---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never was I power thirsty, or trying to…"
description: "\"Never was I power thirsty, or trying to control everyone. I believed in educating everyone, so they could all get to the position I was at.\" — John D. ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/john-d-rockefeller-3693_position_never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-c_2083486.jpg"
---

#  Never was I power thirsty, or trying to control everyone…

![“Never was I power thirsty, or trying to control everyone. I believed in educating everyone, so they could all get to the position I was at.” quote by John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/john-d-rockefeller-3693_position_never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-c_2083486.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/john-d-rockefeller-3693_position_never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-c_2083486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/john-d-rockefeller-3693_position_never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-c_2083486.jpg)

> “Never was I power thirsty, or trying to control everyone. I believed in educating everyone, so they could all get to the position I was at.”

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

## About This Quote

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

He sought to empower others through education rather than dominate them.

**In simple terms:** Education over control.

Key Takeaway

Teach to lift others.

Themes

education empowerment leadership

Mood

inspirational reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- corporate training
- community workshops
- school curricula

Key Concepts

social mobility knowledge sharing

Questions to Reflect On

- How can education be made truly inclusive?
- What responsibilities do leaders have to share power?

A Different Perspective

May overlook systemic barriers to access.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/)

## Related quotes

> [“He handed her a plastic container of dried fruit Loreen had packed for the trip to use as a steering wheel so she could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/he-handed-her-a-plastic-container-of-dried-fruit-loreen-had-packed/)

[Chang-rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/)

> [Look up the meaning of Parenting. Control is not a part of its definition, so stop trying to control children!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rey-mellomida/look-up-the-meaning-of-parenting-control-is-not-a-part-of-its/)

[Rey Mellomida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rey-mellomida/)

> [“I believe in not trying to control things that are out of my control or none of my business.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobe-hanson/i-believe-in-not-trying-to-control-things-that-are-out-of-my-control/)

[Tobe Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobe-hanson/)

> [This ain't how it's supposed to be. I feel like you're trying to take control of me. I'm a man, but I can't glance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lmfao/this-ain-t-how-it-s-supposed-to-be-i-feel-like-you-re-trying-to-take/)

[Lmfao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lmfao/)

> [“Groceries, you need to learn how to select your thoughts just the same way you select what clothes you're gonna wear every day. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/groceries-you-need-to-learn-how-to-select-your-thoughts-just-the-same/)

[Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/)

> [I'm still writing songs but leaving them a lot more open and not trying to control every nuance of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-temple/i-m-still-writing-songs-but-leaving-them-a-lot-more-open-and-not/)

[Luke Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-temple/)

> [Nobody that I know really likes the feeling of having no power and not being able to influence people. But most of us aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/nobody-that-i-know-really-likes-the-feeling-of-having-no-power-and/)

[Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/)

> [I think I just learned that God has a plan for all of us, and I work hard and do all the things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-holliday/i-think-i-just-learned-that-god-has-a-plan-for-all-of-us-and-i-work/)

[Matt Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-holliday/)

> [Risk is trying to control something you are powerless over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-clapton/risk-is-trying-to-control-something-you-are-powerless-over/)

[Eric Clapton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-clapton/)

> [I have the following, I have the talent and I have the work ethic. I just want to be great and I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-garcia/i-have-the-following-i-have-the-talent-and-i-have-the-work-ethic-i/)

[Ryan Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-garcia/)

> [Sometimes when you're producing or directing something, and which I've been at fault to do in the past, you find yourself trying to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilmer-valderrama/sometimes-when-you-re-producing-or-directing-something-and-which-i-ve/)

[Wilmer Valderrama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilmer-valderrama/)

> [“When you notice yourself trying to control something that you can’t, ask yourself, What am I so afraid of? Do you worry someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-morin/when-you-notice-yourself-trying-to-control-something-that-you-can-t/)

[Amy Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-morin/)

> [“One of the greatest life lessons I've learned thus far is to stop trying to be in control of everyone and everything and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hocker/one-of-the-greatest-life-lessons-i-ve-learned-thus-far-is-to-stop/)

[Alice Hocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hocker/)

> [Stop trying to control everything, and just let go..let go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/stop-trying-to-control-everything-and-just-let-go-let-go/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [“Baby, this is who I am. I'm hardwired this way. And if I'm trying to take control over the situation, please understand that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-wild/baby-this-is-who-i-am-i-m-hardwired-this-way-and-if-i-m-trying-to/)

