John Tesh Quotes

Powerful John Tesh for Daily Growth

About John Tesh

John Tesh is an acclaimed American radio host, composer, and pianist, best known for his long-running syndicated radio show "Intelligence For Your Life" and his musical career spanning over four decades. Born on July 9, 1952, in Garden City, New York, Tesh showed a proclivity towards music from an early age. He began his formal piano training at the age of five, and by the time he was twelve, he had won numerous music competitions, including the prestigious Young Artists' Division of the National Piano Playing Contest. Tesh attended the University of Parkersburg in West Virginia on a full music scholarship, where he majored in classical piano performance. However, his musical journey took an unexpected turn when he discovered jazz and rock 'n' roll. This change in direction led him to form several bands, including the John Tesh Band, which gained popularity in the 1970s. In 1980, Tesh joined the legendary rock band Rush as a keyboardist for their Moving Pictures tour. His time with Rush was brief but influential, leading him to pursue a solo career. In the 1980s and 1990s, Tesh released numerous successful singles and albums, including "Round," "A Sports Century," and "Beyond the Horizon." In addition to his music career, Tesh is also known for his radio show, "Intelligence For Your Life," which airs on over 250 stations in North America. The show combines music with life coaching, advice, and personal stories, reflecting Tesh's deep-rooted belief in the power of positive thinking. Throughout his career, John Tesh has been influenced by a wide range of artists, from classical composers like Beethoven to jazz legends like Herbie Hancock. His music and radio show continue to inspire and uplift millions worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Life is a journey, not a destination."

The quote "Life is a journey, not a destination" by John Tesh emphasizes that the process of living, growing, and experiencing is more valuable than simply achieving a goal or reaching an end point. It encourages us to focus on enjoying the present moments, learning from our experiences, and embracing personal growth rather than only striving for success or accolades. This quote serves as a reminder that life is not merely about the destination we reach but about the journey we take to get there.


"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."

The quote by John Tesh suggests that the essence of life lies in finding pleasure in the journey through time rather than solely focusing on its destination or end goal. This perspective encourages us to appreciate each moment, cherishing the experiences and memories we gather along the way, instead of constantly rushing towards an anticipated future event. The implication is that true fulfillment in life comes from living joyously and mindfully during our time on Earth.


"Every time you don't follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of energy, loss of power, a sense of spiritual deadness."

This quote suggests that when we ignore our intuition or inner guidance, we experience an internal discomfort or dissatisfaction. This feeling can manifest as a sense of energy drain, powerlessness, and a lack of spiritual fulfillment or connection. By following our inner compass, we maintain a positive flow of energy, empower ourselves, and maintain a strong spiritual connection.


"Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome."

This quote by John Tesh emphasizes that success is not just about reaching a final goal or destination, but rather it's about the process, the "doing", along the way. It suggests that the personal growth, skills, and experiences gained during the journey towards success are equally important as achieving the end result itself. Therefore, one should appreciate and learn from every step of their journey, not just focus solely on the final outcome.


"If you want to live a life filled with miracles, then give up your attachment to what you think you know."

This quote by John Tesh suggests that embracing the unknown, letting go of preconceived notions, and openness to new experiences can lead to a life full of miracles or unexpected wonders. It encourages us to be flexible in our thinking and not cling tightly to our current understanding, as this may limit our potential for personal growth and discovery. The "miracles" refer to the sense of wonderment and awe we experience when we encounter something novel or profound that challenges our existing beliefs and expands our perspective. Essentially, it emphasizes the value of being open-minded and adaptable in life's journey.


The world is full of people who have dreams of playing at Carnegie Hall, of running a marathon, and of owning their own business. The difference between the people who make it across the finish line and everyone else is one simple thing: an action plan.

- John Tesh

Own, Line, Hall, Marathon

I hate to say it, but Christmas as a kid was always a moneymaking venture for me. I played trumpet, and a friend of mine who played trombone and a guy who played tuba, every Christmas we'd go out for three or four days beforehand and play Christmas carols on our horns.

- John Tesh

Play, Kid, Guy, Trombone

I grew up with the Woodstock generation. I went to Woodstock, and like everybody in my school, I wanted to be in a rock-and-roll band, and most of us were. But I also grew up with a lot of piano lessons and a lot of classical music training.

- John Tesh

Everybody, Classical, Rock-And-Roll

I took the ET job because I wanted to stop traveling and they said I would only work half a day. Then I could work on music the rest of the day. They put in my contract that I wouldn't work after 1 P.M.

- John Tesh

Rest, Took, Half, Contract

Risk means everything from being honest about your faith, to moving, to quitting a job that's paying you a fortune but it's not what's in your heart. Risking things is one of the biggest fears we have.

- John Tesh

Faith, About, Your, Risking

'Entertainment Tonight' would send me out to do interviews with musicians like Sting and Coldplay, and I was able to watch how they plan their shows. The late Jerry Garcia of Grateful Dead always had a game plan, but he also was flexible if he had to change something at the last minute.

