--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A long time ago when I was very little, I…" description: "\"A long time ago when I was very little, I dreamed about being on stage. Some people told me I would never be able to do it, so I only paid attention to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/lauren-potter-33944_able_a-long-time-ago-when-i-was-very-little-i_19744.jpg" --- # A long time ago when I was very little, I dreamed about… ![“A long time ago when I was very little, I dreamed about being on stage. Some people told me I would never be able to do it, so I only paid attention to those who told me that I could.” quote by Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/lauren-potter-33944_able_a-long-time-ago-when-i-was-very-little-i_19744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/lauren-potter-33944_able_a-long-time-ago-when-i-was-very-little-i_19744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/lauren-potter-33944_able_a-long-time-ago-when-i-was-very-little-i_19744.jpg) > “A long time ago when I was very little, I dreamed about being on stage. Some people told me I would never be able to do it, so I only paid attention to those who told me that I could.” [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker emphasizes focusing on supportive voices over doubters to pursue a childhood dream of performing. **In simple terms:** Ignore naysayers, follow encouragement. Key Takeaway Supportive feedback fuels ambition. Themes self‑belief resilience mentorship dream‑pursuit confidence Mood determined hopeful Type personal anecdote motivational When to use this quote - career planning - artistic training - personal development - overcoming criticism - public speaking Key Concepts inner motivation social influence goal setting Practical Applications - coaching sessions - motivational workshops Questions to Reflect On - What voices shape your aspirations? - How do you filter constructive criticism? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Actually, when I was little I even dreamed about riding a black cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/actually-when-i-was-little-i-even-dreamed-about-riding-a-black-cat/) [Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/) > [I never look at a note. I just roam the stage. The people do not want to leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayne-meadows/i-never-look-at-a-note-i-just-roam-the-stage-the-people-do-not-want/) [Jayne Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayne-meadows/) > [The weird thing is, I used to skate in front of, like, 5,000 people and I was never nervous, but the first time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hammond-jr/the-weird-thing-is-i-used-to-skate-in-front-of-like-5-000-people-and/) Albert Hammond, Jr > [When you're an actor, people just take it for granted that you're really confident and can get up in front a stage full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgina-campbell/when-you-re-an-actor-people-just-take-it-for-granted-that-you-re/) [Georgina Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgina-campbell/) > [I don't think one should be comfortable standing on a stage with people applauding and laughing at every stupid thing you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-don-t-think-one-should-be-comfortable-standing-on-a-stage-with/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [It's a little strange when you're on the stage and people fling underwear at you. It was clean underwear, by the way! I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-jackman/it-s-a-little-strange-when-you-re-on-the-stage-and-people-fling/) [Hugh Jackman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-jackman/) > [With Twitter, you just want to make people laugh in their meeting; on stage, people have paid for their tickets with their hard-earned money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-delaney/with-twitter-you-just-want-to-make-people-laugh-in-their-meeting-on/) [Rob Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-delaney/) > [When you go into the studio or get up on the stage with people who have more experience or knowledge, you learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-shimabukuro/when-you-go-into-the-studio-or-get-up-on-the-stage-with-people-who/) [Jake Shimabukuro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-shimabukuro/) > [“The world is a stage where people come to play their own part and leave, your contribution to making the world a much better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdulazeez-henry-musa/the-world-is-a-stage-where-people-come-to-play-their-own-part-and/) [Abdulazeez Henry Musa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdulazeez-henry-musa/) > [What I really like seeing from the stage is people having their own moments, when people are doing some performance of their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/what-i-really-like-seeing-from-the-stage-is-people-having-their-own/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [I don't do anything specific for the stage. I'm just myself. I can't stand still for five seconds. I'm normally quite active, so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shreya-ghoshal/i-don-t-do-anything-specific-for-the-stage-i-m-just-myself-i-can-t/) [Shreya Ghoshal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shreya-ghoshal/) > [As soon as it was understood that we could handle things in our own way, it was the thrill of my life to walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-goodman/as-soon-as-it-was-understood-that-we-could-handle-things-in-our-own/) [Benny Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-goodman/) > [If all the world's a stage and all the people players, who in bloody hell hired the director?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-l-grant/if-all-the-world-s-a-stage-and-all-the-people-players-who-in-bloody/) Charles L. Grant > [I wear a hat on stage so that people won't be blinded by the reflection from my head. Also, if I don't wear a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-wear-a-hat-on-stage-so-that-people-won-t-be-blinded-by-the/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [The more I move on stage, the more people are just drawn to the movement. The way that I walk and my gait -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-blue/the-more-i-move-on-stage-the-more-people-are-just-drawn-to-the/) [Josh Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-blue/) ## More by Lauren Potter > [Different isn't bad, it's just different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/different-isn-t-bad-it-s-just-different/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [It feels amazing to be a role model for people with and without disabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/it-feels-amazing-to-be-a-role-model-for-people-with-and-without/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I've had tons of bullies who would call me retarded, even on my Facebook page. It's sad and it really hurts. I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-ve-had-tons-of-bullies-who-would-call-me-retarded-even-on-my/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I hope that when people with Down's see me, they will be inspired to do more than they think they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-hope-that-when-people-with-down-s-see-me-they-will-be-inspired-to/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I want to encourage kids to speak up, to tell their stories. That is the only way people will know what we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-want-to-encourage-kids-to-speak-up-to-tell-their-stories-that-is/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I want to live in a world where people care about others, and try not to hurt others with words or actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-want-to-live-in-a-world-where-people-care-about-others-and-try-not/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I've spoken in front of members of the U.S. Congress about a new dream of living in communities where everybody is welcome and everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-ve-spoken-in-front-of-members-of-the-u-s-congress-about-a-new-dream/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I was recently appointed by President Obama to the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. I am so excited that the President trusts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-was-recently-appointed-by-president-obama-to-the-president-s/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [Like so many other kids with special needs, I have been bullied. Kids in elementary school made me eat sand, and those same boys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/like-so-many-other-kids-with-special-needs-i-have-been-bullied-kids/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I get mail from people all over the world now from people who tell me that they didn't really understand Down syndrome, but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-get-mail-from-people-all-over-the-world-now-from-people-who-tell-me/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [Lots of people with little kids or babies with Down syndrome tell me they aren't afraid of the future for their child because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/lots-of-people-with-little-kids-or-babies-with-down-syndrome-tell-me/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I am on the International Board of Best Buddies, and I am also working with Special Olympics, and with The Arc to help people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-am-on-the-international-board-of-best-buddies-and-i-am-also-working/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I love working on 'Glee,' and I hope that there are more and more parts for me and other actors with Down syndrome in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/i-love-working-on-glee-and-i-hope-that-there-are-more-and-more-parts/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) [Explore all 14 Lauren Potter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A long time ago when I was very little, I dreamed about being on stage. 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