--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was being groomed as an undergraduate…" description: "\"I was being groomed as an undergraduate to specialize in Midwestern prehistory, but going back to my teenage days, my interest has always been in our e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/donald-johanson-16932_africa_i-was-being-groomed-as-an-undergraduate_2874632.png" --- # I was being groomed as an undergraduate to specialize in… ![“I was being groomed as an undergraduate to specialize in Midwestern prehistory, but going back to my teenage days, my interest has always been in our early human ancestors. I wanted to work in Africa.” quote by Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/donald-johanson-16932_africa_i-was-being-groomed-as-an-undergraduate_2874632.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/donald-johanson-16932_africa_i-was-being-groomed-as-an-undergraduate_2874632.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/donald-johanson-16932_africa_i-was-being-groomed-as-an-undergraduate_2874632.png) > “I was being groomed as an undergraduate to specialize in Midwestern prehistory, but going back to my teenage days, my interest has always been in our early human ancestors. I wanted to work in Africa.” [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early fascination with human ancestors led to a career shift from Midwestern prehistory to African archaeology. **In simple terms:** Passion for early humans guided career. Key Takeaway Follow curiosity across disciplines. Themes anthropology career passion exploration Mood inspired curious Type career educational When to use this quote - field research - academic study - museum work - public outreach Key Concepts human evolution career development interdisciplinary study Questions to Reflect On - What sparked your career change? - How do you integrate past interests? A Different Perspective Changing fields can be risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Ancestors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestors/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Prehistory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prehistory/) [Specialize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/specialize/) [Teenage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenage/) [Undergraduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undergraduate/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [South Africa had a long record of studies in prehistory, going back to the end of the last century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leakey/south-africa-had-a-long-record-of-studies-in-prehistory-going-back-to/) [Louis Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leakey/) > [Lucy brought with her an image of our human ancestors that you don't get when you find a jaw or an arm bone or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/lucy-brought-with-her-an-image-of-our-human-ancestors-that-you-don-t/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [Yeah, so my dad was a skater back in his teenage days, and he used to skate pools and bowls and stuff and vert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nyjah-huston/yeah-so-my-dad-was-a-skater-back-in-his-teenage-days-and-he-used-to/) [Nyjah Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nyjah-huston/) > [My childhood would be bland without your nurture, love and care. My teenage days would be boring without your advice, pampering and humor. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-childhood-would-be-bland-without-your-nurture-love-and-care-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Early human thought proceeded by metaphor,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-edelman/early-human-thought-proceeded-by-metaphor/) [Gerald Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-edelman/) > [ \[Tim White\] always spoke about his work in terms of forensics, as if he was investigating a crime scene. While we were there, they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/tim-white-always-spoke-about-his-work-in-terms-of-forensics-as-if-he/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [ “\[N\]early all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—\[is\] the long terrible story of man trying to find something… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/n-early-all-that-we-call-human-history-money-poverty-ambition-war/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [You are human, whether your ancestors come from Europe, Asia, Africa, or wherever, shamanism once existed there. We are just attempting to go home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-harner/you-are-human-whether-your-ancestors-come-from-europe-asia-africa-or/) [Michael Harner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-harner/) > [Humans are upsetting a fragile balance that their own human ancestors established.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-vinge/humans-are-upsetting-a-fragile-balance-that-their-own-human-ancestors/) [Joan D. Vinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-vinge/) > [“We know very well that we have ancestors. But our ancestors are not only human. We have animal ancestors; we have plant ancestors; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/we-know-very-well-that-we-have-ancestors-but-our-ancestors-are-not/) [Thích Nhất Hạnh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/th-ch-nh-t-h-nh/) > [“If the entire course of evolution were compressed into a single year, the earliest bacteria would appear at the end of March, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-a-coyne/if-the-entire-course-of-evolution-were-compressed-into-a-single-year/) [Jerry A. Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-a-coyne/) > [Music may be the activity that prepared our pre-human ancestors for speech communication and for the very cognitive, representational flexibility necessary to become humans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/music-may-be-the-activity-that-prepared-our-pre-human-ancestors-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Actually, scientists don't know exactly how lice jumped from gorillas to our human ancestors. They speculate that we may have eaten them or perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziya-tong/actually-scientists-don-t-know-exactly-how-lice-jumped-from-gorillas/) Ziya Tong > [“When our earliest human ancestors left the trees and moved to the open grasslands of the savanna, they adopted an upright stance. Possessing already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/when-our-earliest-human-ancestors-left-the-trees-and-moved-to-the/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [“It is hard for us to imagine now, but our earliest human ancestors who ventured out onto the grasslands of East Africa some six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/it-is-hard-for-us-to-imagine-now-but-our-earliest-human-ancestors-who/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) ## More by Donald Johanson > [My real father died when I was two years old, so I never knew him. He was a barber in Chicago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/my-real-father-died-when-i-was-two-years-old-so-i-never-knew-him-he/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [But what really excited me was the idea that humans had a tremendous pre-history that went back millions of years. I wanted to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/but-what-really-excited-me-was-the-idea-that-humans-had-a-tremendous/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [You don't just magically flip some evolutionary switch somewhere and transmute a quadruped into an upright-walking bipedal human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/you-don-t-just-magically-flip-some-evolutionary-switch-somewhere-and/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [We are placed in the genus of Homo, which is Latin for man - Homo sapiens: supposedly wise men. I sometimes think - wonder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/we-are-placed-in-the-genus-of-homo-which-is-latin-for-man-homo/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [When I realized, in 1978, that Lucy did represent a new species of human ancestor, and that I had an opportunity to name this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/when-i-realized-in-1978-that-lucy-did-represent-a-new-species-of/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [Journalists often ask me when I go to the field, 'What do you expect to find?' And my answer always is, 'The unexpected,' because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/journalists-often-ask-me-when-i-go-to-the-field-what-do-you-expect-to/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [I find a tremendous receptivity among the public for the subject matter of, 'Where did we come from and how did we get here?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/i-find-a-tremendous-receptivity-among-the-public-for-the-subject/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [Evolution explains our biological evolution, but human beings are very unique creatures. As the Dobzhansky said, all animals are unique; humans are the uniquest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/evolution-explains-our-biological-evolution-but-human-beings-are-very/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [In our case, finding a Lucy is unique. No one will ever find another Lucy. You can't order one from a biological supply house.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/in-our-case-finding-a-lucy-is-unique-no-one-will-ever-find-another/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [Most Achievers I Know Are People Who Have Made A Strong And Deep Dedication to Pursuing A Particular Goal. That Dedication Took A Tremendous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/most-achievers-i-know-are-people-who-have-made-a-strong-and-deep/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [Evolution is a fact. It is the best explanation of what is known from observations. It's a theory as powerful as the theory of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/evolution-is-a-fact-it-is-the-best-explanation-of-what-is-known-from/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [It's very hard for all of us, when we've committed ourselves to a particular interpretation, to change our minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/it-s-very-hard-for-all-of-us-when-we-ve-committed-ourselves-to-a/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [This was the most important discovery I had ever made in my life. It was a discovery which has irrevocably changed my whole life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/this-was-the-most-important-discovery-i-had-ever-made-in-my-life-it/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [What's changed is we now have good anatomical, geological, archaeological evidence that Neanderthals are not our ancestors. When I wrote 'Lucy,' I considered Neanderthals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/what-s-changed-is-we-now-have-good-anatomical-geological/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [What makes us human depends on what place on our evolutionary path we're talking about. If you go back six million years ago, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/what-makes-us-human-depends-on-what-place-on-our-evolutionary-path-we/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) [Explore all 38 Donald Johanson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) ## More Africa quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/) [Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/) [Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/) > [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/) [Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-toure/i-represent-my-country-but-i-also-represent-the-continent-of-africa/) [Yaya Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-toure/) > [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/) [Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/) > [I was learning to track rhinoceroses in Africa and tracked right up on an animal that really I thought was going to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-was-learning-to-track-rhinoceroses-in-africa-and-tracked-right-up/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [My mother is a huge fan of my work. I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/) [Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/) [Browse all 1,665 Africa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was being groomed as an undergraduate to specialize in Midwestern prehistory, but going back to my teenage days, my interest has always been in our early human ancestors. 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