--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if there’s one thing I’ve learned…" description: "\"“But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it all, it’s that we have to be our own heroes. No guy in a costume is coming to save us. We have to save o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/j-m-darhower-1058_hero_but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-fr_206906.jpg" --- # But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it all, it’s… ![“But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it all, it’s that we have to be our own heroes. No guy in a costume is coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.” quote by J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/j-m-darhower-1058_hero_but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-fr_206906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/j-m-darhower-1058_hero_but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-fr_206906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/j-m-darhower-1058_hero_but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-fr_206906.jpg) > ““But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it all, it’s that we have to be our own heroes. No guy in a costume is coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.”” [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must become our own saviors; waiting for external heroes delays personal growth. **In simple terms:** Be your own hero; don’t wait for rescue. Key Takeaway Take responsibility for your destiny. Themes self‑reliance empowerment agency Mood motivational empowering Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career change - health improvement - financial independence Key Concepts philosophy psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to help yourself? - Who can support your hero journey? A Different Perspective Self‑reliance can feel isolating without support networks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) ## Related quotes > [I've learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/i-ve-learned-that-heroes-are-the-people-who-do-what-has-to-be-done/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [Heroes do extraordinary things. What I did was not an extraordinary thing. It was normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-sendler/heroes-do-extraordinary-things-what-i-did-was-not-an-extraordinary/) [Irena Sendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-sendler/) > [“Hero' is not an official status or designation, but if the world recognize you as a hero, it is the highest honor you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/hero-is-not-an-official-status-or-designation-but-if-the-world/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [My hero among heroes is my grandmother, she's the epitome of strength and I try to mock that strength all the time. She's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/my-hero-among-heroes-is-my-grandmother-she-s-the-epitome-of-strength/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [I grew up watching television. I'm a television addict. I had all these heroes, but they didn't look like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cress-williams/i-grew-up-watching-television-i-m-a-television-addict-i-had-all-these/) [Cress Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cress-williams/) > [Heroes became heroes flaws and all gives us hope. "You mean I don't have to be perfect to fulfill my Dream, to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/heroes-became-heroes-flaws-and-all-gives-us-hope-you-mean-i-don-t/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [In terms of people who we call heroes - and I don't tend to like that term, and firefighters don't consider themselves heroes -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-spencer/in-terms-of-people-who-we-call-heroes-and-i-don-t-tend-to-like-that/) [Jesse Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-spencer/) > [Actually my biggest heroes were the R&B singers like Jackie Wilson and Bobby Bland and people like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/actually-my-biggest-heroes-were-the-r-b-singers-like-jackie-wilson/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [“Hero love?” I was puzzled. “You know. The kind of love you have for someone you want to be like: Marines, astronauts, cowboys, teachers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leland-dirks/hero-love-i-was-puzzled-you-know-the-kind-of-love-you-have-for/) [Leland Dirks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leland-dirks/) > [My hero is Jesus, he is the one who gives me hope in this dark world we are living in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper/my-hero-is-jesus-he-is-the-one-who-gives-me-hope-in-this-dark-world/) John Cooper > [I have a private theory, Sir, that there are no heroes and no monsters in this world. Only children should be allowed to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-vigny/i-have-a-private-theory-sir-that-there-are-no-heroes-and-no-monsters/) [Alfred de Vigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-vigny/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > ['Sex and The City' was made to correct the myth that if you were single at a certain age, you were a leper. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/sex-and-the-city-was-made-to-correct-the-myth-that-if-you-were-single/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) > [“Forgotten hero was never the real hero, real hero can not be forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/forgotten-hero-was-never-the-real-hero-real-hero-can-not-be-forgotten/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Teachers are heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/teachers-are-heroes/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) ## More by J.M. Darhower > [“The world isn't always black and white. sometimes, it's gray, and sometimes that gray explodes into colors you never knew existed before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-world-isn-t-always-black-and-white-sometimes-it-s-gray-and/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“I see you’re not being as sneaky this time around. I’m glad. You make a gorgeous couple.” Carmine smirked as he looked at Haven,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/i-see-you-re-not-being-as-sneaky-this-time-around-i-m-glad-you-make-a/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Everyone falls sometimes, son, even me, but the trick is to get right back up. They’ll always target the ones who appear vulnerable, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/everyone-falls-sometimes-son-even-me-but-the-trick-is-to-get-right/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“You know what's kind of funny? Well, not funny, but ironic, maybe? She's been here nine months now, and it takes nine months to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/you-know-what-s-kind-of-funny-well-not-funny-but-ironic-maybe-she-s/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Sometimes I lose perspective, but it helps to stop and look around. I may not have it all, but I have more than enough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/sometimes-i-lose-perspective-but-it-helps-to-stop-and-look-around-i/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“She's not just under my skin, she's in my organs, wrapped up in my cells, infecting me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/she-s-not-just-under-my-skin-she-s-in-my-organs-wrapped-up-in-my/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Life is a struggle, and it would be so easy if it came with an eraser, but it didn't.