--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the biggest lesson is the common…" description: "\"I think the biggest lesson is the common one that gets in the way of most of us as artists - there are these messages in society that if you aren't hit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/lela-loren-12085_art_i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common_1011297.jpg" --- # I think the biggest lesson is the common one that gets in… ![“I think the biggest lesson is the common one that gets in the way of most of us as artists - there are these messages in society that if you aren't hitting certain metrics, then you're not successful and you're not valid.” quote by Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/lela-loren-12085_art_i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common_1011297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/lela-loren-12085_art_i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common_1011297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/lela-loren-12085_art_i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common_1011297.jpg) > “I think the biggest lesson is the common one that gets in the way of most of us as artists - there are these messages in society that if you aren't hitting certain metrics, then you're not successful and you're not valid.” [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists often feel invalidated if they don’t meet societal metrics of success. **In simple terms:** Metrics can undermine artistic worth. Key Takeaway Define success on personal terms. Themes validation art societal pressure Mood thoughtful inspirational Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - gallery shows - social media - grant applications Key Concepts self‑esteem creative freedom Questions to Reflect On - What personal metrics guide your art? - How do you resist societal pressure? A Different Perspective External standards can stifle authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Metrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metrics/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The business part of it can be very vexing. You always have to keep certain metrics and everything. Because all I can do is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/the-business-part-of-it-can-be-very-vexing-you-always-have-to-keep/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Philosophically, what I have learned is to thy own self be true. That is the biggest lesson of all. Relax; music is fun. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lake/philosophically-what-i-have-learned-is-to-thy-own-self-be-true-that/) [Greg Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lake/) > [“Now I live in New York. I have a house and furniture and an electric bill and a wife. None of it is particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/now-i-live-in-new-york-i-have-a-house-and-furniture-and-an-electric/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [The biggest lesson I've learned by living abroad for the last four years is the importance of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hidetoshi-nakata/the-biggest-lesson-i-ve-learned-by-living-abroad-for-the-last-four/) [Hidetoshi Nakata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hidetoshi-nakata/) > [The biggest lesson I've learned is, 'It's okay.' It's okay for me to be kind to myself. It's okay to be wrong. It's okay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-williams/the-biggest-lesson-i-ve-learned-is-it-s-okay-it-s-okay-for-me-to-be/) [Hayley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-williams/) > [ \[The biggest lesson I've got is\] Learning to have patience with people, just take it one step at a time in everything that you're… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/the-biggest-lesson-i-ve-got-is-learning-to-have-patience-with-people/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [The biggest lesson in life and skin care is that not everything is going to work for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/the-biggest-lesson-in-life-and-skin-care-is-that-not-everything-is/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [The biggest lesson that I have learnt from everyone is that there are no rules in filmmaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nandita-das/the-biggest-lesson-that-i-have-learnt-from-everyone-is-that-there-are/) [Nandita Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nandita-das/) > [The biggest lesson I learned in my life is that I still have lot to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/the-biggest-lesson-i-learned-in-my-life-is-that-i-still-have-lot-to/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [The biggest lesson in photography is that from negative we make a positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-koudelka/the-biggest-lesson-in-photography-is-that-from-negative-we-make-a/) [Josef Koudelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-koudelka/) > [The biggest lesson I learned from Vietnam is not to trust our own government statements. I had no idea until then that you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright-2/the-biggest-lesson-i-learned-from-vietnam-is-not-to-trust-our-own/) J William Fulbright > [“The biggest lesson was that if you were clear about what you wanted as leaders and then let people give it to you without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmine-gallo/the-biggest-lesson-was-that-if-you-were-clear-about-what-you-wanted/) [Carmine Gallo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmine-gallo/) > [I have to say that the biggest lesson I have learned is to find your way to stand out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelina-vega/i-have-to-say-that-the-biggest-lesson-i-have-learned-is-to-find-your/) [Zelina Vega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelina-vega/) > [“The biggest lesson was that rewarding smart failure was vital to support a culture of risk-taking. Chris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laszlo-bock/the-biggest-lesson-was-that-rewarding-smart-failure-was-vital-to/) [Laszlo Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laszlo-bock/) > [It's