--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a child, I was very poor and…" description: "\"When I was a child, I was very poor and wanted everything. So when I got money, I began buying things.\" — Jackie Chan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/jackie-chan-2149_began_when-i-was-a-child-i-was-very-poor-and-w_2113789.jpg" --- # When I was a child, I was very poor and wanted everything… ![“When I was a child, I was very poor and wanted everything. So when I got money, I began buying things.” quote by Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/jackie-chan-2149_began_when-i-was-a-child-i-was-very-poor-and-w_2113789.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/jackie-chan-2149_began_when-i-was-a-child-i-was-very-poor-and-w_2113789.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/jackie-chan-2149_began_when-i-was-a-child-i-was-very-poor-and-w_2113789.jpg) > “When I was a child, I was very poor and wanted everything. So when I got money, I began buying things.” [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Having experienced poverty, acquiring wealth led to material accumulation, highlighting the shift from need to desire. **In simple terms:** From need to wanting when rich. Key Takeaway Recognize the emptiness of materialism. Themes materialism personal growth contentment Mood contemplative insightful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - shopping sprees - career success - inheritance - financial windfalls Key Concepts consumerism psychology of desire wealth effects Questions to Reflect On - What truly satisfies you beyond possessions? - How can you use wealth for lasting fulfillment? A Different Perspective Wealth can also bring new responsibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [My dad came over to the house... went into his pocket and pulled out a handful of money, and began to pass it out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/my-dad-came-over-to-the-house-went-into-his-pocket-and-pulled-out-a/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [“began buying land on a rocky hillside connected”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/began-buying-land-on-a-rocky-hillside-connected/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [When I started making money, I immediately began buying property and fixing it up. I was always searching for the next neighborhood. The first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-goff/when-i-started-making-money-i-immediately-began-buying-property-and/) [Trish Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-goff/) > [I bought properties inexpensively and made a lot of money. I began to think it was easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-bought-properties-inexpensively-and-made-a-lot-of-money-i-began-to/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I was an only child. We were so poor, my parents and I had the same room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/i-was-an-only-child-we-were-so-poor-my-parents-and-i-had-the-same-room/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [“Believe me I do understand and I am disgusted by the idea that we should aim for any less for a child from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/believe-me-i-do-understand-and-i-am-disgusted-by-the-idea-that-we/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [Poor child...poor,ssweet child...she has a very ssserious problem...if only there was something we could do...but there is something... -Flotsam and Jetsam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-little-mermaid/poor-child-poor-ssweet-child-she-has-a-very-ssserious-problem-if-only/) [The Little Mermaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-little-mermaid/) > [Who would want one's children growing up buying things like bitcoin? I hope to God my family doesn't buy it. It's noxious poison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/who-would-want-one-s-children-growing-up-buying-things-like-bitcoin-i/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Basically we get confused a bit about what retail is. It is really just buying things, putting them on a floor and selling them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-harvey/basically-we-get-confused-a-bit-about-what-retail-is-it-is-really/) [Gerry Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-harvey/) > [You think money can solve any problem, but all it s good for is buying the things it can, and leaving you free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-herendeen/you-think-money-can-solve-any-problem-but-all-it-s-good-for-is-buying/) Ann Herendeen > [If we didn't have the Chinese buying things, we'd be on the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/if-we-didn-t-have-the-chinese-buying-things-we-d-be-on-the-floor/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [It's nice to have a lot of money, but you know, you don't want to keep it around forever. I prefer buying things. Otherwise,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/it-s-nice-to-have-a-lot-of-money-but-you-know-you-don-t-want-to-keep/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [So, where are the robots? We've been told for 40 years already that they're coming soon. Very soon they'll be doing everything for us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hod-lipson/so-where-are-the-robots-we-ve-been-told-for-40-years-already-that/) [Hod Lipson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hod-lipson/) > [There's a whole generation of women who never really heard the word investment before, when it came to fashion. They've been buying things because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kors/there-s-a-whole-generation-of-women-who-never-really-heard-the-word/) [Michael Kors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kors/) > [Truth is, people like buying things for $0.99 and $1.99 for their digital devices. We know that from iTunes. We know that from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lee/truth-is-people-like-buying-things-for-0-99-and-1-99-for-their/) [Jennifer Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lee/) ## More by Jackie Chan > [Acting keeps me young! I love that the fans like this kind of action and as long as they want me I'll continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/acting-keeps-me-young-i-love-that-the-fans-like-this-kind-of-action/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I like to give back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-like-to-give-back/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [When I try to speak perfectly then I am not Jackie Chan anymore. Some words sound like I am trying too hard. The whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/when-i-try-to-speak-perfectly-then-i-am-not-jackie-chan-anymore-some/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I feel that there are a few things in the world without cultural barriers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-feel-that-there-are-a-few-things-in-the-world-without-cultural/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [When I was young I didn't care about education, just money and box office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/when-i-was-young-i-didn-t-care-about-education-just-money-and-box/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I hope I can make some Hollywood-type action films like 'Batman' or 'Spiderman', action films like that. With some wire work, maybe wearing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-hope-i-can-make-some-hollywood-type-action-films-like-batman-or/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [My schedule goes: wake up, running, exercise, downstairs, running shoes off, then to the shower. That's the Jackie Chan diary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/my-schedule-goes-wake-up-running-exercise-downstairs-running-shoes/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [China produces 600 movies in a year, of which 3 or 4 go abroad, while of the several hundred they make, we only bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/china-produces-600-movies-in-a-year-of-which-3-or-4-go-abroad-while/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I love wushu a lot and I would love to see it included in future Olympic Games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-love-wushu-a-lot-and-i-would-love-to-see-it-included-in-future/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [Cinema reflects culture and there is no harm in adapting technology, but not at the cost of losing your originality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/cinema-reflects-culture-and-there-is-no-harm-in-adapting-technology/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I'm crazy, but I'm not stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-m-crazy-but-i-m-not-stupid/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [Every time I make an American film I just trust the American director and American writer. Myself, I would never make this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/every-time-i-make-an-american-film-i-just-trust-the-american-director/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I do small things. I try to do good things every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-do-small-things-i-try-to-do-good-things-every-day/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [I really like children to watch my movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-really-like-children-to-watch-my-movies/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [My dream is to continue filming until my body tells me to stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/my-dream-is-to-continue-filming-until-my-body-tells-me-to-stop/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) [Explore all 183 Jackie Chan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) ## More Began quotes > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [We began intercepting Japanese radio transmissions, which indicated the two forces were very close to each other. We found out later that we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-adams/we-began-intercepting-japanese-radio-transmissions-which-indicated/) [Jack Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-adams/) > [“Begin as you mean to go on, and go on as you began, and let the Lord be all in all to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/begin-as-you-mean-to-go-on-and-go-on-as-you-began-and-let-the-lord-be/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [We began as mineral. We emerged into plant life, and into the animal state, and then into being human, and always we have forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/we-began-as-mineral-we-emerged-into-plant-life-and-into-the-animal/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I didn't have any role models. I really thought I was doomed to this loveless, lonely life. I didn't know any gay people until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-batt/i-didn-t-have-any-role-models-i-really-thought-i-was-doomed-to-this/) [Bryan Batt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-batt/) > [I began with small roles in successful movies like 'No Country For Old Men' by the Coen brothers; but it was 'The Last Exorcism'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-landry-jones/i-began-with-small-roles-in-successful-movies-like-no-country-for-old/) [Caleb Landry Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-landry-jones/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) Manae Poet Of Carisis > [“I'm not giving up my life. My life began when I met you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-eckrich/i-m-not-giving-up-my-life-my-life-began-when-i-met-you/) Shannon Eckrich > [I was precocious, so I began reading 'Cosmo' when I was 12.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-coles/i-was-precocious-so-i-began-reading-cosmo-when-i-was-12/) [Joanna Coles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-coles/) > [When the 2008 victory of Barack Obama and the defeat of grumpy old John McCain began looking, um, inevitable, I started fielding inquiries about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/when-the-2008-victory-of-barack-obama-and-the-defeat-of-grumpy-old/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) > [I was a photographer. That's how I began my career, behind the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shweta-tripathi/i-was-a-photographer-that-s-how-i-began-my-career-behind-the-camera/) [Shweta Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shweta-tripathi/) > [The work-family divide is the biggest issue for American women. But in some ways it's amazing how adjusted society has become to it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-collins/the-work-family-divide-is-the-biggest-issue-for-american-women-but-in/) [Gail Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-collins/) > [I often get asked, 'Is the book dead?' It hasn't happened yet. It's different than music. Music was always meant to be pure sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/i-often-get-asked-is-the-book-dead-it-hasn-t-happened-yet-it-s/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [I wasn‘t—" I began. I didn‘t—" He began. How charming," V‘lane cut us off. His voice arrived before he did. "The very portrait of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-wasn-t-i-began-i-didn-t-he-began-how-charming-v-lane-cut-us-off-his/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Watergate got us to think of leaders as mere mortals. America began to think of itself in a very different way - I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perlstein/watergate-got-us-to-think-of-leaders-as-mere-mortals-america-began-to/) [Rick Perlstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perlstein/) Browse all 658 Began quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a child, I was very poor and wanted everything. 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