--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm far from perfect. I'm still learning…" description: "\"I'm far from perfect. I'm still learning. I overworked myself, and I paid the price. I consider the breakdown a breakthrough. I needed to hit rock bott..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/mariah-carey-1687_bottom_i-m-far-from-perfect-i-m-still-learning_2647051.jpg" --- # I'm far from perfect. I'm still learning. I overworked… ![“I'm far from perfect. I'm still learning. I overworked myself, and I paid the price. I consider the breakdown a breakthrough. I needed to hit rock bottom. I needed to understand the cost of pushing so hard; fighting so hard against the system.” quote by Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/mariah-carey-1687_bottom_i-m-far-from-perfect-i-m-still-learning_2647051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/mariah-carey-1687_bottom_i-m-far-from-perfect-i-m-still-learning_2647051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/540/mariah-carey-1687_bottom_i-m-far-from-perfect-i-m-still-learning_2647051.jpg) > “I'm far from perfect. I'm still learning. I overworked myself, and I paid the price. I consider the breakdown a breakthrough. I needed to hit rock bottom. I needed to understand the cost of pushing so hard; fighting so hard against the system.” [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging personal flaws and burnout can become a catalyst for growth after hitting a low point. **In simple terms:** Imperfection leads to learning after hardship. Key Takeaway Embrace setbacks as learning opportunities. Themes self-awareness growth resilience Mood reflective hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career pressure - health crisis - personal development - stress management Key Concepts psychology self-care Questions to Reflect On - What lesson did the breakdown teach you? - How can you prevent future burnout? A Different Perspective Recovery requires ongoing effort beyond the breakthrough. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakdown/) [Breakthrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) [Breakthrough Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough-needed-2317552/) [Consider Breakdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consider-breakdown-2317553/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Learning Overworked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-overworked-2317551/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Overworked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overworked/) [Overworked Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overworked-paid-2317554/) [Paid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paid/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Pushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushing/) [Rock Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-bottom/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) ## Related quotes > [If workers are overworked, or companies hire temps at low wages, this fundamentally comes down to the quality of life for a person. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/if-workers-are-overworked-or-companies-hire-temps-at-low-wages-this/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) > [I think I was probably overworked. I was doing huge tours and having two days off and then going out again. It burned me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-nash/i-think-i-was-probably-overworked-i-was-doing-huge-tours-and-having/) [Kate Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-nash/) > [I was tired and I had overworked myself and burnt myself out. So I went to Egypt by myself. When I saw what was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-was-tired-and-i-had-overworked-myself-and-burnt-myself-out-so-i/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [Around me I saw women overworked and underpaid, doing men's work at half men's wages, not because their work was inferior, but because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-howard-shaw/around-me-i-saw-women-overworked-and-underpaid-doing-men-s-work-at/) [Anna Howard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-howard-shaw/) > [The willing horse is always overworked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-willing-horse-is-always-overworked/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I overworked myself to a point of malnourishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ren/i-overworked-myself-to-a-point-of-malnourishment/) [Alexis Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ren/) > [“I reached and grabbed ahold of the garden rake that was leaned up against the tree, when suddenly I felt my heart begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-mafako-m-d/i-reached-and-grabbed-ahold-of-the-garden-rake-that-was-leaned-up/) [DEAN MAFAKO, M.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-mafako-m-d/) > [“You look like the back end of an overworked farm mule.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-m-eden/you-look-like-the-back-end-of-an-overworked-farm-mule/) [Sarah M. Eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-m-eden/) > [When it comes to making an album I take that very seriously. I am meticulous, overworked. That's my time to put everything under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-grohl/when-it-comes-to-making-an-album-i-take-that-very-seriously-i-am/) [Dave Grohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-grohl/) > [“Go online and fucking figure it out for yourself because everyone’s overworked and understaffed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/go-online-and-fucking-figure-it-out-for-yourself-because-everyone-s/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [Sometimes I think what it might be like if I stayed in the background and was just singing in a choir somewhere. That crosses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/sometimes-i-think-what-it-might-be-like-if-i-stayed-in-the-background/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [Like a lot of overcommitted, overworked Americans, I do not have much time to exercise. Plain and simple. Instead of merely accepting this sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-ruhle/like-a-lot-of-overcommitted-overworked-americans-i-do-not-have-much/) [Stephanie Ruhle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-ruhle/) > [“As a king can wear a crown, a crown can also weary a king.