--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What matters to people with disabilities…" description: "\"“What matters to people with disabilities is how they can lead rewarding lives twenty or thirty years from now.”\" — Naoki Higashida" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/naoki-higashida-10961_autism_what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities_1903368.png" --- # What matters to people with disabilities is how they can… ![“What matters to people with disabilities is how they can lead rewarding lives twenty or thirty years from now.” quote by Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/naoki-higashida-10961_autism_what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities_1903368.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/naoki-higashida-10961_autism_what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities_1903368.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/naoki-higashida-10961_autism_what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities_1903368.png) > ““What matters to people with disabilities is how they can lead rewarding lives twenty or thirty years from now.”” [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that for people with disabilities, the focus should be on long‑term quality of life and meaningful experiences, not just immediate accommodations. **In simple terms:** Disability should be about future fulfillment. Key Takeaway Plan for rewarding, long‑term life. Themes disability future planning quality of life inclusion empowerment Mood optimistic pragmatic inspirational Type advocacy philosophical When to use this quote - career counseling - policy making - education planning - support services Key Concepts life‑course perspective rights‑based approach personal development Questions to Reflect On - What steps ensure both present support and future fulfillment? - How can society balance short‑term aid with long‑term empowerment? A Different Perspective May overlook immediate needs and barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) [Disabilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabilities/) [Disabilities Lead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disabilities-lead-2822151/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Matters People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matters-people/) [People Disabilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-disabilities/) [People with disabilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-with-disabilities/) [Rewarding Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewarding-lives-2822152/) [Thirty years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirty-years/) ## Related quotes > [A lot of roles for people with disabilities are quite patronising. It's a real pity when they are just used to give dull PC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/a-lot-of-roles-for-people-with-disabilities-are-quite-patronising-it/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [A lot of society tries to put people with disabilities into one cube, and when you think about it, many, many people have different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/itzhak-perlman/a-lot-of-society-tries-to-put-people-with-disabilities-into-one-cube/) [Itzhak Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/itzhak-perlman/) > [The problem for many people with disabilities is not that we are not able to work a certain number of hours a week. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/the-problem-for-many-people-with-disabilities-is-not-that-we-are-not/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [People with disabilities can grow up thinking they have a weakness because they are told,You will never do this properly; you will never walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-mitte/people-with-disabilities-can-grow-up-thinking-they-have-a-weakness/) [RJ Mitte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-mitte/) > [People with disabilities ROCK! Each are different ... expect it, respect it, and accept it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/people-with-disabilities-rock-each-are-different-expect-it-respect-it/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [Those we most often exclude from the normal life of society, people with disabilities, have profound lessons to teach us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/those-we-most-often-exclude-from-the-normal-life-of-society-people/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [Throughout history people with disabilities have been institutionalized and segregated, which tends to make you think that it's a group in need of charity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-ruderman/throughout-history-people-with-disabilities-have-been/) [Jay Ruderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-ruderman/) > [“Social justice is for everyone, including people with disabilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/social-justice-is-for-everyone-including-people-with-disabilities/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [People with disabilities and health conditions have enough challenges in life. Dealing with my department should not be one of them. So my ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-rudd/people-with-disabilities-and-health-conditions-have-enough-challenges/) [Amber Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-rudd/) > [Believe me, people with disabilities are just as concerned about benefit fraud as anyone else. Money spent on those who are not in need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/believe-me-people-with-disabilities-are-just-as-concerned-about/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [I get so many tweets and emails from young people with disabilities or disfigurements who also want to act, or do TV or do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pearson/i-get-so-many-tweets-and-emails-from-young-people-with-disabilities/) [Adam Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pearson/) > [“In 1996, when Senator Bob Dole runs against President Clinton, it’s a historic moment for people with disabilities. No one with a visible disability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-mattlin/in-1996-when-senator-bob-dole-runs-against-president-clinton-it-s-a/) [Ben Mattlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-mattlin/) > [I was introduced to 7 Charming Sisters at an Emmy Award Show event. When they approached me to become a brand ambassador, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-brewer/i-was-introduced-to-7-charming-sisters-at-an-emmy-award-show-event/) [Jamie Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-brewer/) > [Disabled people need more invested in their education, housing, job training, transportation, assistive technology, and independent-living facilities. Governments earn back this investment - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/disabled-people-need-more-invested-in-their-education-housing-job/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I think one in five Americans has a disability of some sort. That's 20% of the population, and yet we rarely ever see people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hong-chau/i-think-one-in-five-americans-has-a-disability-of-some-sort-that-s-20/) [Hong Chau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hong-chau/) ## More by Naoki Higashida > [“What I, as a person with special needs, longed for was to be taught what role, what purpose, I could have in society, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/what-i-as-a-person-with-special-needs-longed-for-was-to-be-taught/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [But I ask you, those of you who are with us all day, not to stress yourselves out because of us. When you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/but-i-ask-you-those-of-you-who-are-with-us-all-day-not-to-stress/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [People with autism never, ever feel at ease, wherever we are. Because of this, we wander off - or run away - in search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/people-with-autism-never-ever-feel-at-ease-wherever-we-are-because-of/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [The thought that our lives are the source of other people's unhappiness, that's plain unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/the-thought-that-our-lives-are-the-source-of-other-people-s/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“People can only understand their own pain. Even a genuine desire to help a person with a disability can become a burden or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/people-can-only-understand-their-own-pain-even-a-genuine-desire-to/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“Traveling with people who have special needs might present difficulties, but please, let it happen. We all need a break and a change of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/traveling-with-people-who-have-special-needs-might-present/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [When you see an object, it seems that you see it as an entire thing first, and only afterwards do its details follow on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/when-you-see-an-object-it-seems-that-you-see-it-as-an-entire-thing/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [True compassion is about not bruising the other person’s self-respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/true-compassion-is-about-not-bruising-the-other-person-s-self-respect/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“Naoki is anticipating his audience’s emotions and manipulating them. That is empathy. The conclusion is that both emotional poverty and an aversion to company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/naoki-is-anticipating-his-audience-s-emotions-and-manipulating-them/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“I would like people to stop pressuring children to make friends. Friendships can’t be artificially created.