--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I began to realize that poverty was…" description: "\"I began to realize that poverty was really more of a choice than anything else and that I could change that. And it just really depended on how hard I ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/benjamin-carson-955_choices_i-began-to-realize-that-poverty-was-real_2413355.png" --- # I began to realize that poverty was really more of a… ![“I began to realize that poverty was really more of a choice than anything else and that I could change that. And it just really depended on how hard I wanted to work.” quote by Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/benjamin-carson-955_choices_i-began-to-realize-that-poverty-was-real_2413355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/benjamin-carson-955_choices_i-began-to-realize-that-poverty-was-real_2413355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/79e/benjamin-carson-955_choices_i-began-to-realize-that-poverty-was-real_2413355.png) > “I began to realize that poverty was really more of a choice than anything else and that I could change that. And it just really depended on how hard I wanted to work.” [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He frames poverty as a personal choice, emphasizing hard work as the key to change. **In simple terms:** Poverty is seen as a result of personal decisions and effort. Key Takeaway Work hard to overcome poverty. Themes personal responsibility hard work poverty Mood reflective critical Type motivational sociopolitical When to use this quote - career counseling - community programs - personal finance Key Concepts socioeconomics self‑efficacy choice Questions to Reflect On - What systemic barriers limit individual effort? - How can society support those facing poverty? A Different Perspective Structural factors also heavily influence poverty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Depended Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depended-hard-6083943/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-really-1258337/) [Realize Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-poverty-1516083/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Really Depended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-depended-1354943/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-work-284762/) ## Related quotes > [Since the whole village was poor, we didnt realize our own poverty. I was happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bidzina-ivanishvili/since-the-whole-village-was-poor-we-didnt-realize-our-own-poverty-i/) [Bidzina Ivanishvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bidzina-ivanishvili/) > [I'm proud of my lineage but never really depended on it anyway whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-m-proud-of-my-lineage-but-never-really-depended-on-it-anyway/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [My mum really depended on me. I'm the eldest of three girls, and she had emotional issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-darwish/my-mum-really-depended-on-me-i-m-the-eldest-of-three-girls-and-she/) [Tiffany Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-darwish/) > [“Picking the best solution really depended on your definition of best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/picking-the-best-solution-really-depended-on-your-definition-of-best/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Since the whole village was poor, we didn't realize our own poverty. I was happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bidzina-ivanishvili/since-the-whole-village-was-poor-we-didn-t-realize-our-own-poverty-i/) [Bidzina Ivanishvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bidzina-ivanishvili/) > [“Humanity will be better served when those in power, privileged and keepers of it's flame realize that poverty is not a crime nor a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/humanity-will-be-better-served-when-those-in-power-privileged-and/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [We need to realize that poverty doesn't only consist of being hungry for bread, but rather it is a tremendous hunger for human dignity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/we-need-to-realize-that-poverty-doesn-t-only-consist-of-being-hungry/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [I have always been really troubled by the amount of poverty in America. Americans are matched in their rich democracy with the depth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/i-have-always-been-really-troubled-by-the-amount-of-poverty-in/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [David Cameron needs to get his head out of the sand. He and his colleagues need to see what poverty is really like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciana-berger/david-cameron-needs-to-get-his-head-out-of-the-sand-he-and-his/) [Luciana Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciana-berger/) > [Poverty is not really as much of an obstacle to educational expansion as it's sometimes made out to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/poverty-is-not-really-as-much-of-an-obstacle-to-educational-expansion/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Once you experience Third World poverty, you're really changed forever, if you're at all open to it, because we're all united in our common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/once-you-experience-third-world-poverty-you-re-really-changed-forever/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [This nation has always struggled with how it was going to deal with poor people and people of color. Every few years you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-waters/this-nation-has-always-struggled-with-how-it-was-going-to-deal-with/) [Maxine Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-waters/) > [I was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Looking back now, it was poverty really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-edwards/i-was-born-in-kingston-jamaica-looking-back-now-it-was-poverty-really/) [Leon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-edwards/) > [At age 28, I had no retail experience, no consumer marketing experience and no real Internet experience. But I decided I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-naficy/at-age-28-i-had-no-retail-experience-no-consumer-marketing-experience/) [Mariam Naficy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariam-naficy/) > [One of the reasons I wanted to start a company is because I wanted an environment that I wanted to work in. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tory-burch/one-of-the-reasons-i-wanted-to-start-a-company-is-because-i-wanted-an/) [Tory Burch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tory-burch/) ## More by Benjamin Carson > [We have a war on women, race wars. Income wars, age wars, religious wars, anything you can imagine. A house divided against itself cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/we-have-a-war-on-women-race-wars-income-wars-age-wars-religious-wars/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [When I look at the human brain I'm still in awe of it. Every single time you lift off the bone and open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/when-i-look-at-the-human-brain-i-m-still-in-awe-of-it-every-single/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I do not want to get rid of the safety net, I want to get rid of dependency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-do-not-want-to-get-rid-of-the-safety-net-i-want-to-get-rid-of/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [Even if somebody disagrees with you, their life is still valuable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/even-if-somebody-disagrees-with-you-their-life-is-still-valuable/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [No matter who you are,no matter what you do-do not be too big for GOD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/no-matter-who-you-are-no-matter-what-you-do-do-not-be-too-big-for-god/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I want the government to provide the military so we don't get invaded by somebody and destroyed. I want the government to provide the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-want-the-government-to-provide-the-military-so-we-don-t-get-invaded/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [Our schools too often want to shut people up so they can't talk about real solutions. People who think differently tend to clam up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/our-schools-too-often-want-to-shut-people-up-so-they-can-t-talk-about/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [If you're a Christian and you're running for president and you want to make this into a theocracy, I'm not going to support you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/if-you-re-a-christian-and-you-re-running-for-president-and-you-want/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I don't want my kids to grow up with no father like I did. I came to the conclusion a while ago that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-don-t-want-my-kids-to-grow-up-with-no-father-like-i-did-i-came-to/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [Uninformed people can be easily manipulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/uninformed-people-can-be-easily-manipulated/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [The left, of course, will say Carson doesn't believe in the Geneva Convention, Carson doesn't believe in fighting stupid wars. And - and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/the-left-of-course-will-say-carson-doesn-t-believe-in-the-geneva/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I don't worry about things that aren't important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-don-t-worry-about-things-that-aren-t-important/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [Surrendering to fear and allowing ourselves to be paralyzed by peril isn't something most of us can afford to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/surrendering-to-fear-and-allowing-ourselves-to-be-paralyzed-by-peril/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [I said Ted Cruz has been lying because if you say something that isn't true, and you say it over and over again, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/i-said-ted-cruz-has-been-lying-because-if-you-say-something-that-isn/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [Whoever wins in 2016, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a Republican, I think they should make it their goal to seal that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/whoever-wins-in-2016-i-m-pretty-sure-it-s-going-to-be-a-republican-i/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) [Explore all 321 Benjamin Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I began to realize that poverty was really more of a choice than anything else and that I could change that. 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