--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a boy I used to think that…" description: "\"When I was a boy I used to think that STRONG meant having big muscles, great physical power; but the longer I live, the more I realize that real streng..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/fred-rogers-1272_bigs_when-i-was-a-boy-i-used-to-think-that-st_1154454.jpg" --- # When I was a boy I used to think that STRONG meant having… ![“When I was a boy I used to think that STRONG meant having big muscles, great physical power; but the longer I live, the more I realize that real strength has much more to do with what is NOT seen. Real strength has to do with helping others.” quote by Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/fred-rogers-1272_bigs_when-i-was-a-boy-i-used-to-think-that-st_1154454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/fred-rogers-1272_bigs_when-i-was-a-boy-i-used-to-think-that-st_1154454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/395/fred-rogers-1272_bigs_when-i-was-a-boy-i-used-to-think-that-st_1154454.jpg) > “When I was a boy I used to think that STRONG meant having big muscles, great physical power; but the longer I live, the more I realize that real strength has much more to do with what is NOT seen. Real strength has to do with helping others.” [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He redefines strength as unseen qualities like helping others, not just physical power. **In simple terms:** True strength is quiet, supportive. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner strength. Themes compassion inner strength service humility personal growth Mood warm inspirational Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - volunteering - community service - mentoring - personal challenges Key Concepts empathy altruism character development Questions to Reflect On - How can we teach unseen strength? - What actions demonstrate real strength? A Different Perspective Physical strength is still valuable in many contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Helping others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-others/) [Real strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-strength/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Our strength is seen in the things we stand for; our weakness is seen in the things we fall for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-strength-is-seen-in-the-things-we-stand-for-our-weakness-is-seen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Real strength has to do with helping others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/real-strength-has-to-do-with-helping-others/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show And I thought that bein' strong meant never losin' your self-control But I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-never-been-the-kind-to-ever-let-my-feelings-show-and-i-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you're a real frogman," he said, "then every time a woman leaves your side, she'll feel better about herself." ... The message felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/if-you-re-a-real-frogman-he-said-then-every-time-a-woman-leaves-your/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Most of us, I believe, admire strength. It's something we tend to respect in others, desire for ourselves, and wish for our children. Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/most-of-us-i-believe-admire-strength-it-s-something-we-tend-to/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Some people think you are strong when you hold on. Others think it is when you let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-robinson/some-people-think-you-are-strong-when-you-hold-on-others-think-it-is/) [Sylvia Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-robinson/) > [A lot of times people will think, ‘I’m strong, I’m in shape; why can’t I do this pose?’ But that’s not the point. There’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-levine/a-lot-of-times-people-will-think-i-m-strong-i-m-in-shape-why-can-t-i/) [Adam Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-levine/) > [Be Strong,Think Strong, Live Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taysis-marie/be-strong-think-strong-live-strong/) Taysis'Marie > [Some people think to be STRONG is to never feel PAIN. In reality, the STRONGEST people are who feel it, understand it and accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-think-to-be-strong-is-to-never-feel-pain-in-reality-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I think the six of us—we’re all strong. We’re each just a different kind of strong. But we all have a different kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krista-ritchie/i-think-the-six-of-us-we-re-all-strong-we-re-each-just-a-different/) [Krista Ritchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krista-ritchie/) > [If you think you are only strong if you can lift a certain number, whatever that number is, you will feel pretty weak most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pavel-tsatsouline/if-you-think-you-are-only-strong-if-you-can-lift-a-certain-number/) [Pavel Tsatsouline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pavel-tsatsouline/) > [People think I'm strong, but actually I wanted to crawl away. I thought, I'm going to live in the country with my horse and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-mccartney/people-think-i-m-strong-but-actually-i-wanted-to-crawl-away-i-thought/) [Stella McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-mccartney/) > [Some people think that to be strong is to never feel pain. in reality the strong people are the ones who feel it, understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-think-that-to-be-strong-is-to-never-feel-pain-in-reality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I think everyone is strong and weak in different ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-think-everyone-is-strong-and-weak-in-different-ways/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [There was a time I used to focus on just being skinny, and now I really think about how can I be strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/there-was-a-time-i-used-to-focus-on-just-being-skinny-and-now-i/) [Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/) ## More by Fred Rogers > [Listening is a very active awareness of the coming together of at least two lives. Listening, as far as I'm concerned, is certainly a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/listening-is-a-very-active-awareness-of-the-coming-together-of-at/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Children who have learned to be comfortably dependent can become not only comfortably independent but also comfortable with having people depend on them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/children-who-have-learned-to-be-comfortably-dependent-can-become-not/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [As different as we are from one another, as unique as each one of us is, we are much more the same than we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/as-different-as-we-are-from-one-another-as-unique-as-each-one-of-us/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [This evening is as brief as the twinkling of an eye yet such twinklings is what eternity is made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/this-evening-is-as-brief-as-the-twinkling-of-an-eye-yet-such/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [The underlying message of the Neighborhood is that if somebody cares about you, it's possible that you'll care about others. 'You are special, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-underlying-message-of-the-neighborhood-is-that-if-somebody-cares/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Play is really the work of childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/play-is-really-the-work-of-childhood/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Love isn't a perfect state of caring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/love-isn-t-a-perfect-state-of-caring/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Real strength has to do with helping others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/real-strength-has-to-do-with-helping-others/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [The greatest gift that you can give another person is to gracefully receive whatever it is that they want to give us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-greatest-gift-that-you-can-give-another-person-is-to-gracefully/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [The values we care about the deepest, and the movements within society that support those values, command our love. When those things that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-values-we-care-about-the-deepest-and-the-movements-within-society/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [“Everyone longs to be loved. And the greatest thing we can do is to let people know that they are loved and capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/everyone-longs-to-be-loved-and-the-greatest-thing-we-can-do-is-to-let/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Attitudes are caught, not taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/attitudes-are-caught-not-taught/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [Forgiveness is a strange thing. It can sometimes be easier to forgive our enemies than our friends. It can be hardest of all to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/forgiveness-is-a-strange-thing-it-can-sometimes-be-easier-to-forgive/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [If the grain of wheat could know fear, it would be paralyzed with anxiety at the thought of being dropped in the ground, covered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/if-the-grain-of-wheat-could-know-fear-it-would-be-paralyzed-with/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [What's been important in my understanding of myself and others is the fact that each one of us is so much more than any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/what-s-been-important-in-my-understanding-of-myself-and-others-is-the/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) [Explore all 263 Fred Rogers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a boy I used to think that STRONG meant having big muscles, great physical power; but the longer I live, the more I realize that real strength has much more to do with what is NOT seen. 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