Dolly Parton’s illustrious career has spanned nearly her entire life, beginning with her childhood performances and recordings and continuing seamlessly into her adult years. Her achievements in the music industry are indisputable, making her a beacon of inspiration for countless artists. However, when it comes to comparison, Parton prefers to keep her focus inward, aspiring to surpass only one person: herself.

Dolly Parton said she wants to continue to outdo her own career success

Throughout her life, Parton has witnessed many attempts to emulate her success, yet she remains unfazed by the actions of others in the industry.

“Growth is a journey, and you have to embrace both the beginnings and the endings,” Parton shared with People. “In my career, I needed to experiment and learn. Often, people underestimate you, especially if you’re a woman. But I pay no mind to others’ paths. What matters is my own journey and what I need to accomplish.”

“I strive not to surpass anyone but myself. My aim is to consistently be the best version of myself and to seek improvement each day,” she emphasized. “The quest isn’t solely about wealth; it’s about achieving success in what I am passionate about. Neither dreams nor wishes become reality without dedication and effort.”

“I’m not trying to outdo anybody except me. I just want to be my best self at all times and try to improve every day,” she said. “It wasn’t about just being rich; it was about being successful at what I love to do. Dreams nor wishes come true without a lot of hard work.”

Dolly Parton said her age won’t impact her career

While working on her latest book, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage, Parton realized just how much of her life she’s spent grinding.

“You know, I have just been going so fast my whole life,” she said. “And I just start thinking, ‘How in the world did I even have a life? How did I even get it done?’ I really realized when I was putting this book together just how much I had sacrificed in my life.”

She has no plans to stop, though. Even though she is taking a step back because of kidney stones, she does not want to retire. 

“People say, ‘Well, you’re going to be 80 years old.’ Well, so what? Look at all I’ve done in 80 years. I feel like I’m just getting started,” she said. “I know that sounds stupid, but unless my health gives way, which right now I seem to be doing fine … I think there’s a lot to be said about age. If you allow yourself to get old, you will. I say, ‘I ain’t got time to get old!’ I ain’t got time to dwell on that. That’s not what I’m thinking about.”

She’s currently planning a Las Vegas residency and a Broadway production for 2026. 

She said she has never wanted her life to get in the way of her career

Parton said that her career has always felt worth the hard work it takes to maintain it.

“With my cup of ambition, I have to get up earlier, I have to work longer, and I have to have a bigger cup of ambition in the morning to get it all done,” Parton told Adam Grant on Clubhouse. “Somebody like me, I always wanted to be a star and I always wanted my dreams to come true, and they did. And there’s always a dream within a dream, within a dream, because as I often say as a joke but it’s true that I often dream myself into a corner. Meaning, my dreams have come true, so I have to keep them alive.”

She does everything without delegating much to others. Parton believes that in order to be truly happy with her career, she needs to maintain control over everything.