The 20 Best Kurt Cobain Quotes That Apply to Business
Kurt Cobain was a singer-songwriter and musician who was born in Washington in 1967. He was best known as the frontman of the rock band Nirvana. He was married to singer and actress Courtney Love, and the couple had one daughter together, Frances Bean. In 1994, when he was just 27 years of age, Kurt Cobain committed suicide by gunshot. Cobain said many interesting and inspiring things, either in his music or in interviews, so his quotes are still used today. Here are the 20 best Kurt Cobain quotes that apply to business.
20. On Accepting Constructive Criticism
“I don’t care what you think unless it is about me.”
This Kurt Cobain quote is listed on Quote Ambition, and it is about accepting criticism. Not all criticism is a bad thing, as constructive criticism can help you to identify problems and then make improvements to yourself or to your business.
19. On Making Improvements
“I like to complain and do nothing to make things better.”
Although this quote from Kurt Cobain is about how he would rather complain about life than do something to improve it, it highlights the importance of taking steps towards a better life. If there are things about your life, either personally or professionally, that are making you unhappy, then do something about them. Rather than just sitting about complaining, identify what you want from life and then take steps to get there.
18. On Following the Trends
“Kids don’t care about rock and roll as much as they used to as the other generations have. It’s already turned into nothing but a fashion statement…”
Trends change over time, and this means that the wants and needs of consumers also change. As a person in business, it is essential that you watch the trends in relation to your industry. This will guide you in ensuring your business offers products or services to meet the demands of consumers in accordance to the trends.
17. On Being Unique
“Do your own thing. Others do their own thing. If you copy too much, you’ll find yourself in the late-night cocktail lounge cover band limbo.”
You will only make it to the top of your field if you do something different that makes you stand out from the competition. If every business is doing exactly the same thing, then nobody will have their unique selling point or stand out from the crowd. You must find a way to differentiate yourself from the competition.
16. On Having a Passion for Your Work
“I have met many minds able to store and translate a pregnantly large amount of information, yet they haven’t an ounce of talent for wisdom or the appreciation of passion.”
Unless you have a passion for your business, you might as well not bother. A lack of passion will lead to apathy towards your work and you will feel unmotivated. You can only stay motivated and put your best effort into your business if it is something about which you feel passionate. When a person feels passionate about their work, they look forward to their time working, stay motivated, and put effort into every task.
15. On Taking Opportunities for Learning
“I am not well-read, but when I do read, I read well.”
This Kurt Cobain quote is listed by Good Reads. It is about how Kurt Cobain enjoyed reading and learning, even if he is not considered a well-read person. Taking opportunities to read and learn will expand your knowledge, teach you more skills, and improve you as a businessperson. Some opportunities for learning will arise naturally, while you may have to seek out other opportunities.
14. On Time-Management
“I’m on my time with everyone.”
In this Kurt Cobain quote, he spoke about time. In business, time is one of the most important resources you have to your disposal. Unfortunately, time is a limited resource, so it is crucial that you use it well. Plan how you will use your time carefully so that you make the most effective use of the time you have available.
13. On Doing Things Your Own Way
“I just hope I don’t become so blissful I become boring. I think I’ll always be neurotic enough to do something weird.”
You are a key element of whether your business becomes a success or not. Therefore, you should do things your own way as it is you that will make your business different from the competition. Your business is a reflection of you and your personality.
12. On Striving for More
“Just because it’s all you want, doesn’t mean it’s all you need.”
There is nothing wrong with having ambition in life and wanting more than you already have. If you have big aspirations, then you need to set yourself big goals. Some people need more in their life to achieve personal and professional fulfillment.
11. On Going Through the Highs and the Lows
“To be positive at all times is to ignore all that is important, sacred, and valuable. To be negative at all times is to be threatened by ridiculousness and instant discreditably.”
Although the advice is often to take a positive outlook on life at all times, you will experience a range of highs and lows that can make this almost impossible. Experiencing some negative times can make you appreciate the positive times all the more. A negative experience can also teach you a lot, such as the mistakes to avoid, how to cope mentally with stress, and how to become stronger as a businessperson.
