The majority of juice-heads and winos and junkies arent musicians.
Thelonious MonkRead
Don't play everything (or every time); let some things go by... What you don't play can be more important than what you do.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Choosing when to engage is often more important than participation itself.
The quote by Thelonious Monk emphasizes the value of discernment in our actions. It suggests that sometimes it is wise to hold back and allow certain moments to pass rather than feeling the need to react or participate in everything. This reflects a deeper understanding of priorities and the significance of focusing on what truly matters.
Themes
DiscernmentPrioritiesEngagementWisdomFocus
In practice
Example use cases
During a team meeting, when discussing project options, one might quote this to highlight the importance of selective participation.
More from Thelonious Monk
All quotes βJust because you're not a drummer doesn't mean you don't have to keep time.
Thelonious MonkRead
A note can be as small as a pin or as big as the world, it depends on your imagination.
Thelonious MonkRead
Jazz is my adventure. I'm after new chords, new ways of syncopating, new figures, new runs. How to use notes differently. That's it. Just using notes differently.
Thelonious MonkRead
Everybody in all countries tries to play jazz.
Thelonious MonkRead
All musicians are subconsciously mathematicians.
Thelonious MonkRead
Similar quotes
Never lose hope, my heart, miracles dwell in the invisible. If the whole world turns against you keep your eyes on the Friend.
RumiRead
One of the things I had to learn as a writer was to trust the act of writing. To put myself in the position of writing to find out what I was writing.
E. L. DoctorowRead
...operational proof...it's all theory until you see for yourself whether or not something works.
Julia ChildRead
In building a path through the self to the far shore of awareness, we have to carefully pick our way through our own wilderness. If we can put our minds into a place of surrender, we will have an easier time feeling the contours of the land. We do not have to break our way through as much as we have to find our way around the major obstacles. We do not have to cure every neurosis, we just have to learn how not to be caught by them.
Mark EpsteinRead
If I had to give you one piece of advice it would be this: don't be intimidated by other people's opinions.
Paulo CoelhoRead
More knowledge may be gained of a man's real character by a short conversation with one of his servants than from a formal and studied narrative, begun with his pedigree and ended with his funeral.
Samuel JohnsonRead