--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't start out to become famous, so…" description: "\"I didn't start out to become famous, so when it disappeared, I thought, well, that happens sometimes.\" — Leon Russell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/leon-russell-8247_famous_i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-w_1853551.jpg" --- # I didn't start out to become famous, so when it… ![“I didn't start out to become famous, so when it disappeared, I thought, well, that happens sometimes.” quote by Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/leon-russell-8247_famous_i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-w_1853551.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/leon-russell-8247_famous_i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-w_1853551.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/leon-russell-8247_famous_i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-w_1853551.jpg) > “I didn't start out to become famous, so when it disappeared, I thought, well, that happens sometimes.” [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He never aimed for fame, so when it vanished, he accepted it as normal. **In simple terms:** Fame wasn't a goal; its loss felt natural. Key Takeaway Accept outcomes without attachment. Themes fame acceptance humility Mood calm reflective Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - mindfulness - detachment Key Concepts career personal values Questions to Reflect On - Do you tie self‑worth to external success? - How can you stay grounded amid fame? A Different Perspective Societal pressure may still cause distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) ## Related quotes > [I've never killed anybody... but I've definitely thought about it. But that's how we are. That's what happens when you put people together and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-ve-never-killed-anybody-but-i-ve-definitely-thought-about-it-but/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“Listen, kid, you shouldn't work so bloody hard. Sometimes it's a goos idea just to let go and scream a bit." Let go she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-larsson/listen-kid-you-shouldn-t-work-so-bloody-hard-sometimes-it-s-a-goos/) [Åsa Larsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-larsson/) > [We are the producers of our own thinking. Thought is not something that happens to us, but something that we do to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spence/we-are-the-producers-of-our-own-thinking-thought-is-not-something/) [John Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spence/) > [Psychoanalysis teaches one thing, he thought: Nothing ever happens in a vacuum. A single bad act can have all sorts of repercussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-katzenbach/psychoanalysis-teaches-one-thing-he-thought-nothing-ever-happens-in-a/) [John Katzenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-katzenbach/) > [For a long time growing up, I thought that everything happens for a reason and it's kind of already written. But as I've grown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christen-press/for-a-long-time-growing-up-i-thought-that-everything-happens-for-a/) [Christen Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christen-press/) > [“Everybody is so happy, and no one has a thought for you. And this is what happens to me everywhere and always. Everyone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-von-eichendorff/everybody-is-so-happy-and-no-one-has-a-thought-for-you-and-this-is/) Joseph von Eichendorff > [Nobody sane wants just to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dornan/nobody-sane-wants-just-to-be-famous/) [Jamie Dornan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dornan/) > [I changed my mind about being a famous pop star when I realised that it meant I'd never be able to get on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-jewell/i-changed-my-mind-about-being-a-famous-pop-star-when-i-realised-that/) [Lisa Jewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-jewell/) > [I don't think you can ever get used to being this famous. I've learnt how to keep things separate or at a distance. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/i-don-t-think-you-can-ever-get-used-to-being-this-famous-i-ve-learnt/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [If I had never gotten famous or rich, I think I'd be equally neurotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/if-i-had-never-gotten-famous-or-rich-i-think-i-d-be-equally-neurotic/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Becoming famous is a really shocking thing, especially when you don't have aspirations to it. It got to the point where I would try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/becoming-famous-is-a-really-shocking-thing-especially-when-you-don-t/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [The News of the World made me more famous than being in Atomic Kitten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-katona/the-news-of-the-world-made-me-more-famous-than-being-in-atomic-kitten/) [Kerry Katona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-katona/) > [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 Leon Russell > [California always struck me as a police state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/california-always-struck-me-as-a-police-state/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [For years, when I was popular, I would face the blank page to write, and I couldn't think of anything that I thought was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/for-years-when-i-was-popular-i-would-face-the-blank-page-to-write-and/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I studied classical music for a long time, maybe 10 years, and I realized finally I was never going to have the hands to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-studied-classical-music-for-a-long-time-maybe-10-years-and-i/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I'm just concerned with going about my business and making the records I want to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-m-just-concerned-with-going-about-my-business-and-making-the/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I've always felt I struck out with Doris Day. Her son, Terry Melcher, was a producer I worked for at Columbia, and one day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-ve-always-felt-i-struck-out-with-doris-day-her-son-terry-melcher/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I'm happy to have a job. I play a little, write a little, perform some. It's not like it's an engineered, well-manufactured plan or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-m-happy-to-have-a-job-i-play-a-little-write-a-little-perform-some/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I started out playing 'Chopsticks.