--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All I wanted was to be what I became to be." description: "\"All I wanted was to be what I became to be.\" — John Gotti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/john-gotti-27303_mobster_all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to_1047914.jpg" --- # All I wanted was to be what I became to be. ![“All I wanted was to be what I became to be.” quote by John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/john-gotti-27303_mobster_all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to_1047914.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/john-gotti-27303_mobster_all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to_1047914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/john-gotti-27303_mobster_all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to_1047914.jpg) > “All I wanted was to be what I became to be.” [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The desire to become a certain person drives one’s actions and identity. **In simple terms:** He wanted to become who he was. Key Takeaway Align actions with true aspirations. Themes ambition identity self‑realization Mood cautious thoughtful Type self‑help psychology When to use this quote - career planning - personal development Key Concepts personal destiny goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What defines a healthy ambition? - How to pursue goals responsibly? A Different Perspective Ambition can lead to harmful paths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mobster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mobster/) ## Related quotes > [I never lie to any man because I don't fear anyone. The only time you lie is when you are afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/i-never-lie-to-any-man-because-i-don-t-fear-anyone-the-only-time-you/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [Be nice to bankers. Always be nice to pension fund managers. Always be nice to the media. In that order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/be-nice-to-bankers-always-be-nice-to-pension-fund-managers-always-be/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [There are too many governing bodies. They're all corrupt. I think they have replaced the old Mobsters with the kind of 'corporate rule' of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-merchant/there-are-too-many-governing-bodies-they-re-all-corrupt-i-think-they/) [Larry Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-merchant/) > [“What happened to the perp?” “Perp?” “The piece of crap who tried to kill my wife. Where is he now?” There was a pause,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ponzo/what-happened-to-the-perp-perp-the-piece-of-crap-who-tried-to-kill-my/) [Gary Ponzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ponzo/) > [I like to be myself. Misery loves company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-corallo/i-like-to-be-myself-misery-loves-company/) Anthony Corallo > [“Thomas,” the boss said. “How’s your father doing?” “He’s good, Sal.” Always the family questions first. That was Sal Demenci’s style. He could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ponzo/thomas-the-boss-said-how-s-your-father-doing-he-s-good-sal-always-the/) [Gary Ponzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ponzo/) > [ Four fifty-four for gas... because we have nobody that calls up OPEC... and say, \[mobster voice\] 'That. Price. Better. Get. Lower. And it better.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/four-fifty-four-for-gas-because-we-have-nobody-that-calls-up-opec-and/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Mobster stories are always a harder sell for me. I don't romanticize organize crime the way others do, though I can be swayed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-stuever/mobster-stories-are-always-a-harder-sell-for-me-i-don-t-romanticize/) [Hank Stuever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-stuever/) > [Honest people have no ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-decavalcante/honest-people-have-no-ethics/) Sam DeCavalcante > [ The great thing about Europe is that things have not been represented \[as much\]. If you open the door of a bar in Brooklyn… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bidegain/the-great-thing-about-europe-is-that-things-have-not-been-represented/) [Thomas Bidegain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bidegain/) > [Instead, I cut him. Not deep, but there was enough of a sting in the wound to remind him of what I'd done to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/instead-i-cut-him-not-deep-but-there-was-enough-of-a-sting-in-the/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [We don't break our captains. We kill them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-gigante/we-don-t-break-our-captains-we-kill-them/) Vincent Gigante > [A boy has never wept...nor dashed a thousand kin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dutch-schultz/a-boy-has-never-wept-nor-dashed-a-thousand-kin/) Dutch Schultz > [I've been hooked on films ever since I can remember renting VHS tapes. But who got me hooked? I think life did. There wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-zevallos/i-ve-been-hooked-on-films-ever-since-i-can-remember-renting-vhs-tapes/) [Jaime Zevallos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-zevallos/) > [Las Vegas turns women into men and men into idiots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugsy-siegel/las-vegas-turns-women-into-men-and-men-into-idiots/) Bugsy Siegel ## More by John Gotti > [Be nice to bankers. Always be nice to pension fund managers. Always be nice to the media. In that order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/be-nice-to-bankers-always-be-nice-to-pension-fund-managers-always-be/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [I never lie because I don't fear anyone. You only lie when you're afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/i-never-lie-because-i-don-t-fear-anyone-you-only-lie-when-you-re/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [Let's just say the government is telling the truth and I'm the boss, let's just say the government is telling the truth and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/let-s-just-say-the-government-is-telling-the-truth-and-i-m-the-boss/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [If I was home I'd throw him off a...building. I mean that's the only thing they understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/if-i-was-home-i-d-throw-him-off-a-building-i-mean-that-s-the-only/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [My wife was a major obstacle. She said, 'If you do it, we're through. We need you in this house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/my-wife-was-a-major-obstacle-she-said-if-you-do-it-we-re-through-we/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [Always be nice to bankers. Always be nice to pension fund managers. Always be nice to the media. In that order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/always-be-nice-to-bankers-always-be-nice-to-pension-fund-managers/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [All I want is a good