--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking…" description: "\"All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking this particularly of young people: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record, it’s my least favor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/conan-o-brien-540_amazing-things_all-i-ask-is-one-thing-and-i-m-asking-th_395308.png" --- # All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking this particularly… ![“All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking this particularly of young people: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record, it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and…” quote by Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/conan-o-brien-540_amazing-things_all-i-ask-is-one-thing-and-i-m-asking-th_395308.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/conan-o-brien-540_amazing-things_all-i-ask-is-one-thing-and-i-m-asking-th_395308.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bc/conan-o-brien-540_amazing-things_all-i-ask-is-one-thing-and-i-m-asking-th_395308.png) > “All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking this particularly of young people: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record, it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.” [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work and kindness are more productive than cynicism; optimism fuels achievement. **In simple terms:** Kindness and effort beat cynicism. Key Takeaway Be kind, work hard, stay hopeful. Themes optimism kindness effort growth Mood hopeful encouraging Type motivational advice When to use this quote - career development - personal relationships - education - entrepreneurship Key Concepts psychology motivation resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn disappointment into motivation? - What habits nurture optimism? A Different Perspective Cynicism can be a defense mechanism that masks fear of failure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amazing things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing-things/) [Asking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asking/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Cynical Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical-hate-3558351/) [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Cynicism Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism-record-3558352/) [Don Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-cynical-3558353/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-cynicism-3513681/) [I hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-hate/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pessimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pessimism/) [Please](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/please/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [“All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism — it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/all-i-ask-of-you-is-one-thing-please-don-t-be-cynical-i-hate-cynicism/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism – it's my least favorite quality, and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/please-do-not-be-cynical-i-hate-cynicism-it-s-my-least-favorite/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I think I hate cynicism more than anything else. It's the curse of our age, and I want to avoid it at all costs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-think-i-hate-cynicism-more-than-anything-else-it-s-the-curse-of-our/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [I hate cynicism - it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/i-hate-cynicism-it-s-my-least-favorite-quality-and-it-doesn-t-lead/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [I don't seem to be cynical to myself but how what I say goes down with others is their problem. I'm realistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/i-don-t-seem-to-be-cynical-to-myself-but-how-what-i-say-goes-down/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Don't get cynical. Don't ever think you can't make a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/don-t-get-cynical-don-t-ever-think-you-can-t-make-a-difference/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I hate cynicism a great deal worse than I do the devil; unless perhaps the two were the same thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/i-hate-cynicism-a-great-deal-worse-than-i-do-the-devil-unless-perhaps/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [I hate cynicism. I wipe it from me. I don't like cynical people. I don't like cynical movies. Cynicism is very easy. You don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-gondry/i-hate-cynicism-i-wipe-it-from-me-i-don-t-like-cynical-people-i-don-t/) [Michel Gondry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-gondry/) > [“Work hard and be kind and amazing things will happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/work-hard-and-be-kind-and-amazing-things-will-happen/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Don't be cynical; it leads nowhere. If you work hard, and are kind, amazing things will happen to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/don-t-be-cynical-it-leads-nowhere-if-you-work-hard-and-are-kind/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/work-hard-be-kind-and-amazing-things-will-happen/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nobody-in-life-gets-exactly-what-they-thought-they-were-going-to-get/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) ## More by Conan O'Brien > [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/) > [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [People should say 'no comment' more often. No comment! I love no comment. Let's have more no comment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/people-should-say-no-comment-more-often-no-comment-i-love-no-comment/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [A new study reveals that one-third of babies in the U.S. have used a smartphone. Yeah, and one-third of babies in China have MADE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/a-new-study-reveals-that-one-third-of-babies-in-the-u-s-have-used-a/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Martha Stewart showed up at Manhattan FBI Headquarters to have her finger prints taken and pose for a mug shot. Then Martha explained how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/martha-stewart-showed-up-at-manhattan-fbi-headquarters-to-have-her/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [LEGO has announced that they are shutting down their U.S. factory and moving it to Canada. LEGO