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/i-would-like-people-to-stop-pressuring-children-to-make-friends/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“... for me the number one reason is that us people with autism love the greenness of nature. ... Our fondness for nature is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/for-me-the-number-one-reason-is-that-us-people-with-autism-love-the/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“autism is more like retina patterns than measles”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/autism-is-more-like-retina-patterns-than-measles/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“What brought you here isn't your fault. We human beings have to live each day to its fullest and do our best in whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/what-brought-you-here-isn-t-your-fault-we-human-beings-have-to-live/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“So how do people with autism see the world, exactly? We, only we, can ever know the answer to that one! Sometimes I actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/so-how-do-people-with-autism-see-the-world-exactly-we-only-we-can/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) > [“We do take pleasure in one thing that you probably won't be able to guess. Namely, making friends with nature. ... nature is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/we-do-take-pleasure-in-one-thing-that-you-probably-won-t-be-able-to/) [Naoki Higashida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) [Explore all 62 Naoki Higashida quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/) ## More Autism quotes > [“We know that children with autism like order, that they are often very visual and that they can be quite literal. They deserve beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele-devine/we-know-that-children-with-autism-like-order-that-they-are-often-very/) [Adele Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele-devine/) > [In fact, when we as neuro-typical people encounter a person with autism spectrum syndrome who's always been that way it is that we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/in-fact-when-we-as-neuro-typical-people-encounter-a-person-with/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [If you give us a safe vaccine, we'll use it. It shouldn't be polio versus autism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/if-you-give-us-a-safe-vaccine-we-ll-use-it-it-shouldn-t-be-polio/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [Autism is a big continuum, going from someone who remains nonverbal, all the way up to geniuses on Silicon Valley. And some kids are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/autism-is-a-big-continuum-going-from-someone-who-remains-nonverbal/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Metaphor isn't just a fancy turn of speech. It shapes our thoughts and feelings, reaches out to grasp new experience, and even binds our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-richardson/metaphor-isn-t-just-a-fancy-turn-of-speech-it-shapes-our-thoughts-and/) [James Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-richardson/) > [The position of Autism Speaks has been for quite awhile that we need to find out what's happening. We know there's a genetic component,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-emken/the-position-of-autism-speaks-has-been-for-quite-awhile-that-we-need/) [Elizabeth Emken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-emken/) > [Some people with autism who don't talk, all they hear are vowel sounds. Like if I said 'cup,' they might just hear 'uh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/some-people-with-autism-who-don-t-talk-all-they-hear-are-vowel-sounds/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/children-must-be-taught-how-to-think-not-what-to-think/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. If you have severe autism, you could remain nonverbal. You don't want people to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/mild-autism-can-give-you-a-genius-like-einstein-if-you-have-severe/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [“The autistic mind is not the wave at the surface of the ocean, but the whole world that exists below.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krissy-bells/the-autistic-mind-is-not-the-wave-at-the-surface-of-the-ocean-but-the/) [Krissy Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krissy-bells/) > [In the person with autism, the brain may already be seeing the part and be less distracted by the whole, and in the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baron-cohen/in-the-person-with-autism-the-brain-may-already-be-seeing-the-part/) [Simon Baron-Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baron-cohen/) > [I think that the definition of autism is too broad. You got to remember, autism definition is a behavioral profiling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-think-that-the-definition-of-autism-is-too-broad-you-got-to/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [There is a small segment of people with autism that have savant skills, where they can memorize entire maps of whole entire city. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/there-is-a-small-segment-of-people-with-autism-that-have-savant/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [When you have autism or aspergers, it's so hard to get a social life but trust me, in the end everyone can achieve at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lia/when-you-have-autism-or-aspergers-it-s-so-hard-to-get-a-social-life/) [Lia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lia/) > [“Unfortunately, by this time it didn't matter. Self-diagnosed autistics and fakers were asking diagnosed autistics whether or not they had a diagnosis, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-d-taylor/unfortunately-by-this-time-it-didn-t-matter-self-diagnosed-autistics/) [Thomas D. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-d-taylor/) [Browse all 621 Autism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What matters to people with disabilities is how they can lead rewarding lives twenty or thirty years from now.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Naoki Higashida" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities-is-how-they-can-lead/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Autism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities-is-how-they-can-lead/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/naoki-higashida-10961_autism_what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities_1903368.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/naoki-higashida-10961_autism_what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities_1903368.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e9/naoki-higashida-10961_autism_what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities_1903368.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What matters to people with disabilities is how they can lead rewarding lives twenty or thirty years from now.” — Naoki Higashida", "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": "Naoki Higashida", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naoki-higashida/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What matters to people with disabilities...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities-is-how-they-can-lead/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naoki-higashida/what-matters-to-people-with-disabilities-is-how-they-can-lead/#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 } } ] } ```