--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got lucky. To be frank, I was…" description: "\"I got lucky. To be frank, I was surrounded by white teachers who never did the whole, 'You're never going to amount to nothing' thing you hear about in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/mike-colter-3338_lucky_i-got-lucky-to-be-frank-i-was-surrounded_2407692.jpg" --- # I got lucky. To be frank, I was surrounded by white… ![“I got lucky. To be frank, I was surrounded by white teachers who never did the whole, 'You're never going to amount to nothing' thing you hear about in the South. Instead, they would say, 'You're really smart. You can do this.' If I hadn't gotten that, I don't know where I'd be.” quote by Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/mike-colter-3338_lucky_i-got-lucky-to-be-frank-i-was-surrounded_2407692.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/mike-colter-3338_lucky_i-got-lucky-to-be-frank-i-was-surrounded_2407692.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/008/mike-colter-3338_lucky_i-got-lucky-to-be-frank-i-was-surrounded_2407692.jpg) > “I got lucky. To be frank, I was surrounded by white teachers who never did the whole, 'You're never going to amount to nothing' thing you hear about in the South. Instead, they would say, 'You're really smart. You can do this.' If I hadn't gotten that, I don't know where I'd be.” [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker attributes personal success to supportive educators who encouraged confidence rather than discouragement. **In simple terms:** Supportive teachers boost confidence and success. Key Takeaway Seek mentors who affirm your abilities. Themes education confidence mentorship Mood grateful reflective Type testimonial inspirational When to use this quote - school - career development - personal growth Key Concepts self‑efficacy growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure all students receive positive reinforcement? - What role does self‑belief play in achievement? A Different Perspective Support alone may not overcome systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Teachers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teachers/) ## Related quotes > [I was a naughty kid. Teachers did not like me much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/i-was-a-naughty-kid-teachers-did-not-like-me-much/) [Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/) > [So one of the things that happened with integration in the South is they found that the black teachers were much more educated than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-johnson-reagon/so-one-of-the-things-that-happened-with-integration-in-the-south-is/) [Bernice Johnson Reagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-johnson-reagon/) > [Progressive white teachers seem to say to their black students 'Let me help you find your voice. I promise not to criticize one note…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/progressive-white-teachers-seem-to-say-to-their-black-students-let-me/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“The headmaster explained. Books were considered precious. The school had so few that the teachers did not want to risk the children damaging them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wood/the-headmaster-explained-books-were-considered-precious-the-school/) [John Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wood/) > [“Teachers loved to say people had potential; that's what teachers did to keep themselves from getting canned. What were they supposed to say- I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/teachers-loved-to-say-people-had-potential-that-s-what-teachers-did/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [“But that was all teachers ever did, wasn’t it? They grew and grew and grew until they wondered if they were the only ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mynah-k/but-that-was-all-teachers-ever-did-wasn-t-it-they-grew-and-grew-and/) [Mynah K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mynah-k/) > [I was in a TV show called 'Orrible' with Johnny Vaughan, I did the last series of 'Teachers', I did two or three different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckley/i-was-in-a-tv-show-called-orrible-with-johnny-vaughan-i-did-the-last/) [James Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckley/) > [I trained and worked really hard all my life in dance classes. I always fell into the shadows of my mother, and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-nixon/i-trained-and-worked-really-hard-all-my-life-in-dance-classes-i/) Vivian Nixon > [Some of my high school teachers did remind me that I had an excellent imagination when it came to making up excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-kelley/some-of-my-high-school-teachers-did-remind-me-that-i-had-an-excellent/) [David E. Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-kelley/) > [I come from a long line of teachers. Not only did I not go into the family business; I had an aborted law career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-come-from-a-long-line-of-teachers-not-only-did-i-not-go-into-the/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [“Snape’s never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job,” Harry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/snape-s-never-been-like-this-with-any-of-our-other-defense-against/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [ Bill Prady and Chuck Lorre, the guys who run that show \[Big Bang Theory\], are really funny and really smart, and the cast is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-spiner/bill-prady-and-chuck-lorre-the-guys-who-run-that-show-big-bang-theory/) [Brent Spiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-spiner/) > [We're all born with different talents. I'm really not that smart, but I can see things - financially and development-wise. It's just the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tilman-j-fertitta/we-re-all-born-with-different-talents-i-m-really-not-that-smart-but-i/) [Tilman J. Fertitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tilman-j-fertitta/) > [A lot of times when you're around really, really smart people, you don't really understand them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martellus-bennett/a-lot-of-times-when-you-re-around-really-really-smart-people-you-don/) [Martellus Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martellus-bennett/) ## More by Mike Colter > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I think when people talk about art imitating life, you're in real time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-think-when-people-talk-about-art-imitating-life-you-re-in-real-time/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I'm a bit bored of going to the gym! I'm like, 'Someone put me out of my misery - I can't do this anymore!