--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I'd be a success even back in…" description: "\"I thought I'd be a success even back in the mailroom at William Morris.\" — David Geffen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/david-geffen-19199_morris_i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in_2308208.jpg" --- # I thought I'd be a success even back in the mailroom at… ![“I thought I'd be a success even back in the mailroom at William Morris.” quote by David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/david-geffen-19199_morris_i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in_2308208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/david-geffen-19199_morris_i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in_2308208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/david-geffen-19199_morris_i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in_2308208.jpg) > “I thought I'd be a success even back in the mailroom at William Morris.” [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even in humble beginnings, ambition can drive one toward success, showing that mindset matters more than position. **In simple terms:** Success starts with belief, not title. Key Takeaway Cultivate confidence regardless of role. Themes ambition career mindset growth humility Mood reflective motivational Type career self‑help When to use this quote - career advancement - personal development - networking - goal setting Key Concepts self‑efficacy entrepreneurship social mobility Questions to Reflect On - How does your current role shape your aspirations? - What steps can you take to grow beyond your title? A Different Perspective Success is not guaranteed; external factors matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [As an actor, you've worked very hard, and you've been doing this for 20-some years, and William Morris was never interested - or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-r-white/as-an-actor-you-ve-worked-very-hard-and-you-ve-been-doing-this-for-20/) [David A. R. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-r-white/) > [When I first came to America, I went into William Morris Endeavor for a meeting and I was like, "Yeah, I'm from Australia and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/when-i-first-came-to-america-i-went-into-william-morris-endeavor-for/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [The William Morris Agency handled me. In that business, you're only as good as your last picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-weissmuller/the-william-morris-agency-handled-me-in-that-business-you-re-only-as/) [Johnny Weissmuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-weissmuller/) > [I wish my friends at William Morris Endeavor all the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-oakenfold/i-wish-my-friends-at-william-morris-endeavor-all-the-best/) [Paul Oakenfold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-oakenfold/) > [I was so naive I didn't even know about agents. I telephoned the William Morris agency and asked to speak to Mr. Morris. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirstie-alley/i-was-so-naive-i-didn-t-even-know-about-agents-i-telephoned-the/) [Kirstie Alley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirstie-alley/) > [“The seasonal urge is strong in poets. Milton wrote chiefly in winter. Keats looked for spring to wake him up (as it did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/the-seasonal-urge-is-strong-in-poets-milton-wrote-chiefly-in-winter/) [Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/) > [“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful. -William Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-thomsen-brits/have-nothing-in-your-house-that-you-do-not-know-to-be-useful-or-2/) [Louisa Thomsen Brits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-thomsen-brits/) > [Coming from the William Morris mailroom as I have, this book is the truth of what I experienced, and it reminded me of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-brillstein/coming-from-the-william-morris-mailroom-as-i-have-this-book-is-the/) [Bernie Brillstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-brillstein/) > [Like William Morris, Joe Hollis asks us to perceive paradise gardening as a juncture where artfulness directly serves life. In fact, we might go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-nollman/like-william-morris-joe-hollis-asks-us-to-perceive-paradise-gardening/) [Jim Nollman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-nollman/) > [I had a lot of success from the start. I never really was tested for long periods of time. I got my first professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-had-a-lot-of-success-from-the-start-i-never-really-was-tested-for/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [When I landed in L.A. in early '89, William Morris decided to take me on to see if I could get any jobs. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/when-i-landed-in-l-a-in-early-89-william-morris-decided-to-take-me-on/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [Yes. I am one of the graduates of the William Morris famous, famous mail room from the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-winkler/yes-i-am-one-of-the-graduates-of-the-william-morris-famous-famous/) [Irwin Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-winkler/) > [To tell you the truth, I never thought of myself as much of a success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-never-thought-of-myself-as-much-of-a-success/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [In the '80s, I thought I'd be a success as a woman if I were the president of a billion dollar company, had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-guisewite/in-the-80s-i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-as-a-woman-if-i-were-the/) [Cathy Guisewite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-guisewite/) > [Yes I have made a lot of money and I have a lot of respect, my films have done well, and I know there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahrukh-khan/yes-i-have-made-a-lot-of-money-and-i-have-a-lot-of-respect-my-films/) [Shahrukh Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahrukh-khan/) ## More by David Geffen > [Most of the artists were trying to make a living, trying to get laid, trying to figure out who they were. They weren't trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/most-of-the-artists-were-trying-to-make-a-living-trying-to-get-laid/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [In Los Angeles, they don't want you to fail, they want you to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/in-los-angeles-they-don-t-want-you-to-fail-they-want-you-to-die/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [Your life isn't made up of people who aren't in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/your-life-isn-t-made-up-of-people-who-aren-t-in-it/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [Move to California. Malibu is paradise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/move-to-california-malibu-is-paradise/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [HIV infection and AIDS is growing - but so too is public apathy. We have already lost too many friends and colleagues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/hiv-infection-and-aids-is-growing-but-so-too-is-public-apathy-we-have/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [You have an idea of the way you think it is, and it's not that way at all, it's something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/you-have-an-idea-of-the-way-you-think-it-is-and-it-s-not-that-way-at/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [I'm not Sammy Glick. I've never killed anyone. I don't have to. I'm too talented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-m-not-sammy-glick-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-i-don-t-have-to-i-m-too/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [I'm