--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a Southerner and as a Mormon you…" description: "\"As a Southerner and as a Mormon you approach life in this aspirational way: 'I will rise above my station.'\" — Dustin Lance Black" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/dustin-lance-black-4536_life_as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-appr_2289772.png" --- # As a Southerner and as a Mormon you approach life in this… ![“As a Southerner and as a Mormon you approach life in this aspirational way: 'I will rise above my station.'” quote by Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/dustin-lance-black-4536_life_as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-appr_2289772.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/dustin-lance-black-4536_life_as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-appr_2289772.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/dustin-lance-black-4536_life_as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-appr_2289772.png) > “As a Southerner and as a Mormon you approach life in this aspirational way: 'I will rise above my station.'” [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Both Southern and Mormon traditions inspire a drive to transcend social limits and strive for higher purpose. **In simple terms:** Aspiration pushes beyond origins. Key Takeaway Aim higher regardless of background. Themes aspiration identity self‑improvement Mood inspirational reflective Type personal cultural When to use this quote - career advancement - education - community leadership Key Concepts cultural studies personal development motivation Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to rise above your station? - How does heritage shape ambition? A Different Perspective Cultural stereotypes may limit perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Aspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-aspirational-5376117/) [Mormon Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mormon-approach-5376116/) [Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise/) [Rise above](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise-above/) [Southerner Mormon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southerner-mormon-5376115/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Way Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-rise-265320/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [We're not defined by our circumstances, and we can always find a way to rise above it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-murray/we-re-not-defined-by-our-circumstances-and-we-can-always-find-a-way/) [Ashleigh Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-murray/) > [The way to rise is to obey and please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/the-way-to-rise-is-to-obey-and-please/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [Such ever was love's way: to rise, it stoops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/such-ever-was-love-s-way-to-rise-it-stoops/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [“I say, Show me the way. You say, Put your head under your feet. That way you rise through the stars and see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-say-show-me-the-way-you-say-put-your-head-under-your-feet-that-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The future belongs to those who can rise above the confines of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-future-belongs-to-those-who-can-rise-above-the-confines-of-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [No one man can rise above the masses or the condition of his people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-johnson/no-one-man-can-rise-above-the-masses-or-the-condition-of-his-people/) [Larry Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-johnson/) > [It is important for the film industry to rise above ageism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/it-is-important-for-the-film-industry-to-rise-above-ageism/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [One challenge of our adventure on earth is to rise above dead systems...wars, nations, destructions...to refuse to be a part of them, and express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/one-challenge-of-our-adventure-on-earth-is-to-rise-above-dead-systems/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Compassion brings us to a stop, and for a moment we rise above ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/compassion-brings-us-to-a-stop-and-for-a-moment-we-rise-above/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Rise above oneself and grasp the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archimedes/rise-above-oneself-and-grasp-the-world/) [Archimedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archimedes/) > [Successful people are able to rise above crises by relaxing no matter what the external situation. Their belief in themselves, the strength of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/successful-people-are-able-to-rise-above-crises-by-relaxing-no-matter/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [We only rise above mediocrity when there's something at stake. p. 174](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/we-only-rise-above-mediocrity-when-there-s-something-at-stake-p-174/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Unfortunately, I have realized that we cannot completely erase all the evil from the world, but we can change the way we deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlata-filipovi/unfortunately-i-have-realized-that-we-cannot-completely-erase-all-the/) [Zlata Filipović](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlata-filipovi/) > [Rise above and soar like eagles to your purpose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porsha-williams/rise-above-and-soar-like-eagles-to-your-purpose/) [Porsha Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porsha-williams/) > [Let us rise above the things that pass away. Up above, the air is so pure. Jesus can hide Himself but we will find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-of-lisieux/let-us-rise-above-the-things-that-pass-away-up-above-the-air-is-so/) [Therese of Lisieux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-of-lisieux/) ## More by Dustin Lance Black > [That's what I learned most about directing on my own - you've got to build a family, a filmmaking family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/that-s-what-i-learned-most-about-directing-on-my-own-you-ve-got-to/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I watched Sean Penn, you know, bring Harvey Milk to life. I was on the set every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-watched-sean-penn-you-know-bring-harvey-milk-to-life-i-was-on-the/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I love the true life stories and the biopics - people say I'm pigeonholed, but it's a fantastic kind of pigeonhole - but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-love-the-true-life-stories-and-the-biopics-people-say-i-m/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [Gay people are more powerful when they work with lesbians. We become more powerful when we're L, G, B and T.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/gay-people-are-more-powerful-when-they-work-with-lesbians-we-become/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I get emotionally attached to someone if I talk to them on the street corner for five minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-get-emotionally-attached-to-someone-if-i-talk-to-them-on-the-street/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [For Coca-Cola to take a pro-diversity, pro-equality stance creates a lot of goodwill in the LGBT community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/for-coca-cola-to-take-a-pro-diversity-pro-equality-stance-creates-a/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [In this miraculous, beautiful universe of ours, where it's an absolute miracle that our eyes and ears can witness it all, we somehow have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/in-this-miraculous-beautiful-universe-of-ours-where-it-s-an-absolute/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [You can't keep treating people differently under the law because of their differences. That's not America. I dare say that's not even a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/you-can-t-keep-treating-people-differently-under-the-law-because-of/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [There has been this resurgence in anti-LGBT language in the U.K. and the U.S., and the rest of the world. In the U.S. we've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/there-has-been-this-resurgence-in-anti-lgbt-language-in-the-u-k-and/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [Have I always agreed with my Southern, military, Mormon family? Absolutely not. Have we always figured out how to get along? Yes! At the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/have-i-always-agreed-with-my-southern-military-mormon-family/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I think of the biopics I've written as exploring a more grown-up side of myself, through other characters' lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-think-of-the-biopics-i-ve-written-as-exploring-a-more-grown-up-side/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I wrote 'Milk' for me. I wrote it for the younger version of me that had no clue that there are people who'd ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-wrote-milk-for-me-i-wrote-it-for-the-younger-version-of-me-that-had/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I'd say I'm not sure about Christianity, but I sure do like their Christ and the lessons about turning the other cheek, about forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-d-say-i-m-not-sure-about-christianity-but-i-sure-do-like-their/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [I like the gray movies. I don't know if audiences always... it makes them work a little harder. And they have to work hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-like-the-gray-movies-i-don-t-know-if-audiences-always-it-makes-them/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [Being right is overrated! If someone is saying that they're right about the future, that's a claim only a fool would make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/being-right-is-overrated-if-someone-is-saying-that-they-re-right/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) [Explore all 109 Dustin Lance Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) [Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/) > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a Southerner and as a Mormon you approach life in this aspirational way: 'I will rise above my station.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dustin Lance Black" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-approach-life-in-this/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-approach-life-in-this/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/dustin-lance-black-4536_life_as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-appr_2289772.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/dustin-lance-black-4536_life_as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-appr_2289772.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dab/dustin-lance-black-4536_life_as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-appr_2289772.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As a Southerner and as a Mormon you approach life in this aspirational way: 'I will rise above my station.'” — Dustin Lance Black", "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": "Dustin Lance Black", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As a Southerner and as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-approach-life-in-this/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/as-a-southerner-and-as-a-mormon-you-approach-life-in-this/#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 } } ] } ```