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-a-bit-bored-of-going-to-the-gym-i-m-like-someone-put-me-out-of-my/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [As an actor, you just want to continue to work on things that you like. You can be in this business a long time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/as-an-actor-you-just-want-to-continue-to-work-on-things-that-you-like/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Sometimes you don't know the effect of words until you hear it used on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/sometimes-you-don-t-know-the-effect-of-words-until-you-hear-it-used/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [As long as I didn't have to put on the tiara and the chains and the big yellow shirt for the whole series, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/as-long-as-i-didn-t-have-to-put-on-the-tiara-and-the-chains-and-the/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Love, for me, is always wanting the best for the other person even if it's not what's best for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/love-for-me-is-always-wanting-the-best-for-the-other-person-even-if/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Some people in America don't ever interact with black people outside of television, so we should give them real, believable characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/some-people-in-america-don-t-ever-interact-with-black-people-outside/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I'm always game for creating a new character, and I liked the idea of putting something new into the 'Halo' universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-always-game-for-creating-a-new-character-and-i-liked-the-idea-of/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [History repeats itself over and over again, but most of us have short memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/history-repeats-itself-over-and-over-again-but-most-of-us-have-short/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I'm a very un-excitable person. I always take things with a grain of salt, I'm always very even-keeled, and I'm always waiting for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-a-very-un-excitable-person-i-always-take-things-with-a-grain-of/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I met some people in college and I kept cracking away until someone pointed me in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-met-some-people-in-college-and-i-kept-cracking-away-until-someone/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [A lot of times in life, women want to talk, but men don't want to listen, and if they do want to listen, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/a-lot-of-times-in-life-women-want-to-talk-but-men-don-t-want-to/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I like to take a break, but at the same time, I think most actors are not very good at sitting around doing nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-like-to-take-a-break-but-at-the-same-time-i-think-most-actors-are/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Never say "never" about anything, because if you do, life has a way of humbling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/never-say-never-about-anything-because-if-you-do-life-has-a-way-of/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) [Explore all 133 Mike Colter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) ## More Lucky quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [I've been lucky enough to, for the most part, surround myself with a lot of people who are more talented than me and who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-franco/i-ve-been-lucky-enough-to-for-the-most-part-surround-myself-with-a/) [Dave Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-franco/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [I was very lucky to get well known much later in life. You need to have flopped quite a few times to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/i-was-very-lucky-to-get-well-known-much-later-in-life-you-need-to/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [I like to sit down, relax, have a cup of coffee on the terrace and read a book. I like to travel the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-vos/i-like-to-sit-down-relax-have-a-cup-of-coffee-on-the-terrace-and-read/) [Marianne Vos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-vos/) > [The truth is I've just never had any kind of plan at all for my career, which is probably not a very flattering thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-burrell/the-truth-is-i-ve-just-never-had-any-kind-of-plan-at-all-for-my/) [Ty Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-burrell/) > [Maybe that’s what love meant, both people thinking they were the lucky one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meera-syal/maybe-that-s-what-love-meant-both-people-thinking-they-were-the-lucky/) [Meera Syal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meera-syal/) > [I have been lucky enough to travel a lot, meet great people in many lands. I have liked almost everyone I met along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/i-have-been-lucky-enough-to-travel-a-lot-meet-great-people-in-many/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [It's not what the world gives you, but what you can give it. I'm lucky. I can give the world talent. I can explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moe-norman/it-s-not-what-the-world-gives-you-but-what-you-can-give-it-i-m-lucky/) [Moe Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moe-norman/) > [I am fortunate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-westheimer/i-am-fortunate/) [Ruth Westheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-westheimer/) > [Everybody tries to score a great goal, and I am lucky I have netted a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/everybody-tries-to-score-a-great-goal-and-i-am-lucky-i-have-netted-a/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [ I think it is worse \[in 2015\] for a mid-list author such as myself. You either have to sell like Stephen King or go… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/i-think-it-is-worse-in-2015-for-a-mid-list-author-such-as-myself-you/) [W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/) > [It is a sad fact that 50 percent of marriages in this country end in divorce. But hey, the other half end in death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jeni/it-is-a-sad-fact-that-50-percent-of-marriages-in-this-country-end-in/) [Richard Jeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jeni/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) [Browse all 6,884 Lucky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I got lucky. To be frank, I was surrounded by white teachers who never did the whole, 'You're never going to amount to nothing' thing you hear about in the South. 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