--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always wanted to be somebody, but I…" description: "\"“I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.\" Lily Tomlin”\" — E.C. Sheedy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/e-c-sheedy-234307_lily_i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-sho_2705977.jpg" --- # I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been… ![“I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific." Lily Tomlin” quote by E.C. Sheedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/e-c-sheedy-234307_lily_i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-sho_2705977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/e-c-sheedy-234307_lily_i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-sho_2705977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/e-c-sheedy-234307_lily_i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-sho_2705977.jpg) > ““I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific." Lily Tomlin”” E.C. Sheedy ## 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 regrets being vague about ambitions, realizing specificity is needed to achieve goals. **In simple terms:** Being vague about goals hinders achievement; be specific. Key Takeaway Define clear, concrete objectives. Themes self‑development goal setting clarity Mood reflective inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal journaling - coaching sessions Key Concepts personal ambition specificity self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - What specific goal would you set today? - How does specificity change motivation? A Different Perspective Vagueness can still lead to success if adaptable; specificity may limit flexibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lily/) ## Related quotes > [“I’ve always wanted to be somebody. I should have been more specific.” – Chloe Traeger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-i-should-have-been-more-specific/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [“I wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-keogh/i-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-should-have-been-more-specific/) [Sean Keogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-keogh/) > [I've always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-should-have-been-more-specific/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I've always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-but-i-see-now-i-should-have-been/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [All my life, I always wanted to be somebody. Now I see that I should have been more specific.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-wagner/all-my-life-i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-now-i-see-that-i-should/) [Jane Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-wagner/) > [I was obsessed with Carol Burnett, Lily Tomlin; I watched 'Mama's Family' religiously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-rothwell/i-was-obsessed-with-carol-burnett-lily-tomlin-i-watched-mama-s-family/) [Natasha Rothwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-rothwell/) > [Being around Lily Tomlin has been great, how she treats people, how she handles herself, how she goes about interpreting her character or deciding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/being-around-lily-tomlin-has-been-great-how-she-treats-people-how-she/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin, Julia Louis-Dreyfus - I put Issa Rae in that category of comic genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ellis/whoopi-goldberg-lily-tomlin-julia-louis-dreyfus-i-put-issa-rae-in/) [Jay Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ellis/) > [If I'd had any way of knowing that things were- as Lily Tomlin once said- going to get a whole lot worse before they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-i-d-had-any-way-of-knowing-that-things-were-as-lily-tomlin-once/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I binge-watched this show Damages. Glenn Close and Rose Byrne are so good. Lily Tomlin is in it. You see all these great actors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/i-binge-watched-this-show-damages-glenn-close-and-rose-byrne-are-so/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I was on a show called '12 Miles of Bad Road' with Lily Tomlin - it was an incredible HBO show. We shot 6…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-coupe/i-was-on-a-show-called-12-miles-of-bad-road-with-lily-tomlin-it-was/) [Eliza Coupe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-coupe/) > [A lot of people live with no apparent means of support. I kind of envy the musicians up there. You're down here, busting your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-voss/a-lot-of-people-live-with-no-apparent-means-of-support-i-kind-of-envy/) [Kurt Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-voss/) > [Lily Tomlin...I used to watch reruns of Laugh-In and she was always my favorite part. She's this very unique talent and the way she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-vaughn/lily-tomlin-i-used-to-watch-reruns-of-laugh-in-and-she-was-always-my/) [Baron Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-vaughn/) > [ I'm such a fan of Lily's \[Tomlin\], for so many years. I feel like Lily was the first popular mainstream crossover comedian who also… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-m-such-a-fan-of-lily-s-tomlin-for-so-many-years-i-feel-like-lily/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [Lily Tomlin, Judi Dench, Carol Burnett, Linda Emond, Meryl Streep, Janet Mctyre. I saw all these women on stage, and I experienced a feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-shor/lily-tomlin-judi-dench-carol-burnett-linda-emond-meryl-streep-janet/) [Miriam Shor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-shor/) ## More Lily quotes > [“Bringing up the rear, the place of greatest danger, comes Tiger Lily, proudly erect, a princess in her own right. She is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-barrie/bringing-up-the-rear-the-place-of-greatest-danger-comes-tiger-lily/) [J.M. Barrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-barrie/) > [“Try to think of it as though we are rewriting history––the first time this experience occurred you and I never kissed in this Dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/try-to-think-of-it-as-though-we-are-rewriting-history-the-first-time/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [“My dream is to create something so beautiful that it encourages people to present the best version of themselves to me everywhere I go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-caligiuri/my-dream-is-to-create-something-so-beautiful-that-it-encourages/) [Ross Caligiuri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-caligiuri/) > [“A lily is a water's diamond.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-lily-is-a-water-s-diamond/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“You'll do fine." "What, you're psychic now?" "Didn't you know?" he asks seriously. "Must be an aftereffect of the bond.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tera-lynn-childs/you-ll-do-fine-what-you-re-psychic-now-didn-t-you-know-he-asks/) [Tera Lynn Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tera-lynn-childs/) > [“Time crawls in the silence. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tock. Tock. Tock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mckay/time-crawls-in-the-silence-tick-tock-tick-tock-tick-tock-tock-tock/) [Emily McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mckay/) > [A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-lily-or-a-rose-never-pretends-and-its-beauty-is-that-it-is-what-it/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“My eyes would have told you everything you wanted to know in the parlor ... 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Big wolf attacks you, and you bring him home?” Brid threw out her arms and sent an ‘are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tempest-c-avery/ok-let-me-get-this-straight-big-wolf-attacks-you-and-you-bring-him/) [Tempest C. Avery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tempest-c-avery/) > [“this might be a beauty to send men mad. Her body was slight with a child’s slenderness, but her breasts were full and pointed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stewart/this-might-be-a-beauty-to-send-men-mad-her-body-was-slight-with-a/) [Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stewart/) > [“Hawley reached over and took Lily's hand. He was always taking her hand. He felt better about things, just by holding her fingers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-tinti/hawley-reached-over-and-took-lily-s-hand-he-was-always-taking-her/) [Hannah Tinti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-tinti/) > [I see a lily on thy brow, With anguish moist and fever dew; And on thy cheek a fading rose Fast withereth too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/i-see-a-lily-on-thy-brow-with-anguish-moist-and-fever-dew-and-on-thy/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [“This Mary I’m talking about sits in your heart all day long, saying, “Lily, you are my everlasting home. Don’t you ever be afraid.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/this-mary-i-m-talking-about-sits-in-your-heart-all-day-long-saying/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) [Browse all 236 Lily quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lily/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.\" Lily Tomlin”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "E.C. 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