--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think I may have to grow up without…" description: "\"I think I may have to grow up without growing old. I think we're going to have to define differently what I'm going to be. We're going to have to defin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/mattie-stepanek-15384_define_i-think-i-may-have-to-grow-up-without-gr_798651.jpg" --- # I think I may have to grow up without growing old. I think… ![“I think I may have to grow up without growing old. I think we're going to have to define differently what I'm going to be. We're going to have to define my growing up differently.” quote by Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/mattie-stepanek-15384_define_i-think-i-may-have-to-grow-up-without-gr_798651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/mattie-stepanek-15384_define_i-think-i-may-have-to-grow-up-without-gr_798651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91e/mattie-stepanek-15384_define_i-think-i-may-have-to-grow-up-without-gr_798651.jpg) > “I think I may have to grow up without growing old. I think we're going to have to define differently what I'm going to be. We're going to have to define my growing up differently.” [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contemplates aging without growing old, redefining personal growth and identity. **In simple terms:** Growing up can differ from aging. Key Takeaway Redefine growth beyond age. Themes growth identity aging Mood hopeful reflective Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal development Key Concepts philosophy self‑definition life stages Questions to Reflect On - What does “growing up” mean to you? - How can you separate aging from personal growth? A Different Perspective May be abstract; hard to apply practically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) ## Related quotes > [It's rather clear that we've got to do something differently â€" and going into space and learning to utilize these resources, to think differently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/it-s-rather-clear-that-we-ve-got-to-do-something-differently-and/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I believe there were things I probably should have done differently. 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I use the gift he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-feel-that-god-has-given-me-a-very-special-opportunity-that-i-should/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Sunset is still my favorite color, and rainbow is second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/sunset-is-still-my-favorite-color-and-rainbow-is-second/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [My life mission is to spread peace to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/my-life-mission-is-to-spread-peace-to-the-world/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Expressing my feelings and then the opportunity to share it with others is just such a gift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/expressing-my-feelings-and-then-the-opportunity-to-share-it-with/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/unity-is-strength-when-there-is-teamwork-and-collaboration-wonderful/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [God gives me hope that there is something greater than us, something better and bigger than the here and now, that can help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/god-gives-me-hope-that-there-is-something-greater-than-us-something/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [I have a song deep in my heart, And only I can hear it. 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I want people to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-write-to-express-my-thoughts-my-feelings-i-want-people-to-think/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [It's the song in your heart that wants you to help make yourself a better person, and to help other people do the same.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/it-s-the-song-in-your-heart-that-wants-you-to-help-make-yourself-a/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [We're divorced from my father because he did some mean and scary things to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/we-re-divorced-from-my-father-because-he-did-some-mean-and-scary/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Every year, once a year, in Maryland, I go for a week and overnight camp with about 50 to 60 kids with muscular dystrophy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/every-year-once-a-year-in-maryland-i-go-for-a-week-and-overnight-camp/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [Remember to look at your glass half full and not half empty. A lot of my strength comes from God. God has given me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/remember-to-look-at-your-glass-half-full-and-not-half-empty-a-lot-of/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) [Explore all 43 Mattie Stepanek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) ## More Define quotes > [Don't define the game by the list of the features. Define it by the experience you want to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/don-t-define-the-game-by-the-list-of-the-features-define-it-by-the/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) > [I don't want my title to define my character. I don't think, as a president, I will change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weah/i-don-t-want-my-title-to-define-my-character-i-don-t-think-as-a/) [George Weah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weah/) > [Well, I don't know how they define that. But they have this Texas blues thing blown kinda out of proportion. I am a Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/well-i-don-t-know-how-they-define-that-but-they-have-this-texas-blues/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [I find it hard to define myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-find-it-hard-to-define-myself/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [If I had to define my philosophy, it would be about exploration, a journey, a story-telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-chalayan/if-i-had-to-define-my-philosophy-it-would-be-about-exploration-a/) [Hussein Chalayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-chalayan/) > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [To define the era we live in is very difficult. How do we define it? We define it by music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/to-define-the-era-we-live-in-is-very-difficult-how-do-we-define-it-we/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [I think in some ways we have allowed other people to set the agenda. Other people to define who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scott/i-think-in-some-ways-we-have-allowed-other-people-to-set-the-agenda/) [Lee Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scott/) > [Your words, your schedule, your choices, your obedience, the way you savor your victories and the way you swallow your defeats all help to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kimmel/your-words-your-schedule-your-choices-your-obedience-the-way-you/) [Tim Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kimmel/) > [Define yourself. Never give anyone any chance to define you by their definitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/define-yourself-never-give-anyone-any-chance-to-define-you-by-their/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Dont ask what the meaning of life is. You define it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishah-madadiy/dont-ask-what-the-meaning-of-life-is-you-define-it/) [Aishah Madadiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishah-madadiy/) > [If u can define what is love..then you are not in Love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/if-u-can-define-what-is-love-then-you-are-not-in-love/) Myself > [I always say that you define what success is to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/i-always-say-that-you-define-what-success-is-to-yourself/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [“Write in hashtags!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/write-in-hashtags/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [It's important to not have my sexuality define me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-deville/it-s-important-to-not-have-my-sexuality-define-me/) [Sonya Deville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-deville/) Browse all 588 Define quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think I may have to grow up without growing old. 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