[Meredith Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-wild/)

## More by John D. Rockefeller

> [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [Probably the greatest single obstacle to the progress and happiness of the American people lies in the willingness of so many men to invest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/probably-the-greatest-single-obstacle-to-the-progress-and-happiness/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [I would rather hire a man with enthusiasm, than a man who knows everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-would-rather-hire-a-man-with-enthusiasm-than-a-man-who-knows/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [“The secret to success is to do the common things uncommonly well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-secret-to-success-is-to-do-the-common-things-uncommonly-well/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [After it is all over, the religion of man is his most important possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/after-it-is-all-over-the-religion-of-man-is-his-most-important/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [There is no feeling in this world to be compared with self-reliance--do not sacrifice that to anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/there-is-no-feeling-in-this-world-to-be-compared-with-self-reliance/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [The American Beauty Rose can be produced in the splendor and fragrance which bring cheer to its beholder only by sacrificing the early buds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-american-beauty-rose-can-be-produced-in-the-splendor-and/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [To think! All that power and he wasn't even rich!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/to-think-all-that-power-and-he-wasn-t-even-rich/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [The only question with wealth is, what do you do with it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-only-question-with-wealth-is-what-do-you-do-with-it/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [I know of nothing more despicable and pathetic than a man who devotes all the hours of the waking day to the making of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-know-of-nothing-more-despicable-and-pathetic-than-a-man-who-devotes/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-always-tried-to-turn-every-disaster-into-an-opportunity/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [There is nothing in this world that can compare with the Christian fellowship; nothing that can satisfy but Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/there-is-nothing-in-this-world-that-can-compare-with-the-christian/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [“I believe in the supreme worth of the individual and in his right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-believe-in-the-supreme-worth-of-the-individual-and-in-his-right-to/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/i-do-not-think-there-is-any-other-quality-so-essential-to-success-of/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

> [The major fortunes in America have been made in land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-major-fortunes-in-america-have-been-made-in-land/)

[John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

[Explore all 123 John D. Rockefeller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/)

## More Position quotes

> [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/)

[Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/)

> [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/)

[Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

James T. Conway

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

> [We have nothing in our history or position to invite aggression; we have everything to beckon us to the cultivation of relations of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-nothing-in-our-history-or-position-to-invite-aggression-we/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/to-shift-the-structure-of-a-sentence-alters-the-meaning-of-that/)

[Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/)

> [I nominate the Reverend Ian Paisley for the position of First Minister of northern Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-adams/i-nominate-the-reverend-ian-paisley-for-the-position-of-first/)

[Gerry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-adams/)

> [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [For a lot of women, one of the hardest things about leadership is the desire to be liked by everyone. That's often inconsistent with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-weddington/for-a-lot-of-women-one-of-the-hardest-things-about-leadership-is-the/)

[Sarah Weddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-weddington/)

> [The families in positions of great financial power obsessively interbreed with each other. But I'm not talking about one Earth race, Jewish or non-Jewish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/the-families-in-positions-of-great-financial-power-obsessively/)

[David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/)

> [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/)

[Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/)

> [I can play in any position except goalkeeper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thiago-alcantara/i-can-play-in-any-position-except-goalkeeper/)

[Thiago Alcantara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thiago-alcantara/)

> [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/)

[Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/)

> [Some of my contemporaries don't want to talk about the female problem because they feel like whenever they get a teaching position or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/du-yun/some-of-my-contemporaries-don-t-want-to-talk-about-the-female-problem/)

[Du Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/du-yun/)

> [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/)

[Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/)

Browse all 5,802 Position quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Never was I power thirsty, or trying to control everyone. I believed in educating everyone, so they could all get to the position I was at.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John D. Rockefeller"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-control-everyone-i-believed-in/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Position"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-control-everyone-i-believed-in/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/john-d-rockefeller-3693_position_never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-c_2083486.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/john-d-rockefeller-3693_position_never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-c_2083486.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b8/john-d-rockefeller-3693_position_never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-c_2083486.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Never was I power thirsty, or trying to control everyone. I believed in educating everyone, so they could…” — John D. Rockefeller",
                "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": "John D. Rockefeller",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Never was I power thirsty, or...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-control-everyone-i-believed-in/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/never-was-i-power-thirsty-or-trying-to-control-everyone-i-believed-in/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