sandwich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/all-i-want-is-a-good-sandwich/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [Well we know the whole situation's full of lies, Dad. That's just the way it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/well-we-know-the-whole-situation-s-full-of-lies-dad-that-s-just-the/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [You guys are going to have to do a piece of work for the family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/you-guys-are-going-to-have-to-do-a-piece-of-work-for-the-family/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [I think you'd be better off with a lawyer who has no conflict problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/i-think-you-d-be-better-off-with-a-lawyer-who-has-no-conflict-problems/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [If I ever used my client's name in a question he would take care of me...I took it as a threat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/if-i-ever-used-my-client-s-name-in-a-question-he-would-take-care-of/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [You're calling the shots around here. I explained to this fucking moron more than two weeks ago, before I got sick...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/you-re-calling-the-shots-around-here-i-explained-to-this-fucking/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [I am thankful to finally be reunited with my wife and five children...I did my time in prison and moved on with my life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/i-am-thankful-to-finally-be-reunited-with-my-wife-and-five-children-i/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [I'm a man's man. I'm here to take my medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/i-m-a-man-s-man-i-m-here-to-take-my-medicine/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [Don't carry a gun. It's nice to have them close by, but don't carry them. You might get arrested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/don-t-carry-a-gun-it-s-nice-to-have-them-close-by-but-don-t-carry/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) [Explore all 20 John Gotti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) ## More Mobster quotes > [Las Vegas turns women into men and men into idiots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugsy-siegel/las-vegas-turns-women-into-men-and-men-into-idiots/) Bugsy Siegel > [Be nice to bankers. Always be nice to pension fund managers. Always be nice to the media. In that order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/be-nice-to-bankers-always-be-nice-to-pension-fund-managers-always-be/) [John Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/) > [I've been hooked on films ever since I can remember renting VHS tapes. But who got me hooked? I think life did. There wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-zevallos/i-ve-been-hooked-on-films-ever-since-i-can-remember-renting-vhs-tapes/) [Jaime Zevallos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-zevallos/) > [A boy has never wept...nor dashed a thousand kin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dutch-schultz/a-boy-has-never-wept-nor-dashed-a-thousand-kin/) Dutch Schultz > [We don't break our captains. We kill them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-gigante/we-don-t-break-our-captains-we-kill-them/) Vincent Gigante > [Instead, I cut him. Not deep, but there was enough of a sting in the wound to remind him of what I'd done to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/instead-i-cut-him-not-deep-but-there-was-enough-of-a-sting-in-the/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [ The great thing about Europe is that things have not been represented \[as much\]. If you open the door of a bar in Brooklyn… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bidegain/the-great-thing-about-europe-is-that-things-have-not-been-represented/) [Thomas Bidegain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bidegain/) > [Honest people have no ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-decavalcante/honest-people-have-no-ethics/) Sam DeCavalcante > [Mobster stories are always a harder sell for me. I don't romanticize organize crime the way others do, though I can be swayed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-stuever/mobster-stories-are-always-a-harder-sell-for-me-i-don-t-romanticize/) [Hank Stuever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-stuever/) > [ Four fifty-four for gas... because we have nobody that calls up OPEC... and say, \[mobster voice\] 'That. Price. Better. Get. Lower. And it better.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/four-fifty-four-for-gas-because-we-have-nobody-that-calls-up-opec-and/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“Thomas,” the boss said. “How’s your father doing?” “He’s good, Sal.” Always the family questions first. That was Sal Demenci’s style. He could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ponzo/thomas-the-boss-said-how-s-your-father-doing-he-s-good-sal-always-the/) [Gary Ponzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ponzo/) > [I like to be myself. Misery loves company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-corallo/i-like-to-be-myself-misery-loves-company/) Anthony Corallo > [“What happened to the perp?” “Perp?” “The piece of crap who tried to kill my wife. Where is he now?” There was a pause,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ponzo/what-happened-to-the-perp-perp-the-piece-of-crap-who-tried-to-kill-my/) [Gary Ponzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ponzo/) > [There are too many governing bodies. They're all corrupt. I think they have replaced the old Mobsters with the kind of 'corporate rule' of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-merchant/there-are-too-many-governing-bodies-they-re-all-corrupt-i-think-they/) [Larry Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-merchant/) > [There are three sides to every story. Mine, yours and the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-massino/there-are-three-sides-to-every-story-mine-yours-and-the-truth/) Joseph Massino [Browse all 53 Mobster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mobster/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All I wanted was to be what I became to be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Gotti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mobster" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/john-gotti-27303_mobster_all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to_1047914.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/john-gotti-27303_mobster_all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to_1047914.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6a/john-gotti-27303_mobster_all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to_1047914.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All I wanted was to be what I became to be.” — John Gotti", "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 Gotti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gotti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All I wanted was to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gotti/all-i-wanted-was-to-be-what-i-became-to-be/#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 } } ] } ```