--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I arrived in New York I was…" description: "\"When I arrived in New York I was definitely the worst player in town! It was just a measure of how far I had to go. It took years, while I was at Juill..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/paul-bley-46715_different_when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definit_272196.png" --- # When I arrived in New York I was definitely the worst… ![“When I arrived in New York I was definitely the worst player in town! It was just a measure of how far I had to go. It took years, while I was at Juilliard I worked different weekends with different people.” quote by Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/paul-bley-46715_different_when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definit_272196.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/paul-bley-46715_different_when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definit_272196.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/paul-bley-46715_different_when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definit_272196.png) > “When I arrived in New York I was definitely the worst player in town! It was just a measure of how far I had to go. It took years, while I was at Juilliard I worked different weekends with different people.” [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early struggles in New York highlighted his need for growth, leading to years of practice and collaboration at Juilliard. **In simple terms:** He started as the worst player, then improved through hard work. Key Takeaway Persist through early setbacks. Themes growth practice collaboration perseverance musicianship Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational educational When to use this quote - music conservatory - jam sessions - performance rehearsals - career beginnings Key Concepts skill development learning mindset mentor relationships Questions to Reflect On - What habits helped you improve? - How do you measure progress over time? A Different Perspective Talent alone isn’t enough without dedication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Juilliard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/juilliard/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Weekend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weekend/) ## Related quotes > [Even if I'm the worst player in the NBA, I'm one of the best players in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-dinwiddie/even-if-i-m-the-worst-player-in-the-nba-i-m-one-of-the-best-players/) [Spencer Dinwiddie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-dinwiddie/) > [Somebody said that I'm the worst player in the NBA, and my last name should not be Dragic, but 'Tragic.' Every time I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goran-dragic/somebody-said-that-i-m-the-worst-player-in-the-nba-and-my-last-name/) [Goran Dragic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goran-dragic/) > [You can't think you're God when you score an important goal or the worst player around when its going badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvaro-morata/you-can-t-think-you-re-god-when-you-score-an-important-goal-or-the/) [Alvaro Morata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvaro-morata/) > [Obviously with social media, everybody has an opinion on you. Somebody catches a pass on you in a game and suddenly you're the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mccourty/obviously-with-social-media-everybody-has-an-opinion-on-you-somebody/) [Jason McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mccourty/) > [I'd sneak out and work on my game at midnight. The neighbors would call and say, turn the lights off. I went from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-d-sneak-out-and-work-on-my-game-at-midnight-the-neighbors-would/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [You can be the best player in one game and then the worst player ever in the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-walcott/you-can-be-the-best-player-in-one-game-and-then-the-worst-player-ever/) [Theo Walcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-walcott/) > [That awkward moment when the worst player on the other team tries talking crap to you...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awkward-moment-when-the-worst-player-on-the-other-team-tries/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And I think they loved me because I loved being part of their team, you know, and I quite often say to kids, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-johnston/and-i-think-they-loved-me-because-i-loved-being-part-of-their-team/) [Craig Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-johnston/) > [“Train like you are the worst player, play like you are the best player.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/train-like-you-are-the-worst-player-play-like-you-are-the-best-player/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I always said this as an athlete, 'Practice like you're the worst player on the field. Play like you're the best.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mendoza/i-always-said-this-as-an-athlete-practice-like-you-re-the-worst/) [Jessica Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mendoza/) > [I had some moments in my career where I'd walk on the court, and I look around and feel, 'Oh, I'm the best one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-horry/i-had-some-moments-in-my-career-where-i-d-walk-on-the-court-and-i/) [Robert Horry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-horry/) > [Golf is the only game where the worst player gets the best of it. He obtains more out of it as regards both exercise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lloyd-george/golf-is-the-only-game-where-the-worst-player-gets-the-best-of-it-he/) [David Lloyd George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lloyd-george/) > [I was always Little Doc. And in the sixth grade I was the worst player on the team. People said I was only on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-was-always-little-doc-and-in-the-sixth-grade-i-was-the-worst-player/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [You know, I think I'm the worst player to talk to about statistics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-azarenka/you-know-i-think-i-m-the-worst-player-to-talk-to-about-statistics/) [Victoria Azarenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-azarenka/) > [I've had this unbelievable amount of good fortune and I'm just so thankful for it. But at the same time I feel exceptionally guilty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-gray-gubler/i-ve-had-this-unbelievable-amount-of-good-fortune-and-i-m-just-so/) [Matthew Gray Gubler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-gray-gubler/) ## More by Paul Bley > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [I anticipated all the changes in jazz because they were all problematical things, that I was dealing with myself. In New York in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-anticipated-all-the-changes-in-jazz-because-they-were-all/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [The Beatles came and everybody forgot about everything else. That was a friendly, together, hip interpersonal music, introducing electric sustain, and it captured the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/the-beatles-came-and-everybody-forgot-about-everything-else-that-was/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [I think all record companies should be run by a musician. Just as you wouldn't trust your health to an electrician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-all-record-companies-should-be-run-by-a-musician-just-as-you/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Now as jazz musicians we're saying for this society, you can free up your imagination. You can proceed in an area without much information…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/now-as-jazz-musicians-we-re-saying-for-this-society-you-can-free-up/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Ornette Coleman wasn't sure whether he was going to continue with Charlie Haden-Charlie had some personal problems. I said "You've got to be kidding!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/ornette-coleman-wasn-t-sure-whether-he-was-going-to-continue-with/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) [Explore all 8 Paul Bley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) ## More Different quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [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/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/) [Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) Browse all 28,697 Different quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I arrived in New York I was definitely the worst player in town! It was just a measure of how far I had to go. It took years, while I was at Juilliard I worked different weekends with different people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Bley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definitely-the-worst-player-in-town/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Different" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definitely-the-worst-player-in-town/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/paul-bley-46715_different_when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definit_272196.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/paul-bley-46715_different_when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definit_272196.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/435/paul-bley-46715_different_when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definit_272196.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I arrived in New York I was definitely the worst player in town! It was just a measure of how far I had…” — Paul Bley", "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": "Paul Bley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I arrived in New York...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definitely-the-worst-player-in-town/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/when-i-arrived-in-new-york-i-was-definitely-the-worst-player-in-town/#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 } } ] } ```