--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Songwriting has always been a means to an…" description: "\"Songwriting has always been a means to an end for me. That end being a tool to try to understand myself in the world and, through observation, make sen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/ruston-kelly-32088_end_songwriting-has-always-been-a-means-to-a_1934417.jpg" --- # Songwriting has always been a means to an end for me. That… ![“Songwriting has always been a means to an end for me. That end being a tool to try to understand myself in the world and, through observation, make sense of the world.” quote by Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/ruston-kelly-32088_end_songwriting-has-always-been-a-means-to-a_1934417.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/ruston-kelly-32088_end_songwriting-has-always-been-a-means-to-a_1934417.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fde/ruston-kelly-32088_end_songwriting-has-always-been-a-means-to-a_1934417.jpg) > “Songwriting has always been a means to an end for me. That end being a tool to try to understand myself in the world and, through observation, make sense of the world.” [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Songwriting is a tool for self‑discovery and interpreting the world, using observation to make sense of personal experience. **In simple terms:** Writing songs helps understand yourself and the world. Key Takeaway Use creative work to explore personal insight. Themes creativity self‑knowledge observation Mood introspective inspirational Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - journaling - music composition - therapy - teaching Key Concepts Artistic expression psychology Questions to Reflect On - What have you learned about yourself through writing? - How does observation shape your art? A Different Perspective Creative processes can also reinforce biases if not critically examined. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/) [Understand Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-myself/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Everything in life influences my music. I've always used songwriting as a means to share what I think is profound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/everything-in-life-influences-my-music-i-ve-always-used-songwriting/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [The technology is not an end in itself: it is a tool. It can make it easier for us to communicate or manage our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/the-technology-is-not-an-end-in-itself-it-is-a-tool-it-can-make-it/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [Using an artful tool does not make one a dry technician. It seems to me that people that are anxious about our technical advancement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/using-an-artful-tool-does-not-make-one-a-dry-technician-it-seems-to/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“i can only give to you what i have already given to myself i can only understand the world as much as i understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yung-pueblo/i-can-only-give-to-you-what-i-have-already-given-to-myself-i-can-only/) Yung Pueblo > [Sometimes I think, I understand the world more than I understand myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/sometimes-i-think-i-understand-the-world-more-than-i-understand-myself/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Logic doesn’t work in human relations, I guess,” he told Ella. “I try to understand myself as I tried to understand the bosses in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hartshorn/logic-doesn-t-work-in-human-relations-i-guess-he-told-ella-i-try-to/) [Peter Hartshorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hartshorn/) > [“I will never understand the whole world or even one country. All I can do is try to understand the truth and lies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margarita-engle/i-will-never-understand-the-whole-world-or-even-one-country-all-i-can/) [Margarita Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margarita-engle/) > [Because I feel in my heart, that I'm done with you. How can you trust anyone When you have been lied to countless times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/im-nothing/because-i-feel-in-my-heart-that-i-m-done-with-you-how-can-you-trust/) Im Nothing > [Beware the person who has nothing to lose.In the end, music is your only friend.I know what its like to want to die; how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaile-stewart/beware-the-person-who-has-nothing-to-lose-in-the-end-music-is-your/) [Kaile Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaile-stewart/) > [I don't understand myself in relationships and I don't understand relationships. So to continue to explore them and to try and work that out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake-doremus/i-don-t-understand-myself-in-relationships-and-i-don-t-understand/) [Drake Doremus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake-doremus/) > [I use music as something from which I obtain some form of - I hate to use the word spiritual - guidance, an awareness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meale/i-use-music-as-something-from-which-i-obtain-some-form-of-i-hate-to/) [Richard Meale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meale/) > [I do both music and acting at the same time. To me they are both really important parts of how I express myself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksa-palladino/i-do-both-music-and-acting-at-the-same-time-to-me-they-are-both/) [Aleksa Palladino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksa-palladino/) > [I obviously do everything to be "hard to understand" myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-obviously-do-everything-to-be-hard-to-understand-myself/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“I have not seen anywhere in the world a more obvious malformed person and miracle than myself. Through use and time we become conditioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-not-seen-anywhere-in-the-world-a-more-obvious-malformed-person/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I found the emotion that as an athlete you block out, and it really helped me to understand myself as a person. