--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As I look back, I realize I probably owe…" description: "\"“As I look back, I realize I probably owe my career to not belonging.”\" — Brené Brown" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd1/bren-brown-280_career_as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe_1676680.jpg" --- # As I look back, I realize I probably owe my career to not… ![“As I look back, I realize I probably owe my career to not belonging.” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd1/bren-brown-280_career_as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe_1676680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd1/bren-brown-280_career_as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe_1676680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd1/bren-brown-280_career_as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe_1676680.jpg) > ““As I look back, I realize I probably owe my career to not belonging.”” [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Not fitting in can foster authenticity and drive unique contributions. **In simple terms:** Belonging isn’t required for success. Key Takeaway Embrace your outsider perspective. Themes authenticity belonging career identity Mood hopeful introspective Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career planning - creative work - leadership - community building Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What strengths arise from feeling excluded? - How can you leverage them? A Different Perspective Isolation can feel painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Career Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-belonging-914980/) [Owe Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/owe-career-914982/) [Probably Owe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probably-owe-914988/) [Realize Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realize-probably-914989/) ## Related quotes > [I realize it's probably best to keep my politics to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannen-doherty/i-realize-it-s-probably-best-to-keep-my-politics-to-myself/) [Shannen Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannen-doherty/) > [I got a lot of my film education from sneaking into media labs at USC. I probably owe USC a lot of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mccary/i-got-a-lot-of-my-film-education-from-sneaking-into-media-labs-at-usc/) [Dave McCary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mccary/) > [I probably owe as much to Jeff Beck as I do to Son House with connections to the blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-gibbons/i-probably-owe-as-much-to-jeff-beck-as-i-do-to-son-house-with/) [Billy Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-gibbons/) > [I probably owe an apology to fans that have been supportive and have not wanted to believe any of this was true. It takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-probably-owe-an-apology-to-fans-that-have-been-supportive-and-have/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I owe my whole career to Howard Lancour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hansen/i-owe-my-whole-career-to-howard-lancour/) [Chris Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hansen/) > [I owe my career to Paul Heyman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/i-owe-my-career-to-paul-heyman/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [I owe my career to TV. Most of my training has been through TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrunal-thakur/i-owe-my-career-to-tv-most-of-my-training-has-been-through-tv/) [Mrunal Thakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrunal-thakur/) > [It will be very wrong on my part to say that I don't want to do TV. I owe my career to TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gurmeet-choudhary/it-will-be-very-wrong-on-my-part-to-say-that-i-don-t-want-to-do-tv-i/) [Gurmeet Choudhary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gurmeet-choudhary/) > [I owe my career to 'Duke.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pitchford/i-owe-my-career-to-duke/) [Randy Pitchford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pitchford/) > [To a certain extent, I can say I owe my career to Dara Singh because after doing films with him, I started getting good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mumtaz/to-a-certain-extent-i-can-say-i-owe-my-career-to-dara-singh-because/) [Mumtaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mumtaz/) > [I owe my career to J.J. Abrams. He fought for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-anders/i-owe-my-career-to-j-j-abrams-he-fought-for-me/) [David Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-anders/) > [“Once we belong thoroughly to ourselves and believe thoroughly in ourselves, true belonging is ours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/once-we-belong-thoroughly-to-ourselves-and-believe-thoroughly-in/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-culture-especially-post-9-11-fear/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More by Brené Brown > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“always put off writing by reorganizing my entire house and spending way too much time and money buying office supplies and organizing systems. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/always-put-off-writing-by-reorganizing-my-entire-house-and-spending/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-carry-a-small-sheet-of-paper-in-my-wallet-that-has-written-on-it/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“No matter how separated we are by what we think and believe, we are part of the same spiritual story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/no-matter-how-separated-we-are-by-what-we-think-and-believe-we-are/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-corrodes-the-very-part-of-us-that-believes-we-are-capable-of/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“I found that men and women with high levels of shame resilience share these four elements: They understand shame and recognize what messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-found-that-men-and-women-with-high-levels-of-shame-resilience-share/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“But here’s the tricky part about compassion and connecting: We can’t call just anyone. It’s not that simple. I have a lot of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-here-s-the-tricky-part-about-compassion-and-connecting-we-can-t/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Explore all 759 Brené Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) ## More Belonging quotes > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [I always think the best way of motivating yourself is to put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're belonging to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jackson/i-always-think-the-best-way-of-motivating-yourself-is-to-put-yourself/) [Colin Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jackson/) > [It is a well-settled principle of the international code that where one nation owes another a liquidated debt which it refuses or neglects to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/it-is-a-well-settled-principle-of-the-international-code-that-where/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [If some student belonging to weaker section of society suffers distress, humanity says it must be addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-jaitley/if-some-student-belonging-to-weaker-section-of-society-suffers/) [Arun Jaitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-jaitley/) > [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-father-was-a-man-of-great-charity-towards-the-poor-and-compassion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Maybe the problem with the world is, that people are too quick to judge. And out of desperation, the loneliness creeps in like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/maybe-the-problem-with-the-world-is-that-people-are-too-quick-to/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The hardest thing about being at Sony was not the travel; it was being divorced from the public and private life I had in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/the-hardest-thing-about-being-at-sony-was-not-the-travel-it-was-being/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) > [Whenever you are examining someone else's belongings, you are bound to learn many interesting things about the person of which you were not previously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-are-examining-someone-else-s-belongings-you-are-bound-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She isn't anybody's,' Rook said darkly. 'Son. she's not yours, either," Sarah Fleet said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaida-jones/she-isn-t-anybody-s-rook-said-darkly-son-she-s-not-yours-either-sarah/) [Jaida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaida-jones/) > [We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-culture-especially-post-9-11-fear/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) [Browse all 876 Belonging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As I look back, I realize I probably owe my career to not belonging.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brené Brown" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe-my-career-to-not-belonging/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belonging" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe-my-career-to-not-belonging/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd1/bren-brown-280_career_as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe_1676680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd1/bren-brown-280_career_as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe_1676680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd1/bren-brown-280_career_as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe_1676680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As I look back, I realize I probably owe my career to not belonging.” — Brené Brown", "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": "Brené Brown", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“As I look back, I realize...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe-my-career-to-not-belonging/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/as-i-look-back-i-realize-i-probably-owe-my-career-to-not-belonging/#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 } } ] } ```