--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Two sons, they'll both be presidents…" description: "\"Two sons, they'll both be presidents after they win their Nobel Prizes. And the daughters, they'll be prima ballerinas before they become the president..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/ron-suskind-10115_ballerina_two-sons-they-ll-both-be-presidents-afte_1619872.jpg" --- # Two sons, they'll both be presidents after they win their… ![“Two sons, they'll both be presidents after they win their Nobel Prizes. And the daughters, they'll be prima ballerinas before they become the president of Princeton and start their Internet company. And I just started to think about What's the conventional load of those expectations you carry…” quote by Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/ron-suskind-10115_ballerina_two-sons-they-ll-both-be-presidents-afte_1619872.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/ron-suskind-10115_ballerina_two-sons-they-ll-both-be-presidents-afte_1619872.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/471/ron-suskind-10115_ballerina_two-sons-they-ll-both-be-presidents-afte_1619872.jpg) > “Two sons, they'll both be presidents after they win their Nobel Prizes. And the daughters, they'll be prima ballerinas before they become the president of Princeton and start their Internet company. And I just started to think about What's the conventional load of those expectations you carry around? You have to pull them out one by one and smash them in the corner. You realize the pile is quite high. But in a way, it becomes oddly liberating to do that.” [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. High expectations for children create pressure; confronting and dismantling them can feel freeing. **In simple terms:** Pressure from expectations can be overwhelming. Key Takeaway Identify and release unrealistic expectations. Themes expectations family pressure freedom Mood thoughtful inspirational Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - parenting - career planning - education - personal growth Key Concepts psychological burden self‑actualization generational expectations Questions to Reflect On - What expectations are truly limiting? - How can you balance ambition and wellbeing? A Different Perspective Some expectations may be realistic goals, not all should be discarded. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ballerina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballerina/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Daughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daughter/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Nobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobel/) [Nobel prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nobel-prize/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prize/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [It isn't expectations that carry us forward, it's our desire to go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-isn-t-expectations-that-carry-us-forward-it-s-our-desire-to-go-on/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“I can’t help but wonder if I could get away with stabbing her cold, cold heart with an ice pick. For that, I might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-leighton/i-can-t-help-but-wonder-if-i-could-get-away-with-stabbing-her-cold/) [M. Leighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-leighton/) > [I'm going to be the first rapper to win the Nobel Peace Prize. I don't know exactly what it would be for, specifically, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-idk/i-m-going-to-be-the-first-rapper-to-win-the-nobel-peace-prize-i-don-t/) Jay IDK > [I was absolutely convinced that I wouldn't win the Nobel Prize. My impression was that the Nobel Prize in Literature was given to people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-vargas-llosa/i-was-absolutely-convinced-that-i-wouldn-t-win-the-nobel-prize-my/) [Mario Vargas Llosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-vargas-llosa/) > [When you look at the light bulb above you, you remember Thomas Alva Edison. When the telephone bell rings, you remember Alexander Graham Bell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-p-j-abdul-kalam/when-you-look-at-the-light-bulb-above-you-you-remember-thomas-alva/) [A. P. J. Abdul Kalam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-p-j-abdul-kalam/) > [If you tell someone, 'Hey, your daughter is going to win a Nobel Prize someday,' it makes it less likely. If you say, 'Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-ming/if-you-tell-someone-hey-your-daughter-is-going-to-win-a-nobel-prize/) [Vivienne Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-ming/) > [It's no secret that Europeans and Americans win most Nobel prizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-fisher/it-s-no-secret-that-europeans-and-americans-win-most-nobel-prizes/) [Max Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-fisher/) > [I'm not sure whether I could win a Nobel Prize or not, but the Nobel Committee called me, and, 'You got the Nobel Prize.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shuji-nakamura/i-m-not-sure-whether-i-could-win-a-nobel-prize-or-not-but-the-nobel/) [Shuji Nakamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shuji-nakamura/) > [“I expect I will win one Nobel prize and I may end up eventually winning all categories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-expect-i-will-win-one-nobel-prize-and-i-may-end-up-eventually/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [President Trump should win the Nobel Peace Prize. What we need is only peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moon-jae-in/president-trump-should-win-the-nobel-peace-prize-what-we-need-is-only/) [Moon Jae-in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moon-jae-in/) > [I want to win Nobel Peace Prizes, as many Grammys as I can, Emmys, Golden Globes, VMAs, everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheck-wes/i-want-to-win-nobel-peace-prizes-as-many-grammys-as-i-can-emmys/) [Sheck Wes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheck-wes/) > [The Nobel Prize is worth $1.5 million, but that's not the issue. Do the distinguished scientists who win the Nobel Prize need the money?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/the-nobel-prize-is-worth-1-5-million-but-that-s-not-the-issue-do-the/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [The reason why I'm here today is to explain why I am running and what I will do if you give me the honor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-reason-why-i-m-here-today-is-to-explain-why-i-am-running-and-what/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [To become a token womanwhether you win the Nobel Prize or merely get tenure at the cost of denying your sistersis to become something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-become-a-token-womanwhether-you-win-the-nobel-prize-or-merely-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [President Trump should win the Nobel Peace Prize.' It is hard to imagine anyone other than Mr. Trump expressing that sentiment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/president-trump-should-win-the-nobel-peace-prize-it-is-hard-to/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) ## More by Ron Suskind > [I don't have to deal with the issues of the daily news cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-don-t-have-to-deal-with-the-issues-of-the-daily-news-cycle/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [ The President \[Barack Obama\] is very focused on \[healthcare\]. He, of course, is also writing this speech at high speed. And right coming up… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/the-president-barack-obama-is-very-focused-on-healthcare-he-of-course/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [Reaching out to any fellow ghetto kids is an act he puts in the same category as doing drugs: the initial rush of warmth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/reaching-out-to-any-fellow-ghetto-kids-is-an-act-he-puts-in-the-same/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [The fact is that in a way, journalists become a kind of default in the system when you don't have