--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I really want, and what I never get…" description: "\"What I really want, and what I never get - is to be appreciated.\" — David Levithan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/david-levithan-67_appreciated_what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get_351861.jpg" --- # What I really want, and what I never get - is to be… ![“What I really want, and what I never get - is to be appreciated.” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/david-levithan-67_appreciated_what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get_351861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/david-levithan-67_appreciated_what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get_351861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/david-levithan-67_appreciated_what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get_351861.jpg) > “What I really want, and what I never get - is to be appreciated.” [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker longs for recognition but feels it never arrives, highlighting a deep need for appreciation. **In simple terms:** Wanting appreciation but not receiving it. Key Takeaway Seek ways to show appreciation to others. Themes loneliness validation relationships Mood reflective somber Type personal emotional When to use this quote - personal relationships - family dynamics - workplace interactions Key Concepts self-worth emotional needs Questions to Reflect On - How do you express appreciation to those you care about? - What prevents you from feeling appreciated? A Different Perspective Appreciation may be limited by others’ awareness or willingness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Appreciated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciated/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Really Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-want/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Appreciated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-appreciated-915410/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not trying to build a name, I have a name, but I want to be where I'm appreciated and featured and can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelton-benjamin/i-m-not-trying-to-build-a-name-i-have-a-name-but-i-want-to-be-where-i/) [Shelton Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelton-benjamin/) > [what i really want - and what i never get - is to be appreciated. do you know what it’s like to work so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get-is-to-be-appreciated-do-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I hear people tell me they love what I do, no matter what the climate is, it makes me want to go harder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/when-i-hear-people-tell-me-they-love-what-i-do-no-matter-what-the/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [At the core, we all want to be loved, we all want to be accepted and we all want to be appreciated for who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-donovan/at-the-core-we-all-want-to-be-loved-we-all-want-to-be-accepted-and-we/) [Billy Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-donovan/) > [Nothing beats having a genuine compassion for human souls. If there is one thing I know, it's that people want to be acknowledged; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-azevedo/nothing-beats-having-a-genuine-compassion-for-human-souls-if-there-is/) [Sasha Azevedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-azevedo/) > [I want to be appreciated, to be loved, to feel wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weddle/i-want-to-be-appreciated-to-be-loved-to-feel-wanted/) [Eric Weddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weddle/) > [You want to be appreciated for all your work as opposed to one performance, but I'll always be 'that bloke from 'Lock, Stock'.' You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-moran/you-want-to-be-appreciated-for-all-your-work-as-opposed-to-one/) [Nick Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-moran/) > [“If you want to be appreciated, die or travel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renaud-dillies/if-you-want-to-be-appreciated-die-or-travel/) [Renaud Dillies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renaud-dillies/) > [That is the way a great master carpenter feels, or an architect or composer or anyone who creates anything - people want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-amram/that-is-the-way-a-great-master-carpenter-feels-or-an-architect-or/) [David Amram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-amram/) > [When you're in the eye of the hurricane, you're making the show - you just want the show to be good, you want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-you-re-in-the-eye-of-the-hurricane-you-re-making-the-show-you/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [As a songwriter, your songs are, in a way, like your children - you want them to be appreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-love/as-a-songwriter-your-songs-are-in-a-way-like-your-children-you-want/) [Mike Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-love/) > [We all want to be loved, we all want to be appreciated and to be well-known for something important we did. But the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarek-soloman/we-all-want-to-be-loved-we-all-want-to-be-appreciated-and-to-be-well/) [Tarek Soloman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarek-soloman/) > [“I don't want to be thin or conventionally beautiful or straight or brilliant. No, what I really want - and what I never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-don-t-want-to-be-thin-or-conventionally-beautiful-or-straight-or/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Helping someone because you want to is much more appreciated than helping someone because you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/helping-someone-because-you-want-to-is-much-more-appreciated-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you want to be seen, stand up. If you want to be heard, speak up. If you want to be appreciated, shut