--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The expectation of my life was that I…" description: "\"The expectation of my life was that I might be able to work for some good white folks. Now I got some good white folks working for me.\" — Oprah Winfrey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/oprah-winfrey-186_able_the-expectation-of-my-life-was-that-i-mi_2385626.png" --- # The expectation of my life was that I might be able to… ![“The expectation of my life was that I might be able to work for some good white folks. Now I got some good white folks working for me.” quote by Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/oprah-winfrey-186_able_the-expectation-of-my-life-was-that-i-mi_2385626.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/oprah-winfrey-186_able_the-expectation-of-my-life-was-that-i-mi_2385626.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e9/oprah-winfrey-186_able_the-expectation-of-my-life-was-that-i-mi_2385626.png) > “The expectation of my life was that I might be able to work for some good white folks. Now I got some good white folks working for me.” [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. She reversed a power dynamic, moving from serving others to having others serve her. **In simple terms:** From servant to leader. Key Takeaway Recognize and shift power structures. Themes empowerment role reversal social mobility Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational leadership When to use this quote - career advancement - entrepreneurship - community leadership Key Concepts sociology leadership economics Questions to Reflect On - How does power affect responsibility? - What ethical duties arise when roles reverse? A Different Perspective Power shifts can create resentment if not handled ethically. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [Life is all about experiences and being able to work with good people is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhumika-chawla/life-is-all-about-experiences-and-being-able-to-work-with-good-people/) [Bhumika Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhumika-chawla/) > [I'm blessed to be able to work at something that I'm good at, and that I love. It's not something I take for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/i-m-blessed-to-be-able-to-work-at-something-that-i-m-good-at-and-that/) [Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/) > [I'm not bad (his speed). I'm no Joe Morgan, but I'm pretty good for a white guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/i-m-not-bad-his-speed-i-m-no-joe-morgan-but-i-m-pretty-good-for-a/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [My definition of good is that you understand that this is a question of power. That you be willing to give up some power.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sister-souljah/my-definition-of-good-is-that-you-understand-that-this-is-a-question/) [Sister Souljah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sister-souljah/) > [If in doubt, anything looks good with a white shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/if-in-doubt-anything-looks-good-with-a-white-shirt/) [Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/) > [Your life experience will never far exceed the expectations of your peers, because to stay connected to them there is an unconscious contract that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/your-life-experience-will-never-far-exceed-the-expectations-of-your/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [I shattered every expectation for my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamarcus-russell/i-shattered-every-expectation-for-my-life/) [JaMarcus Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamarcus-russell/) > [I'm afraid to live any place but in expectation. I'm no life-risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/i-m-afraid-to-live-any-place-but-in-expectation-i-m-no-life-risk/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [The future is just your hope, expectation. And when this life is not fulfilling you start looking further, beyond death. All these are fictions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-future-is-just-your-hope-expectation-and-when-this-life-is-not/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I don't do well with expectation in my life. All I can do is do the best that I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-renner/i-don-t-do-well-with-expectation-in-my-life-all-i-can-do-is-do-the/) [Jeremy Renner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-renner/) > [“You have neat, tight expectation of what life out to give you, but you won't get it. That isn't what life does. Life does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florida-scott-maxwell/you-have-neat-tight-expectation-of-what-life-out-to-give-you-but-you/) [Florida Scott-Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florida-scott-maxwell/) > [Now they're calling taking drugs an epidemic - that's cos white folks are doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pryor/now-they-re-calling-taking-drugs-an-epidemic-that-s-cos-white-folks/) [Richard Pryor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pryor/) > [I thought, maybe the difference between white folks and colored is just this matter of reading and writing. I made up my mind I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mcleod-bethune/i-thought-maybe-the-difference-between-white-folks-and-colored-is/) [Mary McLeod Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mcleod-bethune/) > [As soon as white folks say a play's good, the theater is jammed with blacks and whites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/as-soon-as-white-folks-say-a-play-s-good-the-theater-is-jammed-with/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [I think we should be able to work until we want to stop, which is what I'm going to have to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fox/i-think-we-should-be-able-to-work-until-we-want-to-stop-which-is-what/) [Laurence Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fox/) ## 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 Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [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/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The expectation of my life was that I might be able to work for some good white folks. 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