--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I began feeling the way I imagine an…" description: "\"I began feeling the way I imagine an actor or athlete must feel when, after years of commitment to a particular dream...he realizes that he's gone just..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/barack-obama-17_accepting_i-began-feeling-the-way-i-imagine-an-act_3208690.jpg" --- # I began feeling the way I imagine an actor or athlete must… ![“I began feeling the way I imagine an actor or athlete must feel when, after years of commitment to a particular dream...he realizes that he's gone just about as far as talent or fortune will take him. The dream will not happen, and he now faces the choice of accepting this fact like a grownup and…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/barack-obama-17_accepting_i-began-feeling-the-way-i-imagine-an-act_3208690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/barack-obama-17_accepting_i-began-feeling-the-way-i-imagine-an-act_3208690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b9/barack-obama-17_accepting_i-began-feeling-the-way-i-imagine-an-act_3208690.jpg) > “I began feeling the way I imagine an actor or athlete must feel when, after years of commitment to a particular dream...he realizes that he's gone just about as far as talent or fortune will take him. The dream will not happen, and he now faces the choice of accepting this fact like a grownup and moving on to more sensible pursuits, or refusing the truth and ending up bitter, quarrelsome, and slightly pathetic.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When talent and luck plateau, one must accept reality and pivot to realistic goals, avoiding bitterness from denial. **In simple terms:** Accept limits, move on wisely. Key Takeaway Recognize limits and pursue new, realistic paths. Themes growth acceptance realism Mood reflective pragmatic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - sports careers - acting ambitions - mid‑life transitions - goal reassessment Key Concepts career development self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What signs show you’re clinging to an unattainable dream? - How can you transition gracefully to new goals? A Different Perspective Denial can cause prolonged dissatisfaction and damaged relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Sensible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensible/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [I am a reality all-star. This is what I do. I'm not an actor or an athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/i-am-a-reality-all-star-this-is-what-i-do-i-m-not-an-actor-or-an/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) > [There was no way we were going to let this band hobble around on three legs. We chose the route that every professional actor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/there-was-no-way-we-were-going-to-let-this-band-hobble-around-on/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [The actor is an athlete of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-artaud/the-actor-is-an-athlete-of-the-heart/) [Antonin Artaud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-artaud/) > [I know I will have to come to forgiveness and acceptance of what has happened for me to go on and be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elin-nordegren/i-know-i-will-have-to-come-to-forgiveness-and-acceptance-of-what-has/) [Elin Nordegren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elin-nordegren/) > [Maybe it's part of being an athlete, but I feel like we're really good, especially in swimming, about just pushing things down and pushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/maybe-it-s-part-of-being-an-athlete-but-i-feel-like-we-re-really-good/) [Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/) > [As an athlete, I feel like I have a little bit of control - or a lot of control - of the situation. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-ertz/as-an-athlete-i-feel-like-i-have-a-little-bit-of-control-or-a-lot-of/) [Zach Ertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-ertz/) > [As a female athlete, I feel like I'm not allowed to be sexy and I'm not allowed to be that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-cambage/as-a-female-athlete-i-feel-like-i-m-not-allowed-to-be-sexy-and-i-m/) [Liz Cambage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-cambage/) > [“Early in my childhood, when I was about six or seven, I began to get the feeling that there was something different about me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/early-in-my-childhood-when-i-was-about-six-or-seven-i-began-to-get/) [Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/) > [When I started being nicer to myself I began feeling a lot more beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-abrams/when-i-started-being-nicer-to-myself-i-began-feeling-a-lot-more/) [Gracie Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-abrams/) > [I was born poor and without religion, under a happy sky, feeling harmony, not hostility, in nature. I began not by feeling torn, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-was-born-poor-and-without-religion-under-a-happy-sky-feeling/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [After college, I moved to Paris to work as a paralegal. I hadn't been feeling well throughout most of my senior year of college,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/after-college-i-moved-to-paris-to-work-as-a-paralegal-i-hadn-t-been/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) > [I began to get a feeling familiar to me from my bartending days of being the only sane man in a nuthouse. It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-began-to-get-a-feeling-familiar-to-me-from-my-bartending-days-of/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“He began to get the feeling that dear Uncle Carol "was drifting about in an Edwardian summer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sellers/he-began-to-get-the-feeling-that-dear-uncle-carol-was-drifting-about/) Robert Sellers > [I began to get a feeling (...) of being the only sane man in a nut house. It doesn't make you feel superior but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/i-began-to-get-a-feeling-of-being-the-only-sane-man-in-a-nut-house-it/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Back to the street where we began. Feeling as good as lovers can, you know. Yeah we're feeling so good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/panic-at-the-disco/back-to-the-street-where-we-began-feeling-as-good-as-lovers-can-you/) [Panic At The Disco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/panic-at-the-disco/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [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/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I began feeling the way I imagine an actor or athlete must feel when, after years of commitment to a particular dream...he realizes that he's gone just about as far as talent or fortune will take him. 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