#onethingatatime

15 Morgan Wallen quotes that hit different — life, heartbreak, and going home to Tennessee

Morgan Wallen has a way of writing lines that feel like they were pulled straight out of your own life. a church kid from Sneedville, Tennessee (population ~1,400), who turned backroads and heartbreak into the longest-running country song in Billboard Hot 100 history. here are 15 of his best quotes, organized by what they're actually about:

On Life and Staying Grounded

"Everybody's got a million things coming at them every single day... 'One Thing at a Time' is probably the best way to go about it." — 2023 album release interview. this is the philosophy behind the album. not a grand statement. just a reminder he gives himself.

"I'm a work in progress." — Rolling Stone, 2022. three words. no spin. just honesty. this is why his fans stay loyal.

"I got a rebel in me, but I'm not the mean one." — interview. perfect self-description. he breaks rules. he doesn't break people.

"Music is what takes me to my happy place, and I hope it does the same for others." — interview. simple. sincere. no over-explaining.

"They wanted me to sing pop music, and I wanted to sing country." — on staying true to his roots early in his career.

On Love and Heartbreak

Last Night (2023) captures a volatile relationship — the fight, the regret, and the stubborn love that makes you want it to work anyway. it stayed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 weeks because millions of people recognized exactly what it described.

"I've learned that love isn't always easy, but it's always worth it." — interview. sounds obvious until you're in the middle of a hard season.

On Home and Faith

"I want to make music that people can connect with on a deep level." — interview. not radio plays. not trophies. connection.

"I want to go home." — Billboard, 2024 tour interview. no metaphor. just a Tennessee boy who still misses Tennessee no matter how big the stages get.

The rest of my life

Willing to grow with, through commitment

Makes me happy to pursue it

Knows it might be difficult sometimes, but the sacrifice for doing it is worth the tears

Feels like I'm Home

Habit that I choose, something I can continue and sustain

Has my back

I can be vulnerable with

Intimate, growing moments

Free space to be myself

To pour oneself into the moment, into the surroundings, and into the activity. I have always believed in the quote - 'We are where we are'. As my wise partner clearly frames his reminders - Eat when you eat, play when you play, work when you work: the times when I let my job consume the entirety of my life.

Many a time, when we think we can do something and absolutely go for it and fall short, it feels upsetting. I believe that humans, despite their infiniteness, still have their limitations. And it is necessary to acknowledge and accept these limitations.

One of the boundaries I'm setting for this year is recognizing my limitations and scheduling my work timings into my life, so I can get to live my life, my way.

Another important boundary is to finish one activity and move on to the next. Last year, I had left a lot of things pending which became a habit. The idea this year, is to tie up the loose ends to define, differentiate, and compact things. So an end is an end, and I can move on to the next without looking back.