--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can honestly say that I'm not a person…" description: "\"I can honestly say that I'm not a person who thinks about awards, as much I think about the work itself.\" — Oprah Winfrey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/oprah-winfrey-186_award_i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person_169348.png" --- # I can honestly say that I'm not a person who thinks about… ![“I can honestly say that I'm not a person who thinks about awards, as much I think about the work itself.” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/oprah-winfrey-186_award_i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person_169348.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/oprah-winfrey-186_award_i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person_169348.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/oprah-winfrey-186_award_i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person_169348.png) > “I can honestly say that I'm not a person who thinks about awards, as much I think about the work itself.” [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing the intrinsic value of work over external accolades fosters genuine dedication and fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Focus on the work, not the awards. Key Takeaway Let passion drive your efforts. Themes work ethic intrinsic motivation recognition fulaling Mood inspired reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - personal growth Key Concepts purpose quality self‑validation Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you beyond external validation? - How does focusing on craft affect success? A Different Perspective Awards can still influence opportunities and perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I don't believe in awards, and I think only film fare awards are faring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allu-arjun/i-don-t-believe-in-awards-and-i-think-only-film-fare-awards-are-faring/) [Allu Arjun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allu-arjun/) > [On a personal level, I love the idea of hosting an awards show. I think that sounds like kind of a fun thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-levi/on-a-personal-level-i-love-the-idea-of-hosting-an-awards-show-i-think/) [Zachary Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-levi/) > [I don't really have to worry about any awards. I think winning the national championship says a lot more than those.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-lawrence/i-don-t-really-have-to-worry-about-any-awards-i-think-winning-the/) [Trevor Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-lawrence/) > [When I win awards, I think of my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/when-i-win-awards-i-think-of-my-father/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [ I think that this win \[Grammy\] in particular was a cool moment for me and the director \[Emil Nava\], because it was the first… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/i-think-that-this-win-grammy-in-particular-was-a-cool-moment-for-me/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [I'm not an awards-driven person in anything. Anytime you do get caught up in that, you usually end up getting whacked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-baldwin/i-m-not-an-awards-driven-person-in-anything-anytime-you-do-get-caught/) [Alec Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-baldwin/) > [Awards are an encouragement. An award is not something we aim at while making a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/awards-are-an-encouragement-an-award-is-not-something-we-aim-at-while/) [Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/) > [The Heisman is the biggest award I've ever won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-sanders/the-heisman-is-the-biggest-award-i-ve-ever-won/) [Barry Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-sanders/) > [I have always believed that awards are like accessories to a car. They are very similar to the rear view mirror in a car,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-kulkarni/i-have-always-believed-that-awards-are-like-accessories-to-a-car-they/) [Atul Kulkarni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-kulkarni/) > [I gave a very dear friend of mine my humanitarian award. Because you don't need an award to be, or not be, a humanitarian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-taylor/i-gave-a-very-dear-friend-of-mine-my-humanitarian-award-because-you/) [Elizabeth Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-taylor/) > [I don't like to sit and bask in my own awards. Awards represent artistic death to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-cole/i-don-t-like-to-sit-and-bask-in-my-own-awards-awards-represent/) [Paula Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-cole/) > [I think that there should be a Gaius Baltar Award for Moral Cowardice given out to people every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-callis/i-think-that-there-should-be-a-gaius-baltar-award-for-moral-cowardice/) [James Callis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-callis/) > [You don't measure life by receiving awards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-baryshnikov/you-don-t-measure-life-by-receiving-awards/) [Mikhail Baryshnikov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-baryshnikov/) > [You don't want to make awards the reason you're doing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/you-don-t-want-to-make-awards-the-reason-you-re-doing-things/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [I'm not a great believer in awards-of course the fact that I've never won one has nothing to do with it at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-m-not-a-great-believer-in-awards-of-course-the-fact-that-i-ve-never/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) ## More by Oprah Winfrey > [I've seen that many times in rural African villages where people have nothing but a hut and a bowl. The joy in the children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-ve-seen-that-many-times-in-rural-african-villages-where-people-have/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [These French-style caramels are handmade in California. It's always hard to give them away!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/these-french-style-caramels-are-handmade-in-california-it-s-always/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I was in a conversation and someone said: "You know, we were talking about the whole issue of transgender and how it has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-was-in-a-conversation-and-someone-said-you-know-we-were-talking/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Forgiveness is about letting go of the past and not holding on to it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/forgiveness-is-about-letting-go-of-the-past-and-not-holding-on-to-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [The deepest courage we can exercise is continuing to believe in our dreams until we make them come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/the-deepest-courage-we-can-exercise-is-continuing-to-believe-in-our/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [If you can see it, and believe it, it is a LOT easier to achieve it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/if-you-can-see-it-and-believe-it-it-is-a-lot-easier-to-achieve-it/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It's why you were born. And