--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was never a kid who dreamt of being a…" description: "\"I was never a kid who dreamt of being a performer. I started singing the songs because nobody knew who I was or cared at all. If I wasn't going to sing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/will-sheff-19978_kids_i-was-never-a-kid-who-dreamt-of-being-a_2081050.jpg" --- # I was never a kid who dreamt of being a performer. I… ![“I was never a kid who dreamt of being a performer. I started singing the songs because nobody knew who I was or cared at all. If I wasn't going to sing them, nobody was going to sing them, so I had to step in and fill that role myself.” quote by Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/will-sheff-19978_kids_i-was-never-a-kid-who-dreamt-of-being-a_2081050.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/will-sheff-19978_kids_i-was-never-a-kid-who-dreamt-of-being-a_2081050.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33a/will-sheff-19978_kids_i-was-never-a-kid-who-dreamt-of-being-a_2081050.jpg) > “I was never a kid who dreamt of being a performer. I started singing the songs because nobody knew who I was or cared at all. If I wasn't going to sing them, nobody was going to sing them, so I had to step in and fill that role myself.” [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes stepping into a performance role out of necessity, taking ownership when no one else would, highlighting self‑initiative and responsibility. **In simple terms:** He performed because no one else would. Key Takeaway Take initiative when needed. Themes self‑reliance creativity responsibility artistic expression Mood determined empowering Type motivational personal growth When to use this quote - starting a band - solo projects - leadership roles - creative entrepreneurship Key Concepts entrepreneurship personal agency performance art Questions to Reflect On - When have you taken charge of a missing role? - How can you balance initiative with collaboration? A Different Perspective Risk of burnout if constantly filling gaps alone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [The only thing that really inspired me for singing was the movie and musical 'Phantom of the Opera.' I went to see it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/the-only-thing-that-really-inspired-me-for-singing-was-the-movie-and/) [Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/) > [I actually started singing those songs six or seven years ago, when I was an opening act for Frank Sinatra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-zadora/i-actually-started-singing-those-songs-six-or-seven-years-ago-when-i/) [Pia Zadora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-zadora/) > [I'm pretty positive that if I started singing songs that were for my fame, the God would probably make me tone deaf again. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-balli/i-m-pretty-positive-that-if-i-started-singing-songs-that-were-for-my/) [Dominic Balli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-balli/) > [My father being in the movie business, I thought being an actor would be great. But when I started singing to people in coffeehouses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/my-father-being-in-the-movie-business-i-thought-being-an-actor-would-2/) [David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/) > [As a kid, we all have dreamt that we wanted to play with Sachinpaaji, and that dream has come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shikhar-dhawan/as-a-kid-we-all-have-dreamt-that-we-wanted-to-play-with-sachinpaaji/) [Shikhar Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shikhar-dhawan/) > [As a kid, I never once dreamt of playing for Liverpool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-torres/as-a-kid-i-never-once-dreamt-of-playing-for-liverpool/) [Fernando Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-torres/) > [As a kid, I dreamt of playing for India and I told myself, 'I'll do everything I can to get there.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayank-agarwal/as-a-kid-i-dreamt-of-playing-for-india-and-i-told-myself-i-ll-do/) [Mayank Agarwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayank-agarwal/) > [As a kid, I dreamt of playing in the NBA, I dreamt of coaching in the NBA, and I dreamt of announcing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/as-a-kid-i-dreamt-of-playing-in-the-nba-i-dreamt-of-coaching-in-the/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [As a kid, I dreamt of becoming a writer. My most exciting pastime was reading novels; in fact, I would read anything I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryam-mirzakhani/as-a-kid-i-dreamt-of-becoming-a-writer-my-most-exciting-pastime-was/) [Maryam Mirzakhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryam-mirzakhani/) > [I dreamt of playing in front of thousands of people as a kid, but I dreamt of playing in World Cup finals as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/i-dreamt-of-playing-in-front-of-thousands-of-people-as-a-kid-but-i/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [It's so amazing to hear a crowd of people singing one of your songs. It's the best feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-payne/it-s-so-amazing-to-hear-a-crowd-of-people-singing-one-of-your-songs/) [Liam Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-payne/) > [Singing songs that make you slit your wrists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/singing-songs-that-make-you-slit-your-wrists/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) > [He who sings frightens away his ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/he-who-sings-frightens-away-his-ills/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [When I'm singing my songs on stage, I feel like I'm doing a rock show, even though I don't think all my music is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lp/when-i-m-singing-my-songs-on-stage-i-feel-like-i-m-doing-a-rock-show/) LP > [The people who are making money are the ones who are writing and singing their own songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-webb/the-people-who-are-making-money-are-the-ones-who-are-writing-and/) [Jimmy Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-webb/) ## More by Will Sheff > [Collaboration is such a thrill when you're working with someone you really respect. When it's just one person working alone you get a singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/collaboration-is-such-a-thrill-when-you-re-working-with-someone-you/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [This is going to sound really corny, but it's the way I feel: Musicians have been around for a really long time. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/this-is-going-to-sound-really-corny-but-it-s-the-way-i-feel-musicians/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [It's a really common trap to want your life to live up to some standard that you believe in, and then you start to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/it-s-a-really-common-trap-to-want-your-life-to-live-up-to-some/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [I wanted to be a filmmaker, actually, when I was in high school and college. But I just decided it would be more expensive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/i-wanted-to-be-a-filmmaker-actually-when-i-was-in-high-school-and/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [If I'm working on a set of songs, and thinking about putting them together in a collection, I start to think about what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/if-i-m-working-on-a-set-of-songs-and-thinking-about-putting-them/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [When you're a songwriter, people wonder about your personal life and the meanings behind the songs, and that can feel pretty invasive, so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/when-you-re-a-songwriter-people-wonder-about-your-personal-life-and/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [When your head is smashing into the concrete you don't have question about whether it's a real sensation. And ultimately, that's what's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/when-your-head-is-smashing-into-the-concrete-you-don-t-have-question/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [When people downloading records for free you start to think, "Is it worth spending all this money to make a record sound good, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/when-people-downloading-records-for-free-you-start-to-think-is-it/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [People think that because they've seen your name in print, you're rich. I assume that. But all it means is that there was some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/people-think-that-because-they-ve-seen-your-name-in-print-you-re-rich/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [I always just wanted to have the wherewithal to make another record. I never really dreamt of fortune or fame, because it seemed so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/i-always-just-wanted-to-have-the-wherewithal-to-make-another-record-i/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [I think that anything is a form of folk music. That's just me being glib, but the thing I like the best about humans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/i-think-that-anything-is-a-form-of-folk-music-that-s-just-me-being/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [I always think it's far more admirable to confuse people than it is to reassure them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/i-always-think-it-s-far-more-admirable-to-confuse-people-than-it-is/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [I'm not pro-life. I'm very emphatically pro-choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/i-m-not-pro-life-i-m-very-emphatically-pro-choice/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [Songwriting is an emotional medium, and rock and roll is an emotional medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/songwriting-is-an-emotional-medium-and-rock-and-roll-is-an-emotional/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) > [I have complicated feelings about nostalgia. I think that sometimes it can be dangerous. It can airbrush the truth, or fictionalize the truth, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-sheff/i-have-complicated-feelings-about-nostalgia-i-think-that-sometimes-it/) [Will Sheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) [Explore all 31 Will Sheff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-sheff/) ## More Kids quotes > [I would tell kids not be like me, but to try and be better than me. 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Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. 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