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/as-a-king-can-wear-a-crown-a-crown-can-also-weary-a-king/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [I know that anybody who does all this and doesn't have to, everything thinks she's very driven. The truth is, I enjoy it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-sills/i-know-that-anybody-who-does-all-this-and-doesn-t-have-to-everything/) [Beverly Sills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-sills/) > [I am overworked sometimes. I'm tired sometimes. I'm sleepy sometimes. And social media allows me to show you that I'm human, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-varshavski/i-am-overworked-sometimes-i-m-tired-sometimes-i-m-sleepy-sometimes/) [Mikhail Varshavski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-varshavski/) ## More by Mariah Carey > [I don't know why, but everybody thinks that I'm short. When they see me for the first time, women are always surprised to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-don-t-know-why-but-everybody-thinks-that-i-m-short-when-they-see-me/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [The best part of making music, for me, is collaborating and working with new people and fresh sounds and all those things that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/the-best-part-of-making-music-for-me-is-collaborating-and-working/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [I know I can be diva-ish sometimes, but I have to be in control. The nature of my life, the nature of what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-know-i-can-be-diva-ish-sometimes-but-i-have-to-be-in-control-the/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [Nothing that's ever happened has taken away the optimist in me. It's always, "Whatever-let's go to Disneyland." Yes, I have my bleak, tortured-artist moments,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/nothing-that-s-ever-happened-has-taken-away-the-optimist-in-me-it-s/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [There is a light at the end of the tunnel...hopefully it's not a freight train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/there-is-a-light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel-hopefully-it-s-not-a/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [The fans never send me crazy things. They send me things that they put so much time and effort into making, and they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/the-fans-never-send-me-crazy-things-they-send-me-things-that-they-put/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [But I think I'm a nice friend and a good person, and I try to do my work as best I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/but-i-think-i-m-a-nice-friend-and-a-good-person-and-i-try-to-do-my/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/whenever-i-watch-tv-and-see-those-poor-starving-kids-all-over-the/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [I'm proud of what I am and who I am, and I'm just going to be myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-m-proud-of-what-i-am-and-who-i-am-and-i-m-just-going-to-be-myself/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [I am thinking of you in my sleepless solitude tonight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-am-thinking-of-you-in-my-sleepless-solitude-tonight/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [I think I have to remain eternally oblivious to age. Honestly, when you put a number on it yourself, it's just like, Why? Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-think-i-have-to-remain-eternally-oblivious-to-age-honestly-when-you/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [Sometimes it's tough because I've got to sleep 15 hours to sing the way I want to. It's not easy because my vocal chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/sometimes-it-s-tough-because-i-ve-got-to-sleep-15-hours-to-sing-the/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [Honestly, everybody gets talked about. Some people control their press a little more than others. Some people feed the press and move it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/honestly-everybody-gets-talked-about-some-people-control-their-press/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [I work myself into the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/i-work-myself-into-the-ground/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) > [It's not easy that everything you do, everybody has to come in and critique it and give their opinion. Sometimes it does help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-carey/it-s-not-easy-that-everything-you-do-everybody-has-to-come-in-and/) [Mariah Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) [Explore all 215 Mariah Carey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-carey/) ## More Bottom quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Filmmaking, like sex, isn't a polite enterprise. It involves a lot of mess and the bottom line is, if somebody ain't screaming, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/filmmaking-like-sex-isn-t-a-polite-enterprise-it-involves-a-lot-of/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can’t do Moonlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/i-plead-with-my-moonlight-fans-to-give-this-show-a-chance-if-they-let/) [Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/) > [Well, the bottom line is that I'm extremely pleased with 'The Stupids.' I'm pleased that it's coming out, and it should look good. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis/well-the-bottom-line-is-that-i-m-extremely-pleased-with-the-stupids-i/) [John Landis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis/) > [Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/search-for-the-seed-of-good-in-every-adversity-master-that-principle/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I would have had a clause in my contract; I would've definitely put some fine print in my contract that said, "If the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/i-would-have-had-a-clause-in-my-contract-i-would-ve-definitely-put/) [Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/) > [Of course the Dharma-body of the Buddha was the hedge at the bottom of the garden. 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