--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing video…" description: "\"I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing video games, and getting picked on.\" — Josh Keaton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/josh-keaton-42961_games_i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-ga_2970506.jpg" --- # I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing video games, and getting… ![“I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing video games, and getting picked on.” quote by Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/josh-keaton-42961_games_i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-ga_2970506.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/josh-keaton-42961_games_i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-ga_2970506.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/josh-keaton-42961_games_i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-ga_2970506.jpg) > “I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing video games, and getting picked on.” [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growing up feeling socially marginalized can fuel creative drive and resilience. **In simple terms:** Being bullied can inspire artistic expression. Key Takeaway Channel adversity into art. Themes identity bullying creativity Mood reflective hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - gaming community - school - creative projects - public speaking Key Concepts self‑esteem resilience artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How did early challenges shape your voice? - What role does community play in healing? A Different Perspective Overcoming bullying may not erase trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Nerdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerdy/) [Playing video games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-video-games/) [Scrawny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrawny/) [Video](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video/) [Video games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video-games/) ## Related quotes > [“Scrawny little mundane bastard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/scrawny-little-mundane-bastard/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [He was tall and scrawny with a face that could be mistaken with Keith Richards on a bad day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/he-was-tall-and-scrawny-with-a-face-that-could-be-mistaken-with-keith/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Why so scrawny, cat? Starving for fat fish or mice... Or backyard love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-so-scrawny-cat-starving-for-fat-fish-or-mice-or-backyard-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrawny? Baby, I invented scrawny. Scrawny is the new sizzling hot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/scrawny-baby-i-invented-scrawny-scrawny-is-the-new-sizzling-hot/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“He is funny,” a nymph ventured. “And cute, in a scrawny way,” another said. “Scrawny?” Leo asked. “Baby, I invented scrawny. Scrawny is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-is-funny-a-nymph-ventured-and-cute-in-a-scrawny-way-another-said/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I don't know how convincing I'd be as a soul cat. I'm a scrawny British kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ezra/i-don-t-know-how-convincing-i-d-be-as-a-soul-cat-i-m-a-scrawny/) [George Ezra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ezra/) > [“You, she thought. Every flawed, scrawny,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/you-she-thought-every-flawed-scrawny/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [“gray, scrawny Italian child”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/gray-scrawny-italian-child/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [I saw him (Barry Bonds) when he first broke in. He was a scrawny, skinny, 185-pound guy that had great talent. And then he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/i-saw-him-barry-bonds-when-he-first-broke-in-he-was-a-scrawny-skinny/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [“As a kid, he would have given just about anything to touch a naked Barbie, but he'd never been lucky enough to get within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-gibson/as-a-kid-he-would-have-given-just-about-anything-to-touch-a-naked/) [Rachel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-gibson/) > [“Many obese people spend a significant amount of their energy on suppressing the urge to tell some of the people who are staring at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/many-obese-people-spend-a-significant-amount-of-their-energy-on/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I'm still a size 10, but it's the toning that's getting me down, and I think it can only get more difficult as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-o-mara/i-m-still-a-size-10-but-it-s-the-toning-that-s-getting-me-down-and-i/) [Kate O'Mara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-o-mara/) > [I should be allowed to be voluptuous or scrawny of my own volition, without people going on about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/i-should-be-allowed-to-be-voluptuous-or-scrawny-of-my-own-volition/) [Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/) > [People, particularly big men carrying big rifles, don't expect lip from a scrawny thing like me. They always look a bit dazed when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/people-particularly-big-men-carrying-big-rifles-don-t-expect-lip-from/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“None of them, not even what he suspected should have been little boys, were small. He’d always thought that the James boys were freakishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-l-mathewson/none-of-them-not-even-what-he-suspected-should-have-been-little-boys/) [R.L. Mathewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-l-mathewson/) ## More by Josh Keaton > [Acting is reacting... there's a magic when you're working with another actor. With voice acting, you're doing it alone, all in your head. So,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/acting-is-reacting-there-s-a-magic-when-you-re-working-with-another/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [Video game voicing is absolutely different from cartoon work. In cartoons, you're almost always there with the entire cast, and the entire script is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/video-game-voicing-is-absolutely-different-from-cartoon-work-in/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [I'd love to do live-action superheroes. And you know, I boxed for several years. I have some martial arts experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-d-love-to-do-live-action-superheroes-and-you-know-i-boxed-for/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [I think being a dragon would be pretty awesome... you get to fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-think-being-a-dragon-would-be-pretty-awesome-you-get-to-fly/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [Spiderman was my favorite comic book character growing up. I'm a geek, so I love the fact Peter Parker is into science. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/spiderman-was-my-favorite-comic-book-character-growing-up-i-m-a-geek/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [I'm passionate about fantasy movies. I'm passionate about comic book movies. I'm passionate about superheroes. And movies about vengeance. And all of that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-m-passionate-about-fantasy-movies-i-m-passionate-about-comic-book/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [I've learned that being a superhero isn't all glitz and glamour. We think if we have a special power, our problem will go away.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-ve-learned-that-being-a-superhero-isn-t-all-glitz-and-glamour-we/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [I've played a lot of younger, more coming-of-age roles as well as roles that aren't such an imposing physical presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-ve-played-a-lot-of-younger-more-coming-of-age-roles-as-well-as/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) > [Spidey was the one comic I read consistently throughout my childhood. As someone who grew up a nerd, scrawny, and picked on in high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/spidey-was-the-one-comic-i-read-consistently-throughout-my-childhood/) [Josh Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) [Explore all 10 Josh Keaton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/) ## More Games quotes > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know that in the rap game you've got a lot of people, that come from poverty, was born in poverty and if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-connor/i-know-that-in-the-rap-game-you-ve-got-a-lot-of-people-that-come-from/) [Jon Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-connor/) > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Talented people can predict with great accuracy what's about to happen just a tiny bit ahead of their competitors. It might be two seconds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-maney/talented-people-can-predict-with-great-accuracy-what-s-about-to/) [Kevin Maney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-maney/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [You just can't let the outside world affect your game.You can't hold anything back. You can't play a different game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-palmer/you-just-can-t-let-the-outside-world-affect-your-game-you-can-t-hold/) [Carson Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-palmer/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Palindrome as well. My sister's name is Hannah. Father liked word games. He was fourteen times World Scrabble Champion. When he died, we buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/palindrome-as-well-my-sister-s-name-is-hannah-father-liked-word-games/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [You got to harden yourself. Make, like, a shell around you. But not everyone can do it. If they got nothing to hang on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-higson/you-got-to-harden-yourself-make-like-a-shell-around-you-but-not/) [Charlie Higson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-higson/) > [Playing video games is something I enjoy in my spare time. I'm a gamer, always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-garnett/playing-video-games-is-something-i-enjoy-in-my-spare-time-i-m-a-gamer/) [Kevin Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-garnett/) > [“Let the motherfucking games begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-mchugh/let-the-motherfucking-games-begin/) [Gail McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-mchugh/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) [Browse all 11,463 Games quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing video games, and getting picked on.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josh Keaton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-games-and-getting-picked-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Games" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-games-and-getting-picked-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/josh-keaton-42961_games_i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-ga_2970506.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/josh-keaton-42961_games_i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-ga_2970506.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb2/josh-keaton-42961_games_i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-ga_2970506.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing video games, and getting picked on.” — Josh Keaton", "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": "Josh Keaton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-keaton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I grew up nerdy, scrawny, playing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-games-and-getting-picked-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-keaton/i-grew-up-nerdy-scrawny-playing-video-games-and-getting-picked-on/#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 } } ] } ```