--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone told me, \"Don't ever talk about…" description: "\"Everyone told me, \"Don't ever talk about international stuff,\" and \"Don't do long-form content online,\" and \"Don't get too serious in news,\" and \"Don't..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/shane-smith-9533_broke_everyone-told-me-don-t-ever-talk-about-i_1672583.jpg" --- # Everyone told me, "Don't ever talk about international… ![“Everyone told me, "Don't ever talk about international stuff," and "Don't do long-form content online," and "Don't get too serious in news," and "Don't be too heavy" - all this stuff, all the rules. But we broke the rules, and that, ironically, has led to some of our most successful stuff.” quote by Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/shane-smith-9533_broke_everyone-told-me-don-t-ever-talk-about-i_1672583.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/shane-smith-9533_broke_everyone-told-me-don-t-ever-talk-about-i_1672583.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/shane-smith-9533_broke_everyone-told-me-don-t-ever-talk-about-i_1672583.jpg) > “Everyone told me, "Don't ever talk about international stuff," and "Don't do long-form content online," and "Don't get too serious in news," and "Don't be too heavy" - all this stuff, all the rules. But we broke the rules, and that, ironically, has led to some of our most successful stuff.” [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breaking conventional rules about tone and format led to unexpected success, showing that defying expectations can produce valuable outcomes. **In simple terms:** Defying rules can create success. Key Takeaway Embrace rule‑breaking creatively. Themes innovation risk creativity Mood determined confident Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - blogging - video production - social media campaigns - editorial planning Key Concepts media strategy content creation Questions to Reflect On - When should you follow rules? - What risks are worth taking? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating audiences if rules are ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [“I knew all this, I understood the rules, but still, nothing broke my heart like the slow death of a shared joke that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/i-knew-all-this-i-understood-the-rules-but-still-nothing-broke-my/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [“Two unwritten rules of peacekeeping existed. You’d expect it would be easy to keep two rules, but I broke the first one. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-pemper/two-unwritten-rules-of-peacekeeping-existed-you-d-expect-it-would-be/) Tammy Pemper > [My stuff is my stuff. Sometimes it's not as successful as some of the other stuff. But it's my stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-romero/my-stuff-is-my-stuff-sometimes-it-s-not-as-successful-as-some-of-the/) [George A. Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-romero/) > [The most successful stuff is sold to you as indispensable social information. The message in the music is, 'We are terribly, terribly slick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iggy-pop/the-most-successful-stuff-is-sold-to-you-as-indispensable-social/) [Iggy Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iggy-pop/) > [Mainly because I just have some successful stuff going on outside the fight game, I feel good about life, and for me to really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/mainly-because-i-just-have-some-successful-stuff-going-on-outside-the/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [“She did worse than break the law, she broke the rules”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy-anna-karenina/she-did-worse-than-break-the-law-she-broke-the-rules/) Leo Tolstoy Anna Karenina > [I wanted to create something that broke rules and made women feel confident and empowered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-louboutin/i-wanted-to-create-something-that-broke-rules-and-made-women-feel/) [Christian Louboutin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-louboutin/) > [I call you up, you turn me down I try to smile, but I can only frown I call again and you make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike/i-call-you-up-you-turn-me-down-i-try-to-smile-but-i-can-only-frown-i/) [Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike/) > [Christian values were important at home. Cleanliness. Don't steal. Don't lie. Those were the rules, and they were strictly enforced. Especially the stealing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/christian-values-were-important-at-home-cleanliness-don-t-steal-don-t/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) > [My music translates again and again to younger generations of players because I broke all the rules, and they can break all the rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan/my-music-translates-again-and-again-to-younger-generations-of-players/) [Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan/) > [“Historic unforgotten moments made by those who broke the rules. . اللحظات التاريخية التي لا تنسى صنعت من قبل أولئك الذين كسروا القوانين”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hicham-lm-kamelionaire/historic-unforgotten-moments-made-by-those-who-broke-the-rules/) [Hicham LM Kamelionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hicham-lm-kamelionaire/) > [I was buttoned up as a kid. I did what I was told and never broke the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hayes/i-was-buttoned-up-as-a-kid-i-did-what-i-was-told-and-never-broke-the/) [Sean Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hayes/) > [I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules, but Baby, I broke them all for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-crossed-all-the-lines-and-i-broke-all-the-rules-but-baby-i-broke/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My parents broke many rules, so I guess thinking 'outside the box' has been slowly but surely developing in my family - one generation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rekha-sharma/my-parents-broke-many-rules-so-i-guess-thinking-outside-the-box-has/) [Rekha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rekha-sharma/) > [If no one ever broke the rules, then we'd never advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/if-no-one-ever-broke-the-rules-then-we-d-never-advance/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## More by Shane Smith > [I think there are so many problems in the world today, we have to figure out how to fix them rather than point fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/i-think-there-are-so-many-problems-in-the-world-today-we-have-to/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [If you're big in Montreal, you're big in Quebec. If you're big in Toronto, you're big in Canada. But if you're big in New…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/if-you-re-big-in-montreal-you-re-big-in-quebec-if-you-re-big-in/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [I never thought we had a chance of impacting anything. I am just starting to realize that we can change things - not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/i-never-thought-we-had-a-chance-of-impacting-anything-i-am-just/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [Whenever I view success, I'm dressed as Mozart on an island.