definitely the biggest lesson - not to take things personally. But it's also the hardest one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/it-s-definitely-the-biggest-lesson-not-to-take-things-personally-but/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) ## More by Lela Loren > [Professional creativity requires more than inspiration, talent, and discipline - it requires an endurance that few are aware of and even fewer have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/professional-creativity-requires-more-than-inspiration-talent-and/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [I think what inspires me or what keeps me inspired is my curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-think-what-inspires-me-or-what-keeps-me-inspired-is-my-curiosity/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [I don't feel like I've ever subscribed to the stereotypical notion of success. I've always equated success with having integrity, conducting yourself with compassion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-don-t-feel-like-i-ve-ever-subscribed-to-the-stereotypical-notion-of/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [In an industry still dominated by men, working with a female director on an episode written by a woman, helmed by a female showrunner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/in-an-industry-still-dominated-by-men-working-with-a-female-director/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [Sometimes you have to let your life fall apart and let it come back together on its own and learn to care for yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/sometimes-you-have-to-let-your-life-fall-apart-and-let-it-come-back/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [Time seems to slow down after the winter holiday. New York loses all of its winter romance and is just cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/time-seems-to-slow-down-after-the-winter-holiday-new-york-loses-all/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [Before 'Power,' I got down to $86 in my bank account. I don't know if I feel successful as much as I feel relieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/before-power-i-got-down-to-86-in-my-bank-account-i-don-t-know-if-i/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [I love evening tuberoses. My mother used to have tuberoses in her garden, and in the summers in Sacramento, it would get really hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-love-evening-tuberoses-my-mother-used-to-have-tuberoses-in-her/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [You can accomplish so many things with a negative outlook and low self-esteem if you just do it over and over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/you-can-accomplish-so-many-things-with-a-negative-outlook-and-low/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [The U.S. is a rainbow of people with an endless scope of stories. My hope is that writing stories about people of color will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/the-u-s-is-a-rainbow-of-people-with-an-endless-scope-of-stories-my/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [Enrique Muricano isn't afraid to try something new, to take risks, to possibly fail, and in turn, set himself apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/enrique-muricano-isn-t-afraid-to-try-something-new-to-take-risks-to/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [There's the laws of society and morality and then there's the laws of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/there-s-the-laws-of-society-and-morality-and-then-there-s-the-laws-of/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [I personally think 'Power' is much more similar to 'The Sopranos' in that it deals with a character who is leading a double life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-personally-think-power-is-much-more-similar-to-the-sopranos-in-that/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [I don't think that the black market's a new thing. It's always been a part of history, and it's been one of the ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-don-t-think-that-the-black-market-s-a-new-thing-it-s-always-been-a/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [Now, everyone has their talents, but working with props is not one of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/now-everyone-has-their-talents-but-working-with-props-is-not-one-of/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) [Explore all 56 Lela Loren quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) ## 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": "I think the biggest lesson is the common one that gets in the way of most of us as artists - there are these messages in society that if you aren't hitting certain metrics, then you're not successful and you're not valid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lela Loren" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common-one-that-gets-in-the-way-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common-one-that-gets-in-the-way-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/lela-loren-12085_art_i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common_1011297.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/lela-loren-12085_art_i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common_1011297.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78b/lela-loren-12085_art_i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common_1011297.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the biggest lesson is the common one that gets in the way of most of us as artists - there are these…” — Lela Loren", "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": "Lela Loren", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the biggest lesson is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common-one-that-gets-in-the-way-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/i-think-the-biggest-lesson-is-the-common-one-that-gets-in-the-way-of/#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 } } ] } ```