--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always wanted better for myself; I…" description: "\"I've always wanted better for myself; I just didn't know what route I was going to take.\" — Brian Ortega" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/brian-ortega-6596_always_i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-j_2228953.jpg" --- # I've always wanted better for myself; I just didn't know… ![“I've always wanted better for myself; I just didn't know what route I was going to take.” quote by Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/brian-ortega-6596_always_i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-j_2228953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/brian-ortega-6596_always_i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-j_2228953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/brian-ortega-6596_always_i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-j_2228953.jpg) > “I've always wanted better for myself; I just didn't know what route I was going to take.” [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unclear goals hinder progress; seeking direction is essential for self‑improvement. **In simple terms:** Knowing your path is crucial. Key Takeaway Clarify your goals before acting. Themes self‑growth goal setting uncertainty Mood reflective hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - education choices - life transitions - skill development Key Concepts psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to discover your path? - What resources help clarify personal goals? A Different Perspective Lack of direction can cause stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [You don't want to give the defensive back any signals about what route you're going to run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amari-cooper/you-don-t-want-to-give-the-defensive-back-any-signals-about-what/) [Amari Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amari-cooper/) > [At a very young age I was predicting outcomes, trying to take all the information and find the best route to wherever I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-carpenter/at-a-very-young-age-i-was-predicting-outcomes-trying-to-take-all-the/) [Jennifer Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-carpenter/) > [I wanted to become a better Snoop Dogg, full of water, proteins and stuff to keep me alive . . . lollipops and Big Macs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-wanted-to-become-a-better-snoop-dogg-full-of-water-proteins-and/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [I was always inspired by the people I was around, like the older people spitting in my area or in Northampton, but I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slowthai/i-was-always-inspired-by-the-people-i-was-around-like-the-older/) [Slowthai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slowthai/) > [I just wanted to become a better player at everything - someone who is a real tough matchup to guard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-knox/i-just-wanted-to-become-a-better-player-at-everything-someone-who-is/) [Kevin Knox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-knox/) > [When you regret something, what you aren’t seeing is that someday, later, or maybe sooner, you’re going to see why you didn’t get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethenny-frankel/when-you-regret-something-what-you-aren-t-seeing-is-that-someday/) [Bethenny Frankel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethenny-frankel/) > [Every time I completed an audition, I wanted to do even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fala-chen/every-time-i-completed-an-audition-i-wanted-to-do-even-better/) [Fala Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fala-chen/) > [What used to drive me was the fact that I wanted to be better than everybody at something. One of my best qualities is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daley-thompson/what-used-to-drive-me-was-the-fact-that-i-wanted-to-be-better-than/) [Daley Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daley-thompson/) > [I would tell kids not be like me, but to try and be better than me. Because I always wanted to be better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danica-patrick/i-would-tell-kids-not-be-like-me-but-to-try-and-be-better-than-me/) [Danica Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danica-patrick/) > [“He felt himself, and did not want to be anyone else. All he wanted now was to be better than before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-felt-himself-and-did-not-want-to-be-anyone-else-all-he-wanted-now/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Sometimes it was better to not get what you wanted. Sometimes it was better to leave beautiful things alone for fear of breaking them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-sutherland/sometimes-it-was-better-to-not-get-what-you-wanted-sometimes-it-was/) [Krystal Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-sutherland/) > [“He wanted to be better than what he was made of. In Mumbai's dirty water, he wanted to be ice...He wanted to be recognized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/he-wanted-to-be-better-than-what-he-was-made-of-in-mumbai-s-dirty/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [If you're like most people, you've always wanted something better for your life - it's really how we are designed - we're supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/if-you-re-like-most-people-you-ve-always-wanted-something-better-for/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [People always grumbled. If things went well they wanted them to go better. Give them comfort and they wanted luxuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-plaidy/people-always-grumbled-if-things-went-well-they-wanted-them-to-go/) [Jean Plaidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-plaidy/) > [I wanted to better inform the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-turner/i-wanted-to-better-inform-the-world/) [Ted Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-turner/) ## More by Brian Ortega > [When I go in the Octagon, it's no big deal. Just gonna go fight. Majority of the people? 'Dude, I'm scared to even walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/when-i-go-in-the-octagon-it-s-no-big-deal-just-gonna-go-fight/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I always try not to look too far ahead. I just look far enough to know where I'm going next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-always-try-not-to-look-too-far-ahead-i-just-look-far-enough-to-know/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [Two good, large fights a year is good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/two-good-large-fights-a-year-is-good-enough-for-me/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I'm the kind of guy who, if you tell me you can't do something, like, 'Brian, you can't do a backflip off that two-floor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-m-the-kind-of-guy-who-if-you-tell-me-you-can-t-do-something-like/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [A lot of people think they need the best training partners, the best gym. I started with Vans, Jack in the Box, and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/a-lot-of-people-think-they-need-the-best-training-partners-the-best/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I saw my first UFC fight when I was 15 and figured, 'This is what I want to do when I grow up.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-saw-my-first-ufc-fight-when-i-was-15-and-figured-this-is-what-i/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [Fight fans always appreciate a fighter who is willing to step up on short notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/fight-fans-always-appreciate-a-fighter-who-is-willing-to-step-up-on/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I want to secure my name. I'll fight who I have to fight for the belt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-want-to-secure-my-name-i-ll-fight-who-i-have-to-fight-for-the-belt/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I liked to pretend a lot. I thought I could be anything that I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-liked-to-pretend-a-lot-i-thought-i-could-be-anything-that-i-wanted/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I've gotta check, but I think I'll be the first UFC fighter in history to have the lead role in a big movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-ve-gotta-check-but-i-think-i-ll-be-the-first-ufc-fighter-in-history/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I was blessed to be able to be born here. My dad crossed. My dad illegally went through the border and was living under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-was-blessed-to-be-able-to-be-born-here-my-dad-crossed-my-dad/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [Fighting is great, but I can't do it forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/fighting-is-great-but-i-can-t-do-it-forever/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [When I get in there, I try to really make sure there's no quit in me and that whoever I fight is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/when-i-get-in-there-i-try-to-really-make-sure-there-s-no-quit-in-me/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [Put on a camera and put on some whatever, and you're an actor. Put me in a cage, I'm a fighter. Put me somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/put-on-a-camera-and-put-on-some-whatever-and-you-re-an-actor-put-me/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) > [I very strongly dislike fear. I always say fear keeps us from living our lives and doing the things we want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-very-strongly-dislike-fear-i-always-say-fear-keeps-us-from-living/) [Brian Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) [Explore all 98 Brian Ortega quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always wanted better for myself; I just didn't know what route I was going to take.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian Ortega" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-just-didn-t-know-what-route-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-just-didn-t-know-what-route-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/brian-ortega-6596_always_i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-j_2228953.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/brian-ortega-6596_always_i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-j_2228953.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b98/brian-ortega-6596_always_i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-j_2228953.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always wanted better for myself; I just didn't know what route I was going to take.” — Brian Ortega", "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": "Brian Ortega", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ortega/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always wanted better for myself;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-just-didn-t-know-what-route-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ortega/i-ve-always-wanted-better-for-myself-i-just-didn-t-know-what-route-i/#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 } } ] } ```