--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ever since I was a child, I wanted to…" description: "\"Ever since I was a child, I wanted to excel in everything.\" — Robert Mondavi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/robert-mondavi-17168_child_ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-exc_2381074.png" --- # Ever since I was a child, I wanted to excel in everything. ![“Ever since I was a child, I wanted to excel in everything.” quote by Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/robert-mondavi-17168_child_ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-exc_2381074.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/robert-mondavi-17168_child_ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-exc_2381074.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/robert-mondavi-17168_child_ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-exc_2381074.png) > “Ever since I was a child, I wanted to excel in everything.” [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A lifelong drive for excellence fuels ambition, but may also create pressure; balance aspiration with self‑compassion. **In simple terms:** Desire to excel from childhood. Key Takeaway Channel ambition wisely. Themes ambition growth self‑expectation Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - skill mastery - creative projects Key Concepts excellence motivation identity Questions to Reflect On - What does excellence mean to you? - How can you celebrate progress? A Different Perspective Unrealistic standards can lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Child Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-wanted-1301445/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Excel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excel/) [Since](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/since/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Excel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-excel-3186352/) ## Related quotes > [I had to give everything I had to one event if I wanted to excel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ledoux/i-had-to-give-everything-i-had-to-one-event-if-i-wanted-to-excel/) [Chris LeDoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ledoux/) > [“Something happened to you, they discovered, when you were given the unconditional love and trust of a child. You wanted to try to deserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/something-happened-to-you-they-discovered-when-you-were-given-the/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [From the time I was a child, I wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harshvardhan-rane/from-the-time-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor/) [Harshvardhan Rane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harshvardhan-rane/) > [The child in me wanted to try out new things and do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystle-d-souza/the-child-in-me-wanted-to-try-out-new-things-and-do-something/) [Krystle D'Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystle-d-souza/) > [As a child I wanted to become an architect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hughes/as-a-child-i-wanted-to-become-an-architect/) [Chris Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hughes/) > [“Your mother and I had a child because we wanted to share our love with someone, not because we wanted a nurse to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-peeler/your-mother-and-i-had-a-child-because-we-wanted-to-share-our-love/) [Nicole Peeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-peeler/) > [I wasn't a child who wanted to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-badham/i-wasn-t-a-child-who-wanted-to-be-an-actor/) [Mary Badham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-badham/) > [As a child, I wanted to be an athlete, a professional tennis player or something like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-ames/as-a-child-i-wanted-to-be-an-athlete-a-professional-tennis-player-or/) [Jonathan Ames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-ames/) > [As a child, I wanted to know how things worked and to control them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-hawking/as-a-child-i-wanted-to-know-how-things-worked-and-to-control-them/) [Lucy Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-hawking/) > [An only child, I always wanted a large hug-house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/an-only-child-i-always-wanted-a-large-hug-house/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [Every child a wanted child; every mother a willing mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-morgentaler/every-child-a-wanted-child-every-mother-a-willing-mother/) [Henry Morgentaler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-morgentaler/) > [As a child I wanted to be a professional athlete or lawyer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/as-a-child-i-wanted-to-be-a-professional-athlete-or-lawyer/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [It's a short step from the belief that every child should be wanted to the belief that a child exists to satisfy our wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-kass/it-s-a-short-step-from-the-belief-that-every-child-should-be-wanted/) [Leon Kass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-kass/) > [The first right of every child is to be wanted, to be desired, to be planned for with an intensity of love that gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/the-first-right-of-every-child-is-to-be-wanted-to-be-desired-to-be/) [Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/) > [As a child, I always wanted to be a race car pilot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajith-kumar/as-a-child-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-race-car-pilot/) [Ajith Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajith-kumar/) ## More by Robert Mondavi > [My brother and I had saved $15,000 by working many years nailing fruit crates together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/my-brother-and-i-had-saved-15-000-by-working-many-years-nailing-fruit/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [I am a great believer in research and innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/i-am-a-great-believer-in-research-and-innovation/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [I say to consumers: instead of relying totally on critics, drink what you like and like what you drink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/i-say-to-consumers-instead-of-relying-totally-on-critics-drink-what/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Critics have done the wine industry a lot of good overall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/critics-have-done-the-wine-industry-a-lot-of-good-overall/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/wine-to-me-is-passion-it-s-family-and-friends-it-s-warmth-of-heart/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Wine to me is all about sharing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/wine-to-me-is-all-about-sharing/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Inductee in the Vintner's Hall of Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/inductee-in-the-vintner-s-hall-of-fame/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [In both life and work, stay flexible. Whether in a country, a company, or a family, the same holds true: Dictatorship and rigidity rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/in-both-life-and-work-stay-flexible-whether-in-a-country-a-company-or/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Wine has been with us since the beginning of civilization. It is the temperate, civilized, sacred, romantic mealtime beverage recommended in the Bible. Wine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/wine-has-been-with-us-since-the-beginning-of-civilization-it-is-the/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [How beautiful it is to excel, and the goodness of giving from your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/how-beautiful-it-is-to-excel-and-the-goodness-of-giving-from-your/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [My wife taught me the importance of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/my-wife-taught-me-the-importance-of-living-well/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Once I was able to take care of myself and my children, I then wanted to share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/once-i-was-able-to-take-care-of-myself-and-my-children-i-then-wanted/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Later, at Stanford University, I thought I'd become a lawyer or businessman, but my father came to me and said he thought there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/later-at-stanford-university-i-thought-i-d-become-a-lawyer-or/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [Also, many consumers consider a critic to be like God Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/also-many-consumers-consider-a-critic-to-be-like-god-almighty/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) > [As I traveled the world over, I traveled everywhere, and I learned so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/as-i-traveled-the-world-over-i-traveled-everywhere-and-i-learned-so/) [Robert Mondavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) [Explore all 38 Robert Mondavi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) [Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ever since I was a child, I wanted to excel in everything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Mondavi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-excel-in-everything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Child" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-excel-in-everything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/robert-mondavi-17168_child_ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-exc_2381074.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/robert-mondavi-17168_child_ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-exc_2381074.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d7/robert-mondavi-17168_child_ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-exc_2381074.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ever since I was a child, I wanted to excel in everything.” — Robert Mondavi", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Mondavi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mondavi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Ever since I was a child,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-excel-in-everything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mondavi/ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-excel-in-everything/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```