--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to…" description: "\"You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to be What you think is expected of you But youll never be free\" — Chris Rea" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/chris-rea-8856_expected_you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to_433664.jpg" --- # You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to be What you think… ![“You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to be What you think is expected of you But youll never be free” quote by Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/chris-rea-8856_expected_you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to_433664.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/chris-rea-8856_expected_you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to_433664.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/chris-rea-8856_expected_you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to_433664.jpg) > “You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to be What you think is expected of you But youll never be free” [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living to meet others' expectations traps you; true freedom comes from authenticity. **In simple terms:** Don’t live for others' expectations. Key Takeaway Pursue authentic freedom. Themes freedom authenticity expectations Mood determined inspirational Type musical motivational When to use this quote - career choices - family expectations - personal goals Key Concepts Self‑actualization social pressure Questions to Reflect On - What expectations limit you? - How can you define your own path? A Different Perspective External pressures can be hard to escape. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Waste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waste/) ## Related quotes > [ If all of your electricity in your lifetime came from nuclear \[energy\], the waste from that lifetime of electricity would go in a Coke… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-brand/if-all-of-your-electricity-in-your-lifetime-came-from-nuclear-energy/) [Stewart Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-brand/) > [“ready to waste a lifetime waiting to be carried by the same winds again”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cocozza/ready-to-waste-a-lifetime-waiting-to-be-carried-by-the-same-winds/) Dean Cocozza > [I've spent a lifetime trying to really become a larger-than-life person onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridget-everett/i-ve-spent-a-lifetime-trying-to-really-become-a-larger-than-life/) [Bridget Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridget-everett/) > [I would give anything, anything, to be the man to whom this has not happened. I can not accommodate myself to it. In a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-goolrick/i-would-give-anything-anything-to-be-the-man-to-whom-this-has-not/) [Robert Goolrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-goolrick/) > [“Loved for is based on one's perception, you can easily spend a lifetime trying to define its definition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyconis-d-allison-ty/loved-for-is-based-on-one-s-perception-you-can-easily-spend-a/) Tyconis D. Allison Ty > [I don't know if I'll make it through today, let alone a lifetime. That's what I'm trying to tell you. It's complicated. -Robert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enchanted/i-don-t-know-if-i-ll-make-it-through-today-let-alone-a-lifetime-that/) [Enchanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enchanted/) > [I have spent a lifetime trying to share what it has meant to be a woman first in the world of sports so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-rudolph/i-have-spent-a-lifetime-trying-to-share-what-it-has-meant-to-be-a/) [Wilma Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-rudolph/) > [When someone has spent a lifetime trying to survive a death sentence, the last thing you want is your children uncovering what you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/when-someone-has-spent-a-lifetime-trying-to-survive-a-death-sentence/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [“You can spend a lifetime trying to erase memories. It doesn't change the fact that they took place. Acceptance is the key.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/you-can-spend-a-lifetime-trying-to-erase-memories-it-doesn-t-change/) Truth Devour > [We don't realise that we are actually perfect just the way we are. We are born perfect, but spend a lifetime trying to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-moorjani/we-don-t-realise-that-we-are-actually-perfect-just-the-way-we-are-we/) [Anita Moorjani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-moorjani/) > [“Some wounds went so deep you spent a lifetime trying to recover from them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-adams/some-wounds-went-so-deep-you-spent-a-lifetime-trying-to-recover-from/) [Noelle Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-adams/) > [“You bear a significant importance to humanity. You exist to complete the mold. Each step you take, great or little is important to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinonye-j-chidolue/you-bear-a-significant-importance-to-humanity-you-exist-to-complete/) [Chinonye J. Chidolue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinonye-j-chidolue/) > [“When we spend a lifetime trying to distance ourselves from the parts of our lives that don’t fit with who we think we’re supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-we-spend-a-lifetime-trying-to-distance-ourselves-from-the-parts/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I see children as kites. You spend a lifetime trying to get them off the ground. You run with them until you're both breathless.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-see-children-as-kites-you-spend-a-lifetime-trying-to-get-them-off/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [“Speak to me: I will spend my lifetime trying to understand you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/speak-to-me-i-will-spend-my-lifetime-trying-to-understand-you/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) ## More by Chris Rea > [Eric Clapton's scales - when he comes off a high note and it's time for a refrain or a little bit of a rest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/eric-clapton-s-scales-when-he-comes-off-a-high-note-and-it-s-time-for/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I actually, truly do love my family. It's not a public relations exercise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-actually-truly-do-love-my-family-it-s-not-a-public-relations/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [Nothing was ever clean enough for my father. You could never clean as good as he could; you could never clean as fast and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/nothing-was-ever-clean-enough-for-my-father-you-could-never-clean-as/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [Being on the road isn't hell - it's pure pleasure now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/being-on-the-road-isn-t-hell-it-s-pure-pleasure-now/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [My father used to control the wholesale of many ice-cream items in Middlesbrough. He was central distributor for most of the region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/my-father-used-to-control-the-wholesale-of-many-ice-cream-items-in/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [This ain't no upwardly mobile freeway, oh no, this is the road to hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/this-ain-t-no-upwardly-mobile-freeway-oh-no-this-is-the-road-to-hell/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [Music is a saviour for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/music-is-a-saviour-for-me/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I think all the business stuff - the promotion, the hype, the high-power lunches, and the permanently injected smiles - is boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-think-all-the-business-stuff-the-promotion-the-hype-the-high-power/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I never had a desire to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-never-had-a-desire-to-be-famous/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [That is the music that I have always wanted to play: real, genuine guitar music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/that-is-the-music-that-i-have-always-wanted-to-play-real-genuine/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I'm lucky to be alive. I'm one of only 40 people who have survived the surgery I had, and when you've been that close…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-m-lucky-to-be-alive-i-m-one-of-only-40-people-who-have-survived-the/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [If the heads of all the music companies had known about music and about Chris Rea fans, they wouldn't have worried about 'Stony Road.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/if-the-heads-of-all-the-music-companies-had-known-about-music-and/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [I've given up my Ferrari - the idea of going through my village in a 488... You can't drive them on English roads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/i-ve-given-up-my-ferrari-the-idea-of-going-through-my-village-in-a/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [In a funny way, the illness spurred me on. I thought to myself, 'I've got to get through this operation to make a blues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/in-a-funny-way-the-illness-spurred-me-on-i-thought-to-myself-i-ve-got/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) > [It's bleak behind the Iron Curtain, although they do have the strongest vodka I've ever had in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/it-s-bleak-behind-the-iron-curtain-although-they-do-have-the/) [Chris Rea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) [Explore all 77 Chris Rea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/) ## More Expected quotes > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [A federal court has ruled that the U.S. Postal Service must reduce its stamp prices. The change in stamp prices is expected to affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/a-federal-court-has-ruled-that-the-u-s-postal-service-must-reduce-its/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The propitious smiles of Heaven, can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/the-propitious-smiles-of-heaven-can-never-be-expected-on-a-nation/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [I think we were raised in a nice Texas Jewish family where education was the most important thing, and close behind that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/i-think-we-were-raised-in-a-nice-texas-jewish-family-where-education/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) > [I am ever mindful of the legacy of my grandfather, the founder of this Kingdom, who had said to me that he perceived his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-hussein-i/i-am-ever-mindful-of-the-legacy-of-my-grandfather-the-founder-of-this/) [King Hussein I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-hussein-i/) > [I have never judged myself by other people’s standards. I have always expected a great deal of myself, and if I fail, I fail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/i-have-never-judged-myself-by-other-people-s-standards-i-have-always/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy’ll be able to do is send sparks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-people-only-die-in-proper-duels-you-know-with-real-wizards-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [True love does not consist in trying to correct others, but in feeling joy that things are better than we expected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/true-love-does-not-consist-in-trying-to-correct-others-but-in-feeling/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Playing in the NFL, you're expected to perform and perform well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jones/playing-in-the-nfl-you-re-expected-to-perform-and-perform-well/) [Daniel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jones/) > [Fransisco, you're some kind of very high nobility, aren't you?" He answered, "Not yet. The reason my family has lasted for such a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/fransisco-you-re-some-kind-of-very-high-nobility-aren-t-you-he/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [We were always expected to see Quebec's side of things, but there was damned little reciprocity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-lamarsh/we-were-always-expected-to-see-quebec-s-side-of-things-but-there-was/) [Judy LaMarsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-lamarsh/) > [When you're walking at the airport, you're expected to smile at people because they know you... I find that tough. I'm only trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/when-you-re-walking-at-the-airport-you-re-expected-to-smile-at-people/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [There's a story about how the program is organized, there's a story about the context in which the program is expected to operate. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-steele/there-s-a-story-about-how-the-program-is-organized-there-s-a-story/) [Guy Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-steele/) Browse all 2,196 Expected quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to be What you think is expected of you But youll never be free", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Rea" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to-be-what-you-think-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Expected" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to-be-what-you-think-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/chris-rea-8856_expected_you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to_433664.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/chris-rea-8856_expected_you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to_433664.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/804/chris-rea-8856_expected_you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to_433664.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can waste a whole lifetime Trying to be What you think is expected of you But youll never be free” — Chris Rea", "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": "Chris Rea", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rea/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can waste a whole lifetime...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to-be-what-you-think-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rea/you-can-waste-a-whole-lifetime-trying-to-be-what-you-think-is/#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 } } ] } ```