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/whenever-i-view-success-i-m-dressed-as-mozart-on-an-island/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [I don't care if I die - look, I'm old - but you want your kids to have good times and a good life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/i-don-t-care-if-i-die-look-i-m-old-but-you-want-your-kids-to-have/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [American media has just become talk radio, incredibly partisan name-calling and op-eds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/american-media-has-just-become-talk-radio-incredibly-partisan-name/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [I want to build the next CNN with 'VICE' - it's within my grasp.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/i-want-to-build-the-next-cnn-with-vice-it-s-within-my-grasp/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [It's our job to get into the hardest-to-see places and bring back the best footage - we have the best footage of North Korea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/it-s-our-job-to-get-into-the-hardest-to-see-places-and-bring-back-the/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [Every generation has a changing of the guard in media. We do the same stuff that everybody else does, but we just do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/every-generation-has-a-changing-of-the-guard-in-media-we-do-the-same/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [I have a place in Costa Rica that is in the middle of the jungle. There's no Internet. There's no TV. Do I work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/i-have-a-place-in-costa-rica-that-is-in-the-middle-of-the-jungle/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [When you're 18, 19, you want to live fast and leave a beautiful corpse behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/when-you-re-18-19-you-want-to-live-fast-and-leave-a-beautiful-corpse/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [If you're coming from America to Iraq, then how are you supposed to be objective? I mean, you could pay lip service to being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/if-you-re-coming-from-america-to-iraq-then-how-are-you-supposed-to-be/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [You have to be dynamic. You have to be able to change. So a lot of times we'll go to a country or go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/you-have-to-be-dynamic-you-have-to-be-able-to-change-so-a-lot-of/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [I woke up. I was like, "Look, you can do anything you want - and you want a lot of things, so you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/i-woke-up-i-was-like-look-you-can-do-anything-you-want-and-you-want-a/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [I want to be like Tom Freston. Tom just flies around everywhere, gets to make movies, gets to start TV shows, hang out with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/i-want-to-be-like-tom-freston-tom-just-flies-around-everywhere-gets/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) [Explore all 72 Shane Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) ## More Broke quotes > [I rap when I'm rich. I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [At least I'm not a celebrity and if I was, the whole world would have known that I broke up with my girlfriend last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/at-least-i-m-not-a-celebrity-and-if-i-was-the-whole-world-would-have/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [Nothing is really broke, so it's not like I can fix it. I just have to keep trying to find what I'm looking for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/nothing-is-really-broke-so-it-s-not-like-i-can-fix-it-i-just-have-to/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [You're the one who broke my heart you're the reason my world fell apart you're the one who made me cry and I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-the-one-who-broke-my-heart-you-re-the-reason-my-world-fell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My mother loved my father. From my view, she let him get away with too much. It broke my heart to see him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-mother-loved-my-father-from-my-view-she-let-him-get-away-with-too/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [I broke up with my first girlfriend because I was out of love. I was crushing so hard on her for a whole year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-and-the-queens/i-broke-up-with-my-first-girlfriend-because-i-was-out-of-love-i-was/) [Christine and the Queens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-and-the-queens/) > [You have to be nicer to me," I said. Again he laughed. "What? I'm the King of nice. What are you talking about?" "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/you-have-to-be-nicer-to-me-i-said-again-he-laughed-what-i-m-the-king/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [If you sleep now tomorrow you will be broke, Work hard now and sleep later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-fwea-d/if-you-sleep-now-tomorrow-you-will-be-broke-work-hard-now-and-sleep/) G-Fwea D > [IMAGINE if Facebook, Twitter, and msn all broke at the same time. We might have to actually get lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brown-ladyy/imagine-if-facebook-twitter-and-msn-all-broke-at-the-same-time-we/) Brown Ladyy > [Well I think they broke the mould when they made me and being humble is one of my great assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hagman/well-i-think-they-broke-the-mould-when-they-made-me-and-being-humble/) [Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The man who begins to speculate in stocks with the intention of making a fortune usually goes broke, whereas the man who trades with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dow/the-man-who-begins-to-speculate-in-stocks-with-the-intention-of/) [Charles Dow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dow/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) Browse all 2,091 Broke quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone told me, \"Don't ever talk about international stuff,\" and \"Don't do long-form content online,\" and \"Don't get too serious in news,\" and \"Don't be too heavy\" - all this stuff, all the rules. 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