--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started thinking of myself as an…" description: "\"I started thinking of myself as an ambitious person when I graduated college. But when I hear stories about myself as a child, I guess I was pretty amb..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/michelle-buteau-6383_ambition_i-started-thinking-of-myself-as-an-ambit_702855.jpg" --- # I started thinking of myself as an ambitious person when I… ![“I started thinking of myself as an ambitious person when I graduated college. But when I hear stories about myself as a child, I guess I was pretty ambitious then, too.” quote by Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/michelle-buteau-6383_ambition_i-started-thinking-of-myself-as-an-ambit_702855.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/michelle-buteau-6383_ambition_i-started-thinking-of-myself-as-an-ambit_702855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/michelle-buteau-6383_ambition_i-started-thinking-of-myself-as-an-ambit_702855.jpg) > “I started thinking of myself as an ambitious person when I graduated college. But when I hear stories about myself as a child, I guess I was pretty ambitious then, too.” [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑identity can be traced back to childhood ambitions. **In simple terms:** Childhood ambition shapes adult self‑view. Key Takeaway Embrace early drive as a strength. Themes self‑growth identity ambition Mood reflective encouraging Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career planning - personal coaching - mentoring sessions Key Concepts psychology life narrative Questions to Reflect On - What early traits still influence you? - Do you value childhood dreams? A Different Perspective People may over‑emphasize later achievements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious/) [Ambitious person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambitious-person/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Pretty Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-ambitious-2003272/) [Started Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-thinking/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Ambitious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-ambitious-5560753/) ## Related quotes > [Like pretty much every other ambitious person, I always figured I'd eventually move to New York. It is, at this point, half-dream and half-obligation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/like-pretty-much-every-other-ambitious-person-i-always-figured-i-d/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [I was pretty ambitious as a child to want to be a star with the talent I had, but I want to finish what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-otway/i-was-pretty-ambitious-as-a-child-to-want-to-be-a-star-with-the/) [John Otway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-otway/) > [I am an ambitious person, but I am not ambitious in the sense that I want jobs only for the sake of them... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-turnbull/i-am-an-ambitious-person-but-i-am-not-ambitious-in-the-sense-that-i/) [Malcolm Turnbull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-turnbull/) > [You know, you don't need a leader to sort of administer something that's going very well. In fact, in one sense, an overly ambitious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-v-gerstner-jr/you-know-you-don-t-need-a-leader-to-sort-of-administer-something-that/) [Louis V. Gerstner, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-v-gerstner-jr/) > [Well I guess the plan was to write poetry and publish books and make a living from writing poetry. That was a pretty ambitious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adamson/well-i-guess-the-plan-was-to-write-poetry-and-publish-books-and-make/) [Robert Adamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adamson/) > [If this superstitious fear of Spirits were taken away, and with it, Prognostiques from Dreams, false Prophecies, and many other things depending thereon, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/if-this-superstitious-fear-of-spirits-were-taken-away-and-with-it/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [I am an ambitious person and I like a sense of challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitmore/i-am-an-ambitious-person-and-i-like-a-sense-of-challenge/) [Laura Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitmore/) > [I always feel discontent, like there's somewhere else to go, somewhere else to be. I'm a very ambitious person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/engelbert-humperdinck/i-always-feel-discontent-like-there-s-somewhere-else-to-go-somewhere/) [Engelbert Humperdinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/engelbert-humperdinck/) > [I'm not an ambitious person. I'm very content, and I have no pending dreams. God has given me so much, and if there's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiranjeevi/i-m-not-an-ambitious-person-i-m-very-content-and-i-have-no-pending/) [Chiranjeevi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiranjeevi/) > [Can you give someone a bad name for wanting to be ambitious? For wanting to move onto bigger things? That person is ambitious, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michail-antonio/can-you-give-someone-a-bad-name-for-wanting-to-be-ambitious-for/) [Michail Antonio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michail-antonio/) > [I'm an ambitious person. I mean, if I did that... I would self-destruct, in the sense that the decadence would be too strong an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-packer/i-m-an-ambitious-person-i-mean-if-i-did-that-i-would-self-destruct-in/) [James Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-packer/) > [I think the music I make is true to my life. A lot of people can relate to it. It is real. I'm just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-thomas/i-think-the-music-i-make-is-true-to-my-life-a-lot-of-people-can/) [Ashley Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-thomas/) > [I'm an ambitious person, and Harvard makes me feel successful, just having gotten in here. That's the ugly side of why I'm proud of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/i-m-an-ambitious-person-and-harvard-makes-me-feel-successful-just/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [I'm a very ambitious person. I'm driven. And I'm competitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-m-a-very-ambitious-person-i-m-driven-and-i-m-competitive/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [Like my father, like most actors, I was a pretty ambitious guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/like-my-father-like-most-actors-i-was-a-pretty-ambitious-guy/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) ## More by Michelle Buteau > [Every kid looks forward to buying their first JanSport backpack for school - you know my kids did!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/every-kid-looks-forward-to-buying-their-first-jansport-backpack-for/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [Like so many couples, my husband and I had a hard time trying to conceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/like-so-many-couples-my-husband-and-i-had-a-hard-time-trying-to/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [For me having kids now, it's important to live my truth. I want to be an example for them and I don't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/for-me-having-kids-now-it-s-important-to-live-my-truth-i-want-to-be/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [I wouldn't want to be anybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/i-wouldn-t-want-to-be-anybody-else/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [I'm constantly working on communication with my husband through therapy and patience. But to have a hard conversation with my friend, the confrontation -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/i-m-constantly-working-on-communication-with-my-husband-through/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [It's so nice when strong powerful females help each other out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/it-s-so-nice-when-strong-powerful-females-help-each-other-out/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [If something's going on with your kid, it doesn't necessarily mean it's your fault. They're their own person. Let's talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/if-something-s-going-on-with-your-kid-it-doesn-t-necessarily-mean-it/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [Look I love 'Friends,' but nobody had a Puerto Rican friend? Not one Puerto Rican friend? You live in Manhattan? No.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/look-i-love-friends-but-nobody-had-a-puerto-rican-friend-not-one/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [I'm a big fan of road rage. I do not mind fighting with a stranger. It's like, we got to get it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/i-m-a-big-fan-of-road-rage-i-do-not-mind-fighting-with-a-stranger-it/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [The worst question people can ask me is, 'How would I describe my brand of comedy?' I just go, 'Funny.' I like to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/the-worst-question-people-can-ask-me-is-how-would-i-describe-my-brand/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [We feel like we have to do everything and we feel like we have to be good at everything and we feel like we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/we-feel-like-we-have-to-do-everything-and-we-feel-like-we-have-to-be/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [It has been such a crazy journey to just even say I like myself without apologizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/it-has-been-such-a-crazy-journey-to-just-even-say-i-like-myself/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [My uncle's the archbishop of Jamaica. It is a very Catholic family. There was no monkey business going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/my-uncle-s-the-archbishop-of-jamaica-it-is-a-very-catholic-family/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [We have to let these - not just girls - but also boys know that it's OK to love your body and not feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/we-have-to-let-these-not-just-girls-but-also-boys-know-that-it-s-ok/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) > [I saw 'Get Out;' that's one of my favorite movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-buteau/i-saw-get-out-that-s-one-of-my-favorite-movies/) [Michelle Buteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) [Explore all 99 Michelle Buteau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-buteau/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started thinking of myself as an ambitious person when I graduated college. 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