10. On Identifying Your Weaknesses
“Practice makes perfect, but nobody’s perfect.”
Listed by Awaken the Greatness Within, this Kurt Cobain quote is all about accepting that nobody is perfect, but that you can make self-improvements. Everyone has strengths and areas of weakness. If you take a critical look at yourself to identify your weaknesses, then you can take steps to improve in these areas. In some cases, an area of weakness is something that you cannot resolve. The best solution to this is to have someone in your team that has strengths in your areas of weakness.
9. On Standing Out from the Crowd
“They laugh at me because I’m different; I laugh at them because they’re all the same.”
Some people like to be the same as everyone else so that they blend into the background. However, those are not the people who will become successful. It is those who are willing to stand out from the crowd and are willing to do things differently that have the best chance of becoming successful as they will stand out from the crowd.
8. On Learning from Others
“I use bits and pieces of others’ personalities to form my own.”
In this quote, Kurt Cobain talks about how he formed his own personality by using parts of other people’s. The same theory applies to learning from others in business. When you work alongside people with experience in your field, or you observe the business behavior of those who are already successful, you will take with you something that you have learned from each of them. These pieces will then become a part of you as a businessperson. The more people you have from whom you can learn, the more rounded you will become as a professional.
7. On Taking Action
“There are a lot of things I wish I would have done, instead of just sitting around and complaining about having a boring life.”
If you are not getting what you want from your life and career and everything seems boring, then you must take action to do something about it. What you get out of life is your responsibility, so if you want more, it is down to you to make it happen. Decide what you want in your career and what goals you need to set yourself, and then take action to work towards these goals.
6. On Facing Your Fears
“No one is afraid of heights, they’re afraid of falling down. No one is afraid of saying I love you, they’re afraid of the answer.”
Everyone has fears, and Kurt Cobain highlights in this quote that it is not always the things that people say they fear that they really fear. In business, people often say they fear launching a business. However, what they really fear is failure. You should not let your fears stand in your way and prevent you from achieving your dreams. It is essential that you do what it takes to overcome your fears so that you can progress in life.
5. On Learning to Cope with Success
“I didn’t know how to deal with success. If there was a Rock Star 101, I would have liked to take it. It might have helped me.”
Sometimes, becoming successful is not what people expect. They think that once they have achieved all their goals, the hard work is over. However, that is not necessarily the case. In many cases, the hard work continues once you become successful as you must put effort into maintaining that level of success. This is an unexpected situation for some people.
4. On Keeping an Eye on the Competition
“Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”
Regardless of whether you are just starting out in business or you are established in your industry, you will always have competition. While some competitors may have been around for a while, you may also have to compete against new businesses. It is important to keep track of all your competition, as they are vying for the same customers as you. Even if you are currently ahead of them in the industry, the competitors can always pose a threat.
3. On Being Creative
“I’ve never been a very prolific person, so when creativity flows, it flows. I find myself scribbling on little notepads and pieces of loose paper, which results in a very small portion of my writings to ever show up in true form.”
To grow a business, expand, or stand out from the competition, you may sometimes need to apply some creativity. If you are not a naturally creative person and you find it difficult to think of new ideas, then you should make sure you have someone with a creative streak in your team. Even if you are creative, it can help to have another creative person on your team for a different perspective.
2. On Increasing Your Knowledge
“We have no right to express an opinion until we know all of the answers.”
If you do not have a wide knowledge base, then it is difficult to form an educated opinion. It is also tricky to make informed decisions if you do not have all the facts. Therefore, widening your knowledge base is important if you want to become successful. Take any learning opportunities you can, and this does not only mean learning through reading. Other options include taking a course, observing other people, and learning from experience. Each of these methods of learning will enhance your knowledge and skills. In turn, this will improve you as a businessperson.
1. On Reaching Your Full Potential
“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”
According to Wealthy Gorilla, this is one of the best Kurt Cobain quotes that apply to business. Accepting who you are is important and wanting to become somebody else is a waste of time. However, part of your potential is recognizing where you can make self-improvements, and this can involve learning from other people who you find inspirational. Understand your strengths and weaknesses, then work on becoming the best you can possibly be in all aspects of your life so that you will reach your full potential.
