--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I woke up one morning and realized…" description: "\"“If I woke up one morning and realized that all I ever was going to be was a business man, I'd probably die. All my dreams would be shattered. Early in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/harley-king-15967_basketball-star_if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-th_903864.jpg" --- # If I woke up one morning and realized that all I ever was… ![“If I woke up one morning and realized that all I ever was going to be was a business man, I'd probably die. All my dreams would be shattered. Early in life I had many dreams. I dreamed of being a great basketball star. I dreamed of being a preacher. I dreamed of saving the world from war and…” quote by Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/harley-king-15967_basketball-star_if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-th_903864.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/harley-king-15967_basketball-star_if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-th_903864.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/harley-king-15967_basketball-star_if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-th_903864.jpg) > ““If I woke up one morning and realized that all I ever was going to be was a business man, I'd probably die. All my dreams would be shattered. Early in life I had many dreams. I dreamed of being a great basketball star. I dreamed of being a preacher. I dreamed of saving the world from war and racism. And I dreamed of being a great poet. Today, I dream only of writing.”” [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing a lifelong dream of writing after many abandoned ambitions, emphasizing authenticity over external success. **In simple terms:** Dreams shift; writing remains. Key Takeaway Embrace your true calling. Themes self‑discovery career change creativity Mood reflective inspirational Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career transition - writing practice - goal reassessment Key Concepts identity purpose artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What would you write now? - How can you honor past dreams? A Different Perspective Risk of romanticizing struggle. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Business man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business-man/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Preacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preacher/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“is it i, who have dragged the latter of linger from the shadows the smell of death from the pits; the footprints where no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nii-norton/is-it-i-who-have-dragged-the-latter-of-linger-from-the-shadows-the/) nii norton > [I wept in my dreams. I dreamed you lay in the grave; I awoke, and the tears still poured down my cheeks. I wept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/i-wept-in-my-dreams-i-dreamed-you-lay-in-the-grave-i-awoke-and-the/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [A man becomes what he dreams. And I dreamed of being in the movies. I was brought up on Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood, Warren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/a-man-becomes-what-he-dreams-and-i-dreamed-of-being-in-the-movies-i/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [In every different house, the same things are spoken, the same lies are said, the same dreams are dreamed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-every-different-house-the-same-things-are-spoken-the-same-lies-are/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [It is better to have dreamed a thousand dreams that never were than never to have dreamed at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/it-is-better-to-have-dreamed-a-thousand-dreams-that-never-were-than/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [We are all the people we knew; all the books we read; all the roads we travelled; all the mistakes we made; all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-are-all-the-people-we-knew-all-the-books-we-read-all-the-roads-we/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always dreamed of being a voice in a Disney movie, and even in those dreams, I never once dreamed of being a princess.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-dreamed-of-being-a-voice-in-a-disney-movie-and-even-in-those/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamed by artists.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-ron-hubbard/a-culture-is-only-as-great-as-its-dreams-and-its-dreams-are-dreamed/) [L. Ron Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-ron-hubbard/) > [“Somewhere, deep within me, beyond the passion, beyond the beauty of the night, that little spark of Daily magic ignited in me again, began…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-wingate/somewhere-deep-within-me-beyond-the-passion-beyond-the-beauty-of-the/) [Lisa Wingate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-wingate/) > [For me, writing a novel is like having a dream. Writing a novel lets me intentionally dream while I'm still awake. I can continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/for-me-writing-a-novel-is-like-having-a-dream-writing-a-novel-lets-me/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [In Les Mots I explain the origin of my madness, of my neurosis. This analysis may help the young who dream of writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/in-les-mots-i-explain-the-origin-of-my-madness-of-my-neurosis-this/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [A word is a bud attempting to become a twig. How can one not dream while writing? It is the pen which dreams. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-bachelard/a-word-is-a-bud-attempting-to-become-a-twig-how-can-one-not-dream/) [Gaston Bachelard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-bachelard/) > [I'm blessed to be living this dream of writing and singing, but that's not the real dream I had. The real dream was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/missy-elliott/i-m-blessed-to-be-living-this-dream-of-writing-and-singing-but-that-s/) Missy Elliott > [I even dream about writing. I'm talking seeing words across the page, whole paragraphs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-pelecanos/i-even-dream-about-writing-i-m-talking-seeing-words-across-the-page/) [George Pelecanos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-pelecanos/) > [If you have a dream of writing, that's wishful thinking. If you have a commitment to writing, that's the way to make your dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pickard/if-you-have-a-dream-of-writing-that-s-wishful-thinking-if-you-have-a/) [Nancy Pickard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pickard/) ## More by Harley King > [“Story is a butterfly whose wings transport us to another world where we receive gifts that change who we are and who we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/story-is-a-butterfly-whose-wings-transport-us-to-another-world-where/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“How little we understand of the gifts we have been given or the shape of the path we took to reach our salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/how-little-we-understand-of-the-gifts-we-have-been-given-or-the-shape/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“I climb aboard my tricycle and pedal my heart to the stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/i-climb-aboard-my-tricycle-and-pedal-my-heart-to-the-stars/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“May your journey through life be vibrant and full of colorful rainbows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/may-your-journey-through-life-be-vibrant-and-full-of-colorful-rainbows/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“What I really want is to be recognized as a writer; that someday, my poetry — this is an interesting paradox — would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/what-i-really-want-is-to-be-recognized-as-a-writer-that-someday-my/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Life often is a bucket of water sitting on a farmer’s porch. Our choice is in the drinking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/life-often-is-a-bucket-of-water-sitting-on-a-farmer-s-porch-our/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Sometimes memory is the only gift we give ourselves and the only hope we have of finding our way home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/sometimes-memory-is-the-only-gift-we-give-ourselves-and-the-only-hope/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Sometimes we wait too long for the forgiveness of our fathers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/sometimes-we-wait-too-long-for-the-forgiveness-of-our-fathers/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Tomorrow is a memory best forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/tomorrow-is-a-memory-best-forgotten/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Too often our visions of the future are dull and impotent like a hammer beating the water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/too-often-our-visions-of-the-future-are-dull-and-impotent-like-a/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Nothing stays the same and nothing changes. What is old today will be new tomorrow. What is new today will be forgotten tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/nothing-stays-the-same-and-nothing-changes-what-is-old-today-will-be/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“The more I try to be perfect; the more I fail.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/the-more-i-try-to-be-perfect-the-more-i-fail/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Sometimes that which we fear strengthens our spirit and gives us a splash of hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/sometimes-that-which-we-fear-strengthens-our-spirit-and-gives-us-a/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“May your heart be lighter today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/may-your-heart-be-lighter-today/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [“Hope is a rainbow of thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/hope-is-a-rainbow-of-thought/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) [Explore all 41 Harley King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If I woke up one morning and realized that all I ever was going to be was a business man, I'd probably die. All my dreams would be shattered. Early in life I had many dreams. I dreamed of being a great basketball star. I dreamed of being a preacher. I dreamed of saving the world from war and racism. And I dreamed of being a great poet. Today, I dream only of writing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harley King" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-that-all-i-ever-was-going-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-that-all-i-ever-was-going-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/harley-king-15967_basketball-star_if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-th_903864.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/harley-king-15967_basketball-star_if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-th_903864.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/431/harley-king-15967_basketball-star_if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-th_903864.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I woke up one morning and realized that all I ever was going to be was a business man, I'd probably die…” — Harley King", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harley King", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“If I woke up one morning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-that-all-i-ever-was-going-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/if-i-woke-up-one-morning-and-realized-that-all-i-ever-was-going-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```