--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And when you're poor, you grow up fast." description: "\"And when you're poor, you grow up fast.\" — Billie Holiday" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/billie-holiday-11576_fast_and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast-30_3040229.jpg" --- # And when you're poor, you grow up fast. ![“And when you're poor, you grow up fast.” quote by Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/billie-holiday-11576_fast_and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast-30_3040229.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/billie-holiday-11576_fast_and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast-30_3040229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/billie-holiday-11576_fast_and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast-30_3040229.jpg) > “And when you're poor, you grow up fast.” [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poverty accelerates maturity, forcing early development of resilience and practical skills. **In simple terms:** Poverty forces early maturity. Key Takeaway Cultivate resilience early. Themes poverty growth resilience Mood somber reflective Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - early employment - financial literacy - community support - mentoring programs Key Concepts socioeconomics life experience adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How does hardship shape your worldview? - What resources can ease early burdens? A Different Perspective Economic hardship can limit opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast/) [Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow/) [Grow Fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow-fast/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-grow-5007360/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's important not to grow up too fast. I'm 26 now, and I still can't wait for Christmas Day. The inner seven-year-old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-haddock/i-think-it-s-important-not-to-grow-up-too-fast-i-m-26-now-and-i-still/) [Laura Haddock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-haddock/) > [Individual income can grow only as fast as productivity rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/individual-income-can-grow-only-as-fast-as-productivity-rises/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [Being the only man in the household with my mom definitely helped me grow up fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/being-the-only-man-in-the-household-with-my-mom-definitely-helped-me/) [LeBron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [Losing a parent really makes you grow up fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-a-parent-really-makes-you-grow-up-fast/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I may be growing upbut I dont want to grow up too fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wall/i-may-be-growing-upbut-i-dont-want-to-grow-up-too-fast/) [John Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wall/) > [You grow up so fast in highschool, its not something you wait for, it just kinda happens. One day you'll look back and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/behappy/you-grow-up-so-fast-in-highschool-its-not-something-you-wait-for-it/) [Behappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/behappy/) > [Football players have to grow up very fast. It's a tough life sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-babel/football-players-have-to-grow-up-very-fast-it-s-a-tough-life-sometimes/) [Ryan Babel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-babel/) > [When Asian people grow up fast they go to college at 13. White people grow up fast it's about fudge packing and triple D's at 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-carolla/when-asian-people-grow-up-fast-they-go-to-college-at-13-white-people/) [Adam Carolla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-carolla/) > [So many people try to grow up too fast, and it's not fun! You should stay a kid as long as possible!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-hudgens/so-many-people-try-to-grow-up-too-fast-and-it-s-not-fun-you-should/) [Vanessa Hudgens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-hudgens/) > [I had to grow up fast. I had a lot of obstacles to overcome. It made me a lot stronger, growing up like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jevon-kearse/i-had-to-grow-up-fast-i-had-a-lot-of-obstacles-to-overcome-it-made-me/) [Jevon Kearse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jevon-kearse/) > [It's tough when you don't even recognize the friends you used to be so close with, all because you were forced to grow up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-tough-when-you-don-t-even-recognize-the-friends-you-used-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a harsh reality - nothing lasts forever. You have to be ready to grow, and grow fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pras-michel/there-s-a-harsh-reality-nothing-lasts-forever-you-have-to-be-ready-to/) [Pras Michel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pras-michel/) > [Never try to grow up too fast, but don't linger in the child you were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christofer-drew/never-try-to-grow-up-too-fast-but-don-t-linger-in-the-child-you-were/) [Christofer Drew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christofer-drew/) > [We ask these young girls to grow up too fast. In the society where they grow up, they are asked to grow up too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimouna-doucoure/we-ask-these-young-girls-to-grow-up-too-fast-in-the-society-where/) [Maimouna Doucoure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimouna-doucoure/) > [Growing up in the business you have to grow up very fast - you do have a different type of childhood, that has its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/growing-up-in-the-business-you-have-to-grow-up-very-fast-you-do-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Billie Holiday > [Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/don-t-threaten-me-with-love-baby-let-s-just-go-walking-in-the-rain/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [God bless the child that's got his own,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/god-bless-the-child-that-s-got-his-own/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I can't stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession, let alone two years or ten years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/i-can-t-stand-to-sing-the-same-song-the-same-way-two-nights-in/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I never had a chance to play with dolls like other kids. I started working when I was six