up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/if-you-want-to-be-seen-stand-up-if-you-want-to-be-heard-speak-up-if/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) ## More by David Levithan > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [But I still has enough longing for that concept that I didn't want to dispel it completely. Meaning: I didn't want to tell Lily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-i-still-has-enough-longing-for-that-concept-that-i-didn-t-want-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) [Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) ## More Appreciated quotes > [Art is art when it is appreciated by someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isao-tomita/art-is-art-when-it-is-appreciated-by-someone/) [Isao Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isao-tomita/) > [Relish love in your old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/relish-love-in-your-old-age-aged-love-is-like-aged-wine-it-becomes/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/) [Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/) > [You know, your sarcasm isn’t appreciated right now. I’ve been drugged, beaten, nearly raped, saved, drugged again, hijacked, and now threatened by you. Tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-know-your-sarcasm-isn-t-appreciated-right-now-i-ve-been-drugged/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The Spanish never appreciated me like the British.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seve-ballesteros/the-spanish-never-appreciated-me-like-the-british/) [Seve Ballesteros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seve-ballesteros/) > [What I appreciated was the fact that the script delved into how Australians were - and still are - condescended to by the English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-rush/what-i-appreciated-was-the-fact-that-the-script-delved-into-how/) [Geoffrey Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-rush/) > [For once I feel appreciated and not someone to show off constantly smiling and knowing how amazing you are, I just want make you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-once-i-feel-appreciated-and-not-someone-to-show-off-constantly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I sometimes find that my family's emphasis on stories, characters, and art that appeals directly to children rather than over their heads to adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-berenstain/i-sometimes-find-that-my-family-s-emphasis-on-stories-characters-and/) [Mike Berenstain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-berenstain/) > [This element of surprise or mystery - the detective element as it is sometimes rather emptily called - is of great importance in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/this-element-of-surprise-or-mystery-the-detective-element-as-it-is/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Not everything that has got left out or rejected is unworthy and not all that have got selected or appreciated are worthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/not-everything-that-has-got-left-out-or-rejected-is-unworthy-and-not/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [David Tennant is a massive fan, and grew up dreaming he would be the Doctor Who one day. So I did feel, when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freema-agyeman/david-tennant-is-a-massive-fan-and-grew-up-dreaming-he-would-be-the/) [Freema Agyeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freema-agyeman/) > [I honestly don't feel that it's my music that's under-appreciated. I think that it's me that's under-appreciated. As an artist, period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-honestly-don-t-feel-that-it-s-my-music-that-s-under-appreciated-i/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [You are a constant reminder of who I am and where I come from. A clear reflection of my personality and soul. Your presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tshepo-koos-maluleke/you-are-a-constant-reminder-of-who-i-am-and-where-i-come-from-a-clear/) [Tshepo Koos Maluleke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tshepo-koos-maluleke/) > [I would like to believe that all the roles I have portrayed so far - no matter how significant or insignificant they are -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-menon/i-would-like-to-believe-that-all-the-roles-i-have-portrayed-so-far-no/) [Shweta Menon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-menon/) > [I receive huge support from Irish and British sports fans alike and it is greatly appreciated. Likewise I feel I have a great affinity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/i-receive-huge-support-from-irish-and-british-sports-fans-alike-and/) [Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/) [Browse all 742 Appreciated quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciated/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I really want, and what I never get - is to be appreciated.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Levithan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get-is-to-be-appreciated/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appreciated" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get-is-to-be-appreciated/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/david-levithan-67_appreciated_what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get_351861.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/david-levithan-67_appreciated_what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get_351861.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6b/david-levithan-67_appreciated_what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get_351861.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I really want, and what I never get - is to be appreciated.” — David Levithan", "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 Levithan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What I really want, and what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get-is-to-be-appreciated/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/what-i-really-want-and-what-i-never-get-is-to-be-appreciated/#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 } } ] } ```