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/life-is-a-struggle-and-it-would-be-so-easy-if-it-came-with-an-eraser/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“The fire? It still burns. Something tells me it always will, no matter who tries to put it out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-fire-it-still-burns-something-tells-me-it-always-will-no-matter/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“The Battle of Gettysburg was fought in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 18-something-or-nother. The year doesn‘t matter.They considered it the turning point of the war, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/the-battle-of-gettysburg-was-fought-in-gettysburg-pennsylvania-in-18/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Nella vita: chi non risica, non rosica," he said finally, his voice quiet. "In life: nothing ventured, nothing gained. My mom used to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/nella-vita-chi-non-risica-non-rosica-he-said-finally-his-voice-quiet/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“I don’t care what else you do in the future, even when you’re the biggest movie star in the world… the dead kid on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/i-don-t-care-what-else-you-do-in-the-future-even-when-you-re-the/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Life’s a struggle, and it would be so easy if it came with an eraser, but it didn’t. What's done is done, as hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/life-s-a-struggle-and-it-would-be-so-easy-if-it-came-with-an-eraser/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“This boy--this stubborn, selfless, stupid boy--had given himself to the Mafia. He had handed control of his future over to the men they hated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/this-boy-this-stubborn-selfless-stupid-boy-had-given-himself-to-the/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [“Fuck those motherfuckers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/fuck-those-motherfuckers/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) [Explore all 291 J.M. Darhower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) ## More Hero quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > ['Melanin Man' was inspired by the words of an Uber driver in L.A. Before I got out of the car he said, 'They're scared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masego/melanin-man-was-inspired-by-the-words-of-an-uber-driver-in-l-a-before/) [Masego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masego/) > [Once the state has been founded, there can no longer be any heroes. They come on the scene only in uncivilized conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/once-the-state-has-been-founded-there-can-no-longer-be-any-heroes/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [You know, I often thought that the gangster and the artist are the same in the eyes of the masses. They're admired and hero-worshipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-kubrick/you-know-i-often-thought-that-the-gangster-and-the-artist-are-the/) [Stanley Kubrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-kubrick/) > [“A hero is not know by the number of battles he has won, but rather by the kind of battles he chooses to fight.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonny-k-brown/a-hero-is-not-know-by-the-number-of-battles-he-has-won-but-rather-by/) [Tonny K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonny-k-brown/) > [The last act in the biography of the hero is that of the death or departure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-last-act-in-the-biography-of-the-hero-is-that-of-the-death-or/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Teachers are heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/teachers-are-heroes/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [“Forgotten hero was never the real hero, real hero can not be forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/forgotten-hero-was-never-the-real-hero-real-hero-can-not-be-forgotten/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > ['Sex and The City' was made to correct the myth that if you were single at a certain age, you were a leper. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/sex-and-the-city-was-made-to-correct-the-myth-that-if-you-were-single/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [O it's Tommy this, and Tommy that, and Tommy 'ow's your soul/But it's thin red line of heroes when the drums begin to roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/o-it-s-tommy-this-and-tommy-that-and-tommy-ow-s-your-soul-but-it-s/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Benny Carter came up to me and said to me, "You know, in the whole history of the alto, I think Phil is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/benny-carter-came-up-to-me-and-said-to-me-you-know-in-the-whole/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) [Browse all 5,602 Hero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it all, it’s that we have to be our own heroes. No guy in a costume is coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.M. Darhower" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-from-it-all-it-s-that-we-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hero" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-from-it-all-it-s-that-we-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/j-m-darhower-1058_hero_but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-fr_206906.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/j-m-darhower-1058_hero_but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-fr_206906.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/j-m-darhower-1058_hero_but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-fr_206906.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from it all, it’s that we have to be our own heroes. No guy in a…” — J.M. Darhower", "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": "J.M. Darhower", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But if there’s one thing I’ve...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-from-it-all-it-s-that-we-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/but-if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-learned-from-it-all-it-s-that-we-have/#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 } } ] } ```