---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My goal when I started out was to get to…"
description: "\"My goal when I started out was to get to the point where I could tour a lot and make a living, which means getting paid enough to hire my own band, tra..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/teddy-thompson-18600_backward_my-goal-when-i-started-out-was-to-get-to_1882383.jpg"
---

#  My goal when I started out was to get to the point where I…

![“My goal when I started out was to get to the point where I could tour a lot and make a living, which means getting paid enough to hire my own band, travel and end up with a bit of money, but I'm still nowhere near that point. Because I didn't have a band and fan base when I started, I did…” quote by Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/teddy-thompson-18600_backward_my-goal-when-i-started-out-was-to-get-to_1882383.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/teddy-thompson-18600_backward_my-goal-when-i-started-out-was-to-get-to_1882383.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f3/teddy-thompson-18600_backward_my-goal-when-i-started-out-was-to-get-to_1882383.jpg)

> “My goal when I started out was to get to the point where I could tour a lot and make a living, which means getting paid enough to hire my own band, travel and end up with a bit of money, but I'm still nowhere near that point. Because I didn't have a band and fan base when I started, I did everything backward.”

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

## About This Quote

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

He reflects on his early career struggles, noting that lacking a band and fan base forced him to pursue goals in reverse order, highlighting the challenges of building a sustainable music career.

**In simple terms:** Early setbacks forced him to reverse his plan.

Key Takeaway

Plan flexibly and build a fan base early.

Themes

career music industry goal setting perseverance entrepreneurship

Mood

determined realistic reflective

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- tour planning
- budgeting
- fan engagement
- marketing strategy

Key Concepts

strategic planning networking financial sustainability creative independence

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can you take now to build a fan base?
- How might you restructure your plan for faster progress?

A Different Perspective

Reversing goals can delay financial stability and artistic growth.

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[Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/)

> [I wouldn't go into the studio if I didn't have a band who's ready, willing, and able.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/i-wouldn-t-go-into-the-studio-if-i-didn-t-have-a-band-who-s-ready/)

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[Mark Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-knopfler/)

> [I didn't have my first band until I was, like, 30.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-van-etten/i-didn-t-have-my-first-band-until-i-was-like-30/)

[Sharon Van Etten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-van-etten/)

> [ “Officially, we didn’t have a band leader. Unofficially, we all knew it was Tony \[Iommi\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/officially-we-didn-t-have-a-band-leader-unofficially-we-all-knew-it/)

[Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/)

> [Every goal first started as something in our mind. You have it all within you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-goal-first-started-as-something-in-our-mind-you-have-it-all/)

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

> [My goal when I first started in the WWE was to stand out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolph-ziggler/my-goal-when-i-first-started-in-the-wwe-was-to-stand-out/)

[Dolph Ziggler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolph-ziggler/)

> [My one goal when I started was not to actually vomit on TV or run away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/my-one-goal-when-i-started-was-not-to-actually-vomit-on-tv-or-run-away/)

[Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/)

> [TV has been my goal since before I started YouTube.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-helbig/tv-has-been-my-goal-since-before-i-started-youtube/)

[Grace Helbig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-helbig/)

> [When I was nine or ten, I had a chat with my coach and I asked if I could play in goal. I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/when-i-was-nine-or-ten-i-had-a-chat-with-my-coach-and-i-asked-if-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [When I think of Arsenal, my favourite personal memory that I recall is scoring my first goal for the Club - away to Lazio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pires/when-i-think-of-arsenal-my-favourite-personal-memory-that-i-recall-is/)

[Robert Pires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pires/)

> [Getting a TV show and getting on to Discovery was the main goal when I started the company in 2004.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rawlings/getting-a-tv-show-and-getting-on-to-discovery-was-the-main-goal-when/)

[Richard Rawlings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rawlings/)

## More by Teddy Thompson

> [The state of radio is not great. It's like playing the lottery. The chances of hitting are mind boggling slim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/the-state-of-radio-is-not-great-it-s-like-playing-the-lottery-the/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [People think unless you have loops and electronics and so on, you must be in your 50s. I quite like a lot of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/people-think-unless-you-have-loops-and-electronics-and-so-on-you-must/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [My career could've been anything, I just wasn't that good at other things. I'd say it was fairly easy starting out as I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/my-career-could-ve-been-anything-i-just-wasn-t-that-good-at-other/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [I went to a boarding school when I was 13, and it was a very arty school, so there was an opportunity for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-went-to-a-boarding-school-when-i-was-13-and-it-was-a-very-arty/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [I'm never worried about being upstaged. I love to have the best, most individual people come in and see if we hit on something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-m-never-worried-about-being-upstaged-i-love-to-have-the-best-most/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [Any kind of creativity is not settling down into a happy little space. I don't try to be mellow or anything. I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/any-kind-of-creativity-is-not-settling-down-into-a-happy-little-space/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [I still do lots of gigs where I'm the support act and people are chatting through my set, but I've got better at grabbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-still-do-lots-of-gigs-where-i-m-the-support-act-and-people-are/)

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> [I remember writing 'The One I Can't Have' at the kitchen table. I was looking at a picture of Truman Capote with Marilyn Monroe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-remember-writing-the-one-i-can-t-have-at-the-kitchen-table-i-was/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

> [Most artists never get a chance to be Picasso, but that doesn't mean you would stop painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/most-artists-never-get-a-chance-to-be-picasso-but-that-doesn-t-mean/)

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[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

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> [I do think it's probably true to a certain extent that you tend to sing music that fits your voice. If you're Lou Reed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-thompson/i-do-think-it-s-probably-true-to-a-certain-extent-that-you-tend-to/)

[Teddy Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

[Explore all 34 Teddy Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-thompson/)

## More Backward quotes

> [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/)

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> [“Thus the thoughtless drift backward toward slavery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/thus-the-thoughtless-drift-backward-toward-slavery/)

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[Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/)

> [Honestly, if you were any slower, you’d be going backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-if-you-were-any-slower-you-d-be-going-backward/)

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> [“Our habit of wishing backward from what is to what might have been is the soft but persistent tapping that cracks the crystal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/our-habit-of-wishing-backward-from-what-is-to-what-might-have-been-is/)

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> [The thing I love most about my job is watching people age backward, becoming more lively and energetic as they free themselves from situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/the-thing-i-love-most-about-my-job-is-watching-people-age-backward/)

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> [“Us ballplayers do things backward. First we play, then we retire and go to work. —CHARLIE GEHRINGER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-wilde/us-ballplayers-do-things-backward-first-we-play-then-we-retire-and-go-2/)

[Lori Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-wilde/)

> [This was the Darker Life, where every truth was written backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/this-was-the-darker-life-where-every-truth-was-written-backward/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!I am so weary of toil and of tears,-Toil without recompense, tears all in vain!Take them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chase-allen/backward-flow-backward-o-tide-of-the-years-i-am-so-weary-of-toil-and/)

[Elizabeth Chase Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chase-allen/)

> [I loved you backward and forward in time. I loved you beyond boundaries of time and space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-loved-you-backward-and-forward-in-time-i-loved-you-beyond/)

[Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/)

> [Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead; that is where your future lies. Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/nobody-gets-to-live-life-backward-look-ahead-that-is-where-your/)

[Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/)

> [“Life, too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward." from CUTTING FOR STONE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/life-too-is-like-that-you-live-it-forward-but-understand-it-backward/)

[Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/)

Browse all 340 Backward quotes

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