- John Tesh

Game, Entertainment, Tonight, Grateful Dead

People like Bryant Gumbel and Bob Costas are terrific broadcasters because they get challenged every day.

- John Tesh

Every Day, Like, Bryant, Broadcasters

I guarantee you that the people who watch 'Conan O'Brien' or who watch 'Entertainment Tonight' and probably a lot of these other programs have never heard of Operation Blessing. Maybe they have heard of UNICEF, and I'm sure they have heard of the Red Cross, but they haven't heard of this organization.

- John Tesh

Other, Maybe, Tonight, UNICEF

Being in music forever, I have good pitch, so I know when I'm singing in or out of tune. But the key to really good singing is just relaxing and thinking about what the song is.

- John Tesh

Song, Singing, Relaxing, Key

I was 23 years old. It was a wild time. I was covering everything that blew up - blackouts, Studio 54, son of Sam killer, and all of that stuff.

- John Tesh

Old, Studio, Covering, Blew

I grew up wanting to be a musician, but my parents were sure I would starve to death. So, they put me in physics and chemistry. That eventually blew up, and I got into radio.

- John Tesh

Chemistry, Wanting, Sure, Blew

Oprah was famous for going to a garden party and ad-libbing. She could literally interview people for a half hour about nothing, and it was entertaining. She had her own show before she had her own show.

- John Tesh

Famous, Entertaining, Half, Interview

I do a long sound check. I get there at noon on the day of a show and sit behind the piano and then walk around with the microphone. Then I feel like I have done my homework.

- John Tesh

Behind, Homework, Like, Noon

My favorite bands were Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Jethro Tull, Uriah Heep, Grand Funk Railroad. If you listen to some of my early music, you can hear it.

- John Tesh

Railroad, Some, Emerson, Lake

If you want to get an education in how to get a story and how to survive, then get a street reporter job in New York City.

- John Tesh

Education, New, Survive, To Survive

I've sort of become the poster boy for quitting your job and following your dreams.

- John Tesh

Dreams, Following, Sort, Poster Boy

When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew my jazz background, suggested I try big-band music, so we spent a year experimenting with it in concert, and the audience reaction was really good.

- John Tesh

Year, Jazz, Keys, Music Director

Most of the people interviewing me are far more square than me. I think it's the ET thing. I'm sitting there, my hair is combed, and I'm in a suit.

- John Tesh

Think, I Think, Interviewing, Sitting

Big band music, to me, it really has three key elements. First is the lyrics are really sweet, and they're just really family-friendly. The second thing is the music is jazz music, so the music is complicated enough to hold your attention for 5 or 6 million plays. That makes the songs interesting. The last part is the fact that it's danceable.

- John Tesh

Fact, Big, Jazz, Lyrics

When I was first writing, I was writing mostly about sporting events, which was really what my assignments were. I was working on the Tour de France bike race and the Barcelona Olympic Games, and those songs tend to be very big, very bombastic-type music, which is the type of music that I love to write.

- John Tesh

Love, Big, Very, Olympic Games

The real advantage for me is that I have the opportunity to lead worship every Sunday.

- John Tesh

Me, Sunday, Advantage, Worship

I come from the performance world, but the idea of a worship song is different. It's useful music.

- John Tesh

Performance, Song, World, Worship

My house was really like 'It's a Wonderful Life.' I sang in the choir and was very involved in the church.

- John Tesh

Church, Like, Very, Wonderful Life

I used almost every penny I ever made to build recording studios in every city I lived in. I don't have much to show for all the TV money except a lot of musical gear and a lot of songs.

- John Tesh

Studios, TV, Musical, Penny

I've been stuck on John Eldredge lately. He's all about being a warrior outside of the church. I hate to think about this kind of stuff - I just like to do it.

- John Tesh

Warrior, Think, Been, Lately

If you want to write the next great novel, but you think, No, this won't work because no one will buy it or it won't be any good, then you talk yourself out of taking a risk.

- John Tesh

Think, Will, Next, Novel

There's probably a way to use that great content and to live under the radar now and then in order to reach a new audience. That's the thinking I'm talking about.

- John Tesh

New, Audience, Use, Radar

Christians, just like anybody else, want to have an impact on their lives. And if you can find music that helps you have an impact on your family, on your faith, on yourself, then that's the kind of music you want to listen to.

- John Tesh

Like, Christians, Lives, Helps

I'm almost a vegetarian. I have a very rigid exercise routine. I'm up at 6 A.M.; I take a lot of ginseng.

- John Tesh

Exercise, Very, Almost, Rigid

After playing so many songs in churches for eight or nine years, I've learned what songs people react to. Then I just had fun with the arrangements. That's how this album came together.

- John Tesh

React, Nine, Had, Churches

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