--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: growing up so poor that for a time his…" description: "\"“growing up so poor that for a time his family lived in their Volkswagen van on a relative’s lawn, Jim Carrey believed in his future. Every night in th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/benjamin-p-hardy-34195_every-night_growing-up-so-poor-that-for-a-time-his-f_2191914.jpg" --- # growing up so poor that for a time his family lived in… ![“growing up so poor that for a time his family lived in their Volkswagen van on a relative’s lawn, Jim Carrey believed in his future. Every night in the late 1980’s, Carrey would drive atop a large hill that looked down over Los Angeles and visualize directors valuing his work. At the time, he was…” quote by Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/benjamin-p-hardy-34195_every-night_growing-up-so-poor-that-for-a-time-his-f_2191914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/benjamin-p-hardy-34195_every-night_growing-up-so-poor-that-for-a-time-his-f_2191914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/322/benjamin-p-hardy-34195_every-night_growing-up-so-poor-that-for-a-time-his-f_2191914.jpg) > ““growing up so poor that for a time his family lived in their Volkswagen van on a relative’s lawn, Jim Carrey believed in his future. Every night in the late 1980’s, Carrey would drive atop a large hill that looked down over Los Angeles and visualize directors valuing his work. At the time, he was a broke and struggling young comic. One night in 1990, while looking down on Los Angeles and dreaming of his future, Carrey wrote himself a check for $10 million and put in the notation line “for acting services rendered.” He dated the check for Thanksgiving 1995 and stuck it in his wallet. He gave himself five years. And just before Thanksgiving of 1995, he got paid $10 million for Dumb and Dumber.”” [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Illustrates how vivid self-affirmation and future-oriented thinking can manifest tangible success, using Jim Carrey’s anecdote as proof. **In simple terms:** Visualizing goals can help achieve them. Key Takeaway Believe in your future and act accordingly. Themes goal setting visualization self‑belief manifestation career growth Mood motivational optimistic reflective Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - creative pursuits - financial goals Key Concepts psychology of success future planning self‑fulfilling prophecy Questions to Reflect On - What steps complement visualization? - How to stay realistic while dreaming? A Different Perspective Visualization alone may not guarantee outcomes without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Carrey Believed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrey-believed-4777404/) [Carrey Drive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrey-drive-4777407/) [Carrey Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carrey-wrote-4777405/) [Dumb And Dumber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumb-and-dumber/) [Every night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-night/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Future Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-carrey-4777406/) [Jim carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jim-carrey/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wrote Check](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrote-check-3532187/) ## Related quotes > [I wrote myself a check for ten million dollars for acting services rendered and dated it Thanksgiving 1995. I put it in my wallet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-wrote-myself-a-check-for-ten-million-dollars-for-acting-services/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [I never wrote a check to Planned Parenthood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-christie/i-never-wrote-a-check-to-planned-parenthood/) [Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-christie/) > [“New Rule: Now that liberals have taken back the word "liberal," they also have to take back the word "elite." By now you've heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-now-that-liberals-have-taken-back-the-word-liberal-they-also/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“You know that movie ‘Dumb and Dumber’? If there’s an addition of a third member, I’d get the part of ‘Dumbest’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-reed/you-know-that-movie-dumb-and-dumber-if-there-s-an-addition-of-a-third/) [Martin Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-reed/) > [“Janitorial" All morning he drifts the spacious lawns like a gleaner, picking up this and that, the summer clouds immense and building toward afternoon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bilgere/janitorial-all-morning-he-drifts-the-spacious-lawns-like-a-gleaner/) [George Bilgere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bilgere/) > [“Don’t hurt him. (Geary) Do you think I came all the way over here to hurt him? If I’d wanted him hurt, I’d have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/don-t-hurt-him-geary-do-you-think-i-came-all-the-way-over-here-to/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I could start this review by stating that Dumb and Dumberer lives up to its name, or by calling it stupid, moronic, and idiotic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-berardinelli/i-could-start-this-review-by-stating-that-dumb-and-dumberer-lives-up/) [James Berardinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-berardinelli/) > [I know there are people, if I go into a market or a city for the first time, there are people that are