Tones and I Quotes

The deeper I get into my life as a musician, I'm discovering that it becomes less and less about other people, and more about what I want to do. And that's a good place to be.

I'm just an artist and I'm doin' what I like to do.

Some stuff I don't even put out. I'll just be home, happy, creating something for myself, and then ball it up and throw it in the trash. It's less about trying to prove something or get on somebody's list or make a fan happy or make a hater mad or convert a non-believer. That's not the case for me anymore.

I didn't have any concept of Trainspotting being published. It was a selfish act. I did it for myself.

Don't make music for some vast, unseen audience or market or ratings share or even for something as tangible as money. Though it's crucial to make a living, that shouldn't be your inspiration. Do it for yourself.

I never think about what others are doing. I do a film for myself, not others.

Satisfying myself is the point in filmmaking, in my mind.

I write based on powerful inner impulses, and those seem to shift over time.

I only write music for myself, I don't try and appeal to anyone else.

I, in the end, make art for myself.

I essentially write for myself.

As long as it's making you happy and you're enjoying it, then you should never stop writing music. Whether it's going to take you somewhere, viewed by other people, or it's literally you in a bedroom at home, it should be something that you do for yourself.

I've never really cared if I was famous for my music. It was just something I had to do.

I made music just for myself.

My motivation is not to try to inspire, but rather to do things that inspire me and hopefully that will spread to others.

I have never done films to prove a point to anyone; I have done them for myself.

If you don't wake up and have your own thing, whether it's writing or reading or traveling or acting or dancing or singing or being a mother or a father, something that drives you, then it's all worth nothing. One of the key elements in happiness is purpose.

I just worked my own personal thoughts into my music, and just kept at it until I found a way in.

I don't make art to make money, I make art so I can make art.

I'm writing for the sake of writing music. Whether it gets heard or not isn't an issue for me. It keeps my own juices going and my mind active.

My work is trying to at least define myself on my own terms, and then if other people enjoy things that's a lovely addition.

The true artists is one who insists on producing a supply, whether or not there's any demand.

I like to receive money for my work. But I can pass that up this time. I like to have people know my work is done by me. But I can pass that up. I like to have tenants made happy by my work. But that doesn't matter too much. The only thing that matters, my goal, my reward, my beginning, my end is the work itself. My work done my way. Peter, there's nothing in the world that you can offer me, except this. Offer me this and you can have anything I've got to give. My work done my way. A private, personal, selfish, egotistical motivation. That's the only way I function. That's all I am.

You must write for yourself, above all. That is your only hope of creating something beautiful.

Everyone always comes to one point in their life as an artist where you can either let your heart guide you or your ego.