--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being successful is kind of dull." description: "\"Being successful is kind of dull.\" — Nolan Bushnell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/nolan-bushnell-5525_being-successful_being-successful-is-kind-of-dull-2938715_2938715.png" --- # Being successful is kind of dull. ![“Being successful is kind of dull.” quote by Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/nolan-bushnell-5525_being-successful_being-successful-is-kind-of-dull-2938715_2938715.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/nolan-bushnell-5525_being-successful_being-successful-is-kind-of-dull-2938715_2938715.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/nolan-bushnell-5525_being-successful_being-successful-is-kind-of-dull-2938715_2938715.png) > “Being successful is kind of dull.” [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success can become monotonous when it loses novelty and personal fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Success may feel boring without meaning. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond achievement. Themes success fulfillment monotony Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - creative projects Key Concepts meaning purpose motivation Questions to Reflect On - What gives your achievements meaning? - How can you add variety to success? A Different Perspective Success alone doesn't guarantee happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [Being on a successful show is kind of like being a sea turtle. Every year, sea turtles lay hundreds and hundreds of eggs, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-agena/being-on-a-successful-show-is-kind-of-like-being-a-sea-turtle-every/) [Keiko Agena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-agena/) > [The life without men praise and regard as successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-life-without-men-praise-and-regard-as-successful-is-but-one-kind/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I've been curious about certain things, but didn't let them get in the way of my life. I don't know how people becoem successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobey-maguire/i-ve-been-curious-about-certain-things-but-didn-t-let-them-get-in-the/) [Tobey Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobey-maguire/) > [The older I've gotten, and the more that I've worked, I cherish that I'm an Ohio boy because, at the end of the day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-creel/the-older-i-ve-gotten-and-the-more-that-i-ve-worked-i-cherish-that-i/) [Gavin Creel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-creel/) > [I've never wanted to be a doctor, I've never wanted to be an engineer, I've never had that goal, but when you're around people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/i-ve-never-wanted-to-be-a-doctor-i-ve-never-wanted-to-be-an-engineer/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Any time you get results, it's satisfying. Especially when you see what you've been doing has made you unsuccessful, and you look at what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/any-time-you-get-results-it-s-satisfying-especially-when-you-see-what/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) > [“The life which men praise and regard as successful is but one kind. Why should we exaggerate any one kind at the expense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-life-which-men-praise-and-regard-as-successful-is-but-one-kind/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [One of the things about dealing with an artist is that their art is essentially - if they're successful, it's kind of lightning in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-colt/one-of-the-things-about-dealing-with-an-artist-is-that-their-art-is/) [Johnny Colt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-colt/) > [A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/a-lot-of-people-have-ideas-but-there-are-few-who-decide-to-do/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More by Nolan Bushnell > [Some of the best projects to ever come out of Atari or Chuck E. Cheese's were from high school dropouts, college dropouts. One guy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/some-of-the-best-projects-to-ever-come-out-of-atari-or-chuck-e-cheese/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I guess I'd like to be known for being an innovator, fostering creativity, thinking outside the box. You know, keeping people playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-guess-i-d-like-to-be-known-for-being-an-innovator-fostering/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I've always been a tech-head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-ve-always-been-a-tech-head/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [In 1980, Atari was bringing in around two billion dollars in revenue and Chuck E. Cheese's some five hundred million. I still didn't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/in-1980-atari-was-bringing-in-around-two-billion-dollars-in-revenue/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I believe that in games, when you're talking about pitting my wits and my brain against your wits and your brain, that simplicity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-believe-that-in-games-when-you-re-talking-about-pitting-my-wits-and/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [The subtle generational cues that make one thing cool and another uncool aren't always obvious to a parent. My children are my dinner-table sounding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/the-subtle-generational-cues-that-make-one-thing-cool-and-another/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [The truly creative people tend to be outliers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/the-truly-creative-people-tend-to-be-outliers/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I'm a big believer in the Wii. I love the physicality of the Wii controller, and how you can get the feeling of throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-m-a-big-believer-in-the-wii-i-love-the-physicality-of-the-wii/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Women were very, very good at 'Pong'. It was part of the dating scene. The number of people who told me they met their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/women-were-very-very-good-at-pong-it-was-part-of-the-dating-scene-the/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Learning ballroom dancing is great for your brain. But it only works for three to six months. After that, you've got all the benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/learning-ballroom-dancing-is-great-for-your-brain-but-it-only-works/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Walk to work, even if it's four miles. Ride a bike to work. Drive a different way. On your way there, try to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/walk-to-work-even-if-it-s-four-miles-ride-a-bike-to-work-drive-a/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [Hire for passion and intensity; there is training for everything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/hire-for-passion-and-intensity-there-is-training-for-everything-else/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [When I was running Atari, violence against humanoid figures was not allowed. We'd let you shoot at a tank... but we drew the line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/when-i-was-running-atari-violence-against-humanoid-figures-was-not/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [You wanna build your IQ higher in the next two years? Be uncomfortable. That means, learn something where you have a beginner's mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/you-wanna-build-your-iq-higher-in-the-next-two-years-be-uncomfortable/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [People hate to and will not read instructions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/people-hate-to-and-will-not-read-instructions/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) [Explore all 100 Nolan Bushnell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) ## More Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) Blair Hull [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being successful is kind of dull.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nolan Bushnell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/being-successful-is-kind-of-dull/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being successful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/being-successful-is-kind-of-dull/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/nolan-bushnell-5525_being-successful_being-successful-is-kind-of-dull-2938715_2938715.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/nolan-bushnell-5525_being-successful_being-successful-is-kind-of-dull-2938715_2938715.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/nolan-bushnell-5525_being-successful_being-successful-is-kind-of-dull-2938715_2938715.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being successful is kind of dull.” — Nolan Bushnell", "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": "Nolan Bushnell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being successful is kind of dull.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/being-successful-is-kind-of-dull/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/being-successful-is-kind-of-dull/#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 } } ] } ```