they can accomplish things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/a-great-tennis-career-is-something-that-a-15-year-old-normally-doesn/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [One should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/one-should-not-withdraw-from-individuals-and-commit-to-the-community/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) Browse all 2,426 Accomplish quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You don't accomplish much by swimming with the mainstream. 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