years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/i-never-had-a-chance-to-play-with-dolls-like-other-kids-i-started/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I try to improvise like Les Young, Louis Armstrong or someone else I admire. What comes out is what I feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/i-try-to-improvise-like-les-young-louis-armstrong-or-someone-else-i/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I can only sing songs my way. I don't know any other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/i-can-only-sing-songs-my-way-i-don-t-know-any-other-way/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I can't stand to sing the same song the same way two nights in succession. If you can, then it ain't music, it's close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/i-can-t-stand-to-sing-the-same-song-the-same-way-two-nights-in-2/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I never sing a song the same way twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/i-never-sing-a-song-the-same-way-twice/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [Money, you have lots of friends hanging round the door. When it's gone and the spending ends They don't come no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/money-you-have-lots-of-friends-hanging-round-the-door-when-it-s-gone/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [Love is like a faucet, it turns off and on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/love-is-like-a-faucet-it-turns-off-and-on/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [I don't think I missed a single picture Billie Dove ever made. I was crazy for her. I tried to do my hair like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/i-don-t-think-i-missed-a-single-picture-billie-dove-ever-made-i-was/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [God has blessed you when he lets you believe in somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/god-has-blessed-you-when-he-lets-you-believe-in-somebody/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [A kiss that is never tasted, is forever and ever wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/a-kiss-that-is-never-tasted-is-forever-and-ever-wasted/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [In this country kings or dukes don't amount to nothing. The greatest man around then was Franklin D. Roosevelt, and he was the President;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/in-this-country-kings-or-dukes-don-t-amount-to-nothing-the-greatest/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) > [Don't be in such a hurry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/don-t-be-in-such-a-hurry/) [Billie Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) [Explore all 59 Billie Holiday quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/) ## More Fast quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [Skiing fast feels like complete freedom to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/skiing-fast-feels-like-complete-freedom-to-me/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [Life is going to hit you some line drives, and sometimes you'll have to think fast. However, it's better to think first than to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/life-is-going-to-hit-you-some-line-drives-and-sometimes-you-ll-have/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [Learning how to rap actually improved my English, because it forced me to talk fast, and I used to suck at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/learning-how-to-rap-actually-improved-my-english-because-it-forced-me/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [Normally, it's more efficient to climb fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ondra/normally-it-s-more-efficient-to-climb-fast/) [Adam Ondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ondra/) > [“There’s only one piece of clothing I could eat fast, and that’s a scarf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/there-s-only-one-piece-of-clothing-i-could-eat-fast-and-that-s-a-scarf/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I have a lot of adrenaline. I have a naturally fast system. But I love to eat, and I am not skinny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-bellucci/i-have-a-lot-of-adrenaline-i-have-a-naturally-fast-system-but-i-love/) [Monica Bellucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-bellucci/) > [Art is fast, but with art you're tied down. That's too negative. What I mean is, you have a business and a place that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-arcangel/art-is-fast-but-with-art-you-re-tied-down-that-s-too-negative-what-i/) [Cory Arcangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-arcangel/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Now your world is way to fast, nothing is real and nothing lasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goo-goo-dolls/now-your-world-is-way-to-fast-nothing-is-real-and-nothing-lasts/) [Goo Goo Dolls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goo-goo-dolls/) > [What I look for in a script is something that challenges me, something that breaks new ground, something that allows me to flex my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bay/what-i-look-for-in-a-script-is-something-that-challenges-me-something/) [Michael Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bay/) > [New York is so serious about the creation of work. Everything is happening so fast, it feels like there's another studio, another session on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diplo/new-york-is-so-serious-about-the-creation-of-work-everything-is/) [Diplo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diplo/) [Browse all 1,991 Fast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And when you're poor, you grow up fast.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billie Holiday" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fast" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/billie-holiday-11576_fast_and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast-30_3040229.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/billie-holiday-11576_fast_and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast-30_3040229.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2e/billie-holiday-11576_fast_and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast-30_3040229.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And when you're poor, you grow up fast.” — Billie Holiday", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Billie Holiday", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-holiday/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And when you're poor, you grow...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-holiday/and-when-you-re-poor-you-grow-up-fast/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```