--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had crashes when I was small and…" description: "\"I had crashes when I was small and Gumby-like that would have killed me now. I would just fly off jumps and go 40 or 50 meters when I was 6 years old -..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/bode-miller-10302_afternoon_i-had-crashes-when-i-was-small-and-gumby_2344667.png" --- # I had crashes when I was small and Gumby-like that would… ![“I had crashes when I was small and Gumby-like that would have killed me now. I would just fly off jumps and go 40 or 50 meters when I was 6 years old - break skis, smash my goggles and get a bloody nose and go crawl inside for a little while and then come back out and ski more in the afternoon.” quote by Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/bode-miller-10302_afternoon_i-had-crashes-when-i-was-small-and-gumby_2344667.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/bode-miller-10302_afternoon_i-had-crashes-when-i-was-small-and-gumby_2344667.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08e/bode-miller-10302_afternoon_i-had-crashes-when-i-was-small-and-gumby_2344667.png) > “I had crashes when I was small and Gumby-like that would have killed me now. I would just fly off jumps and go 40 or 50 meters when I was 6 years old - break skis, smash my goggles and get a bloody nose and go crawl inside for a little while and then come back out and ski more in the afternoon.” [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker recalls reckless childhood skiing accidents, highlighting how fearlessness and risk-taking diminish with age and experience. **In simple terms:** Childhood reckless skiing led to many crashes. Key Takeaway Accept that youthful risk can be dangerous. Themes risk growth experience fearlessness learning Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal anecdote lesson. When to use this quote - skiing lessons - parental guidance - injury prevention - sports coaching Key Concepts adrenaline risk assessment skill development Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance caution with enthusiasm? - What lessons from youthful risk can improve adult performance? A Different Perspective Maturity often reduces reckless behavior, but overcaution can limit progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afternoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afternoon/) [Bloody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bloody/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Skis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-skis-5686463/) [Crash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crash/) [Crashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crashes/) [Crashes Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crashes-small-5686464/) [Goggles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goggles/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Meter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meter/) [Noses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noses/) [Skis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skis/) [Skis Smash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skis-smash-5686462/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [From 1999 to 2003 was the peak of equipment in ski racing. Since then, it's all gone in the wrong direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/from-1999-to-2003-was-the-peak-of-equipment-in-ski-racing-since-then/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [Some of them I probably would like. Some of my fans probably beat their wives or run over little kids and they just happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/some-of-them-i-probably-would-like-some-of-my-fans-probably-beat/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [It is not that I don't recognize the danger in ski racing, but that I don't fear the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/it-is-not-that-i-don-t-recognize-the-danger-in-ski-racing-but-that-i/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [The only mental games in ski racing is the mental game against yourself. Is the whole goal of life preserving your life as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/the-only-mental-games-in-ski-racing-is-the-mental-game-against/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [Ski racers are built odd with overbuilt butts and legs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/ski-racers-are-built-odd-with-overbuilt-butts-and-legs/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I don't put anything in front of taking ski racing and sports seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-don-t-put-anything-in-front-of-taking-ski-racing-and-sports/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [There's been times when I've been in really tough shape at the top of the course. Talk about a hard challenge right there. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/there-s-been-times-when-i-ve-been-in-really-tough-shape-at-the-top-of/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [At this point in my career, I have the privilege of choosing my partners. In the beginning, you more or less take what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/at-this-point-in-my-career-i-have-the-privilege-of-choosing-my/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I had to think about ankle torsion, where the screws are on the ski, how that affects the forces going into the ski and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-had-to-think-about-ankle-torsion-where-the-screws-are-on-the-ski/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [“Many a survivor of a plane crash who is or was against cannibalism and had never eaten human flesh once found themselves in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/many-a-survivor-of-a-plane-crash-who-is-or-was-against-cannibalism/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“You'll figure it out! You get on your plane and I'll get on mine. And we'll see which one crashes!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/you-ll-figure-it-out-you-get-on-your-plane-and-i-ll-get-on-mine-and/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [If I was to direct a movie about a super-confident guy, first of all I would hate that character. I can do a super-confident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leterrier/if-i-was-to-direct-a-movie-about-a-super-confident-guy-first-of-all-i/) [Louis Leterrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leterrier/) > [Failures are much more dramatic than successes, and people like drama. I think this is why automobile races draw such crowds. People expect spectacular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/failures-are-much-more-dramatic-than-successes-and-people-like-drama/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [I always think family get-togethers when everybody just sort of crashes out are pretty much the best. If it's more than a few days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-cohan/i-always-think-family-get-togethers-when-everybody-just-sort-of/) [Lauren Cohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-cohan/) > [I've been in 30 car crashes, none of 'em my fault, I swear on a stack of midgets... OK, they were probably all my fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-piper/i-ve-been-in-30-car-crashes-none-of-em-my-fault-i-swear-on-a-stack-of/) [Roddy Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-piper/) ## More by Bode Miller > [I think four Olympics is probably enough. Five Olympics is a long time, but there's nothing wrong with that if I'm into it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-think-four-olympics-is-probably-enough-five-olympics-is-a-long-time/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [My mom played the recorder. But not having electricity, we had minimal exposure to music. As I got a little older, we had Walkmans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/my-mom-played-the-recorder-but-not-having-electricity-we-had-minimal/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I had to think about ankle torsion, where the screws are on the ski, how that affects the forces going into the ski and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-had-to-think-about-ankle-torsion-where-the-screws-are-on-the-ski/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [My daughter's name is Neesyn Dacey but everyone calls her Dacey. Her mom chose Neesyn and I chose Dacey after she was born. