---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People seem to have this idea that I've…"
description: "\"People seem to have this idea that I've always been very ambitious. Nothing could be further from the truth.\" — Judi Dench"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/judi-dench-8919_ambition_people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve_2559026.png"
---

#  People seem to have this idea that I've always been very…

![“People seem to have this idea that I've always been very ambitious. Nothing could be further from the truth.” quote by Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/judi-dench-8919_ambition_people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve_2559026.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/judi-dench-8919_ambition_people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve_2559026.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/judi-dench-8919_ambition_people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve_2559026.png)

> “People seem to have this idea that I've always been very ambitious. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

## About This Quote

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

People often misinterpret confidence as ambition, but true humility means recognizing limits.

**In simple terms:** People think I'm ambitious, but I'm not.

Key Takeaway

Check your assumptions about others.

Themes

perception humility identity

Mood

reflective thoughtful

Type

observational psychological

When to use this quote

- team meetings
- performance reviews
- networking events

Key Concepts

self-concept social judgment

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you label others too quickly?
- How does humility affect leadership?

A Different Perspective

Assumptions can overlook genuine talent.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Ambitious Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious-truth-1588677/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-idea/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Ve Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ve-ambitious-836070/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/)

## Related quotes

> [I think I've always been ambitious. It just looks different on me. You know, I have friends who are actresses who go to every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pare/i-think-i-ve-always-been-ambitious-it-just-looks-different-on-me-you/)

[Jessica Pare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pare/)

> [It's funny. Of all the jobs I've been ambitious for, this is one that never crossed my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-funny-of-all-the-jobs-i-ve-been-ambitious-for-this-is-one-that/)

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

> [I've always been very ambitious, and I always knew that I wanted something else. Cuba was a good start, but I knew I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/i-ve-always-been-very-ambitious-and-i-always-knew-that-i-wanted/)

[Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/)

> [I've always been ambitious since I was nine years old and that was never going to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-ve-always-been-ambitious-since-i-was-nine-years-old-and-that-was/)

[Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/)

> [I've never been ambitious about recording](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-dean-stanton/i-ve-never-been-ambitious-about-recording/)

[Harry Dean Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-dean-stanton/)

> [I am a very ambitious girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-fatehi/i-am-a-very-ambitious-girl/)

[Nora Fatehi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-fatehi/)

> [I realize I'm an ambitious guy, but I just try to take things as they come, you know, for the most part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brown/i-realize-i-m-an-ambitious-guy-but-i-just-try-to-take-things-as-they/)

[Rob Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brown/)

> [There's a part of me that's ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shura/there-s-a-part-of-me-that-s-ambitious/)

[Shura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shura/)

> [I'm really simple and I'm extremely ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-lan-noel/i-m-really-simple-and-i-m-extremely-ambitious/)

[Y'lan Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-lan-noel/)

> [I've always been ambitious to be very good at what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-ve-always-been-ambitious-to-be-very-good-at-what-i-do/)

[Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/)

> [I've never been ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-guiliano/i-ve-never-been-ambitious/)

[Mireille Guiliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-guiliano/)

> [I've always been very ambitious and very determined and very compassionate at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-bloom/i-ve-always-been-very-ambitious-and-very-determined-and-very/)

[Molly Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-bloom/)

> [I would have been very happy just cruising around and enjoying the unexpected. I've never been ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/i-would-have-been-very-happy-just-cruising-around-and-enjoying-the/)

[Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/)

> [I've always been ambitious. I've always been able to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I like to stay busy. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-ve-always-been-ambitious-i-ve-always-been-able-to-roll-up-my/)

[RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/)

> [I've always been an ambitious girl and I make no qualms in admitting that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nidhhi-agerwal/i-ve-always-been-an-ambitious-girl-and-i-make-no-qualms-in-admitting/)

[Nidhhi Agerwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nidhhi-agerwal/)

## More by Judi Dench

> [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [I played Iris Murdoch, who had not long died, and I felt the responsibility very heavy on my shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-played-iris-murdoch-who-had-not-long-died-and-i-felt-the/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [I can't read scripts any more because of the trouble with my eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-can-t-read-scripts-any-more-because-of-the-trouble-with-my-eyes/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [I am so thrilled to be nominated for something I loved working on every single day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-am-so-thrilled-to-be-nominated-for-something-i-loved-working-on/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [Work certainly does help fill a void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/work-certainly-does-help-fill-a-void/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [It is true that there are few plays of Shakespeare that I haven't done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/it-is-true-that-there-are-few-plays-of-shakespeare-that-i-haven-t-done/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [Frankly, I never had any intense desire to go to India. I know that sounds a bit strange, but it just never was someplace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/frankly-i-never-had-any-intense-desire-to-go-to-india-i-know-that/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [There is no past that we can bring back by longing for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/there-is-no-past-that-we-can-bring-back-by-longing-for-it/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [Most things don't work out as expected, but what happens instead often turns out to be the good stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/most-things-don-t-work-out-as-expected-but-what-happens-instead-often/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [I would hate people to think bossy is all I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-would-hate-people-to-think-bossy-is-all-i-can-do/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [Filming is completely - was totally new to me ... I had a movie career which wasn't supposed to be, so I couldn't be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/filming-is-completely-was-totally-new-to-me-i-had-a-movie-career/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [Never fall out of love with life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/never-fall-out-of-love-with-life/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [In the theatre you can change things ever so slightly; it's an organic thing. Whereas in film you only have that chance on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/in-the-theatre-you-can-change-things-ever-so-slightly-it-s-an-organic/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [Children have become disengaged from nature and we need to reintroduce them to the pleasure that it brings. If we do that they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/children-have-become-disengaged-from-nature-and-we-need-to/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

> [I don't think that care homes are all rotten old places that ought to be shut down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-don-t-think-that-care-homes-are-all-rotten-old-places-that-ought-to/)

[Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

[Explore all 77 Judi Dench quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/)

## More Ambition quotes

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/)

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

> [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/)

[Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/)

> [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/)

[Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/)

> [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/)

[Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/)

> [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/)

[Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/)

> [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/)

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

> [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/)

[Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/)

> [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/)

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

> [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/)

[Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/)

> [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/)

[London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/)

> [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/)

[Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/)

[Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "People seem to have this idea that I've always been very ambitious. Nothing could be further from the truth.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Judi Dench"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve-always-been-very-ambitious/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ambition"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve-always-been-very-ambitious/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/judi-dench-8919_ambition_people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve_2559026.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/judi-dench-8919_ambition_people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve_2559026.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/judi-dench-8919_ambition_people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve_2559026.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“People seem to have this idea that I've always been very ambitious. Nothing could be further from the truth.” — Judi Dench",
                "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": "Judi Dench",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "People seem to have this idea...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve-always-been-very-ambitious/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/people-seem-to-have-this-idea-that-i-ve-always-been-very-ambitious/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
