--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were defined by what we did. What we…" description: "\"We were defined by what we did. What we had to do. I think this is why guys like football, and why they join the army, because as long as you are playi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/pete-hautman-21164_army_we-were-defined-by-what-we-did-what-we-h_2069131.jpg" --- # We were defined by what we did. What we had to do. I think… ![“We were defined by what we did. What we had to do. I think this is why guys like football, and why they join the army, because as long as you are playing the game or following orders you do not have to figure out who you really are.” quote by Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/pete-hautman-21164_army_we-were-defined-by-what-we-did-what-we-h_2069131.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/pete-hautman-21164_army_we-were-defined-by-what-we-did-what-we-h_2069131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/824/pete-hautman-21164_army_we-were-defined-by-what-we-did-what-we-h_2069131.jpg) > “We were defined by what we did. What we had to do. I think this is why guys like football, and why they join the army, because as long as you are playing the game or following orders you do not have to figure out who you really are.” [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity is shaped by actions and roles; external duties can mask self‑exploration. **In simple terms:** Roles define us, but hide true self. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond imposed roles. Themes identity role masculinity purpose self‑discovery Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - military service - team sports - career choices - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism social expectation Questions to Reflect On - What activities reveal your true self? - How can you balance duty with self‑exploration? A Different Perspective Relying solely on external roles may limit authentic self‑knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/) [Figures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures/) [Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following/) [Following orders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-orders/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football Join](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-join-3986133/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Guys Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guys-like/) [Joining the army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joining-the-army/) [Like Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-football/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Playing The Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-the-game/) [Think Guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-guys/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I was thinking while I was laying down well girls don't be sad if a guy u like doesn't like u there's Billing no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramiro-zu-iga-jr/i-was-thinking-while-i-was-laying-down-well-girls-don-t-be-sad-if-a/) [Ramiro Zuñiga Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramiro-zu-iga-jr/) > [I think for guys - you're going to have some people that are willing to be on the front line. You think of guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mccourty/i-think-for-guys-you-re-going-to-have-some-people-that-are-willing-to/) [Jason McCourty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mccourty/) > [I think guys like Cena work very hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-sammartino/i-think-guys-like-cena-work-very-hard/) [Bruno Sammartino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-sammartino/) > [I like the guys that like football. And the guys that like football, they all like me back. And the ones that don't like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/i-like-the-guys-that-like-football-and-the-guys-that-like-football/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [I guess if you're stupid enough to join the army without thinking about getting shot at, then you really are a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-blunt/i-guess-if-you-re-stupid-enough-to-join-the-army-without-thinking/) [James Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-blunt/) > [If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rangel/if-a-young-fella-has-an-option-of-having-a-decent-career-or-joining/) [Charles Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rangel/) > [There's no such thing as too far. If it works it's funny, if it doesn't work it's too far, it's stupid. Really there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-brooks/there-s-no-such-thing-as-too-far-if-it-works-it-s-funny-if-it-doesn-t/) [Mel Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-brooks/) > [Call Of Duty will have a guy thinking about joining the army...then finally you realize how many times you died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lazarus-michael/call-of-duty-will-have-a-guy-thinking-about-joining-the-army-then/) [Lazarus Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lazarus-michael/) > [Yeah, I know I should be fighting for gay rights, but who wants to join the army or get married anyway?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/yeah-i-know-i-should-be-fighting-for-gay-rights-but-who-wants-to-join/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [“Jamie used the time away from me to do some soul-searching. She finally also did something she’d thought about for a long time. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/jamie-used-the-time-away-from-me-to-do-some-soul-searching-she/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) > [Join the army and see the next world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/join-the-army-and-see-the-next-world/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [I have always had the passion of joining the army.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-thakur/i-have-always-had-the-passion-of-joining-the-army/) [Anurag Thakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-thakur/) > [It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zell-miller/it-is-the-soldier-not-the-poet-who-has-given-us-freedom-of-speech/) [Zell Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zell-miller/) > [So the whole of war, when you look at it is probably run by professional soldiers, and the rest of them are just recruits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-scarfe/so-the-whole-of-war-when-you-look-at-it-is-probably-run-by/) [Gerald Scarfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-scarfe/) > [My father was furious with me, absolutely furious. I'm sure he wouldn't have been so mad if I'd have volunteered to join the army.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/my-father-was-furious-with-me-absolutely-furious-i-m-sure-he-wouldn-t/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) ## More by Pete Hautman > [“Murphy's face went through several mutations as he spoke, as if small animals were scurrying about just beneath his skin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/murphy-s-face-went-through-several-mutations-as-he-spoke-as-if-small/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“Dear Miz Fitz, My boyfriend is superhot so a lot of girls think up reasons to talk to him. It drives me... ...Out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/dear-miz-fitz-my-boyfriend-is-superhot-so-a-lot-of-girls-think-up/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [We connect through our dreams. Like we could be a thousand miles apart and I'd still know you were there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/we-connect-through-our-dreams-like-we-could-be-a-thousand-miles-apart/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“People in groups are like sheep. Like, when your very best friend is surrounded by other people, she cares more about what everybody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/people-in-groups-are-like-sheep-like-when-your-very-best-friend-is/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“Guys have four personalities: the one they use with their parents, the one they use around other adults, the one they use for talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/guys-have-four-personalities-the-one-they-use-with-their-parents-the/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“Do they really think that attending mass will make them better, or happier, or save them from an eternity of hellfire? Maybe they do.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/do-they-really-think-that-attending-mass-will-make-them-better-or/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [Later it might see moronic, but at that time it all made perfect sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/later-it-might-see-moronic-but-at-that-time-it-all-made-perfect-sense/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“He's kinda shy. Maybe I should ask him out." "I think it's more traditional for you to trick him into asking you out. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/he-s-kinda-shy-maybe-i-should-ask-him-out-i-think-it-s-more/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“He's a guy. He has built in testosterone issues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/he-s-a-guy-he-has-built-in-testosterone-issues/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“So who are you today?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/so-who-are-you-today/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“...TV was entertainment of the last resort. There was nothing on during the day in the summer other than game shows and soap operas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/tv-was-entertainment-of-the-last-resort-there-was-nothing-on-during/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [How do you know it's not true if you don't believe in it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/how-do-you-know-it-s-not-true-if-you-don-t-believe-in-it/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“I didn't know what to say, but one thing was for sure: The Bank of Ted was closed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/i-didn-t-know-what-to-say-but-one-thing-was-for-sure-the-bank-of-ted/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [Yes, books are dangerous. They should be dangerous - they contain ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/yes-books-are-dangerous-they-should-be-dangerous-they-contain-ideas/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) > [“Anyway, the reason I hate communion isn't the meat-eating component. I get hungry enough, I'll eat anything. The reason I hate it is because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hautman/anyway-the-reason-i-hate-communion-isn-t-the-meat-eating-component-i/) [Pete Hautman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) [Explore all 29 Pete Hautman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hautman/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. 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Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We were defined by what we did. What we had to do. 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