--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Becoming Miss America was one of those…" description: "\"Becoming Miss America was one of those things. It immediately changed what I thought I was going to do with the rest of my life.\" — Gretchen Carlson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/gretchen-carlson-3666_america_becoming-miss-america-was-one-of-those-t_1470434.jpg" --- # Becoming Miss America was one of those things. It… ![“Becoming Miss America was one of those things. It immediately changed what I thought I was going to do with the rest of my life.” quote by Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/gretchen-carlson-3666_america_becoming-miss-america-was-one-of-those-t_1470434.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/gretchen-carlson-3666_america_becoming-miss-america-was-one-of-those-t_1470434.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a3/gretchen-carlson-3666_america_becoming-miss-america-was-one-of-those-t_1470434.jpg) > “Becoming Miss America was one of those things. It immediately changed what I thought I was going to do with the rest of my life.” [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning Miss America reshaped her life plans and opened new directions. **In simple terms:** Miss America changed her future plans. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected opportunities. Themes identity career transformation public image choice Mood inspirational thoughtful Type narrative reflective When to use this quote - media career - public speaking - advocacy work Key Concepts personal growth public platform career pivot Questions to Reflect On - What new paths emerged after the title? - How to balance public expectations with personal goals? A Different Perspective Public titles can limit personal freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [There's something about winning Miss America that brings out the snark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/there-s-something-about-winning-miss-america-that-brings-out-the-snark/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [It's nice to have two things now to come into America with, because I know who I am in England, but to come into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-eve/it-s-nice-to-have-two-things-now-to-come-into-america-with-because-i/) [Alice Eve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-eve/) > [The secret point of money and power in America is neither the things that money can buy nor power for power's sake... but absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/the-secret-point-of-money-and-power-in-america-is-neither-the-things-2/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [In America many things that are interesting are seen as odd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miuccia-prada/in-america-many-things-that-are-interesting-are-seen-as-odd/) [Miuccia Prada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miuccia-prada/) > [If you're a New Yorker, there are two things that are most important: a car and a washer and dryer. Literally everyone else in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bastian/if-you-re-a-new-yorker-there-are-two-things-that-are-most-important-a/) [Michael Bastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bastian/) > [The secret point of money and power in America is neither the things that money can buy nor power for power's sake but absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/the-secret-point-of-money-and-power-in-america-is-neither-the-things/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [In America, all things are possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-martinez/in-america-all-things-are-possible/) [Mel Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-martinez/) > [The first time I was asked whether women can "have it all" was at the Miss America pageant. I said no. I didn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/the-first-time-i-was-asked-whether-women-can-have-it-all-was-at-the/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [When people watch me on TV they see part of my life. I wanted to let them know the real me behind the scenes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/when-people-watch-me-on-tv-they-see-part-of-my-life-i-wanted-to-let/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [During my whole year as Miss America and afterward, I was calling agents, looking for advice and opportunities. When I was in New York…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/during-my-whole-year-as-miss-america-and-afterward-i-was-calling/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [I wasn't naive, but at the end of my Miss America year, when two different executives attacked me during what I thought were informational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-wasn-t-naive-but-at-the-end-of-my-miss-america-year-when-two/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [I never had becoming Miss America on my radar screen. But when I was 17, I decided to quit the violin and my parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-never-had-becoming-miss-america-on-my-radar-screen-but-when-i-was/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [We like to say Miss America is the classy one. It has a talent category. I would have been dead last in Miss USA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/we-like-to-say-miss-america-is-the-classy-one-it-has-a-talent/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [I might even pursue a career in politics. If I do, I will have had great practice dealing with the avalanche of daily criticism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-might-even-pursue-a-career-in-politics-if-i-do-i-will-have-had/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [Miss America gets a lot of flak, but the reality is that it is uplifting and aspirational - 50% percent of my points were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/miss-america-gets-a-lot-of-flak-but-the-reality-is-that-it-is/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) ## More by Gretchen Carlson > [I wanted to play the piano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-wanted-to-play-the-piano/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [I've been truly blessed to have so many supporters and, of course, blessed to have my family and all my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-ve-been-truly-blessed-to-have-so-many-supporters-and-of-course/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [Half of the equation is men, and right now, unfortunately, men are running the majority of corporations, so we have to make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/half-of-the-equation-is-men-and-right-now-unfortunately-men-are/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [A lot of people who have come up to me at restaurants - men - and have said, 'I want to shake your hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/a-lot-of-people-who-have-come-up-to-me-at-restaurants-men-and-have/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [There's something about winning Miss America that brings out the snark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/there-s-something-about-winning-miss-america-that-brings-out-the-snark/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [Let's teach our girls and boys how to show the same respect to their colleagues in the workplace they show their moms and sisters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/let-s-teach-our-girls-and-boys-how-to-show-the-same-respect-to-their/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [We need a woman in the White House right now. I really think that women want to work together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/we-need-a-woman-in-the-white-house-right-now-i-really-think-that/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [I've never understood why it's a negative to showcase a talented, smart woman who also happens to be attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-ve-never-understood-why-it-s-a-negative-to-showcase-a-talented/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [At my age I can handle people writing junk about me on social media, but I sometimes air "mean tweets" on my show to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/at-my-age-i-can-handle-people-writing-junk-about-me-on-social-media/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [I cling to the hope that with more and more women in the workplace, we can teach younger generations to be respectful and also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-cling-to-the-hope-that-with-more-and-more-women-in-the-workplace-we/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [The future is wide open. I may actually go back and get that law degree someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/the-future-is-wide-open-i-may-actually-go-back-and-get-that-law/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [In our society, people look at women who are tenacious, smart, attractive, and talented and for whatever reason say, 'There must be something wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/in-our-society-people-look-at-women-who-are-tenacious-smart/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [Even though we have laws against it and HR departments to handle it, a woman - especially if she is young and just starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/even-though-we-have-laws-against-it-and-hr-departments-to-handle-it-a/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [I don't read all the junk. I joke if I did, I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning. But, Sometimes the comments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/i-don-t-read-all-the-junk-i-joke-if-i-did-i-wouldn-t-get-out-of-bed/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) > [My vibrato was my weakness. With romantic pieces, I could be a lot more schmaltzy. My wider vibrato fit that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-carlson/my-vibrato-was-my-weakness-with-romantic-pieces-i-could-be-a-lot-more/) [Gretchen Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) [Explore all 125 Gretchen Carlson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-carlson/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Becoming Miss America was one of those things. 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