---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, songwriting is something that I…"
description: "\"For me, songwriting is something that I have to do ritually. I don't just wait for inspiration; I try to write a little bit every day.\" — Sean Lennon"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/sean-lennon-11288_every-day_for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-h_119963.jpg"
---

#  For me, songwriting is something that I have to do…

![“For me, songwriting is something that I have to do ritually. I don't just wait for inspiration; I try to write a little bit every day.” quote by Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/sean-lennon-11288_every-day_for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-h_119963.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/sean-lennon-11288_every-day_for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-h_119963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/sean-lennon-11288_every-day_for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-h_119963.jpg)

> “For me, songwriting is something that I have to do ritually. I don't just wait for inspiration; I try to write a little bit every day.”

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The artist treats songwriting as a disciplined habit, relying on regular practice rather than sporadic inspiration.

**In simple terms:** Write daily; don’t wait for inspiration.

Key Takeaway

Routine beats waiting for muse.

Themes

creativity discipline songwriting habit

Mood

motivational pragmatic

Type

advice personal

When to use this quote

- daily writing exercises
- artist workshops
- creative blocks management

Key Concepts

process over product

Practical Applications

- set a fixed writing schedule
- use prompts to start sessions

Questions to Reflect On

- Why can routine diminish creative anxiety?
- How does daily practice reshape the concept of inspiration?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songwriting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songwriting/)

## Related quotes

> [“This makes me feel ritually unclean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/this-makes-me-feel-ritually-unclean/)

[Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/)

> [When you're on your own, you have all the self-censorship that everybody has when they try and write. All the little voices that say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/when-you-re-on-your-own-you-have-all-the-self-censorship-that/)

[Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/)

> [I teach songwriting a lot, and I always tell my students, 'You gotta write the little songs sometimes to get to the next big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-gauthier/i-teach-songwriting-a-lot-and-i-always-tell-my-students-you-gotta/)

[Mary Gauthier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-gauthier/)

> [I do a lot of writing in my capacity as the creative director for a marketing agency. These days, though, I'm trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-doescher/i-do-a-lot-of-writing-in-my-capacity-as-the-creative-director-for-a/)

[Ian Doescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-doescher/)

> [Just write a little bit every day. Even if it's for only half an hour — write, write, write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/just-write-a-little-bit-every-day-even-if-it-s-for-only-half-an-hour/)

[Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/)

> [I try to write every day. I don't beat myself up about word counts, or how many hours are ticking by on the clock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/i-try-to-write-every-day-i-don-t-beat-myself-up-about-word-counts-or/)

[Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/)

> [Taking the question in general, I should say, in the case of many poets, that the most important thing for them to do ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/taking-the-question-in-general-i-should-say-in-the-case-of-many-poets/)

[T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/)

> [When I was in college, I used to write little ditties and short stories and poetry for my friends. Writing a book is another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-batali/when-i-was-in-college-i-used-to-write-little-ditties-and-short/)

[Mario Batali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-batali/)

> [I don't particularly like being angry about stuff. I'd rather hang out with my daughter and write my little books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/i-don-t-particularly-like-being-angry-about-stuff-i-d-rather-hang-out/)

[Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/)

> [“I don't know," I said. "Whether or not he can write his own name seems to have very little impact on his ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-bennett/i-don-t-know-i-said-whether-or-not-he-can-write-his-own-name-seems-to/)

[Danielle Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-bennett/)

> [I feel like in every song I write, I always write a little darker bit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ladyhawke/i-feel-like-in-every-song-i-write-i-always-write-a-little-darker-bit/)

[Ladyhawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ladyhawke/)

> [You can sort of start to write around 10. You also become a good reader around that time, and you want to imitate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-sean-greer/you-can-sort-of-start-to-write-around-10-you-also-become-a-good/)

[Andrew Sean Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-sean-greer/)

> [“Just because some of us can read and write and do a little math, that doesn't mean we deserve to conquer the Universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/just-because-some-of-us-can-read-and-write-and-do-a-little-math-that/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

> [All day long you write little ideas on the piano and the guitar, but sometimes all you have to do is come in, set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-granduciel/all-day-long-you-write-little-ideas-on-the-piano-and-the-guitar-but/)

[Adam Granduciel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-granduciel/)

> [Normally, I just sit in my quiet little room and do the small things that bring me pleasures. I read my books, I answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/normally-i-just-sit-in-my-quiet-little-room-and-do-the-small-things/)

[Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/)

