--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I came here with nothing, with maybe a…" description: "\"I came here with nothing, with maybe a hundred bucks in my pocket and had to get a job. And these wealthy people who had made their money themselves, I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/mark-burnett-14300_america_i-came-here-with-nothing-with-maybe-a-hu_2078607.jpg" --- # I came here with nothing, with maybe a hundred bucks in my… ![“I came here with nothing, with maybe a hundred bucks in my pocket and had to get a job. And these wealthy people who had made their money themselves, I worked for. It did show me what could be achieved in America, what's possible if you have some vision to take big risks.” quote by Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/mark-burnett-14300_america_i-came-here-with-nothing-with-maybe-a-hu_2078607.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/mark-burnett-14300_america_i-came-here-with-nothing-with-maybe-a-hu_2078607.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/318/mark-burnett-14300_america_i-came-here-with-nothing-with-maybe-a-hu_2078607.jpg) > “I came here with nothing, with maybe a hundred bucks in my pocket and had to get a job. And these wealthy people who had made their money themselves, I worked for. It did show me what could be achieved in America, what's possible if you have some vision to take big risks.” [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Starting with little, working hard, and seeing wealthy self‑made people showed America’s risk‑reward possibilities. **In simple terms:** Hard work and risk reveal America’s opportunities. Key Takeaway Take risks, work hard, pursue vision. Themes entrepreneurship American Dream risk-taking Mood optimistic determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - startup founding - career change - financial planning Key Concepts social mobility self‑made success Questions to Reflect On - What risks are you willing to take? - How can you mitigate potential loss? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to failure; not all succeed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieved America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieved-america-4048009/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Bucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bucks/) [Financial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/financial/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Job Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job-wealthy-4048008/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Money Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money-worked-4048007/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-money/) [Pockets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pockets/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Show me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show-me/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy/) [Wealthy People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy-people/) ## Related quotes > [In a few hundred years you have achieved in America what it took thousands of years to achieve in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccallum/in-a-few-hundred-years-you-have-achieved-in-america-what-it-took/) [David McCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccallum/) > [What do wealthy people do with their money? They can only buy so many cars, houses, and steak dinners. So we either give it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foster-friess/what-do-wealthy-people-do-with-their-money-they-can-only-buy-so-many/) [Foster Friess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foster-friess/) > [“that you didn’t work just for the money, you worked for the freedom work gave you, for the chance to be a stronger, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meera-syal/that-you-didn-t-work-just-for-the-money-you-worked-for-the-freedom/) [Meera Syal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meera-syal/) > [“Money could be found, worked at, saved. But the spirit, when gone, was gone forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-jantz/money-could-be-found-worked-at-saved-but-the-spirit-when-gone-was/) [Caroline Jantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-jantz/) > [We had nothing in our times. The athletes and sportsmen in those days didn't earn much money. We worked for the applause, people's appreciation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milkha-singh/we-had-nothing-in-our-times-the-athletes-and-sportsmen-in-those-days/) [Milkha Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milkha-singh/) > [I never saved my money. Whenever I worked in the past, I would spend it on my family or my husbands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evans/i-never-saved-my-money-whenever-i-worked-in-the-past-i-would-spend-it/) [Linda Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evans/) > [He didn't work for money. He worked because he loved kids and education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lamm/he-didn-t-work-for-money-he-worked-because-he-loved-kids-and-education/) [Richard Lamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lamm/) > [“The problem for many of us is that it is easy to find rich role models. It’s harder to find wealthy ones because by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-housel/the-problem-for-many-of-us-is-that-it-is-easy-to-find-rich-role/) [Morgan Housel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-housel/) > [In a monetary system, most of us live near our work with a house, car, and lifestyle we can afford (or, all too often,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/in-a-monetary-system-most-of-us-live-near-our-work-with-a-house-car/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [I don't think most Americans understand that, for certain very wealthy people, our federal income tax system is a subsidy system that makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-don-t-think-most-americans-understand-that-for-certain-very-wealthy/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [There are no wealthy people on Rikers Island because if you are wealthy, you go free because you make bail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/there-are-no-wealthy-people-on-rikers-island-because-if-you-are/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [I came from a rural background, and I didn't come in contact with a lot of wealthy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/i-came-from-a-rural-background-and-i-didn-t-come-in-contact-with-a/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [You are not going to lift everybody out of poverty through the kindness of wealthy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-byanyima/you-are-not-going-to-lift-everybody-out-of-poverty-through-the/) [Winnie Byanyima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-byanyima/) > [All my life I've been prejudiced against wealthy people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-waters/all-my-life-i-ve-been-prejudiced-against-wealthy-people/) [Ethel Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-waters/) > [I'm not revealing any deep, hidden secret that there are wealthy people in Asia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/i-m-not-revealing-any-deep-hidden-secret-that-there-are-wealthy/) [Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/) ## More by Mark Burnett > [I very much like Kenya. It's hard to beat the Masai Mara and the idea of ballooning across it. I have a great time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/i-very-much-like-kenya-it-s-hard-to-beat-the-masai-mara-and-the-idea/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [I've always liked adventure television. Pre-'Survivor,' I did a series on cable called 'Eco-Challenge,' an adventure race with experts mainly, and here we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/i-ve-always-liked-adventure-television-pre-survivor-i-did-a-series-on/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [The way I see it, more people are wired with broadband from 9 to 5 during the day than watch TV at night. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/the-way-i-see-it-more-people-are-wired-with-broadband-from-9-to-5/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [I learned firsthand that there would simply be no wars if people engaged in real conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/i-learned-firsthand-that-there-would-simply-be-no-wars-if-people/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [I look at decisions like - it's like an Indiana Jones movie. The guy comes to a rope ladder, and he's being chased. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/i-look-at-decisions-like-it-s-like-an-indiana-jones-movie-the-guy/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [Whether it is the cavemen in the caves thousands of years ago, Shakespeare plays, television, movies and books, stories and characters take us on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/whether-it-is-the-cavemen-in-the-caves-thousands-of-years-ago/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [I honestly think that in five years time, television will be watched on computer screens anyway and you'll be doing multiple things. You'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/i-honestly-think-that-in-five-years-time-television-will-be-watched/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [As the show's executive producer, I envisioned something akin to "Gilligan's Island" meets Lord of the Flies meets Ten Little Indians mets "The Real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/as-the-show-s-executive-producer-i-envisioned-something-akin-to/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [Every show on television has a downward trend because there are so many more things to watch. You can only deal with what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/every-show-on-television-has-a-downward-trend-because-there-are-so/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [My mantra is: Realize you're going to fail all the time, and accept it. That doesn't mean I'm not frightened of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/my-mantra-is-realize-you-re-going-to-fail-all-the-time-and-accept-it/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [America is the most giving nation on Earth. One of the best ways to feel better is by doing something for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/america-is-the-most-giving-nation-on-earth-one-of-the-best-ways-to/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [In my teens, I joined the Parachute Regiment. I jumped out of lots of airplanes, as much as the Government budget would allow us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/in-my-teens-i-joined-the-parachute-regiment-i-jumped-out-of-lots-of/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [One of the greatest freedoms of living in America is being able to ask the question: "If I could do anything I wanted with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/one-of-the-greatest-freedoms-of-living-in-america-is-being-able-to/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [We celebrate the Bill Gateses of the world. We're not mad at Bill Gates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/we-celebrate-the-bill-gateses-of-the-world-we-re-not-mad-at-bill-gates/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) > [You can't just decide to take the subject matter of The Bible and figure out you can just change what you want. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-burnett/you-can-t-just-decide-to-take-the-subject-matter-of-the-bible-and/) [Mark Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) [Explore all 47 Mark Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-burnett/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I came here with nothing, with maybe a hundred bucks in my pocket and had to get a job. And these wealthy people who had made their money themselves, I worked for. 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