The Top 10 Jay-Z Quotes of All Time
“…How you get so fly? From not being afraid to fall out the sky…”
—from Beach Chair, Kingdom Come
Insight: The only way to overcome fear is to face it.
“…I’m not a businessman. I’m a business…maaaannn…”
—from Diamonds Are Forever Remix
Insight: Like businesses, individuals need visions, strategies, partnerships, positioning, constant evaluation and accountability, etc.
“…Remind yourself. Nobody built like you, you design yourself…”
—from A Dream, Blueprint 2
Insight: We are fully responsible for our being. We are co-creators (with God) of our lives and can be whoever we choose to be.
“…I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid of not trying…”
—from Beach Chair, Kingdom Come
Insight: Failure is underrated. To not try is worse than failing.
“…I’m far from God, but I work god damn hard…”
—from Breath Easy, The Blueprint
Insight: To create like the Creator takes hard work.
“…I spring train in the winter, around early December…”
—from Breath Easy, The Blueprint
Insight: He who practices the most is most prepared to win.
“If I don’t show the world growth, how are we going to grow?
—December 2007 XXL Interview
Insight: Things that stagnate don’t last long.
“I love that because that’s what I’m supposed to be doing – whether it’s accepted b everybody or not. I’m supposed to be pushing that envelope and trying new things. And people are supposed to say, “Hov, you might have went too far”.
—December 2007 XXL Interview
Insight: If people aren’t looking at you funny, then you’re not pushing the envelope.
“I love what I’m doing. I love the artist I’m developing. I love the whole thing about it. Once again, I have to really look at it for the next three years and say, “Am I doing it for the right reasons?” ‘Cause all I want to do is make history at this point. They got to pay me to make history of course. But that’s my goal. I want to sit there with people really into making history. I mean everybody. I don’t mean just artists. The interns -if everybody’s not committed to making history every time I go into a meeting, and if I can’t look into their eyes and I don’t see the fire, then I gotta move on. ‘ Cause, you know, I don’t have time. I don’t have the luxury of time to just blow off three years. I do, but I don’t. But I’m not looking to have a job. That’s not hot!
—December 2007 XXL Interview
Insight: It’s about making history. Music is just to the tool.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with the aim, just gotta change the target.”
—from American Dreamin’, American Gangsta
Insight: We are perfect as you are. Sometimes we just need to re-purpose ourselves in another market (i.e increasing the value of “junk” by re-purposing it as “antiques”)
“I’m a person that works off of music. I let the music dictate the direction.”
Insight: Let the creative energy guide you. Don’t dictate too much.
If you know of other worthwhile Jay-Z quotes for personal growth, please comment below.
“Treat my first like my last and the last like my first and my thirst is the same as- when I came.”
—from My 1st Song, The Black Album
“I will not lose for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned so it evens up for me.”
—from Blueprint 2, The Blueprint 2
“what tomorrow has in store we could never be sure so all we can do is pray”
—from Pray, American Gangster
“I can’t base what I’m gon’ be off what everybody isn’t”
—from So Ambitious, Blueprint 3
“If ya’ll can’t already see i aint worried about ya’ll cos i’m already me”
—from Already Home, Blueprint 3
“I’m in the hall already, on the wall already
I’m a work of art, im a Warhol already
On another level, on another plane already
H-O-V i got my own lane already (already)”
—from Already Home, Blueprint 3
“i’m talking about progress i ain’t looking back,
you know i run track, try not to get lapped,
people talking about Hov left em flat,
trying to rewrite history lets talk about that”
—from What We Talkin’ About, Blueprint 3
Find more Jay-Z quotes at:
Jay-Z on Personal Success in Best Life Magazine
