--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I stepped away to find out more about…" description: "\"I stepped away to find out more about myself, which I was having difficulty doing as a football player. I got a chance to travel the world. I studied E..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/ricky-williams-6740_away_i-stepped-away-to-find-out-more-about-my_1715783.png" --- # I stepped away to find out more about myself, which I was… ![“I stepped away to find out more about myself, which I was having difficulty doing as a football player. I got a chance to travel the world. I studied Eastern philosophy, and I've grown as a person so much.” quote by Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/ricky-williams-6740_away_i-stepped-away-to-find-out-more-about-my_1715783.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/ricky-williams-6740_away_i-stepped-away-to-find-out-more-about-my_1715783.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64a/ricky-williams-6740_away_i-stepped-away-to-find-out-more-about-my_1715783.png) > “I stepped away to find out more about myself, which I was having difficulty doing as a football player. I got a chance to travel the world. I studied Eastern philosophy, and I've grown as a person so much.” [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He left football to explore self, travel, and philosophy, leading to personal growth. **In simple terms:** Travel and study broaden self-awareness beyond sport. Key Takeaway Seek experiences beyond your primary career. Themes self-discovery travel philosophy career transition personal growth Mood introspective inspired Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - post‑sports career planning - volunteering abroad - study retreats - mindfulness workshops Key Concepts identity formation mindfulness cultural immersion Questions to Reflect On - What new perspectives have you gained? - How can athletes prepare for life after sports? A Different Perspective Transition can be challenging without support networks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Eastern philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eastern-philosophy/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Football player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football-player/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Travel the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel-the-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [In student government in high school, I learned how to deal with people, and in college I studied Eastern philosophy. 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She could feel the fresh air from the other side of the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-pierce/she-stepped-away-from-the-door-letting-it-slowly-swing-open-she-could/) [Blake Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-pierce/) > [I would miss the action if I ever stepped away from wrestling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kim/i-would-miss-the-action-if-i-ever-stepped-away-from-wrestling/) [Gail Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kim/) > [The last couple of years were hell. Like, I can't even tell you, it was so hard. I didn't know how to handle it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/the-last-couple-of-years-were-hell-like-i-can-t-even-tell-you-it-was/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) > [“Ah.” Vale stepped away from the side of the zeppelin and offered her his hand. “Then I believe we can work together, Miss Winters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-cogman/ah-vale-stepped-away-from-the-side-of-the-zeppelin-and-offered-her/) [Genevieve Cogman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-cogman/) > [Ranger removed my goggles "Would you like to come home with me?" I stepped away from him. "Thank you for the offer, but no.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/ranger-removed-my-goggles-would-you-like-to-come-home-with-me-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [“The more I stepped away from darkness, the less it felt like home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitali-meelan/the-more-i-stepped-away-from-darkness-the-less-it-felt-like-home/) [Mitali Meelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitali-meelan/) > [I tried to be a ski bum when I stepped away from Twitter, and I wasn't a very good skier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-williams/i-tried-to-be-a-ski-bum-when-i-stepped-away-from-twitter-and-i-wasn-t/) [Evan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-williams/) > [When I stepped away two springs ago, I just really wanted to shift my priorities to be able to be more available and present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-moore/when-i-stepped-away-two-springs-ago-i-just-really-wanted-to-shift-my/) [Maya Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-moore/) > [My young love said to me,'My brothers won't mind, And my parents won't slight you for your lack of kind.' Then she stepped away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraic-colum/my-young-love-said-to-me-my-brothers-won-t-mind-and-my-parents-won-t/) [Padraic Colum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraic-colum/) > [“You think you and Ronan have the market on knowing that sometimes it takes doing something wrong to make something right?” he asked as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-kennedy/you-think-you-and-ronan-have-the-market-on-knowing-that-sometimes-it/) [Sloane Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-kennedy/) > [“he stepped away from his window, he crossed the hotel suite and sat down on the white, leather”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-webb/he-stepped-away-from-his-window-he-crossed-the-hotel-suite-and-sat/) [Eleanor Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-webb/) > [“What's up?" He nodded his head, playing it cool, then casually stepped away before silently returning to a sprint. Playing hide-and-seek like babies, Jason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-cawthon/what-s-up-he-nodded-his-head-playing-it-cool-then-casually-stepped/) [Scott Cawthon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-cawthon/) ## More by Ricky Williams > [I want people to think they can't die until they see me play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-want-people-to-think-they-can-t-die-until-they-see-me-play/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [I'm closer to being happy. I'm doing things that make me happy. In football I loved to practice and I loved to play, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-m-closer-to-being-happy-i-m-doing-things-that-make-me-happy-in/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [When you make that crossover from life to real life, when you're not treated as a child anymore but as a man, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/when-you-make-that-crossover-from-life-to-real-life-when-you-re-not/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [I think sometimes when it comes to sports, and especially relationships between players and coaches, that people lose track, lose a sense of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-think-sometimes-when-it-comes-to-sports-and-especially/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [I don't think people change. I think they definitely mature. But I think the essence of what I am today is the same as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-don-t-think-people-change-i-think-they-definitely-mature-but-i/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [I don't care what people think about me because I know I am more than all the pain and strife they hold inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-don-t-care-what-people-think-about-me-because-i-know-i-am-more-than/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [The money is what made me miserable. I want to be free of that stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/the-money-is-what-made-me-miserable-i-want-to-be-free-of-that-stress/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [If I can walk, I'll play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/if-i-can-walk-i-ll-play/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [I don't think I'll ever be able to stay in one place for more than a year or two. It's not in my nature,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-don-t-think-i-ll-ever-be-able-to-stay-in-one-place-for-more-than-a/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [Greatness is the willingness to choose in the midst of intensity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/greatness-is-the-willingness-to-choose-in-the-midst-of-intensity/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [If you want to surf, move to Hawaii. If you like to shop, move to New York. If you like acting and Hollywood, move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/if-you-want-to-surf-move-to-hawaii-if-you-like-to-shop-move-to-new/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [I've gotten to a point, where I realize that happiness doesn't come from the outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/i-ve-gotten-to-a-point-where-i-realize-that-happiness-doesn-t-come/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [At the core, we're all spiritual beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/at-the-core-we-re-all-spiritual-beings/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [Football is my job, not my life, but it's a job I'm going to give my all for as long as I'm in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/football-is-my-job-not-my-life-but-it-s-a-job-i-m-going-to-give-my/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) > [One of my biggest problems is that I'm always so influenced by what other people are thinking about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-williams/one-of-my-biggest-problems-is-that-i-m-always-so-influenced-by-what/) [Ricky Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) [Explore all 98 Ricky Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-williams/) ## More Away quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [You just say the word, and I'll make the rest of the world go away. I'll take you someplace safe, where no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-just-say-the-word-and-i-ll-make-the-rest-of-the-world-go-away-i/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Beauty fades away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beauty-fades-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't kind of take away, you either do or you don't. If you kind of take away something you're a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/you-can-t-kind-of-take-away-you-either-do-or-you-don-t-if-you-kind-of/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Please don't go away. You--you matter. To me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/please-don-t-go-away-you-you-matter-to-me/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. 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It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) Browse all 4,933 Away quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I stepped away to find out more about myself, which I was having difficulty doing as a football player. I got a chance to travel the world. 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