--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It goes a long way back, some twenty…" description: "\"It goes a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ralph-ellison-2676_accepted_it-goes-a-long-way-back-some-twenty-year_2757277.png" --- # It goes a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I… ![“It goes a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naive. I was looking for myself and…” quote by Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ralph-ellison-2676_accepted_it-goes-a-long-way-back-some-twenty-year_2757277.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ralph-ellison-2676_accepted_it-goes-a-long-way-back-some-twenty-year_2757277.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a6/ralph-ellison-2676_accepted_it-goes-a-long-way-back-some-twenty-year_2757277.png) > “It goes a long way back, some twenty years. All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naive. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: That I am nobody but myself. But first I had to discover that I am an invisible man!” [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator discovers that true identity comes from within, not from external labels or others' expectations. **In simple terms:** Self‑identity is found inside, not from others. Key Takeaway Look inward for your true self. Themes identity self‑discovery authenticity Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal growth - therapy - career decisions - creative projects Key Concepts existentialism psychology individualism Questions to Reflect On - What labels have you adopted from others? - How can you trust your own inner voice? A Different Perspective External validation can never replace inner truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Invisible Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible-man/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Realization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realization/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-discovery/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) ## Related quotes > [All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/all-my-life-i-had-been-looking-for-something-and-everywhere-i-turned-2/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/it-took-me-a-long-time-and-much-painful-boomeranging-of-my/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [“I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. 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