--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I found out that I had won the…" description: "\"When I found out that I had won the MacArthur Fellowship, I had been a professor at Carnegie Mellon for a week. I probably shouldn't be saying this on ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/luis-von-ahn-19198_about_when-i-found-out-that-i-had-won-the-maca_3200103.png" --- # When I found out that I had won the MacArthur Fellowship… ![“When I found out that I had won the MacArthur Fellowship, I had been a professor at Carnegie Mellon for a week. I probably shouldn't be saying this on TV, but I stopped worrying about tenure.” quote by Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/luis-von-ahn-19198_about_when-i-found-out-that-i-had-won-the-maca_3200103.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/luis-von-ahn-19198_about_when-i-found-out-that-i-had-won-the-maca_3200103.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87f/luis-von-ahn-19198_about_when-i-found-out-that-i-had-won-the-maca_3200103.png) > “When I found out that I had won the MacArthur Fellowship, I had been a professor at Carnegie Mellon for a week. I probably shouldn't be saying this on TV, but I stopped worrying about tenure.” [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning a prestigious fellowship freed the speaker from concerns about job security, highlighting how recognition can shift focus from survival to broader pursuits. **In simple terms:** Recognition eased tenure worries. Key Takeaway Embrace opportunities without fear. Themes achievement security career recognition Mood proud relieved Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - career planning - research focus - public speaking - media appearances Key Concepts academic freedom self-efficacy impact of awards Questions to Reflect On - How does external validation affect personal confidence? - What responsibilities come with such honors? A Different Perspective The statement may downplay ongoing challenges despite the fellowship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carnegie/) [Carnegie mellon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carnegie-mellon/) [Fellowship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellowship/) [Fellowship Professor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellowship-professor-5938126/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Macarthur Fellowship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/macarthur-fellowship-2322866/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Professor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professor/) [Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying/) [Stopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stopped/) [Tenure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tenure/) [Tv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tv/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/won/) [Worrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying/) [Worrying Tenure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worrying-tenure-5938125/) ## Related quotes > [I always wanted to be an actor, even as a little kid. So I went to drama school in the late '60s at Carnegie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loudon-wainwright-iii/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actor-even-as-a-little-kid-so-i-went-to/) [Loudon Wainwright III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loudon-wainwright-iii/) > [I went to college in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University... studied acting there. Then I went to New York for about five years. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-san-giacomo/i-went-to-college-in-pittsburgh-at-carnegie-mellon-university-studied/) [Laura San Giacomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-san-giacomo/) > [Even as a college professor at Carnegie Mellon and Stanford, I saw myself as an entrepreneur, and I went out, took risks, and tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/even-as-a-college-professor-at-carnegie-mellon-and-stanford-i-saw/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [I went to Carnegie Mellon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patina-miller/i-went-to-carnegie-mellon/) [Patina Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patina-miller/) > [When I was in college at Carnegie Mellon, I wanted to be a chemist. So I became one. I worked in a laboratory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-konigsburg/when-i-was-in-college-at-carnegie-mellon-i-wanted-to-be-a-chemist-so/) [E. L. Konigsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-konigsburg/) > [I was a directing student and a production design student at Carnegie Mellon. I went in as a production design student and became a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wells/i-was-a-directing-student-and-a-production-design-student-at-carnegie/) [John Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wells/) > [I was in college - Carnegie Mellon, which is one of the reasons Pittsburgh was appealing to me - and I personally feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mottola/i-was-in-college-carnegie-mellon-which-is-one-of-the-reasons/) [Greg Mottola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mottola/) > [I went to high school directly across the street from Carnegie Mellon, actually, and I knew people that were a couple of years older…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-went-to-high-school-directly-across-the-street-from-carnegie-mellon/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [ My first job was a show called The Others. I had, like, three lines. Julianne Nicholson was in it, and Gabriel \[Macht\]. I remember… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/my-first-job-was-a-show-called-the-others-i-had-like-three-lines/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Matt Bomer and I went to Carnegie Mellon for drama together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/matt-bomer-and-i-went-to-carnegie-mellon-for-drama-together/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [In joint scientific efforts extending over twenty years, initially in collaboration with J. C. Shaw at the RAND Corporation, and subsequently with numerous faculty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-newell/in-joint-scientific-efforts-extending-over-twenty-years-initially-in/) [Allen Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-newell/) > [I remember having to hit a mark and having no idea how to do it, real childlike stuff, because Carnegie Mellon didn't do an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-remember-having-to-hit-a-mark-and-having-no-idea-how-to-do-it-real/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [ I actually met one of my business partners \[Neal Dodson\] at the Governor's School summer program, so we've known each other since we were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-actually-met-one-of-my-business-partners-neal-dodson-at-the/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Looking ahead, future generations may learn their social skills from robots in the first place. The cute yellow Keepon robot from Carnegie Mellon University…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/looking-ahead-future-generations-may-learn-their-social-skills-from/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [I went to Carnegie Mellon and was an electrical engineer, but electrical engineering wasn't right for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-kelley/i-went-to-carnegie-mellon-and-was-an-electrical-engineer-but/) [David M. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-kelley/) ## More by Luis von Ahn > [Our team at Duolingo is really cohesive, but this did not just happen. I made a concerted effort to hire people who are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/our-team-at-duolingo-is-really-cohesive-but-this-did-not-just-happen/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I am always able to keep a laser focus on one thing at a time without getting distracted. It helps that I try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-am-always-able-to-keep-a-laser-focus-on-one-thing-at-a-time-without/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [If you get asked to do something that would take place down the road (say you get asked to speak at a conference that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/if-you-get-asked-to-do-something-that-would-take-place-down-the-road/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [People are good at figuring out what's attractive, and computers are good at quickly searching and finding. You put them together, and bang!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/people-are-good-at-figuring-out-what-s-attractive-and-computers-are/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [In 2011, after spending a couple of years working at Google, I decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to helping to transform education.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/in-2011-after-spending-a-couple-of-years-working-at-google-i-decided/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I watch a lot of TV. That's how I spend most of my time outside of work. If I had more time, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-watch-a-lot-of-tv-that-s-how-i-spend-most-of-my-time-outside-of/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [My first computer was a Commodore 64. I got it as a present from my mom when I was eight years old, and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/my-first-computer-was-a-commodore-64-i-got-it-as-a-present-from-my/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [Basically, I want to make all of humanity more efficient by exploiting the human cycles that get wasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/basically-i-want-to-make-all-of-humanity-more-efficient-by-exploiting/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [I worked on a number of projects that were used by millions of people and that also served as inspiration to what we now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/i-worked-on-a-number-of-projects-that-were-used-by-millions-of-people/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) > [Am I a slacker? I can be a slacker. 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But now with the Internet, I've just shown you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-von-ahn/before-the-internet-coordinating-more-than-100-000-people-let-alone/) [Luis von Ahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) [Explore all 33 Luis von Ahn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-von-ahn/) ## 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. 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