--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: and never really thought I'd amount to…" description: "\"and never really thought I'd amount to anything. It was precisely what I wanted the whole world to think; then I could sneak in, if that's what they wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/jack-kerouac-182_sneak_and-never-really-thought-i-d-amount-to-a_673119.jpg" --- # and never really thought I'd amount to anything. It was… ![“and never really thought I'd amount to anything. It was precisely what I wanted the whole world to think; then I could sneak in, if that's what they wanted, and sneak out again, which I did.” quote by Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/jack-kerouac-182_sneak_and-never-really-thought-i-d-amount-to-a_673119.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/jack-kerouac-182_sneak_and-never-really-thought-i-d-amount-to-a_673119.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/920/jack-kerouac-182_sneak_and-never-really-thought-i-d-amount-to-a_673119.jpg) > “and never really thought I'd amount to anything. It was precisely what I wanted the whole world to think; then I could sneak in, if that's what they wanted, and sneak out again, which I did.” [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator pretends to desire others' expectations to hide his true ambitions, then covertly pursues his own goals. **In simple terms:** He pretends to want others' approval while secretly following his own path. Key Takeaway Recognize and own your true motivations. Themes identity deception ambition Mood reflective determined Type literary personal When to use this quote - career planning - personal growth - creative projects - social navigation Key Concepts existentialism self‑discovery Questions to Reflect On - What hidden motives drive your actions? - How does pretending help you achieve your goals? A Different Perspective The strategy may lead to distrust if discovered. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Really Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-thought/) [Sneak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sneak/) [Sneak Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sneak-did-5340330/) [Think Sneak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-sneak-5340329/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thought Precisely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-precisely-5340328/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Sneak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-sneak-570473/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [all I wanted to do was sneak out into the night and disappear somewhere, and go and find out what everybody was doing all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/all-i-wanted-to-do-was-sneak-out-into-the-night-and-disappear/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [No-one really thought of fission before its discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lise-meitner/no-one-really-thought-of-fission-before-its-discovery/) [Lise Meitner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lise-meitner/) > [I think it's kind of written in stone that men are supposed to have strong feelings about age, but I've never really thought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nico-tortorella/i-think-it-s-kind-of-written-in-stone-that-men-are-supposed-to-have/) [Nico Tortorella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nico-tortorella/) > [I always knew, deep down, that I'd love to be an author, but I don't think I really thought about trying to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-fletcher/i-always-knew-deep-down-that-i-d-love-to-be-an-author-but-i-don-t/) [Tom Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-fletcher/) > [I never thought I was going to be an actor. And I never really thought of myself as one. Even though I keep working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walker/i-never-thought-i-was-going-to-be-an-actor-and-i-never-really-thought/) [Paul Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walker/) > [“They really thought what other people sing in songs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/they-really-thought-what-other-people-sing-in-songs/) [Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/) > [When we started WeWork it really was thought of holistically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-mckelvey/when-we-started-wework-it-really-was-thought-of-holistically/) [Miguel McKelvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-mckelvey/) > [“All this time I really thought You was just the one. I was just afraid of losing Something I never even had.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabson-kashamba/all-this-time-i-really-thought-you-was-just-the-one-i-was-just-afraid/) [Rabson Kashamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabson-kashamba/) > [I no longer think in terms of, Ooh, this is a great role and what is it going to do for - actually, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-no-longer-think-in-terms-of-ooh-this-is-a-great-role-and-what-is-it/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [I always played football as a kid and never really thought about anything else. I always wanted to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gylfi-sigurdsson/i-always-played-football-as-a-kid-and-never-really-thought-about/) [Gylfi Sigurdsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gylfi-sigurdsson/) > [I was deeply uncertain of who I was and who I wanted to be. I really thought I wanted to be a much cooler…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ek/i-was-deeply-uncertain-of-who-i-was-and-who-i-wanted-to-be-i-really/) [Daniel Ek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ek/) > [“I was deeply moved by this, moved by how tremendous it felt to be so simply trusted, and I found myself thinking about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-hart/i-was-deeply-moved-by-this-moved-by-how-tremendous-it-felt-to-be-so/) [Miranda Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-hart/) > [I never really thought in terms of the concept of being a rock star - being around people like that just seemed like normal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/i-never-really-thought-in-terms-of-the-concept-of-being-a-rock-star/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [I never really thought of myself as somebody to move abroad. It just came on my path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floor-jansen/i-never-really-thought-of-myself-as-somebody-to-move-abroad-it-just/) [Floor Jansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floor-jansen/) > [It's while writing that suddenly a point of view appears: 'So, that's what I really thought about this thing'. Then it feels part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelie-nothomb/it-s-while-writing-that-suddenly-a-point-of-view-appears-so-that-s/) [Amelie Nothomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelie-nothomb/) ## More by Jack Kerouac > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For when you realized that God is Everything you know that you've got to love everything no matter how bad it is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-when-you-realized-that-god-is-everything-you-know-that-you-ve-got/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I'm an idealist who has outgrown my idealism I have nothing to do the rest of my life but do it and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-an-idealist-who-has-outgrown-my-idealism-i-have-nothing-to-do-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Most of them were running away from something―usually the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/most-of-them-were-running-away-from-something-usually-the-law/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Non lo so, non importa e non fa nessuna differenza.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/non-lo-so-non-importa-e-non-fa-nessuna-differenza/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“And in the flush of the first few days of joy I confidently tell myself (not expecting what I'll do in three weeks only)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/and-in-the-flush-of-the-first-few-days-of-joy-i-confidently-tell/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I want a blaze of light to flame in me forever in a timeless, dear love of everything. And why should I pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-want-a-blaze-of-light-to-flame-in-me-forever-in-a-timeless-dear/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For the next week that was all I heard - manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-the-next-week-that-was-all-i-heard-manana-a-lovely-word-and-one/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“O how wonderful life is, how miraculous, God made this and God made that", "how do you know he doesn't hate what He did:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/o-how-wonderful-life-is-how-miraculous-god-made-this-and-god-made/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Notoriety and public confession in the literary form is a frazzler of the heart you were born with, believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/notoriety-and-public-confession-in-the-literary-form-is-a-frazzler-of/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling & laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-promise-i-shall-never-give-up-and-that-i-ll-die-yelling-laughing/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“The hot water pools are steaming, Fagan and Monsanto and the others are all sitting peacefully up to their necks, they're all naked, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-hot-water-pools-are-steaming-fagan-and-monsanto-and-the-others/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) [Explore all 936 Jack Kerouac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More Sneak quotes > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [We don't always know the details of our future. We do not know what lies ahead. We live in a time of uncertainty. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-don-t-always-know-the-details-of-our-future-we-do-not-know-what/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [I grew up with a dad who hated television, so we had to sneak television. It got ingrained in my head to never follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-knepper/i-grew-up-with-a-dad-who-hated-television-so-we-had-to-sneak/) [Robert Knepper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-knepper/) > [“So you’re going to ask Ress and Brullo to just leave a back door open so you can sneak in?” “Don’t be so simpleminded.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/so-you-re-going-to-ask-ress-and-brullo-to-just-leave-a-back-door-open/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [In scene after scene, meaning sneaks in and sometimes roars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manohla-dargis/in-scene-after-scene-meaning-sneaks-in-and-sometimes-roars/) [Manohla Dargis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manohla-dargis/) > [I love cooking but I still always go and sneak a little bit of sides from Boston Market, and it's so good. They're so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-walsh/i-love-cooking-but-i-still-always-go-and-sneak-a-little-bit-of-sides/) [Kate Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-walsh/) > [The first time I played golf was in Flushing Meadows, Queens, when I was about 16 or 17. They had an 18-hole pitch-and-putt. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/the-first-time-i-played-golf-was-in-flushing-meadows-queens-when-i/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Think back many years when I used to sneak In ya crib like this...Shh be quiet. Or your Dad will hear us and he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bei-maejor/think-back-many-years-when-i-used-to-sneak-in-ya-crib-like-this-shh/) [Bei Maejor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bei-maejor/) > [I'm a failed pop star. I always sneak a song into everything I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-m-a-failed-pop-star-i-always-sneak-a-song-into-everything-i-do/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [Success doesn't sneak up on us; it starts as a dream that we combine with a clear plan of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-miller/success-doesn-t-sneak-up-on-us-it-starts-as-a-dream-that-we-combine/) [Dan Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-miller/) > [I havent had the whole famous thing happen to me yet, and I hope I never will. 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Sometimes magic is quiet and sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-guinn/not-all-magic-is-fireworks-and-fanfare-sometimes-magic-is-quiet-and/) [Jeff Guinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-guinn/) [Browse all 308 Sneak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sneak/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "and never really thought I'd amount to anything. 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