---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's who I want to be when I grow up."
description: "\"“That's who I want to be when I grow up.”\" — Mitch Albom"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/mitch-albom-187_grow_that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-2_2695326.png"
---

#  That's who I want to be when I grow up.

![“That's who I want to be when I grow up.” quote by Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/mitch-albom-187_grow_that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-2_2695326.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/mitch-albom-187_grow_that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-2_2695326.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/mitch-albom-187_grow_that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-2_2695326.png)

> ““That's who I want to be when I grow up.””

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Expresses a desire to become a certain person in the future, reflecting aspirations and self‑identity formation.

**In simple terms:** Wants to become a specific future self.

Key Takeaway

Define the person you wish to become.

Themes

identity aspiration future self growth

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

personal philosophical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal development
- mentorship

Key Concepts

self‑concept psychology visioning

Questions to Reflect On

- Who do you envision yourself as in ten years?
- What steps will you take toward that identity?

A Different Perspective

Future self may differ from reality.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow/) [Grow up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow-up/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-grow/)

## Related quotes

> [I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. It's funny - people ask me that, and I don't know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzie-rosman/i-don-t-know-what-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-it-s-funny-people-ask/)

[Mackenzie Rosman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzie-rosman/)

> [When you raise kids, you want them to grow up and be successful. If they can grow up and be like you, it's quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-sager/when-you-raise-kids-you-want-them-to-grow-up-and-be-successful-if/)

[Craig Sager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-sager/)

> [I just want to grow spiritually with the Lord,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-just-want-to-grow-spiritually-with-the-lord/)

[Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/)

> [I never want to grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-the-creator-2/i-never-want-to-grow-up/)

[Tyler, The Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-the-creator-2/)

> [“I want to grow up and do something cool with my life, such as build an orphanage in a third world country like all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-marr/i-want-to-grow-up-and-do-something-cool-with-my-life-such-as-build-an/)

[Shirley Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-marr/)

> [Adults are always asking kids what they want to be when they grow up because they are looking for ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-poundstone/adults-are-always-asking-kids-what-they-want-to-be-when-they-grow-up/)

[Paula Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-poundstone/)

> [Since I've had a son, I want to be around to see him grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/since-i-ve-had-a-son-i-want-to-be-around-to-see-him-grow-up/)

[Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/)

> [When I was a kid I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but I did know what I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-williams/when-i-was-a-kid-i-didn-t-know-what-i-wanted-to-be-when-i-grew-up-but/)

[Jody Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-williams/)

> [I don't want to be normal, I don't want to grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/i-don-t-want-to-be-normal-i-don-t-want-to-grow-up/)

[Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/)

> [“If you want something to grow and be so beautiful you could have a nice day just from looking at it, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-wolff/if-you-want-something-to-grow-and-be-so-beautiful-you-could-have-a/)

[Virginia Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-wolff/)

> [You want to grow where you came up so when you move, you get noticed easier. You can grow in New York but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal-buress/you-want-to-grow-where-you-came-up-so-when-you-move-you-get-noticed/)

[Hannibal Buress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal-buress/)

> [I may be growing upbut I dont want to grow up too fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wall/i-may-be-growing-upbut-i-dont-want-to-grow-up-too-fast/)

[John Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wall/)

> [“It is up to you. How far you want to go and how far you want to grow. Do not let that your worries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yilda-rivera/it-is-up-to-you-how-far-you-want-to-go-and-how-far-you-want-to-grow/)

[Yilda Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yilda-rivera/)

> [I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to make laundry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/i-had-to-grow-up-quite-fast-trying-to-cook-for-myself-trying-to-make/)

[Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

## More by Mitch Albom

> [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [the words people do not speak are louder than the ones they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/the-words-people-do-not-speak-are-louder-than-the-ones-they-do/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“Once, lovers on faraway shores sat by candlelight and dipped ink to parchment, writing words that could not be erased. They took an evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/once-lovers-on-faraway-shores-sat-by-candlelight-and-dipped-ink-to/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [Giving to other people makes me feel alive. Not my car or my house. Not what I look like in the mirror. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/giving-to-other-people-makes-me-feel-alive-not-my-car-or-my-house-not/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [Life goes quickly, doesn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/life-goes-quickly-doesn-t-it/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [As children grow, they gravitate to their fates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/as-children-grow-they-gravitate-to-their-fates/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“If the only thing wrong with Moses is that he's not yours; if the only thing wrong with Jesus is that he's not yours;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/if-the-only-thing-wrong-with-moses-is-that-he-s-not-yours-if-the-only/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“Sometimes your kids will say the nastiest things, won't they, Rose? You want to ask,'Whose child is this?'" Rose chuckled. "But usually, they're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/sometimes-your-kids-will-say-the-nastiest-things-won-t-they-rose-you/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“whisper their good-byes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/whisper-their-good-byes/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“I had also developed my own culture. Work. Over the years, I had taken labor as my companion and had moved everything else to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-had-also-developed-my-own-culture-work-over-the-years-i-had-taken/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [When we are most alone is when we embrace another's loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/when-we-are-most-alone-is-when-we-embrace-another-s-loneliness/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [“You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-didn-t-get-it-sacrifice-is-a-part-of-life-it-s-supposed-to-be-it/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [I give myself a good cry if I need it. But then I concentrate on the good things still in my life. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/i-give-myself-a-good-cry-if-i-need-it-but-then-i-concentrate-on-the/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

> [It was sad, the imbalance of it all. Why do kids assume so much from one parent and hold the other to a lower,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/it-was-sad-the-imbalance-of-it-all-why-do-kids-assume-so-much-from/)

[Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

[Explore all 962 Mitch Albom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/)

## More Grow quotes

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/)

[Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [I just want to grow spiritually with the Lord,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/i-just-want-to-grow-spiritually-with-the-lord/)

[Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/)

> [I've never been one to stay in a complacent place where I just let the grass grow around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-lawrence/i-ve-never-been-one-to-stay-in-a-complacent-place-where-i-just-let/)

[Tracy Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-lawrence/)

> [As I grow through love, so grows my joy, ever more present, ever more constant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/as-i-grow-through-love-so-grows-my-joy-ever-more-present-ever-more/)

[M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/)

> [“It is up to you. How far you want to go and how far you want to grow. Do not let that your worries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yilda-rivera/it-is-up-to-you-how-far-you-want-to-go-and-how-far-you-want-to-grow/)

[Yilda Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yilda-rivera/)

> [I had to grow up quite fast, trying to cook for myself, trying to make laundry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jannik-sinner/i-had-to-grow-up-quite-fast-trying-to-cook-for-myself-trying-to-make/)

[Jannik Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jannik-sinner/)

> [“Our first teacher is our own heart. When we begin to tune in and listen to our heart we can bring our thoughts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-l-white/our-first-teacher-is-our-own-heart-when-we-begin-to-tune-in-and/)

[Victoria L. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-l-white/)

> [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/)

[Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/)

> [I wish I had more hair on my head. Maybe if I sprinkled fertilizer on it, it would grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-bax/i-wish-i-had-more-hair-on-my-head-maybe-if-i-sprinkled-fertilizer-on/)

[Kylie Bax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-bax/)

> [I turned to my mom and said, 'I'm going to be a martial arts movie star.' She didn't believe me, and neither did my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-turned-to-my-mom-and-said-i-m-going-to-be-a-martial-arts-movie-star/)

[Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/)

> [The basic idea of retirement income is, to me, to get a check, two checks every month, one from your fixed income and one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-bogle/the-basic-idea-of-retirement-income-is-to-me-to-get-a-check-two/)

[John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/)

> [I want to keep trying something new all the time. It is the only way to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akkineni-nagarjuna/i-want-to-keep-trying-something-new-all-the-time-it-is-the-only-way/)

[Akkineni Nagarjuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akkineni-nagarjuna/)

> [“Could you tell me how to grow--or is it unconveyed--like Melody--or Witchcraft?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/could-you-tell-me-how-to-grow-or-is-it-unconveyed-like-melody-or/)

[Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/)

[Browse all 3,917 Grow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“That's who I want to be when I grow up.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mitch Albom"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Grow"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/mitch-albom-187_grow_that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-2_2695326.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/mitch-albom-187_grow_that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-2_2695326.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/mitch-albom-187_grow_that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up-2_2695326.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That's who I want to be when I grow up.” — Mitch Albom",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mitch Albom",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“That's who I want to be...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/that-s-who-i-want-to-be-when-i-grow-up/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```