--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A handful of experiences when I was small…" description: "\"“A handful of experiences when I was small have made me a confirmed nonathlete. In psychology (okay, Twilight) they teach you about the notion of impri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/mindy-kaling-672_imprinting_a-handful-of-experiences-when-i-was-smal_2875692.png" --- # A handful of experiences when I was small have made me a… ![“A handful of experiences when I was small have made me a confirmed nonathlete. In psychology (okay, Twilight) they teach you about the notion of imprinting, and I think it applies here. I reverse-imprinted with athleticism. Ours is the great non-love story of my life.” — Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone…” quote by Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/mindy-kaling-672_imprinting_a-handful-of-experiences-when-i-was-smal_2875692.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/mindy-kaling-672_imprinting_a-handful-of-experiences-when-i-was-smal_2875692.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/mindy-kaling-672_imprinting_a-handful-of-experiences-when-i-was-smal_2875692.png) > ““A handful of experiences when I was small have made me a confirmed nonathlete. In psychology (okay, Twilight) they teach you about the notion of imprinting, and I think it applies here. I reverse-imprinted with athleticism. Ours is the great non-love story of my life.” — Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and other concerns)”” [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early experiences can imprint lasting attitudes, making it hard to adopt opposite habits later in life. **In simple terms:** Early experiences shape lifelong attitudes. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge ingrained beliefs. Themes identity habit formation psychology self-awareness Mood reflective thoughtful introspective Type philosophical personal When to use this quote - career decisions - fitness routines - personal growth - relationship building Key Concepts imprinting cognitive bias self-concept Questions to Reflect On - What early experiences still influence you? - How can you re‑program an unwanted habit? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated attitudes often meets resistance and may require deliberate effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Imprinted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprinted-521649/) [Imprinted Athleticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprinted-athleticism-3957906/) [Imprinting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprinting/) [Imprinting Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprinting-think-3957908/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindy-kaling/) [Nonathlete Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonathlete-psychology-3957907/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Story of my life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-of-my-life/) ## Related quotes > [In psychology (okay, Twilight) they teach you about the notion of imprinting, and I think it applies here. I reverse-imprinted with athleticism. Ours is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/in-psychology-okay-twilight-they-teach-you-about-the-notion-of/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [The people who imprinted us are not completely happy and they are not completely powerful. So naturally, we have to fight our whole life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-people-who-imprinted-us-are-not-completely-happy-and-they-are-not/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There are little Indian girls out there who look up to me, and I never want to belittle the honor of being an inspiration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/there-are-little-indian-girls-out-there-who-look-up-to-me-and-i-never/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [My dream of course, as a writer and a person who's an entertainer, is: Grow up to be Mindy Kaling, don't grow up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/my-dream-of-course-as-a-writer-and-a-person-who-s-an-entertainer-is/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Personally, I, Mindy Kaling want to spend like 80 percent of my life hanging out with women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/personally-i-mindy-kaling-want-to-spend-like-80-percent-of-my-life/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [It's important for the character, over the course of six years, to have checked off all the different boxes of the things that Mindy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-warburton/it-s-important-for-the-character-over-the-course-of-six-years-to-have/) [Matt Warburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-warburton/) > [When I grew up, I never saw anyone looking like me on TV, you know? I'm so glad to see a lot more of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-i-grew-up-i-never-saw-anyone-looking-like-me-on-tv-you-know-i-m/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [What is a nightstand without Mindy Kaling? I dip into her 'Why Not Me?' when I've had a particularly rough day. Her hilarious observations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabaa-tahir/what-is-a-nightstand-without-mindy-kaling-i-dip-into-her-why-not-me/) [Sabaa Tahir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabaa-tahir/) > [We have so many great memoirs from women in front of the camera, from Tina Fey, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, and Amy Schumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/we-have-so-many-great-memoirs-from-women-in-front-of-the-camera-from/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [Mindy Kaling is so smart and hilarious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-fumero/mindy-kaling-is-so-smart-and-hilarious/) [Melissa Fumero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-fumero/) > [To those many millions of you unfamiliar with my work, I play a caddish British doctor in practice with Mindy Kaling on her excellent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-weeks/to-those-many-millions-of-you-unfamiliar-with-my-work-i-play-a/) [Ed Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-weeks/) > [I love to read books by women I look up to who are smart, funny, and interesting, like Tina Fey's 'Bossypants' and Mindy Kaling's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-justice/i-love-to-read-books-by-women-i-look-up-to-who-are-smart-funny-and/) [Victoria Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-justice/) > [When Mindy Kaling asks, I try my best to say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/when-mindy-kaling-asks-i-try-my-best-to-say-yes/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [Mindy Kaling gets her own line in the acknowledgments, as previously negotiated by her representatives. Thanks, Mindy. I love you and you're the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mindy-kaling-gets-her-own-line-in-the-acknowledgments-as-previously/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have five little kids, you're not going to open Mindy Kaling's latest book. You're playing with your kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-gaffigan/when-you-have-five-little-kids-you-re-not-going-to-open-mindy-kaling/) [Jim Gaffigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-gaffigan/) ## More by Mindy Kaling > [I think women in general like men that don't give them the thing that we want. We want a chase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-think-women-in-general-like-men-that-don-t-give-them-the-thing-that/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [When you're "East Coast" person, you are so insufferable, and you have no idea. And I was. One, because I was miserable, and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/when-you-re-east-coast-person-you-are-so-insufferable-and-you-have-no/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [..I find it incredible impossible not to cry when I hear Stevie Nicks's "Landslide," especially the lyric: "I've been afraid of changing, because I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-find-it-incredible-impossible-not-to-cry-when-i-hear-stevie-nicks-s/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I must have been 10 or 11, but anything Dana Carvey ever did, I just really loved. He was on for a long