Billy the Kid, the fastest draw. It's not arrogance. It's the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-m-billy-the-kid-the-fastest-draw-it-s-not-arrogance-it-s-the-truth/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [It's the perfect definition of a settlement. Both parties didn't get what they wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/it-s-the-perfect-definition-of-a-settlement-both-parties-didn-t-get/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [Happy is harder than money. Anybody who thinks money will make you happy hasn't got money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/happy-is-harder-than-money-anybody-who-thinks-money-will-make-you/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [To be able to live and work in the United States is a privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/to-be-able-to-live-and-work-in-the-united-states-is-a-privilege/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [I just needed a job. Before being hired as an usher at the CBS Theater, I didn't even know there was a show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-just-needed-a-job-before-being-hired-as-an-usher-at-the-cbs-theater/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [Everybody in politics lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/everybody-in-politics-lies/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [Everybody in politics lies, but they do it with such ease, it's troubling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/everybody-in-politics-lies-but-they-do-it-with-such-ease-it-s/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [The concept known as bal tashchit--'Do no destroy'--has a special significance in Jewish tradition...We are constantly being warned in our faith that the capricious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/the-concept-known-as-bal-tashchit-do-no-destroy-has-a-special/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) [Explore all 33 David Geffen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) ## More Morris quotes > [The late philosopher Morris R. Cohen of CCNY was asked by a student in the metaphysics course, Professor Cohen, how do I know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/the-late-philosopher-morris-r-cohen-of-ccny-was-asked-by-a-student-in/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Yes. I am one of the graduates of the William Morris famous, famous mail room from the '60s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-winkler/yes-i-am-one-of-the-graduates-of-the-william-morris-famous-famous/) [Irwin Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-winkler/) > [You’re not looking at Morris Cerullo; you’re looking at God; you’re looking at Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-cerullo/you-re-not-looking-at-morris-cerullo-you-re-looking-at-god-you-re/) Morris Cerullo > [I always wanted a father. Any kind. A strict one, a funny one, one who bought me pink dresses, one who wished I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blundell/i-always-wanted-a-father-any-kind-a-strict-one-a-funny-one-one-who/) [Judy Blundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blundell/) > [We became Morris and Morecambe. This partnership did not last long, however.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-wise/we-became-morris-and-morecambe-this-partnership-did-not-last-long/) [Ernie Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-wise/) > [Well,’ you may ask, ‘how may I know when I am in love?’ . . . George Q. Morris \[who later became a member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/well-you-may-ask-how-may-i-know-when-i-am-in-love-george-q-morris-who/) [David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/) > [We had not had time to establish ourselves as a double act before Ernie joined the Merchant Navy. I teamed up with the brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-morecambe/we-had-not-had-time-to-establish-ourselves-as-a-double-act-before/) [Eric Morecambe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-morecambe/) > [In 1995, I founded The Molecular Sciences Institute with a gift from the Philip Morris Company where I hoped that we could create an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-brenner/in-1995-i-founded-the-molecular-sciences-institute-with-a-gift-from/) [Sydney Brenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-brenner/) > [“When the clergy addressed General Washington on his departure from the government, it was observed in their consultation that he had never on any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/when-the-clergy-addressed-general-washington-on-his-departure-from/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Wild Turkey whiskey and Philip Morris cigarettes are essential to the maintenance of human life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kelleher/wild-turkey-whiskey-and-philip-morris-cigarettes-are-essential-to-the/) [Herb Kelleher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kelleher/) > [When I landed in L.A. in early '89, William Morris decided to take me on to see if I could get any jobs. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-haden-church/when-i-landed-in-l-a-in-early-89-william-morris-decided-to-take-me-on/) [Thomas Haden Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-haden-church/) > [I had a lot of success from the start. I never really was tested for long periods of time. I got my first professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-had-a-lot-of-success-from-the-start-i-never-really-was-tested-for/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [In the Ramtops village where they dance the real Morris dance, for example, they believe that no-one is finally dead until the ripples they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/in-the-ramtops-village-where-they-dance-the-real-morris-dance-for/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I was in an acting class taught by Eric Morris, and Jack Nicholson was in the class. He wrote the script for 'Head', so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teri-garr/i-was-in-an-acting-class-taught-by-eric-morris-and-jack-nicholson-was/) [Teri Garr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teri-garr/) > [I have a particular interest in corporations that give themselves a cultural aura and are in other areas suspect. Philip Morris presents itself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-haacke/i-have-a-particular-interest-in-corporations-that-give-themselves-a/) [Hans Haacke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-haacke/) Browse all 69 Morris quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought I'd be a success even back in the mailroom at William Morris.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Geffen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in-the-mailroom-at-william-morris/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Morris" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in-the-mailroom-at-william-morris/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/david-geffen-19199_morris_i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in_2308208.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/david-geffen-19199_morris_i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in_2308208.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76a/david-geffen-19199_morris_i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in_2308208.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought I'd be a success even back in the mailroom at William Morris.” — David Geffen", "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": "David Geffen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I thought I'd be a success...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in-the-mailroom-at-william-morris/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-thought-i-d-be-a-success-even-back-in-the-mailroom-at-william-morris/#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 } } ] } ```