--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never thought about success. I always…" description: "\"I never thought about success. I always thought about doing the job at hand. My goal was getting through the show that night.\" — Steve Martin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/steve-martin-593_about_i-never-thought-about-success-i-always-t_2870579.jpg" --- # I never thought about success. I always thought about… ![“I never thought about success. I always thought about doing the job at hand. My goal was getting through the show that night.” quote by Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/steve-martin-593_about_i-never-thought-about-success-i-always-t_2870579.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/steve-martin-593_about_i-never-thought-about-success-i-always-t_2870579.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ef/steve-martin-593_about_i-never-thought-about-success-i-always-t_2870579.jpg) > “I never thought about success. I always thought about doing the job at hand. My goal was getting through the show that night.” [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is secondary to focusing on the immediate task; the goal is to survive the present moment rather than chase future accolades. **In simple terms:** Focus on the job now, not future success. Key Takeaway Stay present, do the work. Themes focus mindfulness process Mood practical motivational Type comedian philosophical When to use this quote - stage performance - daily work - project deadlines Key Concepts task orientation present‑moment awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does present‑focused work affect long‑term goals? - Can you balance immediacy with future planning? A Different Perspective Neglecting long‑term planning can limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goal Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal-getting-673632/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hand/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-thought-2971539/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-doing-505596/) [Thought Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-success-311011/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) ## Related quotes > [To be ambitious for wealth, and yet always expecting to be poor, to be always doubting your ability to get what you long for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudouin/to-be-ambitious-for-wealth-and-yet-always-expecting-to-be-poor-to-be/) [Charles Baudouin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudouin/) > [Don't ever be impressed with goal setting. Be impressed with goal getting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/don-t-ever-be-impressed-with-goal-setting-be-impressed-with-goal/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I never thought much about success early on. I only thought about being a comedian - or just being in show business, is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-never-thought-much-about-success-early-on-i-only-thought-about/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I am fine-tuning certain aspects of my game. 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And writing down the brave acts and bold dreams you intend to accomplish will provide the spark to get them done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/goal-getting-matters-and-writing-down-the-brave-acts-and-bold-dreams/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This has resulted in more and more people becoming inner-directed and having as their only goal, getting as much as they can get out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-teeter/this-has-resulted-in-more-and-more-people-becoming-inner-directed-and/) [Robert Teeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-teeter/) > [I think setting a goal, getting a visual image of what it is you want. 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When she was alone, she was potential; with others she was realized. Alone, she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/lacey-was-just-as-happy-alone-as-with-company-when-she-was-alone-she/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [At first I had no skills in writing comedy. I didn't know what a joke was, but, as someone once told me, your emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/at-first-i-had-no-skills-in-writing-comedy-i-didn-t-know-what-a-joke/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [You cannot make your opportunities concur with the opportunities of people whose incomes are ten times greater than yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/you-cannot-make-your-opportunities-concur-with-the-opportunities-of/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The lure in art collecting and its financial rewards, not counting for a moment its aesthetic, cultural and intellectual rewards, is like the trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/the-lure-in-art-collecting-and-its-financial-rewards-not-counting-for/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [My most persistent memory of stand - up is of my mouth being in the present and my mind being in the future: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/my-most-persistent-memory-of-stand-up-is-of-my-mouth-being-in-the/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [What I mean is that none of my talents had a - what's that great word - rubric. 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As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' 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