--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to be successful. Not just money…" description: "\"I want to be successful. Not just money. Just making a successful record and a successful show... I could feel successful without selling a million rec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/tom-petty-2030_being-successful_i-want-to-be-successful-not-just-money-j_2217211.png" --- # I want to be successful. Not just money. Just making a… ![“I want to be successful. Not just money. Just making a successful record and a successful show... I could feel successful without selling a million records.” quote by Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/tom-petty-2030_being-successful_i-want-to-be-successful-not-just-money-j_2217211.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/tom-petty-2030_being-successful_i-want-to-be-successful-not-just-money-j_2217211.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/tom-petty-2030_being-successful_i-want-to-be-successful-not-just-money-j_2217211.png) > “I want to be successful. Not just money. Just making a successful record and a successful show... I could feel successful without selling a million records.” [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## 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 defined by personal fulfillment and artistic achievement, not merely financial gain **In simple terms:** Success means personal fulfillment, not just money Key Takeaway Pursue meaningful work over profit Themes fulfillment artistic integrity self‑definition Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - Music career planning - creative projects - personal goal setting Key Concepts Intrinsic motivation value of art personal success Questions to Reflect On - What defines success for you beyond money? - How can you measure artistic fulfillment? A Different Perspective Success can be fleeting without sustainable impact ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) ## Related quotes > [Before 'Power,' I got down to $86 in my bank account. I don't know if I feel successful as much as I feel relieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-loren/before-power-i-got-down-to-86-in-my-bank-account-i-don-t-know-if-i/) [Lela Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-loren/) > [I came to the United States in the early '80s and was welcomed with open arms and given the opportunity to pursue my dreams.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/i-came-to-the-united-states-in-the-early-80s-and-was-welcomed-with/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I've a track record of successful comedy films spread over more than a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/govinda/i-ve-a-track-record-of-successful-comedy-films-spread-over-more-than/) [Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/govinda/) > [I finally realized that so much of the music world is about how much money you've got, how much you can pay to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wolf/i-finally-realized-that-so-much-of-the-music-world-is-about-how-much/) [Patrick Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wolf/) > [No matter what your goals are, you've got to bring other people onto your team. For one thing, if you surround yourself with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimora-lee-simmons/no-matter-what-your-goals-are-you-ve-got-to-bring-other-people-onto/) [Kimora Lee Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimora-lee-simmons/) > [Too many people, right now are playing it small. If you want to be SUCCESSFUL, Live BIG, Think BIG, & make every day of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brown/too-many-people-right-now-are-playing-it-small-if-you-want-to-be/) [Joel Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brown/) > [I want to be successful, not famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/i-want-to-be-successful-not-famous/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [If you work hard and you learn and you absorb and you pay attention, career in food is great. This job can take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-bloomfield/if-you-work-hard-and-you-learn-and-you-absorb-and-you-pay-attention/) [April Bloomfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-bloomfield/) > [If you want to be successful, just meditate, man. God will tell you what people need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-santana/if-you-want-to-be-successful-just-meditate-man-god-will-tell-you-what/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-santana/) > [If you really want to be successful and you really want to be happy, don't have a job, have a purpose. ...When you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/if-you-really-want-to-be-successful-and-you-really-want-to-be-happy/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [If you truly want to be successful, spend less time following the lives of other people and more time leading your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hardy/if-you-truly-want-to-be-successful-spend-less-time-following-the/) [Darren Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hardy/) > [Do you want to be successful? Nurture your talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-ernie-ford/do-you-want-to-be-successful-nurture-your-talent/) [Tennessee Ernie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-ernie-ford/) > [I want to be successful, but I don't really have what it takes to do it comfortably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/i-want-to-be-successful-but-i-don-t-really-have-what-it-takes-to-do/) [Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/) > [What I’ve learned is that if you really want to be successful at something, you’ll find that you put the time in. You won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/what-i-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-really-want-to-be-successful-at/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [If you want to be successful, find someone who has already done it and do it the same way they did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/if-you-want-to-be-successful-find-someone-who-has-already-done-it-and/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More by Tom Petty > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [As time goes by, you seem to weed out the things that were making your life hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/as-time-goes-by-you-seem-to-weed-out-the-things-that-were-making-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I would never put my songs in a commercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-would-never-put-my-songs-in-a-commercial/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Take