---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was dangerous mean from the time I was…"
description: "\"I was dangerous mean from the time I was about 16 until I was 30.\" — Johnny Paycheck"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/johnny-paycheck-8240_about_i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was_1549726.jpg"
---

#  I was dangerous mean from the time I was about 16 until I…

![“I was dangerous mean from the time I was about 16 until I was 30.” quote by Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/johnny-paycheck-8240_about_i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was_1549726.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/johnny-paycheck-8240_about_i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was_1549726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/johnny-paycheck-8240_about_i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was_1549726.jpg)

> “I was dangerous mean from the time I was about 16 until I was 30.”

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

## About This Quote

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

Acknowledges a period of personal danger and recklessness during youth, implying growth over time.

**In simple terms:** Youthful danger fades.

Key Takeaway

Learn from past recklessness.

Themes

growth self-awareness risk

Mood

candid reflective

Type

personal advice

When to use this quote

- career decisions
- relationship choices
- health habits

Key Concepts

personal development youthful excess

Questions to Reflect On

- What risky behavior have you out?
- How can you channel past energy positively?

A Different Perspective

Self-awareness may not erase past consequences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/)

## Related quotes

> [Sometimes being too nice is dangerous, you have to show your mean side once in awhile to avoid getting hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/airgil/sometimes-being-too-nice-is-dangerous-you-have-to-show-your-mean-side/)

[Airgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/airgil/)

> [Sometimes being too nice is dangerous, you have to show your mean side once in a while to avoid getting hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-being-too-nice-is-dangerous-you-have-to-show-your-mean-side-2/)

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

> [“Why can't people say what they mean at the time?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/why-can-t-people-say-what-they-mean-at-the-time/)

[Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/)

> [There has never been a man mean and at the same time virtuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-has-never-been-a-man-mean-and-at-the-same-time-virtuous/)

[Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/)

> [Size doesn't mean anything - not all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deontay-wilder/size-doesn-t-mean-anything-not-all-the-time/)

[Deontay Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deontay-wilder/)

> [I mean, when it's time to rhyme rhyme, I can get down for mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-mean-when-it-s-time-to-rhyme-rhyme-i-can-get-down-for-mine/)

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

> [Arresting and detaining these dangerous people can make sense, at least until a final decision is reached on their deportation. However, such detention must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/arresting-and-detaining-these-dangerous-people-can-make-sense-at/)

[Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/)

> [I have lived with passion and in a hurry, trying to accomplish too many things. I never had time to think about my beliefs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-have-lived-with-passion-and-in-a-hurry-trying-to-accomplish-too/)

[Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/)

> [I was at Wortley Juniors until I was about 12 and then left for a season at Farsley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalvin-phillips/i-was-at-wortley-juniors-until-i-was-about-12-and-then-left-for-a/)

[Kalvin Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalvin-phillips/)

> [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/)

> [It's not until after you've been hit by a car and landed all right that the fear kicks in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/it-s-not-until-after-you-ve-been-hit-by-a-car-and-landed-all-right/)

[Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/)

> [My mother worked in the white world, but I lived almost exclusively in a black world. I don't think I had ever seen a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/my-mother-worked-in-the-white-world-but-i-lived-almost-exclusively-in/)

[Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/)

> [That is the real problem of depression - a condition which will affect an estimated one in five of the population at some point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-andreae/that-is-the-real-problem-of-depression-a-condition-which-will-affect/)

[Giles Andreae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-andreae/)

> [Though my grandmother had picked up modern ideas in America, she still had some conflicting 19th-century Irish notions. She believed that daughters, educated though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-mahoney/though-my-grandmother-had-picked-up-modern-ideas-in-america-she-still/)

[Rosemary Mahoney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-mahoney/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

## More by Johnny Paycheck

> [I tended not to give a damn about anything in life because I didn't think life gave a damn about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-tended-not-to-give-a-damn-about-anything-in-life-because-i-didn-t/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I've been lucky to have a good reputation with writers. My strongest suit is that of an interpreter, so it's important for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-ve-been-lucky-to-have-a-good-reputation-with-writers-my-strongest/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I enjoy making good music and I enjoy people reacting to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-enjoy-making-good-music-and-i-enjoy-people-reacting-to-it/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I'm basically a pretty level-headed guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-m-basically-a-pretty-level-headed-guy/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I do have a temper... me and millions of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-do-have-a-temper-me-and-millions-of-others/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I'm not much of a talker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-m-not-much-of-a-talker/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I think my best times were in the '70s, when I made the comeback. Then there was 1976, when 'Shove It' came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-think-my-best-times-were-in-the-70s-when-i-made-the-comeback-then/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I've been up and down like a window blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-ve-been-up-and-down-like-a-window-blind/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I sing as hard for 10 as I do for 10,000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-sing-as-hard-for-10-as-i-do-for-10-000/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [Epic was the first company to really believe in me, to work to help me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/epic-was-the-first-company-to-really-believe-in-me-to-work-to-help-me/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I started bumming around when I was a teen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-started-bumming-around-when-i-was-a-teen/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I've spent my life just travelling and singing for beer or money or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-ve-spent-my-life-just-travelling-and-singing-for-beer-or-money-or/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I'm a man who believes that right is right and wrong is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-m-a-man-who-believes-that-right-is-right-and-wrong-is-wrong/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I'm a Gemini, an adventurer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-m-a-gemini-an-adventurer/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

> [I served two years in a federal penetentiary when I was 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-served-two-years-in-a-federal-penetentiary-when-i-was-19/)

[Johnny Paycheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

[Explore all 81 Johnny Paycheck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/)

## 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 was dangerous mean from the time I was about 16 until I was 30.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Johnny Paycheck"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was-about-16-until-i-was-30/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was-about-16-until-i-was-30/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/johnny-paycheck-8240_about_i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was_1549726.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/johnny-paycheck-8240_about_i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was_1549726.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/858/johnny-paycheck-8240_about_i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was_1549726.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was dangerous mean from the time I was about 16 until I was 30.” — Johnny Paycheck",
                "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": "Johnny Paycheck",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-paycheck/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I was dangerous mean from the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was-about-16-until-i-was-30/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-paycheck/i-was-dangerous-mean-from-the-time-i-was-about-16-until-i-was-30/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
