---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you come from where I come from…"
description: "\"When you come from where I come from, you're trying to get approval for something - you don't know what.\" — Ed O'Neill"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/ed-o-neill-13850_approval_when-you-come-from-where-i-come-from-you_302675.png"
---

#  When you come from where I come from, you're trying to get…

![“When you come from where I come from, you're trying to get approval for something - you don't know what.” quote by Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/ed-o-neill-13850_approval_when-you-come-from-where-i-come-from-you_302675.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/ed-o-neill-13850_approval_when-you-come-from-where-i-come-from-you_302675.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07f/ed-o-neill-13850_approval_when-you-come-from-where-i-come-from-you_302675.png)

> “When you come from where I come from, you're trying to get approval for something - you don't know what.”

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

People often seek validation without understanding the underlying need, leading to unclear goals.

**In simple terms:** Seeking approval without clear purpose creates confusion.

Key Takeaway

Clarify your true motivations before seeking approval.

Themes

validation identity purpose

Mood

conflicted reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- personal relationships
- creative projects

Key Concepts

self-awareness social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you truly want to achieve?
- How can you define success for yourself?

A Different Perspective

Approval may not align with personal values.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Approval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approval/)

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Dope

> [If this country is ever demoralized, it will come from trying to live without work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-this-country-is-ever-demoralized-it-will-come-from-trying-to-live/)

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[Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/)

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[Wendie Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendie-renard/)

> [Always remember where we come from, how we got here, and Who led us into the warmth of the sunshine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/always-remember-where-we-come-from-how-we-got-here-and-who-led-us/)

[Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/)

> [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/)

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> [But I always reassure them that as far as my contractual rights can go, I will protect them and make sure that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-roach/but-i-always-reassure-them-that-as-far-as-my-contractual-rights-can/)

[Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/)

> [Lean too much on the approval of people, and it becomes a bed of thorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/lean-too-much-on-the-approval-of-people-and-it-becomes-a-bed-of-thorns/)

[Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/)

> [we need not avoid our active lives, but simply bring to them a new vision and shift of gravity. for in the center we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/we-need-not-avoid-our-active-lives-but-simply-bring-to-them-a-new/)

[Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/)

> [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/)

[Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/)

## More by Ed O'Neill

> [In the summer we graduated we flipped out completely, drinking beer, cruising in our cars and beating up each other. It was a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/in-the-summer-we-graduated-we-flipped-out-completely-drinking-beer/)

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> [I could always say I wished I had a better film career... but overall, I've been one of the lucky ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/i-could-always-say-i-wished-i-had-a-better-film-career-but-overall-i/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> [We need to elect leaders who have a strong moral compass. Leaders who are honest, straightforward, and tough - with a love of justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/we-need-to-elect-leaders-who-have-a-strong-moral-compass-leaders-who/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> [I loved the movie theater so I always saw a lot of movies. And then there was a play, I saw in the local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/i-loved-the-movie-theater-so-i-always-saw-a-lot-of-movies-and-then/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> [I always found that drama, really good drama, has a lot of comedy in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/i-always-found-that-drama-really-good-drama-has-a-lot-of-comedy-in-it/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> [All this flying around got on my nerves. But then I gave the script to Cathy to get her opinion. When she started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/all-this-flying-around-got-on-my-nerves-but-then-i-gave-the-script-to/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> [I was with the Steelers, and I got cut, and I remember, when I left, I was relieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/i-was-with-the-steelers-and-i-got-cut-and-i-remember-when-i-left-i/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> ['Married with Children,' we were good until the fifth or sixth season, and then we limped into the 11th season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/married-with-children-we-were-good-until-the-fifth-or-sixth-season/)

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[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

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[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

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[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

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[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> [Ohio's future is important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/ohio-s-future-is-important-to-me/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

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[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

> [I loved the movie theater, so I always saw a lot of movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-o-neill/i-loved-the-movie-theater-so-i-always-saw-a-lot-of-movies/)

[Ed O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

[Explore all 49 Ed O'Neill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-o-neill/)

## More Approval quotes

> [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/)

[Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/)

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[Jay Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-roach/)

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> [A year ago, my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the supreme court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/a-year-ago-my-approval-rating-was-in-the-30s-my-nominee-for-the/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

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[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [These days people are mean to people just because they don't like the way they look. No-one should be hated because of their flaws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/these-days-people-are-mean-to-people-just-because-they-don-t-like-the/)

[Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

> [I got this emptiness inside that got me fighting for approval because I missed out on my daddy saying, Way to Go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/i-got-this-emptiness-inside-that-got-me-fighting-for-approval-because/)

[Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/)

> [My dad taught me swears when I was a toddler, and I saw, at a really early age, that if I shocked people, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/my-dad-taught-me-swears-when-i-was-a-toddler-and-i-saw-at-a-really/)

[Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/)

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[Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/)

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[Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/)

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[Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/)

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[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

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