--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As it turned out, almost every notion I…" description: "\"“As it turned out, almost every notion I had on my 13th birthday about my future turned out to be a total waste of my time. When I thought of myself as..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/caitlin-moran-865_credit-card_as-it-turned-out-almost-every-notion-i-h_2482584.jpg" --- # As it turned out, almost every notion I had on my 13th… ![“As it turned out, almost every notion I had on my 13th birthday about my future turned out to be a total waste of my time. When I thought of myself as an adult, all I could imagine was someone thin, and smooth, and calm, to whom things... happened. Some kind of souped-up princess with a credit…” quote by Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/caitlin-moran-865_credit-card_as-it-turned-out-almost-every-notion-i-h_2482584.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/caitlin-moran-865_credit-card_as-it-turned-out-almost-every-notion-i-h_2482584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af9/caitlin-moran-865_credit-card_as-it-turned-out-almost-every-notion-i-h_2482584.jpg) > ““As it turned out, almost every notion I had on my 13th birthday about my future turned out to be a total waste of my time. When I thought of myself as an adult, all I could imagine was someone thin, and smooth, and calm, to whom things... happened. Some kind of souped-up princess with a credit card. I didn't have any notion about self-development, or following my interests, or learning big life lessons, or, most important, finding out what I was good at and trying to earn a living from it. I presumed that these were all things that some grown-ups would come along and basically tell me what to do about at some point, and that I really shouldn't worry about them. I didn't worry about what I was going to do. What I did worry about, and thought I should work hard at, was what I should be, instead. I thought all of my efforts should be concentrated on being fabulous, rather than doing fabulous things.”” [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Youthful fantasies about adulthood often ignore practical self‑development, leading to misplaced focus on image over substance. **In simple terms:** Dreams vs. real growth. Key Takeaway Prioritize skill building over image. Themes self‑development expectations growth identity career Mood contemplative motivational realistic Type essay self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - skill workshops - mentoring - self‑reflection Key Concepts personal development self‑esteem goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What skills are you cultivating now? - How do you balance self‑image with authentic growth? 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I thought being an adult meant knowing what you believe, but that has not been my experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-don-t-know-what-i-believe-hazel-i-thought-being-an-adult-meant/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Whoever was stupid was beneath worry or thought; you did not have to figure them out. This eliminated hundreds of people. In this life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/whoever-was-stupid-was-beneath-worry-or-thought-you-did-not-have-to/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [If I'm thinking or feeling something, I have to record it somewhere. If I don't, I worry the thought will be lost and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-piper/if-i-m-thinking-or-feeling-something-i-have-to-record-it-somewhere-if/) [Katie Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-piper/) ## More by Caitlin Moran > [“Bármilyen idiótának, aki azt kérdezi: „Feminista vagy? Akkor elégeted a melltartóidat, mi? HE? Melltartókat égetsz, te feminista?” – szép nyugodtan így kell válaszolni: „Ostoba.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/b-rmilyen-idi-t-nak-aki-azt-k-rdezi-feminista-vagy-akkor-el-geted-a/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [“You can tell whether some misogynistic societal pressure is being exerted on women by calmly enquiring, ‘And are the men doing this, as well?’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/you-can-tell-whether-some-misogynistic-societal-pressure-is-being/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [You wanted to become a doctor to help people and feel better at the end of your job, I think, watching them, as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/you-wanted-to-become-a-doctor-to-help-people-and-feel-better-at-the/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [I think loads of women have this idea that their life is going to start at some point, once they've busted all these problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/i-think-loads-of-women-have-this-idea-that-their-life-is-going-to/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [When you've got a mother who's given birth to eight children, you know, often without any kind of medical intervention - just she gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/when-you-ve-got-a-mother-who-s-given-birth-to-eight-children-you-know/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [I’m neither ‘pro-women’ nor ‘anti-men’. 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Without feminism you wouldn't be allowed to have a debate on a woman's place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/it-s-technically-impossible-for-a-woman-to-argue-against-feminism/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [“But if there is to be a fifth wave of feminism, I would hope that the main thing that distinguishes it from all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/but-if-there-is-to-be-a-fifth-wave-of-feminism-i-would-hope-that-the/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [Why on earth have I, because I'm a woman, got to be nice to everyone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/why-on-earth-have-i-because-i-m-a-woman-got-to-be-nice-to-everyone/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [The sort of the template of being a mother is that you're endlessly giving to the point of exhaustion. 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Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-c-moore/) [Browse all 591 Credit card quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit-card/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“As it turned out, almost every notion I had on my 13th birthday about my future turned out to be a total waste of my time. When I thought of myself as an adult, all I could imagine was someone thin, and smooth, and calm, to whom things... happened. Some kind of souped-up princess with a credit card. I didn't have any notion about self-development, or following my interests, or learning big life lessons, or, most important, finding out what I was good at and trying to earn a living from it. I presumed that these were all things that some grown-ups would come along and basically tell me what to do about at some point, and that I really shouldn't worry about them. I didn't worry about what I was going to do. 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