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-started-out-playing-chopsticks/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [Oklahoma was a dry state, and consequently, there was no liquor laws. And I was able to take advantage of that by playing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/oklahoma-was-a-dry-state-and-consequently-there-was-no-liquor-laws/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I would have to say Sam Cooke is the one I admired most. His artistry and vocal, just the way he did it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-would-have-to-say-sam-cooke-is-the-one-i-admired-most-his-artistry/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I was always trying to write standards, songs that anybody can sing. I figured that's where the money was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-was-always-trying-to-write-standards-songs-that-anybody-can-sing-i/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I'm kind of the Forrest Gump of rock n' roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-m-kind-of-the-forrest-gump-of-rock-n-roll/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I have a certain amount of difficulty dealing with too much limelight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-have-a-certain-amount-of-difficulty-dealing-with-too-much-limelight/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [Sometimes one misses the sign posts as you're going down the road. They aren't as obvious as they become when you get to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/sometimes-one-misses-the-sign-posts-as-you-re-going-down-the-road/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [I was on the road with Jerry Lee Lewis when I was 15 - I can't imagine not doing it. That's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-was-on-the-road-with-jerry-lee-lewis-when-i-was-15-i-can-t-imagine/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) > [When I was in grade school, I had a little duet act with a guy who was a beautiful singer, and somebody recorded it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/when-i-was-in-grade-school-i-had-a-little-duet-act-with-a-guy-who-was/) [Leon Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) [Explore all 82 Leon Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/) ## More Disappeared quotes > [“When the first time I saw you, when you have been totally stranger, suddenly, somehow everything completely disappeared and I realized that I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rati-tsiteladze/when-the-first-time-i-saw-you-when-you-have-been-totally-stranger/) [Rati Tsiteladze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rati-tsiteladze/) > [“If his long day were lived in a European novel, he'd become "D" when on the run or near disappeared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kudera/if-his-long-day-were-lived-in-a-european-novel-he-d-become-d-when-on/) [Alex Kudera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kudera/) > [The one person who's disappeared out of the business is the A&R man. Because the listener at home becomes the A&R man. He's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/the-one-person-who-s-disappeared-out-of-the-business-is-the-a-r-man/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [I've always been making music, but I sort of went under the radar. I kind of disappeared... I was never really that comfortable with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-somerville/i-ve-always-been-making-music-but-i-sort-of-went-under-the-radar-i/) [Jimmy Somerville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-somerville/) > [There was a strange happening during a performance of Elgar's 'Sea Pictures' at a concert hall in Bermuda tonight, when the man playing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-barker/there-was-a-strange-happening-during-a-performance-of-elgar-s-sea/) [Ronnie Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-barker/) > [“At the kitchen table she examined the glass of ice. Each cube was rounded by room temperature, dissolving in its own remains, and belatedly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-marra/at-the-kitchen-table-she-examined-the-glass-of-ice-each-cube-was/) [Anthony Marra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-marra/) > [For women who do not love us, as for the "disappeared", knowing that we no longer have any hope does not prevent us form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/for-women-who-do-not-love-us-as-for-the-disappeared-knowing-that-we/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [It's Simon, he's missing." Ahh." said Magnus delicately "Missing what exactly?" Missing!" Jace repeated "As in gone, absent, notable for his lack of presence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/it-s-simon-he-s-missing-ahh-said-magnus-delicately-missing-what/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When a grown man reaches forty, we change him for an old one. He has completely disappeared. There's only the most superficial resemblance between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-giraudoux/when-a-grown-man-reaches-forty-we-change-him-for-an-old-one-he-has/) [Jean Giraudoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-giraudoux/) > [I still have a photo on my wall of the greatest idol I will ever have in my life, and it's myself at eight.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/i-still-have-a-photo-on-my-wall-of-the-greatest-idol-i-will-ever-have/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [Let's face it, she can't have simply disappeared...can she?" Horace shrugged. "That's what I keep telling myself," he said morosley. "But somehow it looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/let-s-face-it-she-can-t-have-simply-disappeared-can-she-horace/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [When we two parted and you disappeared I felt brokenhearted but I dried my tears. I'd hope you'd move on and try to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/body/when-we-two-parted-and-you-disappeared-i-felt-brokenhearted-but-i/) [BODY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/body/) > [I was struck by the fact that I hadn't been awed in a while. Did that mean awesome things had disappeared from my life?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-thoele/i-was-struck-by-the-fact-that-i-hadn-t-been-awed-in-a-while-did-that/) [Sue Thoele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-thoele/) > [“Over the last month her grip on her home and work life had slipped beyond her control. Her earnings had disappeared to practically nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-donoghue/over-the-last-month-her-grip-on-her-home-and-work-life-had-slipped/) [Clare Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-donoghue/) > [“Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that Dumbledore’s face had disappeared. “He’s gone!” “Well, you can’t expect him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/harry-turned-the-card-back-over-and-saw-to-his-astonishment-that/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) Browse all 229 Disappeared quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't start out to become famous, so when it disappeared, I thought, well, that happens sometimes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leon Russell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-when-it-disappeared-i-thought/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disappeared" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-when-it-disappeared-i-thought/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/leon-russell-8247_famous_i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-w_1853551.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/leon-russell-8247_famous_i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-w_1853551.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b11/leon-russell-8247_famous_i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-w_1853551.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I didn't start out to become famous, so when it disappeared, I thought, well, that happens sometimes.” — Leon Russell", "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": "Leon Russell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-russell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I didn't start out to become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-when-it-disappeared-i-thought/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-russell/i-didn-t-start-out-to-become-famous-so-when-it-disappeared-i-thought/#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 } } ] } ```