--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I guess what I know now that I definitely…" description: "\"I guess what I know now that I definitely didn't know as a child, is that being truest to yourself is the greatest weapon in the war to achieve. That s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/audra-mcdonald-9650_achieve_i-guess-what-i-know-now-that-i-definitel_1113692.jpg" --- # I guess what I know now that I definitely didn't know as a… ![“I guess what I know now that I definitely didn't know as a child, is that being truest to yourself is the greatest weapon in the war to achieve. That sounds really negative, but in conquering or achieving something. I think, as a child, I thought I had to be somebody else.” quote by Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/audra-mcdonald-9650_achieve_i-guess-what-i-know-now-that-i-definitel_1113692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/audra-mcdonald-9650_achieve_i-guess-what-i-know-now-that-i-definitel_1113692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/audra-mcdonald-9650_achieve_i-guess-what-i-know-now-that-i-definitel_1113692.jpg) > “I guess what I know now that I definitely didn't know as a child, is that being truest to yourself is the greatest weapon in the war to achieve. That sounds really negative, but in conquering or achieving something. I think, as a child, I thought I had to be somebody else.” [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authenticity is presented as a powerful tool for personal success, contrasting with the pressure to conform in childhood. **In simple terms:** Being true to yourself is a strong advantage. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity for achievement. Themes identity authenticity self-empowerment Mood thoughtful empowering Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - career development - creative projects - leadership - relationships Key Concepts self-concept personal growth psychology Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt you needed to be someone else? - How does authenticity influence your decisions? A Different Perspective Societal expectations can suppress authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [My explanation remains the same: It was an attempt to make the point that anyone who opposed the war can achieve their objective by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-moran/my-explanation-remains-the-same-it-was-an-attempt-to-make-the-point/) James P. Moran > [“A child will always be what he is, she thought, and not what you want him to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/a-child-will-always-be-what-he-is-she-thought-and-not-what-you-want/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [In my mind, numbers and words are far more than squiggles of ink on a page. They have form, color, texture and so on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tammet/in-my-mind-numbers-and-words-are-far-more-than-squiggles-of-ink-on-a/) [Daniel Tammet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tammet/) > [Experience is the child of thought and thought is the child of experince.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-is-the-child-of-thought-and-thought-is-the-child-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why are you only coming home just after three? Do you want a drink? I'm wide awake now.' He could be so like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-mcdermid/why-are-you-only-coming-home-just-after-three-do-you-want-a-drink-i-m/) [Val McDermid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-mcdermid/) > [“A memory rose, unbidden, unwanted. Trite in its way, yet the truth of the statement hit her to the core. “When I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/a-memory-rose-unbidden-unwanted-trite-in-its-way-yet-the-truth-of-the/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [Every child is a thought in the mind of God, and our task is to recognize this thought and help it toward completion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eberhard-arnold/every-child-is-a-thought-in-the-mind-of-god-and-our-task-is-to/) [Eberhard Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eberhard-arnold/) > [Adults sometimes think children don't think. That's what propels them to order children around. But children do integrate thoughts and make sense of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-keyah-crystal-keymah/adults-sometimes-think-children-don-t-think-that-s-what-propels-them/) [T'Keyah Crystal Keymah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-keyah-crystal-keymah/) > [“When I was a child, I never thought to myself, someday I want to be an artist or I want to write a book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-a-child-i-never-thought-to-myself-someday-i-want-to-be-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I was a child, I thought as a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child but when I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karleen-koen/when-i-was-a-child-i-thought-as-a-child-i-spake-as-a-child-i/) [Karleen Koen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karleen-koen/) > [When I was a child, I thought of my Delta town as the center of the universe, but now I realize how little I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-h-zewail/when-i-was-a-child-i-thought-of-my-delta-town-as-the-center-of-the/) [Ahmed H. Zewail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-h-zewail/) > [I think one thing my mother always instilled in me was a sense of individuality. Being an only child, I never thought I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-clarke/i-think-one-thing-my-mother-always-instilled-in-me-was-a-sense-of/) [Noel Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-clarke/) > [When I was a child, I always thought that the moon followed me ever where I go LoL!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/when-i-was-a-child-i-always-thought-that-the-moon-followed-me-ever/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament > [As a child, I always thought about big screen and even played in a amateur theatrical studio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-pivovarova/as-a-child-i-always-thought-about-big-screen-and-even-played-in-a/) [Sasha Pivovarova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-pivovarova/) > [“that the biggest part of the struggle as a child is about trying to believe you are not the monster you are being told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-allison/that-the-biggest-part-of-the-struggle-as-a-child-is-about-trying-to/) [Dorothy Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-allison/) ## More by Audra McDonald > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [One thing that is constantly on my iPod is India Arie - I like her a lot; I listen to her a lot. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/one-thing-that-is-constantly-on-my-ipod-is-india-arie-i-like-her-a/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [And I found the theater, and I found my home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/and-i-found-the-theater-and-i-found-my-home/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I was a little girl with a pot belly and Afro puffs, hyperactive and overdramatic, and I found the theater and I found my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-was-a-little-girl-with-a-pot-belly-and-afro-puffs-hyperactive-and/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I find that I'm just drawn to anything that's going to challenge me as an actress. So, anything that's going to help me grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-find-that-i-m-just-drawn-to-anything-that-s-going-to-challenge-me/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I choose things that challenge me. I was afraid of the camera - that's why I chose to do 'Private Practice.' It's not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-choose-things-that-challenge-me-i-was-afraid-of-the-camera-that-s/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [When you become a parent, it blows you open in ways that you never thought possible in terms of a level of love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/when-you-become-a-parent-it-blows-you-open-in-ways-that-you-never/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [Without theater, I don't think I would have thought I was a smart person or excelled at anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/without-theater-i-don-t-think-i-would-have-thought-i-was-a-smart/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I feel a connection to many songs that I won't sing because I don't think they are right for me! There is something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-feel-a-connection-to-many-songs-that-i-won-t-sing-because-i-don-t/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I've spent my whole career trying to stay out of any box that anyone could put me in. 'I'm going to do a play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-ve-spent-my-whole-career-trying-to-stay-out-of-any-box-that-anyone/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I auditioned for Julliard because I wanted to live in New York, and I wanted to be on Broadway at the time. Julliard seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-auditioned-for-julliard-because-i-wanted-to-live-in-new-york-and-i/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I used to practice Tony speeches in my bathroom with my hairbrush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-used-to-practice-tony-speeches-in-my-bathroom-with-my-hairbrush/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [I think in the end there is one ultimate goal with all my careers, and that is, as a performing artist, you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/i-think-in-the-end-there-is-one-ultimate-goal-with-all-my-careers-and/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [Every human being has a dream. 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When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) Deon Taylor > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I guess what I know now that I definitely didn't know as a child, is that being truest to yourself is the greatest weapon in the war to achieve. That sounds really negative, but in conquering or achieving something. 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