there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-daniels/i-know-there-are-people-if-i-go-into-a-market-or-a-city-for-the-first/) [Jeff Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-daniels/) > [When the first big paycheque with 'Dumb And Dumber' hit, I went: 'Gosh, I wonder if this will affect my performance. Will I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/when-the-first-big-paycheque-with-dumb-and-dumber-hit-i-went-gosh-i/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [If they didn't have an Oscar for people to shoot for, all they'd do is be making 'Dumb And Dumber' again and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/if-they-didn-t-have-an-oscar-for-people-to-shoot-for-all-they-d-do-is/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [I've always thought those guys are really funny. And I love Dumb and Dumber, Kingpin and Mary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-zucker/i-ve-always-thought-those-guys-are-really-funny-and-i-love-dumb-and/) [David Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-zucker/) > [My favorite movie is Dumb and Dumber. It's a classic and I can pretty much recite the entire movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-holland/my-favorite-movie-is-dumb-and-dumber-it-s-a-classic-and-i-can-pretty/) [Derek Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-holland/) > [One of my favorite films is 'Dumb and Dumber.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/one-of-my-favorite-films-is-dumb-and-dumber/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [Will Ferrell is probably the funniest comic actor, certainly of my generation. I am a huge, huge Will Ferrell fan. I'm not a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-showalter/will-ferrell-is-probably-the-funniest-comic-actor-certainly-of-my/) [Michael Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-showalter/) > [I think if you're watching 'Dumb and Dumber,' I don't know whether you need to buy the Blu-ray of a comedy or something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-w-s-anderson/i-think-if-you-re-watching-dumb-and-dumber-i-don-t-know-whether-you/) [Paul W. S. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-w-s-anderson/) ## More by Benjamin P. Hardy > [“It’s easier to hold to your principles 100 percent of the time than it is to hold to them 98 percent of the time.” —Clayton”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/it-s-easier-to-hold-to-your-principles-100-percent-of-the-time-than/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“Simply switching to home-brewed coffee will save you an average of $64.48 per month (or $2 per day) or $773.80 per year. By putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/simply-switching-to-home-brewed-coffee-will-save-you-an-average-of-64/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“seconds, minutes, hours, and days. Not in kilometers or miles. But what if we did measure time as a distance? How would our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/seconds-minutes-hours-and-days-not-in-kilometers-or-miles-but-what-if/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“Earning Money Is Moral “For better or worse, humans are holistic. Even the human body does best when its spiritual and physical sides are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/earning-money-is-moral-for-better-or-worse-humans-are-holistic-even/) [Benjamin P. 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Contemplate whether this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/for-every-thing-you-do-you-can-sleepwalk-without-awareness-about-your/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“Rather than worrying about what others are doing, live your values. Put first things first. Spend more time with your loved ones and away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/rather-than-worrying-about-what-others-are-doing-live-your-values-put/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“To succeed as a rate-buster is not simply to start but to endure. Regulation”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/to-succeed-as-a-rate-buster-is-not-simply-to-start-but-to-endure/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“There are three distinct requirements for personal freedom: 1) a heart at peace, 2) healthy relationships, and 3) upright character.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/there-are-three-distinct-requirements-for-personal-freedom-1-a-heart/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“Never be offended that your new circumstances require you to change. Be humble and receptive. Rather than simply going where you need to go,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/never-be-offended-that-your-new-circumstances-require-you-to-change/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“without an upright character, a person can’t truly be free, or at peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/without-an-upright-character-a-person-can-t-truly-be-free-or-at-peace/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) > [“You are never pre-qualified to live your dreams. You qualify yourself by doing the work. By committing—even overcommitting—to what you believe you should do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-p-hardy/you-are-never-pre-qualified-to-live-your-dreams-you-qualify-yourself/) [Benjamin P. Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) [Explore all 14 Benjamin P. Hardy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-p-hardy/) ## More Every night quotes > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You can date every girl in town as far as I’m concerned. I hate you. 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