substantive two-party back-and-forth inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/the-fact-is-that-in-a-way-journalists-become-a-kind-of-default-in-the/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [“Freshmen spend in unfathomable sitting on their beds – heads against the wall or propped pillows, semistudying or not, listening to music, catching a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/freshmen-spend-in-unfathomable-sitting-on-their-beds-heads-against/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [If you happened to be born on third base, you didn't rub it in the face of the guy who wasn't even born in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-you-happened-to-be-born-on-third-base-you-didn-t-rub-it-in-the/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [I've been a reporter for 20 years, and I don't ever get things wrong. That's important in terms of my professional status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-ve-been-a-reporter-for-20-years-and-i-don-t-ever-get-things-wrong/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [I think that there's a lot of anxiety out there in people wanting their children to be part of the mainstream, to achieve based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-think-that-there-s-a-lot-of-anxiety-out-there-in-people-wanting/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [“If the breadth of perspectives is wide enough to represent the fullest range of views, consensus is unlikely. If consensus is swiftly achieved, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/if-the-breadth-of-perspectives-is-wide-enough-to-represent-the/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [“Two hours a day for two days per week. Four hours. At $7.25 an hour, that gave him a gross income of $29 a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/two-hours-a-day-for-two-days-per-week-four-hours-at-7-25-an-hour-that/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [All of the leading terrorism experts are clear on one thing: that in terms of protecting America, we are almost never going to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/all-of-the-leading-terrorism-experts-are-clear-on-one-thing-that-in/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [It is one thing to rouse the passion of a people, and quite another to lead them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/it-is-one-thing-to-rouse-the-passion-of-a-people-and-quite-another-to/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [ I think that \[Barack Obama\] does say something that's - that is telling on that score, when he talks about the \[George W.\] Bush… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/i-think-that-barack-obama-does-say-something-that-s-that-is-telling/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [ \[Barack Obama\] says that he thinks America felt better, more confident, because Washington was not simply in a gridlock, in stasis, where nothing was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/barack-obama-says-that-he-thinks-america-felt-better-more-confident/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) > [You try to hold on to some notions you might have had before, that this will somehow work out, this is a spell that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-suskind/you-try-to-hold-on-to-some-notions-you-might-have-had-before-that/) [Ron Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) [Explore all 67 Ron Suskind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-suskind/) ## More Ballerina quotes > [To become a classical ballerina, you have to move to New York when you're 12 or 11 and that becomes your life. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/to-become-a-classical-ballerina-you-have-to-move-to-new-york-when-you/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [Wouldn't it be great if we all grew up to be what we wanted to be? The world would be full of nurses, firemen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/wouldn-t-it-be-great-if-we-all-grew-up-to-be-what-we-wanted-to-be-the/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“O wayfarer! Yearn finds quench, not in meadows, seashores or altitude of mountain peaks; but when being and dance are one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/o-wayfarer-yearn-finds-quench-not-in-meadows-seashores-or-altitude-of/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“If movements were a spark every dancer would desire to light up in flames.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/if-movements-were-a-spark-every-dancer-would-desire-to-light-up-in/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“Burdened no more is soul for whom life flows through dance like breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/burdened-no-more-is-soul-for-whom-life-flows-through-dance-like-breath/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [“Dance as the narration of a magical story; that recites on lips, illuminates imaginations and embraces the most sacred depths of souls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shah-asad-rizvi/dance-as-the-narration-of-a-magical-story-that-recites-on-lips/) [Shah Asad Rizvi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shah-asad-rizvi/) > [I wanted to be a ballerina. I studied ballet for 19 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-soleil/i-wanted-to-be-a-ballerina-i-studied-ballet-for-19-years/) Stella Soleil > [I think that the ideal physique and look of a ballerina is always changing with different eras. And it's continuing to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/i-think-that-the-ideal-physique-and-look-of-a-ballerina-is-always/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [Did I ever tell you my pet peeve?' No,' I said. People who dress up their pets to look like Little Lord Fauntleroys or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/did-i-ever-tell-you-my-pet-peeve-no-i-said-people-who-dress-up-their/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [I have no interest in being a trained ballerina. People should dance how they want to dance. I want to be the funky chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclanahan/i-have-no-interest-in-being-a-trained-ballerina-people-should-dance/) [Scott McClanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclanahan/) > [I used to want to be a war photographer, and I used to want to be a ballerina and a comedian. I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-power/i-used-to-want-to-be-a-war-photographer-and-i-used-to-want-to-be-a/) [Cat Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-power/) > [I've always felt like a different kind of ballerina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-whelan/i-ve-always-felt-like-a-different-kind-of-ballerina/) [Wendy Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-whelan/) > [Above all, I wanted to be appreciated as a prima ballerina who happened to be a Native American, never as someone who was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-tallchief/above-all-i-wanted-to-be-appreciated-as-a-prima-ballerina-who/) [Maria Tallchief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-tallchief/) > [When I was growing up, I dreamed about becoming a cowgirl, a detective, a spy, a great actress, or a ballerina. Not a dentist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/when-i-was-growing-up-i-dreamed-about-becoming-a-cowgirl-a-detective/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [Perseverance has always just been something that was in me. And it was a tool that came in very handy as a ballerina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/perseverance-has-always-just-been-something-that-was-in-me-and-it-was/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) [Browse all 191 Ballerina quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ballerina/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Two sons, they'll both be presidents after they win their Nobel Prizes. And the daughters, they'll be prima ballerinas before they become the president of Princeton and start their Internet company. And I just started to think about What's the conventional load of those expectations you carry around? 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