--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my…" description: "\"I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my mind.\" — Beverly Cleary" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/beverly-cleary-5332_ballerina_i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-i-changed-my_1614675.jpg" --- # I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my mind. ![“I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my mind.” quote by Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/beverly-cleary-5332_ballerina_i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-i-changed-my_1614675.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/beverly-cleary-5332_ballerina_i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-i-changed-my_1614675.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c06/beverly-cleary-5332_ballerina_i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-i-changed-my_1614675.jpg) > “I wanted to be a ballerina. I changed my mind.” [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A child’s aspirations can shift, revealing new self‑understanding and growth. **In simple terms:** Dreams change as we grow. Key Takeaway Embrace evolving goals. Themes identity growth self‑discovery Mood reflective hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - childhood - career planning - creative pursuits Key Concepts developmental psychology personal narrative Questions to Reflect On - What new path excites you now? - How do you honor past dreams? A Different Perspective Dreams may be limited by external expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ballerina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballerina/) [Ballerina Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballerina-changed-6158817/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Changed Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-mind-308195/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Ballerina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-ballerina-1032553/) ## Related quotes > [I never knew I wanted to become a ballerina. I was discovered at the age of 13. I had a love for movement even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-never-knew-i-wanted-to-become-a-ballerina-i-was-discovered-at-the/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I wanted to be ballerina, be in a band, then in drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madchen-amick/i-wanted-to-be-ballerina-be-in-a-band-then-in-drama/) [Madchen Amick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madchen-amick/) > [My mom always wanted me be a ballerina, and I was just adamant that I wanted to be a track star. I wanted nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emayatzy-e-corinealdi/my-mom-always-wanted-me-be-a-ballerina-and-i-was-just-adamant-that-i/) [Emayatzy E. Corinealdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emayatzy-e-corinealdi/) > [I wanted to be a ballerina as a child - I had a tutu, and I used to stage my own ballets in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-hawking/i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-as-a-child-i-had-a-tutu-and-i-used-to/) [Lucy Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-hawking/) > [How awfully convenient for you, regardless. And for him. He won't have to worry about you spilling his secrets." "Yeah," Jace said. "He's terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/how-awfully-convenient-for-you-regardless-and-for-him-he-won-t-have/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I've always wanted to be a professional dancer, I'd always wanted to be a ballerina. I trained for 13 years but it never came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-jameson/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-a-professional-dancer-i-d-always-wanted-to/) [Jenna Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-jameson/) > [I have a sister who is a dancer and dance teacher. We grew up dancing together. I wanted to become a ballerina when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-winstead/i-have-a-sister-who-is-a-dancer-and-dance-teacher-we-grew-up-dancing/) [Mary Elizabeth Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-winstead/) > [As a child I wanted to be a ballerina, ice-cream van owner, wife of George Michael, a nun, and a music conductor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/as-a-child-i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-ice-cream-van-owner-wife-of/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [From the age of three to 15, I wanted to be a ballerina and trained really, really hard. Then I had that classic movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiesza/from-the-age-of-three-to-15-i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-and-trained/) [Kiesza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiesza/) > [When I was six I wanted to be a ballerina. By the time I was eight I was fairly sure this plan wasn't panning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/when-i-was-six-i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-by-the-time-i-was-eight-i/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [I stopped dancing when I was 17, but like all little girls I wanted to be a ballerina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-stopped-dancing-when-i-was-17-but-like-all-little-girls-i-wanted-to/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [I wanted to be a ballerina so badly. You can be seen and take over the spotlight without speaking. I had a fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-bowlby/i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-so-badly-you-can-be-seen-and-take-over-the/) [April Bowlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-bowlby/) > [I wanted to be a ballerina. I studied ballet for 19 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-soleil/i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-i-studied-ballet-for-19-years/) [Stella Soleil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-soleil/) > [Hey, I've changed my mind. I want to be a ballerina. -LORELAI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilmore-girls/hey-i-ve-changed-my-mind-i-want-to-be-a-ballerina-lorelai/) [Gilmore Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilmore-girls/) > [I changed my mind because of a scene between Howard Cunningham and Richie. The father-son situation was written so movingly, I fell in love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bosley/i-changed-my-mind-because-of-a-scene-between-howard-cunningham-and/) [Tom Bosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bosley/) ## More by Beverly Cleary > [I particularly enjoy cello music because our daughter plays the cello. I have listened to her practice for so many hours that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-particularly-enjoy-cello-music-because-our-daughter-plays-the-cello/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I don't necessarily start with the beginning of the book. I just start with the part of the story that's most vivid in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-don-t-necessarily-start-with-the-beginning-of-the-book-i-just-start/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I think adults sometimes don't think about how children are feeling about the adult problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-think-adults-sometimes-don-t-think-about-how-children-are-feeling/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [What interests me is what children go through while growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/what-interests-me-is-what-children-go-through-while-growing-up/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I know that when I was a children's librarian, that was about 1940, boys particularly asked where were the books about kids like us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-know-that-when-i-was-a-children-s-librarian-that-was-about-1940/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I haven't been very enthusiastic about the commercialization of children's literature. Kids should borrow books from the library and not necessarily be buying them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-haven-t-been-very-enthusiastic-about-the-commercialization-of/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [“She was surprised to feel his hand on her arm and still more surprised-almost unbelieving-to see his fingers unclasp his identification bracelet and remove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/she-was-surprised-to-feel-his-hand-on-her-arm-and-still-more/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [“He seemed grown-up, compared to the boys at school, and although he was not handsome, or even particularly good-looking—there were still some scars on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/he-seemed-grown-up-compared-to-the-boys-at-school-and-although-he-was/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [The key to writing successful YA is to keep the adults out of the story as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/the-key-to-writing-successful-ya-is-to-keep-the-adults-out-of-the/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [In my grammar school years back in the 1920s I used my ten-cents-a-week allowance for Saturday matinees of Douglas Fairbanks movies. All that swashbuckling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/in-my-grammar-school-years-back-in-the-1920s-i-used-my-ten-cents-a/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [“Well, she thought, I'm certainly bright. She had wanted to meet a new boy and when she finally did meet one she didn't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/well-she-thought-i-m-certainly-bright-she-had-wanted-to-meet-a-new/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I wrote books to entertain. I'm not trying to teach anything! If I suspected the author was trying to show me how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-wrote-books-to-entertain-i-m-not-trying-to-teach-anything-if-i/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I had a bad time in school in the first grade. Because I had been a rather lonely child on a farm, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-had-a-bad-time-in-school-in-the-first-grade-because-i-had-been-a/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [“If there's one thing I can't stand, its a cheeky mouse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/if-there-s-one-thing-i-can-t-stand-its-a-cheeky-mouse/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) > [I think the best teachers had a real interest in the subject they were teaching and a love for children. Some of the teachers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-cleary/i-think-the-best-teachers-had-a-real-interest-in-the-subject-they/) [Beverly Cleary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) [Explore all 94 Beverly Cleary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-cleary/) ## More Ballerina quotes > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [Wouldn't it be great if we all grew up to be what we wanted to be? The world would be full of nurses, firemen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/wouldn-t-it-be-great-if-we-all-grew-up-to-be-what-we-wanted-to-be-the/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“O wayfarer! Yearn finds quench, not in meadows, seashores or altitude of mountain peaks; but when being and dance are one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/o-wayfarer-yearn-finds-quench-not-in-meadows-seashores-or-altitude-of/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“If movements were a spark every dancer would desire to light up in flames.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/if-movements-were-a-spark-every-dancer-would-desire-to-light-up-in/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“Burdened no more is soul for whom life flows through dance like breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/burdened-no-more-is-soul-for-whom-life-flows-through-dance-like-breath/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“Dance as the narration of a magical story; that recites on lips, illuminates imaginations and embraces the most sacred depths of souls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/dance-as-the-narration-of-a-magical-story-that-recites-on-lips/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [I wanted to be a ballerina. I studied ballet for 19 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-soleil/i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-i-studied-ballet-for-19-years/) [Stella Soleil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-soleil/) > [I think that the ideal physique and look of a ballerina is always changing with different eras. And it's continuing to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-think-that-the-ideal-physique-and-look-of-a-ballerina-is-always/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Did I ever tell you my pet peeve?' No,' I said. People who dress up their pets to look like Little Lord Fauntleroys or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/did-i-ever-tell-you-my-pet-peeve-no-i-said-people-who-dress-up-their/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [I have no interest in being a trained ballerina. People should dance how they want to dance. I want to be the funky chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclanahan/i-have-no-interest-in-being-a-trained-ballerina-people-should-dance/) [Scott McClanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclanahan/) > [I used to want to be a war photographer, and I used to want to be a ballerina and a comedian. I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-power/i-used-to-want-to-be-a-war-photographer-and-i-used-to-want-to-be-a/) [Cat Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-power/) > [I've always felt like a different kind of ballerina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-whelan/i-ve-always-felt-like-a-different-kind-of-ballerina/) [Wendy Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-whelan/) > [Above all, I wanted to be appreciated as a prima ballerina who happened to be a Native American, never as someone who was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-tallchief/above-all-i-wanted-to-be-appreciated-as-a-prima-ballerina-who/) [Maria Tallchief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-tallchief/) > [When I was growing up, I dreamed about becoming a cowgirl, a detective, a spy, a great actress, or a ballerina. Not a dentist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/when-i-was-growing-up-i-dreamed-about-becoming-a-cowgirl-a-detective/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/perseverance-has-always-just-been-something-that-was-in-me-and-it-was/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) [Browse all 191 Ballerina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballerina/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to be a ballerina. 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