--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I still had this idea that there was a…" description: "\"“I still had this idea that there was a whole world of marvelous golden people somewhere, as far ahead of me as the seniors at Rye when I was in the si..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/richard-yates-2840_first-time_i-still-had-this-idea-that-there-was-a-w_2480775.jpg" --- # I still had this idea that there was a whole world of… ![“I still had this idea that there was a whole world of marvelous golden people somewhere, as far ahead of me as the seniors at Rye when I was in the sixth grade; people who knew everything instinctively, who made their lives work out the way they wanted without even trying, who never had to make…” quote by Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/richard-yates-2840_first-time_i-still-had-this-idea-that-there-was-a-w_2480775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/richard-yates-2840_first-time_i-still-had-this-idea-that-there-was-a-w_2480775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ba/richard-yates-2840_first-time_i-still-had-this-idea-that-there-was-a-w_2480775.jpg) > ““I still had this idea that there was a whole world of marvelous golden people somewhere, as far ahead of me as the seniors at Rye when I was in the sixth grade; people who knew everything instinctively, who made their lives work out the way they wanted without even trying, who never had to make the best of a bad job because it never occured to them to do anything less then perfectly the first time. Sort of heroic super-people, all of them beautiful and witty and calm and kind, and I always imagined that when I did find them I'd suddenly know that I Belonged among them, that I was one of them, that I'd been meant to be one of them all along, and everything in the meantime had been a mistake; and they'd know it too. I'd be like the ugly duckling among the swans.”” [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) ## 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 envies an idealized group of flawless people, feeling inadequate and believing his life is a mistake until he joins them. **In simple terms:** Feeling inferior to imagined perfect people. Key Takeaway Accept imperfection; seek authentic self. Themes insecurity identity self‑esteem idealism Mood longing hopeful reflective Type literary psychological inspirational When to use this quote - adolescence - career - relationships - social circles Key Concepts comparison self‑acceptance perfectionism Questions to Reflect On - Do you compare yourself to unrealistic standards? - How can you value your own unique path? A Different Perspective Idealized perfection is unattainable and can hinder growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Golden People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golden-people-860837/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Rye Sixth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rye-sixth-860839/) [Seniors Rye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seniors-rye-860838/) [Sixth grade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixth-grade/) [Super People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/super-people-860840/) [Trying to fit in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-to-fit-in/) [Ugly duckling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly-duckling/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [“You still felt that life was passing you by? Sort of. I still had this idea that there was a whole world of marvelous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/you-still-felt-that-life-was-passing-you-by-sort-of-i-still-had-this/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [There is a whole myth about super people. That super people can do everything and they do it on their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/therese-rein/there-is-a-whole-myth-about-super-people-that-super-people-can-do/) [Therese Rein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/therese-rein/) > [I don't see that we're any different than many, many people that are out there. 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I wore, said, and did pretty much what everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/like-most-people-i-have-painful-memories-of-trying-to-fit-in-as-a/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) ## More by Richard Yates > [“Rachel was a girl who depended on small, recurrent rituals - that was one of the things he'd come to know about her, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/rachel-was-a-girl-who-depended-on-small-recurrent-rituals-that-was/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“In the East, he then believed, a man went to college not for vocational training but in disciplined search for wisdom and beauty, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/in-the-east-he-then-believed-a-man-went-to-college-not-for-vocational/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [God knows there certainly ought to be a window around here somewhere, for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/god-knows-there-certainly-ought-to-be-a-window-around-here-somewhere/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“And you know what else I used to love? 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It’s the inability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/do-you-know-what-the-definition-of-insane-is-yes-it-s-the-inability/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“It had been easy to decide in favor of love on Bethune Street, in favor of walking proud and naked on the grass rug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/it-had-been-easy-to-decide-in-favor-of-love-on-bethune-street-in/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [Anybody's marriage might benefit from an occasional embargo on talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/anybody-s-marriage-might-benefit-from-an-occasional-embargo-on-talk/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“Sometimes in dreams there are visions of the past. 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And for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-monir/i-m-waiting-for-you-he-murmured-smiling-a-slow-familiar-grin-that/) [Alexandra Monir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-monir/) > [“Treat every natural beauty you met as if you see them for the first and last time!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/treat-every-natural-beauty-you-met-as-if-you-see-them-for-the-first/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/) [Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) [Mennah al refaey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mennah-al-refaey/) > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. 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Sort of heroic super-people, all of them beautiful and witty and calm and kind, and I always imagined that when I did find them I'd suddenly know that I Belonged among them, that I was one of them, that I'd been meant to be one of them all along, and everything in the meantime had been a mistake; and they'd know it too. 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