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/my-daughter-s-name-is-neesyn-dacey-but-everyone-calls-her-dacey-her/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [People in the U.S. will watch anything if it's put in front of their face over and over again. I like to see what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/people-in-the-u-s-will-watch-anything-if-it-s-put-in-front-of-their/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I simply think things through, and I look at problems. One thing I pride myself on is the ability to connect unconnected thoughts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-simply-think-things-through-and-i-look-at-problems-one-thing-i/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [At the end of the day, you have to make sure you're at least listening to what your head is telling you, what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/at-the-end-of-the-day-you-have-to-make-sure-you-re-at-least-listening/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [At this point in my career, I have the privilege of choosing my partners. In the beginning, you more or less take what comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/at-this-point-in-my-career-i-have-the-privilege-of-choosing-my/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [There's been times when I've been in really tough shape at the top of the course. Talk about a hard challenge right there. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/there-s-been-times-when-i-ve-been-in-really-tough-shape-at-the-top-of/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [There's so many guys skiing so fast right now that you really have to be willing to take a lot of risks if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/there-s-so-many-guys-skiing-so-fast-right-now-that-you-really-have-to/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I went through a period at boarding school when my coaches wanted me to switch to snowboarding because they thought I was no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-went-through-a-period-at-boarding-school-when-my-coaches-wanted-me/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I couldn't be happier with where my life's at right now. I have great partners, I have great stimulating relationships on the business side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-couldn-t-be-happier-with-where-my-life-s-at-right-now-i-have-great/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I'm still having fun and as long as skiing is enjoyable, I'm going to continue to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-m-still-having-fun-and-as-long-as-skiing-is-enjoyable-i-m-going-to/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [Despite all the pressure and the caliber of accomplishment, I still can honestly say that it's not all about winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/despite-all-the-pressure-and-the-caliber-of-accomplishment-i-still/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) > [I've been myself my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bode-miller/i-ve-been-myself-my-whole-life/) [Bode Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) [Explore all 66 Bode Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bode-miller/) ## More Afternoon quotes > [I didn't grow up thinking of movies as film, or art, but as movies, something to do on a Saturday afternoon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-didn-t-grow-up-thinking-of-movies-as-film-or-art-but-as-movies/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [My dental hygienist is cute. Every time I visit, I eat a whole package of Oreo cookies while waiting in the lobby. Sometimes she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/my-dental-hygienist-is-cute-every-time-i-visit-i-eat-a-whole-package/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [Honestly, I'm living my fantasy. It's being with my family, preferably on a snowy afternoon with a fire going, cuddled up in blankets, playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-vieira/honestly-i-m-living-my-fantasy-it-s-being-with-my-family-preferably/) [Meredith Vieira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-vieira/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Sunday afternoon is for papers and writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-haslam/sunday-afternoon-is-for-papers-and-writing/) [Nicholas Haslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-haslam/) > [I think that if most guys in America could somehow get their fave-rave poster girl in bed and have total license to do whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-bangs/i-think-that-if-most-guys-in-america-could-somehow-get-their-fave/) [Lester Bangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-bangs/) > [“If you come at four in the afternoon, I'll begin to be happy by three.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-come-at-four-in-the-afternoon-i-ll-begin-to-be-happy-by-three/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [At five in the afternoon. It was exactly five in the afternoon. A boy brought the white sheet at five in the afternoon. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-five-in-the-afternoon-it-was-exactly-five-in-the-afternoon-a-boy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The shadows in the early morning don't tell much. The shadows rest at that time. So it's useless to gaze very early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/the-shadows-in-the-early-morning-don-t-tell-much-the-shadows-rest-at/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“I discovered windows one afternoon and after that, nothing was ever the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-spollen/i-discovered-windows-one-afternoon-and-after-that-nothing-was-ever/) [Anne Spollen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-spollen/) > [Look, science is hard, it has a reputation of being hard, and the facts are, it is hard, and that's the result of 400…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/look-science-is-hard-it-has-a-reputation-of-being-hard-and-the-facts/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon? And the day after that, and the next thirty years?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-ll-we-do-with-ourselves-this-afternoon-and-the-day-after-that/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Imagine you are walking down a leafy path…The sun is receding, and you are walking alone, caressed by the breezy light of the late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/imagine-you-are-walking-down-a-leafy-path-the-sun-is-receding-and-you/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [A good umpire is the umpire you don't even notice. He's there all afternoon but when the game is over, you don't even remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ban-johnson/a-good-umpire-is-the-umpire-you-don-t-even-notice-he-s-there-all/) [Ban Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ban-johnson/) > [Sometimes in the afternoon sky the moon would pass white as a cloud, furtive, lusterless, like an actress who does not have to perform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/sometimes-in-the-afternoon-sky-the-moon-would-pass-white-as-a-cloud/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) [Browse all 1,085 Afternoon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afternoon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had crashes when I was small and Gumby-like that would have killed me now. 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