back your insurance, baby, nothing is guaranteed. Take back your acid rain, let your TV bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/take-back-your-insurance-baby-nothing-is-guaranteed-take-back-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [The great thing about the Wilburys was that none of us had to take the heat by ourselves. I was just a member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/the-great-thing-about-the-wilburys-was-that-none-of-us-had-to-take/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that an artist has to take some moral responsibility for what he or she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-but-i-do-believe-that-an-artist-has-to/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Any time you're making a living at what you love to do, you're blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/any-time-you-re-making-a-living-at-what-you-love-to-do-you-re-blessed/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [A rebel without a clue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/a-rebel-without-a-clue/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you look around at America, that's one of its biggest problems is you have corporations that can never be pleased at a profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/if-you-look-around-at-america-that-s-one-of-its-biggest-problems-is/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Even the losers get lucky sometimes. Even the losers keep a little bit of pride. They get lucky sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/even-the-losers-get-lucky-sometimes-even-the-losers-keep-a-little-bit/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you stretch your imagination, I'll tell you all a tale, about a time when everything wasn't up for sale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/if-you-stretch-your-imagination-i-ll-tell-you-all-a-tale-about-a-time/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Buy me a drink, sing me a song; take me as I come, cause I can't stay long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/buy-me-a-drink-sing-me-a-song-take-me-as-i-come-cause-i-can-t-stay/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I never could have dreamed that her heart was so wicked, but I keep coming back because it's so hard to kick it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-never-could-have-dreamed-that-her-heart-was-so-wicked-but-i-keep/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [She's a good girl, crazy about Elvis, loves horses, and her boyfriend, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/she-s-a-good-girl-crazy-about-elvis-loves-horses-and-her-boyfriend-too/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I'm more interested in what I'm going to leave behind me than in making a big hit record. I've refined what I do for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-m-more-interested-in-what-i-m-going-to-leave-behind-me-than-in/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) [Explore all 190 Tom Petty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## More Being successful quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [The vast majority of organizations today have more than enough intelligence, experience and knowledge to be successful. What they lack is organizational health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-lencioni/the-vast-majority-of-organizations-today-have-more-than-enough/) [Patrick Lencioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-lencioni/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) > [Business is always a struggle. There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [You can't not be a little different from others and be successful for three decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/you-can-t-not-be-a-little-different-from-others-and-be-successful-for/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Everyone has a breaking point, turning point, stress point, the game is permeated with it. The fans don't see it because we make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-winfield/everyone-has-a-breaking-point-turning-point-stress-point-the-game-is/) [Dave Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-winfield/) > [If you increase the number of rockets you build and you buy, then it's the scale of the economy, the price is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-chiao/if-you-increase-the-number-of-rockets-you-build-and-you-buy-then-it-s/) [Leroy Chiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-chiao/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [There has always been a display of wealth and always will be, until the depression comes, which it always does. And let me tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-has-always-been-a-display-of-wealth-and-always-will-be-until/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I think there is a big and significant difference between being a leader and being a manager-leaders lead from the heart. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-jung/i-think-there-is-a-big-and-significant-difference-between-being-a/) [Andrea Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-jung/) > [There's nobody that wants the president to be successful more than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-clapper/there-s-nobody-that-wants-the-president-to-be-successful-more-than-i/) [James R. Clapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-clapper/) > [Don't worry about your individual numbers. Worry about the team. If the team is successful, each of you will be successful, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-rickey/don-t-worry-about-your-individual-numbers-worry-about-the-team-if-the/) [Branch Rickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-rickey/) > [We have to be successful at the cutting-edge industries of the future like Twitter. But we also have always been a country that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-to-be-successful-at-the-cutting-edge-industries-of-the-future/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Also, it's not the mathematical skill that's critical to winning, it's the discipline of being able to stick to the system. There are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blair-hull/also-it-s-not-the-mathematical-skill-that-s-critical-to-winning-it-s/) Blair Hull [Browse all 1,002 Being successful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-successful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to be successful. Not just money. Just making a successful record and a successful show... 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