---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not try to be your father boy, it is a…"
description: "\"“Do not try to be your father boy, it is a hopeless pursuit, particularly when you, like I, have a father of such colossal proportions.”\" — A. H. Septi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b76/a-h-septimius-23373_family_do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a_1053457.jpg"
---

#  Do not try to be your father boy, it is a hopeless…

![“Do not try to be your father boy, it is a hopeless pursuit, particularly when you, like I, have a father of such colossal proportions.” quote by A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b76/a-h-septimius-23373_family_do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a_1053457.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b76/a-h-septimius-23373_family_do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a_1053457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b76/a-h-septimius-23373_family_do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a_1053457.jpg)

> ““Do not try to be your father boy, it is a hopeless pursuit, particularly when you, like I, have a father of such colossal proportions.””

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Attempting to emulate a vastly different parent is futile and discouraging.

**In simple terms:** Trying to be like your father can be impossible.

Key Takeaway

Accept your own identity.

Themes

identity family expectations self-acceptance

Mood

reflective determined

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career choices
- personal growth
- family dynamics

Key Concepts

parental influence comparisons

Questions to Reflect On

- What aspects of your father's legacy inspire you?
- How can you forge your own path?

A Different Perspective

May overlook learning from positive traits.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Truth of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-of-life/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/)

## Related quotes

> [Every boy grows up trying to be like his father, but what if a boy grows up to be like his mother?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-kapoor/every-boy-grows-up-trying-to-be-like-his-father-but-what-if-a-boy/)

[Arjun Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-kapoor/)

> [...Search for the cause may be a hopeless pursuit because most disease states are the indirect outcome of a constellation of circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-dubos/search-for-the-cause-may-be-a-hopeless-pursuit-because-most-disease/)

[Rene Dubos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-dubos/)

> [“But I knew from experience how hopeless this pursuit, this attempt to weed out bias, was. Nothing that lived and breathed was truly objective—even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vandermeer/but-i-knew-from-experience-how-hopeless-this-pursuit-this-attempt-to/)

[Jeff VanderMeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vandermeer/)

> [“Try it for your father, dear,” said the Countess. “Quickly, before it congeals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/try-it-for-your-father-dear-said-the-countess-quickly-before-it/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [“Pavlik denounced his father’s crimes, and when Trofim shouted out, ‘It’s me, your father,’ the boy told the judge: ‘Yes, he used to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-figes/pavlik-denounced-his-father-s-crimes-and-when-trofim-shouted-out-it-s/)

[Orlando Figes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-figes/)

> [I try and spend a lot of time with my kids. I try and have fun with my kids. I try to put father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flavor-flav/i-try-and-spend-a-lot-of-time-with-my-kids-i-try-and-have-fun-with-my/)

[Flavor Flav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flavor-flav/)

> [I don't think that anyone could try to be my father, I think he was extremely unique, and if anybody were to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-lee/i-don-t-think-that-anyone-could-try-to-be-my-father-i-think-he-was/)

[Shannon Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-lee/)

> [In the modern world, it may be that a living father can only be half a father to a boy - the dead father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-leunig/in-the-modern-world-it-may-be-that-a-living-father-can-only-be-half-a/)

[Michael Leunig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-leunig/)

> [You will find that if you really try to be a father, your child will meet you halfway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/you-will-find-that-if-you-really-try-to-be-a-father-your-child-will/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

> [At times I've got a really big ego. But I'll tell you the best thing about me. I'm some guy's dad; I'm some little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/at-times-i-ve-got-a-really-big-ego-but-i-ll-tell-you-the-best-thing/)

[John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/)

> [I'll try to be what Father loves to call me, a 'little woman,' and not be rough and wild but do my duty here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/i-ll-try-to-be-what-father-loves-to-call-me-a-little-woman-and-not-be/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I once said to my father, when I was a boy, 'Dad we need a third political party.' He said to me, 'I'll settle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/i-once-said-to-my-father-when-i-was-a-boy-dad-we-need-a-third/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [One thing you try not to do as a father, as a coach, is pressure your son to do something that you've done. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-willis/one-thing-you-try-not-to-do-as-a-father-as-a-coach-is-pressure-your/)

Patrick Willis

> [Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/sherman-made-the-terrible-discovery-that-men-make-about-their-fathers/)

[Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/)

> [“could not picture that Father had once swung on a swing. He could not imagine that Father had once been a boy, like him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/could-not-picture-that-father-had-once-swung-on-a-swing-he-could-not/)

[Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/)

## More by A. H. Septimius

> [“He returned her gaze, yearning for sentimental solace; love which emanated from a familiar source, mattered little how bedevilling. They shared an intimate moment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/he-returned-her-gaze-yearning-for-sentimental-solace-love-which/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“Above all, he loathed men who beat women; for, real men didn’t exercise their strength on frail creatures, they joined the army and put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/above-all-he-loathed-men-who-beat-women-for-real-men-didn-t-exercise/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“Educated and ambitious, with their own forthright opinions, the women of the Garvey set did more to determine political direction than many councillors. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/educated-and-ambitious-with-their-own-forthright-opinions-the-women/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“The world needed gentle men to rule if the people were to live in peace, not the warmongers and conniving men she so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/the-world-needed-gentle-men-to-rule-if-the-people-were-to-live-in/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“Every man can be ensnared by beauty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/every-man-can-be-ensnared-by-beauty/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“To discover what becomes of men who do not pay debts owed to Ratilla, one must visit the underworld.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/to-discover-what-becomes-of-men-who-do-not-pay-debts-owed-to-ratilla/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“A continent once described as the white man’s grave, can now be suitably dubbed the white man’s harem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/a-continent-once-described-as-the-white-man-s-grave-can-now-be/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“What had, moments ago, appeared a dangerous gambit, now seemed an elegant coup de maître.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/what-had-moments-ago-appeared-a-dangerous-gambit-now-seemed-an/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“I consider my wife and children in all things; yet, I must consider Amara also.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/i-consider-my-wife-and-children-in-all-things-yet-i-must-consider/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“Those who looked with revulsion at the oppressive might of her arms, were obliged to marvel at the egalitarian nature of her social programmes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/those-who-looked-with-revulsion-at-the-oppressive-might-of-her-arms/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“If they succeed, you will not be packed off to some idyllic farm, where you can write bad poetry, we will both be executed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/if-they-succeed-you-will-not-be-packed-off-to-some-idyllic-farm-where/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“If a moment could transform a lifetime, much time remained to weep over its implications.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/if-a-moment-could-transform-a-lifetime-much-time-remained-to-weep/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“Thirty years of marriage to Erasto had taught her much, namely that men were reckless by nature, full of bluster, most incompetent, the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/thirty-years-of-marriage-to-erasto-had-taught-her-much-namely-that/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“As the map of the Great Plain was being redrawn by a young Shazarian councillor, the ageing Shylonian king interrupted mid-speech to ask him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/as-the-map-of-the-great-plain-was-being-redrawn-by-a-young-shazarian/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

> [“They will not be swayed, they have power in their sights and are blinded by its alluring glister.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/they-will-not-be-swayed-they-have-power-in-their-sights-and-are/)

[A. H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

[Explore all 26 A. H. Septimius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/)

## More Family quotes

> [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/)

[Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/)

> [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/)

[Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/)

> [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

> [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/)

Maureen Andeson

> [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/)

[Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/)

> [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/)

[Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/)

[Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/)

> [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/)

[Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/)

> [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. The people have always been very, very kind to me, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-cunningham/the-people-have-always-been-family-to-me-here-in-las-vegas-the-people/)

[Randall Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-cunningham/)

> [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/)

[Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Family over friends, because real friends are family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/family-over-friends-because-real-friends-are-family/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 36,913 Family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Do not try to be your father boy, it is a hopeless pursuit, particularly when you, like I, have a father of such colossal proportions.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "A. H. Septimius"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a-hopeless-pursuit/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Family"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a-hopeless-pursuit/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b76/a-h-septimius-23373_family_do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a_1053457.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b76/a-h-septimius-23373_family_do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a_1053457.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b76/a-h-septimius-23373_family_do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a_1053457.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Do not try to be your father boy, it is a hopeless pursuit, particularly when you, like I, have a father of…” — A. H. Septimius",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "A. H. Septimius",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Do not try to be your...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a-hopeless-pursuit/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius/do-not-try-to-be-your-father-boy-it-is-a-hopeless-pursuit/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