how you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/there-is-no-greater-gift-you-can-give-or-receive-than-to-honor-your/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Gratitude is the single greatest treasure I will take with me from this experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/gratitude-is-the-single-greatest-treasure-i-will-take-with-me-from/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I am disappointed by this controversy surrounding A Million Little Pieces because I rely on the publishers to define the category that a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-am-disappointed-by-this-controversy-surrounding-a-million-little/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Keep a grateful journal. Every night, list five things that you are grateful for. What it will begin to do is change our perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/keep-a-grateful-journal-every-night-list-five-things-that-you-are/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I want every day to be a fresh start on expanding what is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-want-every-day-to-be-a-fresh-start-on-expanding-what-is-possible/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [We often block our own blessings because we don't feel inherently good enough or smart enough or pretty enough or worthy enough... You're worthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/we-often-block-our-own-blessings-because-we-don-t-feel-inherently/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [One if the hardest things in life to learn are which bridges to cross and which bridges to burn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/one-if-the-hardest-things-in-life-to-learn-are-which-bridges-to-cross/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [You must feed your mind with reading material, thoughts, and ideas that open you to new possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/you-must-feed-your-mind-with-reading-material-thoughts-and-ideas-that/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [Your soul tells you when it's time to move on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/your-soul-tells-you-when-it-s-time-to-move-on/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) [Explore all 971 Oprah Winfrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) ## More Award quotes > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [I love my role in 'Deshamuduru' but I did not get any award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali/i-love-my-role-in-deshamuduru-but-i-did-not-get-any-award/) [Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [Some of my contemporaries don't want to talk about the female problem because they feel like whenever they get a teaching position or an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/du-yun/some-of-my-contemporaries-don-t-want-to-talk-about-the-female-problem/) [Du Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/du-yun/) > [I'm not a great believer in awards-of course the fact that I've never won one has nothing to do with it at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-banks/i-m-not-a-great-believer-in-awards-of-course-the-fact-that-i-ve-never/) [Iain Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-banks/) > [Any award the NBA gives you, whether it's on the court or off the court, it's definitely an honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristan-thompson/any-award-the-nba-gives-you-whether-it-s-on-the-court-or-off-the/) [Tristan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristan-thompson/) > [I look to a time when brotherhood needs no publicity; to a time when a brotherhood award would be as ridiculous as an award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-mich/i-look-to-a-time-when-brotherhood-needs-no-publicity-to-a-time-when-a/) Daniel D. Mich > [I am not after any award. Love and affection of the audience is the biggest award for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukesh-tiwari/i-am-not-after-any-award-love-and-affection-of-the-audience-is-the/) [Mukesh Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukesh-tiwari/) > [I don't like the energy at award shows. It's rehearsed and everybody is just focused on themselves and nobody wants to genuinely applaud for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaani-kapoor/i-don-t-like-the-energy-at-award-shows-it-s-rehearsed-and-everybody/) [Vaani Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaani-kapoor/) > [You don't want to make awards the reason you're doing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nolte/you-don-t-want-to-make-awards-the-reason-you-re-doing-things/) [Nick Nolte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nolte/) > [Winning or not winning an award doesn't affect me. I just like to do my work in the best possible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/winning-or-not-winning-an-award-doesn-t-affect-me-i-just-like-to-do/) KK > [I don't feel I have to acknowledge how I'm doing by an award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-smits/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-acknowledge-how-i-m-doing-by-an-award/) [Jimmy Smits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-smits/) > [I never thought I would get a National Award. For me, it was huge, and I got complacent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/i-never-thought-i-would-get-a-national-award-for-me-it-was-huge-and-i/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [You don't do a play to compete for an award. This was the argument I always had over the Oscars. I didn't win them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/you-don-t-do-a-play-to-compete-for-an-award-this-was-the-argument-i/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [I was on MTV's 'Real World' at the time when 'Queer Eye' came out. I remember, the first time I won an award, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/i-was-on-mtv-s-real-world-at-the-time-when-queer-eye-came-out-i/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) Browse all 647 Award quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can honestly say that I'm not a person who thinks about awards, as much I think about the work itself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oprah Winfrey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person-who-thinks-about-awards-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Award" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person-who-thinks-about-awards-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/oprah-winfrey-186_award_i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person_169348.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/oprah-winfrey-186_award_i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person_169348.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/oprah-winfrey-186_award_i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person_169348.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can honestly say that I'm not a person who thinks about awards, as much I think about the work itself.” — Oprah Winfrey", "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": "Oprah Winfrey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can honestly say that I'm...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person-who-thinks-about-awards-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/i-can-honestly-say-that-i-m-not-a-person-who-thinks-about-awards-as/#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 } } ] } ```