---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I deviated from what I'm…"
description: "\"I don't think I deviated from what I'm all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call that a legacy, or whatever you want to call..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/joe-paterno-9402_about_i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-a_1519122.jpg"
---

#  I don't think I deviated from what I'm all about and what…

![“I don't think I deviated from what I'm all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call that a legacy, or whatever you want to call it.” quote by Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/joe-paterno-9402_about_i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-a_1519122.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/joe-paterno-9402_about_i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-a_1519122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/joe-paterno-9402_about_i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-a_1519122.jpg)

> “I don't think I deviated from what I'm all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call that a legacy, or whatever you want to call it.”

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker asserts consistency with personal values and legacy despite external labeling.

**In simple terms:** Staying true to one's values defines legacy.

Key Takeaway

Align actions with core beliefs.

Themes

integrity legacy self‑identity

Mood

reflective determined

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career reflection
- leadership
- personal branding

Key Concepts

personal values public perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you define your own legacy?
- What values guide your decisions?

A Different Perspective

Legacy can be contested by others' interpretations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/)

## Related quotes

> [“Legacy requires sacrifice. I want to have a legacy, I want to be remembered as the hero.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-l-martin/legacy-requires-sacrifice-i-want-to-have-a-legacy-i-want-to-be/)

P.L. Martin

> [I stayed on the track I wanted to stay on. I don’t think I deviated from what I’m all about and what I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-stayed-on-the-track-i-wanted-to-stay-on-i-don-t-think-i-deviated/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [As an artist, I never want to be a moment. I want to be a legacy, and I want my music to touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalid/as-an-artist-i-never-want-to-be-a-moment-i-want-to-be-a-legacy-and-i/)

[Khalid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalid/)

> [“People should put a lot of thought behind what kind of legacy they want to leave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/people-should-put-a-lot-of-thought-behind-what-kind-of-legacy-they/)

[Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/)

> [“We want to leave a legacy with who we are and what we do. We want to grow a life that matters. We can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisa-morgan/we-want-to-leave-a-legacy-with-who-we-are-and-what-we-do-we-want-to/)

Elisa Morgan

> [For legacy, I want to be a world champion in MMA. That's what's going to make me rest easy at night. I won't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-danis/for-legacy-i-want-to-be-a-world-champion-in-mma-that-s-what-s-going/)

[Dillon Danis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-danis/)

> [I want my legacy, when you think about me, is as a football player that does his job pretty well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-want-my-legacy-when-you-think-about-me-is-as-a-football-player-that/)

[Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/)

> [I just didn't want my legacy to be that of a few others that I don't even have to name, where I was controlled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-just-didn-t-want-my-legacy-to-be-that-of-a-few-others-that-i-don-t/)

[Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/)

> [What type of legacy do you want to leave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-kielburger/what-type-of-legacy-do-you-want-to-leave/)

[Marc Kielburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-kielburger/)

> [I hope we win a lot of games, that's part of the job at Ohio State. But you want to have a bigger impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-day/i-hope-we-win-a-lot-of-games-that-s-part-of-the-job-at-ohio-state-but/)

[Ryan Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-day/)

> [I want my legacy to be greater freedom, greater prosperity and a better way of life for my family, our employees and all Americans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-koch/i-want-my-legacy-to-be-greater-freedom-greater-prosperity-and-a/)

[Charles Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-koch/)

> [Somebody asked me a question. It was a defining question: 'What type of legacy do you want to leave?' We ask that question a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-kielburger/somebody-asked-me-a-question-it-was-a-defining-question-what-type-of/)

[Marc Kielburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-kielburger/)

> [I do want to carry on my dad's legacy, but I also want to carve out my own path. I have to work harder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-do-want-to-carry-on-my-dad-s-legacy-but-i-also-want-to-carve-out-my/)

[Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/)

> [The only legacy I want is to be thought of as a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-jeter/the-only-legacy-i-want-is-to-be-thought-of-as-a-winner/)

[Derek Jeter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-jeter/)

> [Whatever title or office we may be privileged to hold, it is what we do that defines who we are ... Each of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-rania-of-jordan/whatever-title-or-office-we-may-be-privileged-to-hold-it-is-what-we/)

[Queen Rania of Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-rania-of-jordan/)

## More by Joe Paterno

> [A hard-fought, well-fought, hairline-close game is as classical in sports as tragedy is in the theater. Victory is contained within defeat, and defeat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/a-hard-fought-well-fought-hairline-close-game-is-as-classical-in/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [“You're never as good as you think you are when you win; and you're never as bad as you feel when you lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/you-re-never-as-good-as-you-think-you-are-when-you-win-and-you-re/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [I'm not as concerned about me. What's happened to me has been great. I got five great kids. Seventeen grandchildren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-m-not-as-concerned-about-me-what-s-happened-to-me-has-been-great-i/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [Those kinds of things all kind of pop into your head, and you try to rectify them by looking at it, making some changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/those-kinds-of-things-all-kind-of-pop-into-your-head-and-you-try-to/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [There has to be some self-denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/there-has-to-be-some-self-denial/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [Keep hustling, something good will happen,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/keep-hustling-something-good-will-happen/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [It doesn't matter what people think of me. I've lived my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/it-doesn-t-matter-what-people-think-of-me-i-ve-lived-my-life/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/the-will-to-win-is-important-but-the-will-to-prepare-is-vital/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [In every life, there have to be some shadows. Look at me. My life has been filled with sunshine. A beautiful and caring wife.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/in-every-life-there-have-to-be-some-shadows-look-at-me-my-life-has/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [Don't just stand back and play the way you're coached. A great player must rise to the occasion and turn the game around on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/don-t-just-stand-back-and-play-the-way-you-re-coached-a-great-player/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [I think we played a pretty good football game overall. I think we played as well as we could at this time of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-think-we-played-a-pretty-good-football-game-overall-i-think-we/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [You must relate athletic experiences to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/you-must-relate-athletic-experiences-to-life/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [I don't think it's fair to 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds to say 'Show us you're a winner right now!' Winning isn't everything. I'll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-don-t-think-it-s-fair-to-12-13-and-14-year-olds-to-say-show-us-you/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [There's never been a greater game than football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/there-s-never-been-a-greater-game-than-football/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

> [I appreciate the fans and all that kind of stuff. It's kind of fun to hear it, as just another football game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-appreciate-the-fans-and-all-that-kind-of-stuff-it-s-kind-of-fun-to/)

[Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

[Explore all 73 Joe Paterno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

Browse all 26,122 About quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I don't think I deviated from what I'm all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call that a legacy, or whatever you want to call it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Joe Paterno"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-all-about-and-what-i-thought/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-all-about-and-what-i-thought/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/joe-paterno-9402_about_i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-a_1519122.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/joe-paterno-9402_about_i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-a_1519122.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e97/joe-paterno-9402_about_i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-a_1519122.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I don't think I deviated from what I'm all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call…” — Joe Paterno",
                "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": "Joe Paterno",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I don't think I deviated from...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-all-about-and-what-i-thought/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-all-about-and-what-i-thought/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
