--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a young guy, I knew…" description: "\"When I was a young guy, I knew everything. Now I know very little. I know less and less as the time goes on.\" — Anthony Hopkins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/anthony-hopkins-1334_goes-on_when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything_1466633.png" --- # When I was a young guy, I knew everything. Now I know very… ![“When I was a young guy, I knew everything. Now I know very little. I know less and less as the time goes on.” quote by Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/anthony-hopkins-1334_goes-on_when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything_1466633.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/anthony-hopkins-1334_goes-on_when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything_1466633.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/anthony-hopkins-1334_goes-on_when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything_1466633.png) > “When I was a young guy, I knew everything. Now I know very little. I know less and less as the time goes on.” [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledge that confidence fades with age and experience, revealing humility and continuous learning. **In simple terms:** Confidence fades, humility grows. Key Takeaway Embrace lifelong learning. Themes humility growth experience Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career development - personal relationships - education - mentorship - self-improvement Key Concepts psychology self-awareness Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance confidence with humility? - What habits keep you learning? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can still lead to poor decisions if not checked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew/) [Knew Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-know-632093/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-little/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Little Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-know/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-goes-on/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-guys/) ## Related quotes > [“In truth, people know very little about each other. I only know as much about you as I know about myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/in-truth-people-know-very-little-about-each-other-i-only-know-as-much/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [What you need to know is very little, but to know that little takes very very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/what-you-need-to-know-is-very-little-but-to-know-that-little-takes/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [“Good to go back to school once in a while, makes you know how little you know :)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srivyal-vuyyuri-sphoorti-foundation/good-to-go-back-to-school-once-in-a-while-makes-you-know-how-little/) [Srivyal Vuyyuri Sphoorti Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srivyal-vuyyuri-sphoorti-foundation/) > [About life, I know little, or better yet too little...almost nothing, but the little I know is enough for me to understand how important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/about-life-i-know-little-or-better-yet-too-little-almost-nothing-but/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [Posterity will know as little of me as I know of posterity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/posterity-will-know-as-little-of-me-as-i-know-of-posterity/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [I only know how little I know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/i-only-know-how-little-i-know/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [To know all, it is necessary to know very little; but to know that very little, one must first know pretty much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/to-know-all-it-is-necessary-to-know-very-little-but-to-know-that-very/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [Time goes on crutches till love have all his rites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-goes-on-crutches-till-love-have-all-his-rites/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The future of poetry is immense, because in poetry, where it is worthy of its high destinies, our race, as time goes on, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/the-future-of-poetry-is-immense-because-in-poetry-where-it-is-worthy/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [We all fall in love with the idea of a person, and then as time goes on we either accommodate ourselves to the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-johnson/we-all-fall-in-love-with-the-idea-of-a-person-and-then-as-time-goes/) [Liza Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-johnson/) > [I'd like to think that I'm getting slightly more mature as time goes on, but I don't know if my fiancee would necessarily agree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-o-dowd/i-d-like-to-think-that-i-m-getting-slightly-more-mature-as-time-goes/) [Chris O'Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-o-dowd/) > [I think as time goes on that generation of rappers who's making it now is gonna face the same thing that my generation was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/i-think-as-time-goes-on-that-generation-of-rappers-who-s-making-it/) [RZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [If I knew then what I know now, I would still be dreaming BIG today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-storey/if-i-knew-then-what-i-know-now-i-would-still-be-dreaming-big-today/) [Tim Storey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-storey/) > [“When people say "If I only knew then what I know now" makes me wonder why they aren't using that wisdom now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liano/when-people-say-if-i-only-knew-then-what-i-know-now-makes-me-wonder/) [Rob Liano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liano/) ## More by Anthony Hopkins > [Life's too short to deal with other people's insecurities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/life-s-too-short-to-deal-with-other-people-s-insecurities/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I visualized a lot of things happening to me, because I was a lonely kid because I didn't understand anything about school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-visualized-a-lot-of-things-happening-to-me-because-i-was-a-lonely/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [My life is not my own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/my-life-is-not-my-own-business/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I watched a film with a very famous, great, great actor, I won't mention his name because everyone loves his memory, but I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-watched-a-film-with-a-very-famous-great-great-actor-i-won-t-mention/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [Danger is the spice of life and you’ve got to take a risk now and then…that’s what makes life