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-lewis/i-found-the-emotion-that-as-an-athlete-you-block-out-and-it-really/) [Carl Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-lewis/) ## More by Ruston Kelly > [It seems like some of my favorite songs have almost like a nursery rhyme vibe to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/it-seems-like-some-of-my-favorite-songs-have-almost-like-a-nursery/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [When people suffer from depression or anxiety or any sort of pain/mental anguish combo, being able to take the power out of it through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/when-people-suffer-from-depression-or-anxiety-or-any-sort-of-pain/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [I was writing songs, I guess, a sense of lyricism before I started picking up the guitar. Once I picked up the guitar, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/i-was-writing-songs-i-guess-a-sense-of-lyricism-before-i-started/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [A folk melody can exist uniquely but also still be somewhat familiar to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/a-folk-melody-can-exist-uniquely-but-also-still-be-somewhat-familiar/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [I can write about pain without experiencing pain, which I am thankful for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/i-can-write-about-pain-without-experiencing-pain-which-i-am-thankful/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [And there has to be a level of gratitude and a little bit of pride. But I want that pride to be quick so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/and-there-has-to-be-a-level-of-gratitude-and-a-little-bit-of-pride/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [I feel the most centered in my life when I'm performing a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/i-feel-the-most-centered-in-my-life-when-i-m-performing-a-song/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [It's a successful feeling when someone tells you that you were instrumental in helping them heal from a great wound in their life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/it-s-a-successful-feeling-when-someone-tells-you-that-you-were/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [We are all dually feminine and masculine. To give in to both of those things would strengthen us as human beings and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/we-are-all-dually-feminine-and-masculine-to-give-in-to-both-of-those/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [My theory is that if I can stay present in the moment in my life as frequent as possible the artwork will be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/my-theory-is-that-if-i-can-stay-present-in-the-moment-in-my-life-as/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [Black-metal is my favourite. Mayhem are one of my favourite bands. But whenever Slayer comes to town, I am going to that show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/black-metal-is-my-favourite-mayhem-are-one-of-my-favourite-bands-but/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [You can be whoever you want to be when you are writing songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/you-can-be-whoever-you-want-to-be-when-you-are-writing-songs/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [When I do find myself having downtime, I just put my guitar in my hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/when-i-do-find-myself-having-downtime-i-just-put-my-guitar-in-my-hands/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [I used to feel that if I wasn't living out my songs, I wasn't doing myself or my craft justice, and that's a dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/i-used-to-feel-that-if-i-wasn-t-living-out-my-songs-i-wasn-t-doing/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) > [I have to remind myself sometimes to look back and see what brought me to where I'm at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruston-kelly/i-have-to-remind-myself-sometimes-to-look-back-and-see-what-brought/) [Ruston Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) [Explore all 16 Ruston Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruston-kelly/) ## More End quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I feel I handle the pressure situations well, and that's why I want to be there at the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-de-villiers/i-feel-i-handle-the-pressure-situations-well-and-that-s-why-i-want-to/) [AB de Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-de-villiers/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Obviously, I want to win, but at the same time, at the end of the day, it's a game and that's what I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-rendon/obviously-i-want-to-win-but-at-the-same-time-at-the-end-of-the-day-it/) [Anthony Rendon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-rendon/) > [I loved Twitter. But I was going to end up saying something that would get me into trouble. I have kept a clean nose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-richards/i-loved-twitter-but-i-was-going-to-end-up-saying-something-that-would/) [Micah Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-richards/) > [I'm a humanist at heart: at the end of the day, we are all human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/i-m-a-humanist-at-heart-at-the-end-of-the-day-we-are-all-human-beings/) [Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/) > [At the end of the day, winning games is the only thing that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/at-the-end-of-the-day-winning-games-is-the-only-thing-that-matters/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [My best business decision was to be independent as a musician and artist. My worst was compromising on certain aspects of a deal for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/my-best-business-decision-was-to-be-independent-as-a-musician-and/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [Regular panelists on shows can be terrifying. They own that space, and many guest comics suspect they are favoured in the edit, while their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-brand/regular-panelists-on-shows-can-be-terrifying-they-own-that-space-and/) [Jo Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-brand/) > [Our ape legs make us great generalists - we can walk, run and climb. But when you try to do too many things at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-roberts/our-ape-legs-make-us-great-generalists-we-can-walk-run-and-climb-but/) [Alice Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-roberts/) > [I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/i-have-an-intense-dislike-of-doctrines-because-you-will-always-end-up/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) Browse all 7,862 End quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Songwriting has always been a means to an end for me. 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