--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm 47 years old. I couldn't compete with…" description: "\"I'm 47 years old. I couldn't compete with Beyonce. I'm not competing with anyone. I've already established myself as an artist. I've been in this busin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/stephanie-mills-11126_art_i-m-47-years-old-i-couldn-t-compete-with_1409217.jpg" --- # I'm 47 years old. I couldn't compete with Beyonce. I'm not… ![“I'm 47 years old. I couldn't compete with Beyonce. I'm not competing with anyone. I've already established myself as an artist. I've been in this business for 30 years. There's no reason for me to compete with anyone.” quote by Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/stephanie-mills-11126_art_i-m-47-years-old-i-couldn-t-compete-with_1409217.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/stephanie-mills-11126_art_i-m-47-years-old-i-couldn-t-compete-with_1409217.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c94/stephanie-mills-11126_art_i-m-47-years-old-i-couldn-t-compete-with_1409217.jpg) > “I'm 47 years old. I couldn't compete with Beyonce. I'm not competing with anyone. I've already established myself as an artist. I've been in this business for 30 years. There's no reason for me to compete with anyone.” [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She rejects competition, focusing on personal artistic fulfillment after decades in the industry. **In simple terms:** She chooses self‑validation over rivalry. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal growth, not comparison. Themes self‑acceptance artistic integrity career longevity Mood confident determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - mentorship - self‑reflection Key Concepts personal development industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What drives your artistic choices? - How does avoiding competition affect your work? A Different Perspective Competition can spur innovation; ignoring it may limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Beyonce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyonce/) [Beyonce Competing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyonce-competing-4961338/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete/) [Compete Beyonce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete-beyonce-4961337/) [Competing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competing/) [Couldn Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-compete-531061/) [No reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-reason/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I like Jay-Z. I love Luda. I love Ledisi. I like Beyonce, of course. I think she's just brilliant. She's a triple threat. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/i-like-jay-z-i-love-luda-i-love-ledisi-i-like-beyonce-of-course-i/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [I was always the funny-looking girl. I couldn't compete with the Brazilian girls. My nose is off, my ears are too big. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-doillon/i-was-always-the-funny-looking-girl-i-couldn-t-compete-with-the/) [Lou Doillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-doillon/) > [It is hard to think that a $2 billion company with 4,300-plus people couldn't compete with six people in blue jeans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-is-hard-to-think-that-a-2-billion-company-with-4-300-plus-people/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I didn't enjoy fighting. All I cared about was trying to beat the scale. Once that got to a point where I couldn't compete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johny-hendricks/i-didn-t-enjoy-fighting-all-i-cared-about-was-trying-to-beat-the/) [Johny Hendricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johny-hendricks/) > [Before I signed with WWE, I thought my athletic career was done. I was going into the finance industry and I just thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/before-i-signed-with-wwe-i-thought-my-athletic-career-was-done-i-was/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [When United wanted me, I was like a horse with blinkers on. I was not interested in anyone else. City offered more money, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimitar-berbatov/when-united-wanted-me-i-was-like-a-horse-with-blinkers-on-i-was-not/) [Dimitar Berbatov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimitar-berbatov/) > [As an actor, I felt I couldn't compete. I wasn't as cute as the leading man; I wasn't as brilliant as Robin Williams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hartman/as-an-actor-i-felt-i-couldn-t-compete-i-wasn-t-as-cute-as-the-leading/) [Phil Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hartman/) > [I was very lucky in that my parents supported my racing so much - they just said 'whatever you want to achieve, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-wolff/i-was-very-lucky-in-that-my-parents-supported-my-racing-so-much-they/) [Susie Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-wolff/) > [The Beatles changed everything . I knew I couldn't compete, couldn't be as cool, so I went completely the other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-beatles-changed-everything-i-knew-i-couldn-t-compete-couldn-t-be/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [If I was to turn around now and say that motorsport should be segregated, then my whole career would have been for nothing. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-wolff/if-i-was-to-turn-around-now-and-say-that-motorsport-should-be/) [Susie Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-wolff/) > [If I were to tell you that my day was all pure wrestling, I wouldn't be honest with you. Because there were crooked promoters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-sammartino/if-i-were-to-tell-you-that-my-day-was-all-pure-wrestling-i-wouldn-t/) [Bruno Sammartino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-sammartino/) > [Do women compete for the favours of men? Yes. They've spent 5,000 years competing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/do-women-compete-for-the-favours-of-men-yes-they-ve-spent-5-000-years/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [“When you promise but don’t deliver, you start competing against yourself, against the image that you have built of your brand for your customers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-agnihotri/when-you-promise-but-don-t-deliver-you-start-competing-against/) [Pooja Agnihotri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-agnihotri/) > [I don't believe in competing with other actors. I believe the only person you can compete is with yourself. You can only do better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-oberoi/i-don-t-believe-in-competing-with-other-actors-i-believe-the-only/) [Vivek Oberoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-oberoi/) > [I know that this sounds grand, but I don't try to compete with other people. I like to think there's enough pie for everyone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-merchant/i-know-that-this-sounds-grand-but-i-don-t-try-to-compete-with-other/) [Stephen Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-merchant/) ## More by Stephanie Mills > [Restoration ecology is experimental science, a science of love and altruism. In its attempts to reverse the processes of ecosystem degradation it runs exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/restoration-ecology-is-experimental-science-a-science-of-love-and/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [I love theater. I started in theater when I was nine years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/i-love-theater-i-started-in-theater-when-i-was-nine-years-old/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [I don't know what it takes to make marriage work, but I'm going to keep trying until I get it right. I haven't given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/i-don-t-know-what-it-takes-to-make-marriage-work-but-i-m-going-to/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Individuals can refuse to use a given technology, but unless they live in total isolation will have to engage with people whose psyches have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/individuals-can-refuse-to-use-a-given-technology-but-unless-they-live/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [If a technology is elegant, biodegradable, made from renewable materials and employs a minimum of muscular, water or wind energy, is responsive, beautiful in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/if-a-technology-is-elegant-biodegradable-made-from-renewable/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Solitude is rich but seldom hilarious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/solitude-is-rich-but-seldom-hilarious/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [There is ugliness of mass production and consumerism, the banality of advertising. Although it claims to do just the opposite, it's predicated on disempowering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/there-is-ugliness-of-mass-production-and-consumerism-the-banality-of/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Enjoying the least things - a chill glass of water, a moment of play with the cat, the sight of sunlight caught in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/enjoying-the-least-things-a-chill-glass-of-water-a-moment-of-play/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [I listen to Jay-Z, Nelly, Nas, Ludacris and all the young kids out there. I listen to them, and I have mad respect for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/i-listen-to-jay-z-nelly-nas-ludacris-and-all-the-young-kids-out-there/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Being a mom has made me a better person. It's made me more compassionate. It's just awesome. I think I was put here to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/being-a-mom-has-made-me-a-better-person-it-s-made-me-more/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [This is something I love to do. I've never had any other job. I love singing and entertaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/this-is-something-i-love-to-do-i-ve-never-had-any-other-job-i-love/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Most women don't like good men. They say they want a good buy, but most women always wind up with the bad boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/most-women-don-t-like-good-men-they-say-they-want-a-good-buy-but-most/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Onstage, you can be anything you want to be. In concert, I might project a different side of myself, but I wouldn't do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/onstage-you-can-be-anything-you-want-to-be-in-concert-i-might-project/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [Millions have been taken from me. If you are not on top of it and you make a lot of money, and you trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/millions-have-been-taken-from-me-if-you-are-not-on-top-of-it-and-you/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [A person with friends need never be bored. There is always more to fathom and enjoy in the complexity of others, and always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/a-person-with-friends-need-never-be-bored-there-is-always-more-to/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) [Explore all 61 Stephanie Mills quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [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/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm 47 years old. 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