## More by Sean Lennon

> [I have a piano and a guitar, and I tend to switch back and forth between those two instruments to help me get inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-have-a-piano-and-a-guitar-and-i-tend-to-switch-back-and-forth/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [I have a specific set of, I have a specific sort of negative energies to deal with that might be specific to me, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-have-a-specific-set-of-i-have-a-specific-sort-of-negative-energies/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [It would be nice if I was remembered at all. I don't really care about being remembered. I just want to enjoy my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/it-would-be-nice-if-i-was-remembered-at-all-i-don-t-really-care-about/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [I did a record with a producer, and the good producers eat up the budget, so I didn't have any budget left to produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-did-a-record-with-a-producer-and-the-good-producers-eat-up-the/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [I don't really believe in political art. I feel in my heart the purpose of art transcends cultural and class and politics. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-don-t-really-believe-in-political-art-i-feel-in-my-heart-the/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [I don't like when people dress intentionally ugly. Personally that's not my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-don-t-like-when-people-dress-intentionally-ugly-personally-that-s/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [I spend my time trying to figure art out. I was brought up to believe that the way one processes information is by making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-spend-my-time-trying-to-figure-art-out-i-was-brought-up-to-believe/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [My father was assassinated by an FBI-CIA connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/my-father-was-assassinated-by-an-fbi-cia-connection/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [I like songs and film because you can turn your life into a sort of myth or dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-like-songs-and-film-because-you-can-turn-your-life-into-a-sort-of/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [Now, music almost feels naked in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/now-music-almost-feels-naked-in-my-mind/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [You can't just pay attention to the short term, you just have to keep publishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/you-can-t-just-pay-attention-to-the-short-term-you-just-have-to-keep/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [My tendency is to be very experimental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/my-tendency-is-to-be-very-experimental/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [Wonder Woman was my first love, and now she’s \[Charlotte Kemp Muhl) my last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/wonder-woman-was-my-first-love-and-now-she-s-charlotte-kemp-muhl-my/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [I like music because it's the only invisible art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-like-music-because-it-s-the-only-invisible-art-form/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

> [What I hate is when you're wearing something and you feel it on your body. I hate that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/what-i-hate-is-when-you-re-wearing-something-and-you-feel-it-on-your/)

[Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

[Explore all 60 Sean Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/)

## More Every day quotes

> [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/)

Alison James

> [OBSESSED, p.p. Vexed by an evil spirit, like the Gadarene swine and other critics. Obsession was once more common than it is now. Arasthus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/obsessed-p-p-vexed-by-an-evil-spirit-like-the-gadarene-swine-and/)

[Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/)

> [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/)

[Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/)

> [On stage, you can bring all those strong emotions that you don't have the opportunity to live. You don't want to die for love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvie-guillem/on-stage-you-can-bring-all-those-strong-emotions-that-you-don-t-have/)

[Sylvie Guillem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvie-guillem/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I think naturally I've been kind of a lead-by-doing guy. Just showing up to work every day. You never ask teammates something you wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrell-suggs/i-think-naturally-i-ve-been-kind-of-a-lead-by-doing-guy-just-showing/)

[Terrell Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrell-suggs/)

> [Love is the Key started in 1994 with a simple idea: that Love is the Key that would open all the doors in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/love-is-the-key/love-is-the-key-started-in-1994-with-a-simple-idea-that-love-is-the/)

[Love Is The Key®](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/love-is-the-key/)

> [Being under-recruited coming out of Highland, I've carried that with me. I keep pushing forward, keep working hard every day, keep my head on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-daniels/being-under-recruited-coming-out-of-highland-i-ve-carried-that-with/)

[Mike Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-daniels/)

> [“(one would say yes, if not every day, at least fairly regularly), whether only for yourself or also for others (often only for yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/one-would-say-yes-if-not-every-day-at-least-fairly-regularly-whether/)

[Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/)

> [“Are you sure?" he asked in a low voice. "Because if I had the chance... I would spend every moment of every day with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/are-you-sure-he-asked-in-a-low-voice-because-if-i-had-the-chance-i/)

[Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/)

> [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/)

[Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/)

> [I have to justify my job every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-silva/i-have-to-justify-my-job-every-day/)

[Marco Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-silva/)

> [Merlin' was awesome, but the costumes would drive you insane. Every day, you'd get into chain mail and wear 30 pounds of that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eoin-macken/merlin-was-awesome-but-the-costumes-would-drive-you-insane-every-day/)

[Eoin Macken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eoin-macken/)

> [This cold weather has set all the young Folks to providing Bedfellows. I have signed two or three Licences every Day \[as a Fairfax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/this-cold-weather-has-set-all-the-young-folks-to-providing-bedfellows/)

[George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/)

> [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

Browse all 16,614 Every day quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "For me, songwriting is something that I have to do ritually. I don't just wait for inspiration; I try to write a little bit every day.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sean Lennon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-have-to-do-ritually-i-don-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Every day"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-have-to-do-ritually-i-don-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/sean-lennon-11288_every-day_for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-h_119963.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/sean-lennon-11288_every-day_for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-h_119963.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fc/sean-lennon-11288_every-day_for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-h_119963.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“For me, songwriting is something that I have to do ritually. I don't just wait for inspiration; I try to…” — Sean Lennon",
                "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": "Sean Lennon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "For me, songwriting is something that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-have-to-do-ritually-i-don-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/for-me-songwriting-is-something-that-i-have-to-do-ritually-i-don-t/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
