--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem is simply this: no one can…" description: "\"The problem is simply this: no one can feel like CEO of his or her life in the presence of the people who toilet trained her and spanked him when he wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/frank-pittman-8860_accustomed_the-problem-is-simply-this-no-one-can-fe_1767057.jpg" --- # The problem is simply this: no one can feel like CEO of… ![“The problem is simply this: no one can feel like CEO of his or her life in the presence of the people who toilet trained her and spanked him when he was naughty. We may have become Masters of the Universe, accustomed to giving life and taking it away, casually ordering people into battle or out of…” quote by Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/frank-pittman-8860_accustomed_the-problem-is-simply-this-no-one-can-fe_1767057.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/frank-pittman-8860_accustomed_the-problem-is-simply-this-no-one-can-fe_1767057.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/frank-pittman-8860_accustomed_the-problem-is-simply-this-no-one-can-fe_1767057.jpg) > “The problem is simply this: no one can feel like CEO of his or her life in the presence of the people who toilet trained her and spanked him when he was naughty. We may have become Masters of the Universe, accustomed to giving life and taking it away, casually ordering people into battle or out of their jobs . . . and yet we may still dirty our diapers at the sound of our mommy's whimper or our daddy's growl.” [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adult autonomy is hindered when deep‑rooted parental authority still influences decisions, despite outward power. **In simple terms:** Parental influence limits adult freedom. Key Takeaway Recognize and release lingering parental control. Themes family dynamics personal autonomy psychological dependency Mood analytical insightful cautious Type psychological philosophical When to use this quote - career decisions - relationship choices - personal growth counseling - therapy Key Concepts attachment theory power structures identity formation Questions to Reflect On - What childhood patterns affect your choices? - How can you assert independence health? A Different Perspective Even aware adults may revert to childlike dependence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Ceo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceo/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [Evaluate the people in your life; then promote, demote, or terminate. You're the CEO of your life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/evaluate-the-people-in-your-life-then-promote-demote-or-terminate-you/) [Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/) > [“Either you are the CEO of your life, or an employee in someone else's life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fady-seleem/either-you-are-the-ceo-of-your-life-or-an-employee-in-someone-else-s/) Fady Seleem > [“Be the CEO of your life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/be-the-ceo-of-your-life/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [How can you be the CEO of my life, when you have trouble managing your own? Why do you want to be the director…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-nathaniel-butler/how-can-you-be-the-ceo-of-my-life-when-you-have-trouble-managing-your/) [Eugene Nathaniel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-nathaniel-butler/) > [“Deep down, you know everything (including the bad stuff, unfortunately) is just your own personal brand of reality. I mean, you know that you’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-goyal-2/deep-down-you-know-everything-including-the-bad-stuff-unfortunately/) [Rajesh Goyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-goyal-2/) > [Evaluate the people in your life; then promote, demote, or terminate. Youre the CEO of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/evaluate-the-people-in-your-life-then-promote-demote-or-terminate/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [Why do otherwise sane, competent, strong men, men who can wrestle bears or raid corporations, shrink away in horror at the thought of washing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/why-do-otherwise-sane-competent-strong-men-men-who-can-wrestle-bears/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [When you start giving interviews like the CEO of an established company, it's just wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pavel-durov/when-you-start-giving-interviews-like-the-ceo-of-an-established/) [Pavel Durov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pavel-durov/) > [For me, I may have titles like CEO, director or vice chairman but the best title for me is 'working mother.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karren-brady/for-me-i-may-have-titles-like-ceo-director-or-vice-chairman-but-the/) [Karren Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karren-brady/) > [“He doesn’t look like a CEO—he looks like a bad boy from the wrong side of town. 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He’s probably like every other CEO on the planet: Late twenties, handsome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-shaffer/stop-it-girl-there-s-no-way-he-s-five-years-old-or-one-hundred-he-s/) [Andrew Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-shaffer/) > [Every time you're directing a movie you're kind of building a temporary business. You're hiring all these heads of departments, and it definitely feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/every-time-you-re-directing-a-movie-you-re-kind-of-building-a/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [When I was a kid, I wanted to be in business or politics, like a CEO of a big corporation or a U.S. senator.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-manning/when-i-was-a-kid-i-wanted-to-be-in-business-or-politics-like-a-ceo-of/) [Chelsea Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-manning/) ## More by Frank Pittman > [In colonial America, the father was the primary parent. . . . Over the past two hundred years, each generation of fathers has hadless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/in-colonial-america-the-father-was-the-primary-parent-over-the-past/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [We long for our father. We wear his clothes, and actually try to fill his shoes. . . . We hang on to him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/we-long-for-our-father-we-wear-his-clothes-and-actually-try-to-fill/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [Our ability to fall in love requires enough comfort with our masculinity to join it with someone's femininity and feel enhanced. .. . If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/our-ability-to-fall-in-love-requires-enough-comfort-with-our/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [The mother must teach her son how to respect and follow the rules. 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Must we relive our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/we-know-how-powerful-our-mother-was-when-we-were-little-but-is-our/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [Mothers who are strong people, who can pursue a life of their own when it is time to let their children go, empower their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/mothers-who-are-strong-people-who-can-pursue-a-life-of-their-own-when/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [Fidelity is the single most important element in solidly enduring marriages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/fidelity-is-the-single-most-important-element-in-solidly-enduring/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [Some parents were awful back then and are awful still. The process of raising you didn't turn them into grown-ups. 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The swapping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/to-insult-a-friend-implies-that-you-respect-his-masculinity-enough-to/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [Fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/fathering-is-not-something-perfect-men-do-but-something-that-perfects/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [Happy people learn that happiness, like sweat, is a by-product of activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/happy-people-learn-that-happiness-like-sweat-is-a-by-product-of/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) > [In time, after a dozen years of centering their lives around the games boys play with one another, the boys' bodies change and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-pittman/in-time-after-a-dozen-years-of-centering-their-lives-around-the-games/) [Frank Pittman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) [Explore all 77 Frank Pittman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-pittman/) ## More Accustomed quotes > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. 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Few of the others, however, had the possibility of direct gains in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-armstrong/i-have-been-in-relatively-high-risk-businesses-all-of-my-adult-life/) [Neil Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-armstrong/) > [We have become accustomed to living our life with joy amidst pain and challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-reeve/we-have-become-accustomed-to-living-our-life-with-joy-amidst-pain-and/) [Dana Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-reeve/) > [Security is a component of everyday life that one spending time in Washington, D.C., gets accustomed to. Metal detectors, police vehicle barriers and heavily-armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-crapo/security-is-a-component-of-everyday-life-that-one-spending-time-in/) [Mike Crapo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-crapo/) > [If you're a Firefox user, you get accustomed to your history and the URL bar and finding things. 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