employees say it's their fault because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/lego-has-announced-that-they-are-shutting-down-their-u-s-factory-and/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [A new survey reveals that women would rather give up sex than give up the remote control for the TV. Men, on the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/a-new-survey-reveals-that-women-would-rather-give-up-sex-than-give-up/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [Yesterday the DEA raided several NFL teams suspected of giving prescription painkillers to their players. In its defense, the New York Jets' doctor said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/yesterday-the-dea-raided-several-nfl-teams-suspected-of-giving/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [President Obama gave a speech about healthcare tonight, and yesterday he gave a pep talk to students. He told them that in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/president-obama-gave-a-speech-about-healthcare-tonight-and-yesterday/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [The first thing men notice about a woman is her eyes. Then, when her eyes aren't looking, they notice her breasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-first-thing-men-notice-about-a-woman-is-her-eyes-then-when-her/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Disappointment leads to clarity, which leads to conviction and true originality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/disappointment-leads-to-clarity-which-leads-to-conviction-and-true/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [John Travolta said he sometimes lets his friends take control of his airplane even though they don't know what they're doing. Then Travolta said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/john-travolta-said-he-sometimes-lets-his-friends-take-control-of-his/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [President Obama filled in as the coach of his daughter Sasha's basketball team. Sasha evidently listened to her Dad, because all she did was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/president-obama-filled-in-as-the-coach-of-his-daughter-sasha-s/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [President Obama and Vladimir Putin are both in China attending the same economic summit. Obama saw Putin and said, 'After those midterms, it's nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/president-obama-and-vladimir-putin-are-both-in-china-attending-the/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) [Explore all 489 Conan O'Brien quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) ## More Amazing things quotes > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [It's amazing to see things that are suggested in the book fully developed and so brilliantly realized through the artistry of the designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/it-s-amazing-to-see-things-that-are-suggested-in-the-book-fully/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [The amazing thing is that we live our lives with the hope that things will go right, that things will happen. And all along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/the-amazing-thing-is-that-we-live-our-lives-with-the-hope-that-things/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [I think the most miraculous thing is learning. I get out of the way and let the students learn. Then you get to watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-think-the-most-miraculous-thing-is-learning-i-get-out-of-the-way/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [So crazy to think that we have only known each other 2 years. its been so amazing and we have got to do so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/one-direction/so-crazy-to-think-that-we-have-only-known-each-other-2-years-its-been/) [One Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/one-direction/) > [When you're true to who you are, amazing things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/when-you-re-true-to-who-you-are-amazing-things-happen/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [I always see people tweeting about these crazy amazing things their boyfriend or girlfriend did for them. You shouldn't have to constantly be trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-prokop/i-always-see-people-tweeting-about-these-crazy-amazing-things-their/) [Matt Prokop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-prokop/) > [We can sit and worry about what's going to happen to us two weeks from now. I'd rather focus on the amazing things happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/we-can-sit-and-worry-about-what-s-going-to-happen-to-us-two-weeks/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think Li Na and some other Chinese ladies have done so many amazing things for Asian tennis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kei-nishikori/i-think-li-na-and-some-other-chinese-ladies-have-done-so-many-amazing/) [Kei Nishikori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kei-nishikori/) > [I've had to make time to really explore all the amazing things that are out and try to understand the history of how fashion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-jackson/i-ve-had-to-make-time-to-really-explore-all-the-amazing-things-that/) [Christopher Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-jackson/) > [We thought we completely understood bubbles when we were kids. But we didn't. Bubbles are these amazing things. It's just that people aren't paying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noddy/we-thought-we-completely-understood-bubbles-when-we-were-kids-but-we/) [Tom Noddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noddy/) > [Captaining your country, going out at Wembley, captaining Arsenal to 10 trophies, playing your first game - they're all amazing things. But, phew, saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/captaining-your-country-going-out-at-wembley-captaining-arsenal-to-10/) [Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/) > [There are always groups on campus that are doing amazing things. I know when I was in college, I was a student at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/there-are-always-groups-on-campus-that-are-doing-amazing-things-i/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) [Browse all 498 Amazing things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All I ask is one thing, and I’m asking this particularly of young people: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism, for the record, it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. 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