worthwhile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/danger-is-the-spice-of-life-and-you-ve-got-to-take-a-risk-now-and/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [Actors I admire? Ed Harris, or course, I think he's terrific; because I know he always had to fight being what he looked like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/actors-i-admire-ed-harris-or-course-i-think-he-s-terrific-because-i/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I love to have a laugh. I like to tease people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-love-to-have-a-laugh-i-like-to-tease-people/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I think doubt is a very healthy way to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-think-doubt-is-a-very-healthy-way-to-live/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [The knighthood was a tremendous honour, I don't dismiss it. But I feel embarrassed by the flowery, theatrical stuff that goes with being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/the-knighthood-was-a-tremendous-honour-i-don-t-dismiss-it-but-i-feel/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [My father was grounded, a very meat-and-potatoes man. He was a baker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/my-father-was-grounded-a-very-meat-and-potatoes-man-he-was-a-baker/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [Most of my last 30 years have been like that. Results and manifestations of things I'd dreamed of as a young kid and wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/most-of-my-last-30-years-have-been-like-that-results-and/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I used to be a bit obsessed by acting but not anymore. I do enjoy acting but I probably enjoy it more now because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-used-to-be-a-bit-obsessed-by-acting-but-not-anymore-i-do-enjoy/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I don't know what I believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-don-t-know-what-i-believe/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I always distrust the word art when it is applied to acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-always-distrust-the-word-art-when-it-is-applied-to-acting/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [I just learn my lines, go on set. Do my preparation, whatever that is. Have a cup of coffee. Say hello to everyone. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-just-learn-my-lines-go-on-set-do-my-preparation-whatever-that-is/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) [Explore all 255 Anthony Hopkins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) ## More Goes on quotes > [It all depends on you. You can go on sleeping forever, you can wake up right this moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/it-all-depends-on-you-you-can-go-on-sleeping-forever-you-can-wake-up/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [every being is unique.god neva creates carbon copies,he alys creates originals.he is truly a creator.he neva repeats.but man goes on living in imitation.we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-being-is-unique-god-neva-creates-carbon-copies-he-alys-creates/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [For a young man to start his career with a love affair with an older woman was quite de rigueur ... Of course, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vita-sackville-west/for-a-young-man-to-start-his-career-with-a-love-affair-with-an-older/) [Vita Sackville-West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vita-sackville-west/) > [...the Government must not think that they can stop this agitation. It will go on...We are here not because we are law-breakers; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmeline-pankhurst/the-government-must-not-think-that-they-can-stop-this-agitation-it/) [Emmeline Pankhurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmeline-pankhurst/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [When I hear that I realize how quickly time passes and how everybody goes on their journeys and they're always unbelievable and they never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/when-i-hear-that-i-realize-how-quickly-time-passes-and-how-everybody/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [ Beneath everything else, North and West, there ran a profound, unvoiced, almost subconscious conviction that the \[American\] nation was going to go on growing-in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-catton/beneath-everything-else-north-and-west-there-ran-a-profound-unvoiced/) [Bruce Catton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-catton/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [...sometimes I get tired. Sometimes I get bored. And sometimes all I want, more than anything else in the world, is to go on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/sometimes-i-get-tired-sometimes-i-get-bored-and-sometimes-all-i-want/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Time goes on, even when yer not looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/time-goes-on-even-when-yer-not-looking/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [Nothing is permanent," Magnus said. "I know this from experience. But you can get new things. You can meet new people. You can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/nothing-is-permanent-magnus-said-i-know-this-from-experience-but-you/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [He decided then that he would love her forever no matter what came to pass. It was not so much a matter of deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/he-decided-then-that-he-would-love-her-forever-no-matter-what-came-to/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) [Browse all 3,916 Goes on quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a young guy, I knew everything. Now I know very little. I know less and less as the time goes on.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony Hopkins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything-now-i-know-very-little-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goes on" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything-now-i-know-very-little-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/anthony-hopkins-1334_goes-on_when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything_1466633.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/anthony-hopkins-1334_goes-on_when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything_1466633.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d44/anthony-hopkins-1334_goes-on_when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything_1466633.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a young guy, I knew everything. Now I know very little. I know less and less as the time goes on.” — Anthony Hopkins", "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": "Anthony Hopkins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a young guy,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything-now-i-know-very-little-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/when-i-was-a-young-guy-i-knew-everything-now-i-know-very-little-i/#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 } } ] } ```