time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-must-have-been-10-or-11-but-anything-dana-carvey-ever-did-i-just/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“As it is, I guess I find “Jack & Diane” a little disgusting. As a child of immigrant professionals, I can’t help but notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/as-it-is-i-guess-i-find-jack-diane-a-little-disgusting-as-a-child-of/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“As it is, I guess I find "Jack and Diane" a little disgusting. As a child of immigrant professionals, I can't help but notice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/as-it-is-i-guess-i-find-jack-and-diane-a-little-disgusting-as-a-child/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [True love is singing karaoke 'under pressure' and letting the other person sing the Freddie Mercury part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/true-love-is-singing-karaoke-under-pressure-and-letting-the-other/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I had these kind of unrealistic expectations that were fueled by romantic comedies, and it has both helped me and hurt me in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-had-these-kind-of-unrealistic-expectations-that-were-fueled-by/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [There's a female writer-performer thing going on in TV right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/there-s-a-female-writer-performer-thing-going-on-in-tv-right-now/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Almost every college playwright or sketch or improv comedian was sort of aware of Christopher Durang - even kids in high school. His short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/almost-every-college-playwright-or-sketch-or-improv-comedian-was-sort/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [More than half the questions I am asked are about the politics of the way I look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/more-than-half-the-questions-i-am-asked-are-about-the-politics-of-the/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“Even though Mavis was my secret friend, she is the only one I hope I see again. She’s the only one I wonder about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/even-though-mavis-was-my-secret-friend-she-is-the-only-one-i-hope-i/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [I regard romantic comedies as a subgenre of sci-fi, in which the world operates according to different rules than my regular human world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-regard-romantic-comedies-as-a-subgenre-of-sci-fi-in-which-the-world/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“Be like Allan Pearl. Sit next to the class clown and study him. Then grow up, take everything you learned, and get paid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/be-like-allan-pearl-sit-next-to-the-class-clown-and-study-him-then/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“Don’t be closer to twice a friend’s weight than to her actual weight,” I told myself. This little mantra has helped me stave off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/don-t-be-closer-to-twice-a-friend-s-weight-than-to-her-actual-weight/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) [Explore all 415 Mindy Kaling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) ## More Imprinting quotes > [I would advise you to read with a pen in your hand and enter in a little book short hints of what you feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-would-advise-you-to-read-with-a-pen-in-your-hand-and-enter-in-a/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Memory is the power to revive again in our minds those ideas which after imprinting have disappeared, or have been laid aside out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/memory-is-the-power-to-revive-again-in-our-minds-those-ideas-which/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“Imprinting isn't a life sentence. Our people thrive with our significant by our side. We all know the importance of what has happened since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/imprinting-isn-t-a-life-sentence-our-people-thrive-with-our/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [I was born into a working class Irish Catholic family at the brutal bottom of the Great Depression. I suppose this early imprinting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-was-born-into-a-working-class-irish-catholic-family-at-the-brutal/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [All propaganda must be confined to a few bare necessities and then must be expressed in a few stereotyped formulas . . . Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/all-propaganda-must-be-confined-to-a-few-bare-necessities-and-then/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The general direction of evolution is to produce a serially imprinting, multibrained creature able to decipher its own program, create the technology to leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/the-general-direction-of-evolution-is-to-produce-a-serially/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [Those who have read history with discrimination know the fallacy of those panegyrics and invectives which represent individuals as effecting great moral and intellectual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/those-who-have-read-history-with-discrimination-know-the-fallacy-of/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The people who imprinted us are not completely happy and they are not completely powerful. So naturally, we have to fight our whole life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-people-who-imprinted-us-are-not-completely-happy-and-they-are-not/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Whoever a werewolf imprints on can’t be harmed.  It’s their most absolute law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/breaking-dawn-part-1/whoever-a-werewolf-imprints-on-can-t-be-harmed-it-s-their-most/) [Breaking Dawn Part 1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/breaking-dawn-part-1/) > [Most people don't get out of childhood, or adolescence, without being wounded for telling the truth. Someone says 'you can't say that' or 'you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/most-people-don-t-get-out-of-childhood-or-adolescence-without-being/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [God's Providence controls the universe. It is present everywhere. Providence is the sovereign Logos of God, imprinting form on the unformed materiality of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-the-great/god-s-providence-controls-the-universe-it-is-present-everywhere/) [Anthony the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-the-great/) > [I never wanted to be well-rounded. I do not admire well-rounded people nor their work. So far as I can see, nothing good in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-crews/i-never-wanted-to-be-well-rounded-i-do-not-admire-well-rounded-people/) [Harry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-crews/) > [“Emotions are the keys to learning, the keys to imprinting. The stronger the emotion, the more clearly the experience is learned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clotaire-rapaille/emotions-are-the-keys-to-learning-the-keys-to-imprinting-the-stronger/) [Clotaire Rapaille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clotaire-rapaille/) > [In mysticism we have to take all the imprinting that has occurred to us and wash it. Then we need to be re-imprinted but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-mysticism-we-have-to-take-all-the-imprinting-that-has-occurred-to/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [One, who studies the ways of power, seeks to end the imprinting process because in imprinting we loser power, we lose attention; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/one-who-studies-the-ways-of-power-seeks-to-end-the-imprinting-process/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) [Browse all 26 Imprinting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprinting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A handful of experiences when I was small have made me a confirmed nonathlete. In psychology (okay, Twilight) they teach you about the notion of imprinting, and I think it applies here. I reverse-imprinted with athleticism. Ours is the great non-love story of my life.” — Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? 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