--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was already starting to understand that…" description: "\"“I was already starting to understand that other people's admiration asked something of you. That you had to shape yourself around it.”\" — Emma Cline" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/emma-cline-11898_admiration_i-was-already-starting-to-understand-tha_565707.jpg" --- # I was already starting to understand that other people's… ![“I was already starting to understand that other people's admiration asked something of you. That you had to shape yourself around it.” quote by Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/emma-cline-11898_admiration_i-was-already-starting-to-understand-tha_565707.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/emma-cline-11898_admiration_i-was-already-starting-to-understand-tha_565707.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/emma-cline-11898_admiration_i-was-already-starting-to-understand-tha_565707.jpg) > ““I was already starting to understand that other people's admiration asked something of you. That you had to shape yourself around it.”” [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognition from others creates expectations that pressure us to adjust our identity to meet those expectations. **In simple terms:** Admiration forces self‑shaping. Key Takeaway Be aware of external influence on self‑image. Themes identity validation social pressure self‑image expectations Mood reflective cautious Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - career advancement - social media presence - relationships - public speaking Key Concepts psychology social dynamics self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine self‑growth from fitting others’ expectations? - What boundaries protect your core identity? A Different Perspective External validation can be fleeting and may lead to loss of authentic self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration/) [Admiration Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admiration-asked-4680985/) [Asked Shape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asked-shape-4680987/) [People Admiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-admiration-4680986/) [Understand People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-people/) ## Related quotes > [I've given up trying to understand what people think about me. 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M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [Americans are notoriously ill-equipped for self-reflection. We're usually a very boisterous, outward-moving bunch of people, but we don't understand that much about ourselves or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-frost/americans-are-notoriously-ill-equipped-for-self-reflection-we-re/) [Mark Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-frost/) > [I don't understand people who say life is a mystery, because what is it they want to know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-don-t-understand-people-who-say-life-is-a-mystery-because-what-is/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [When you see someone as a human being, you begin to understand most people are doing what they believe is right. I ask myself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/when-you-see-someone-as-a-human-being-you-begin-to-understand-most/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [I try to understand people who aren't as smart as me and not be hateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-coleman/i-try-to-understand-people-who-aren-t-as-smart-as-me-and-not-be/) [Gary Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-coleman/) ## More by Emma Cline > [“Let's just give her a ride into town," Suzanne said. She spoke briskly, like I was a mess that needed to be cleaned up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/let-s-just-give-her-a-ride-into-town-suzanne-said-she-spoke-briskly/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“None of this was rare. Things like this happened hundreds of times. Maybe more. The hatred that vibrated beneath the surface of my girl’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/none-of-this-was-rare-things-like-this-happened-hundreds-of-times/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“Money is ego, and people won't give it up. Just want to protect themselves, hold onto it like a blanket. They don't realize it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/money-is-ego-and-people-won-t-give-it-up-just-want-to-protect/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“There are survivors of disasters whose accounts never begin with the tornado warning or the captain announcing engine failure, but always much earlier in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/there-are-survivors-of-disasters-whose-accounts-never-begin-with-the/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“The possibility of judgment being passed on me supplanted any worries or questions I might have about Russell. At that age, I was, first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/the-possibility-of-judgment-being-passed-on-me-supplanted-any-worries/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“Mislila sam da ljubav koju prema nekom osjećaš djeluje kao zaštitna mjera, pa će ta osoba razumjeti raspon i snagu tvojih osjećaja i onda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/mislila-sam-da-ljubav-koju-prema-nekom-osje-a-djeluje-kao-za-titna/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“A rock, I thought crazily. He'll pick up a rock. He'll break open my skull, my brain leaking onto the sand. He'll tighten his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/a-rock-i-thought-crazily-he-ll-pick-up-a-rock-he-ll-break-open-my/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“The built-in preventative of another person meant I couldn’t indulge the animal feelings, couldn’t leave orange peels in the kitchen sink. I dressed right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/the-built-in-preventative-of-another-person-meant-i-couldn-t-indulge/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“Mitch studied me with a questioning, smug smile. Men did it so easily, that immediate parceling of value. And how they seemed to want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/mitch-studied-me-with-a-questioning-smug-smile-men-did-it-so-easily/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“No-one had ever looked at me before Suzanne, not really, so she had become my definition. Her gaze softening my centre so easily that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/no-one-had-ever-looked-at-me-before-suzanne-not-really-so-she-had/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“How drugs patchworked simple, banal thoughts into phrases that seemed filled with importance. My glitchy adolescent brain was desperate for causalities, for conspiracies that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/how-drugs-patchworked-simple-banal-thoughts-into-phrases-that-seemed/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“But I could not fully admit it, even then. The way Suzanne's face looked as she watched him - I wanted to be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/but-i-could-not-fully-admit-it-even-then-the-way-suzanne-s-face/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“She clung to him like a burr.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/she-clung-to-him-like-a-burr/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“I took her beauty personally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/i-took-her-beauty-personally/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) > [“I could see she was nervous with my eyes on her. I understood the worry. When I was that age, I was uncertain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-cline/i-could-see-she-was-nervous-with-my-eyes-on-her-i-understood-the/) [Emma Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) [Explore all 53 Emma Cline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-cline/) ## More Admiration quotes > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [The older you've gotten, the more respect and admiration you've received.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jupp-heynckes/the-older-you-ve-gotten-the-more-respect-and-admiration-you-ve/) [Jupp Heynckes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jupp-heynckes/) > [I still don't feel I know Hitchcock at all. I find that the more one looks, the more elusive he becomes. But my admiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-still-don-t-feel-i-know-hitchcock-at-all-i-find-that-the-more-one/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [“There have been those among us who have been so dazzled by the might and technological wizardy of Europe that they have been rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahdaf-soueif/there-have-been-those-among-us-who-have-been-so-dazzled-by-the-might/) [Ahdaf Soueif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahdaf-soueif/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Humor is the opposite of all self-admiration and self-praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/humor-is-the-opposite-of-all-self-admiration-and-self-praise/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-cuddy/a-warm-trustworthy-person-who-is-also-strong-elicits-admiration-but/) [Amy Cuddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-cuddy/) > [The book it reminded me of most is Henry Miller’s The Books in My Life. Like Miller, Shields manages to convey his affection for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-alexis/the-book-it-reminded-me-of-most-is-henry-miller-s-the-books-in-my/) [Andre Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-alexis/) > [... we need to interrogate "reverence," for idolization can be another way one is objectified and not really taken seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/we-need-to-interrogate-reverence-for-idolization-can-be-another-way/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/it-may-be-important-to-great-thinkers-to-examine-the-world-to-explain/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“There must be a reason to smile, Miss François. Will you supply one?" It was Daisy's turn to stare. For a long moment they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-jo-wright/there-must-be-a-reason-to-smile-miss-fran-ois-will-you-supply-one-it/) [Jaime Jo Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-jo-wright/) > [“Let me make two remarks. First I concentrate on the task ahead for 2016. I’m quite busy with that—thank you very much. 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