--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Naval Academy is a very prestigious…" description: "\"The Naval Academy is a very prestigious place, and I choose to try it. I got there and darn near didn't pass, just about flunked out the first year, bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/sam-smith-2934_academy_the-naval-academy-is-a-very-prestigious_1808392.jpg" --- # The Naval Academy is a very prestigious place, and I… ![“The Naval Academy is a very prestigious place, and I choose to try it. I got there and darn near didn't pass, just about flunked out the first year, but a commandant by the name of Bush Bringle managed to call me in one day and taught me more about leadership in about 15 minutes than I have…” quote by Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/sam-smith-2934_academy_the-naval-academy-is-a-very-prestigious_1808392.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/sam-smith-2934_academy_the-naval-academy-is-a-very-prestigious_1808392.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/sam-smith-2934_academy_the-naval-academy-is-a-very-prestigious_1808392.jpg) > “The Naval Academy is a very prestigious place, and I choose to try it. I got there and darn near didn't pass, just about flunked out the first year, but a commandant by the name of Bush Bringle managed to call me in one day and taught me more about leadership in about 15 minutes than I have learned in the rest of my life. And because of Bush Bringle I regained some faith and confidence in myself, learning I had a little bit more in me than I thought, and I went back to work and finished.” [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A brief mentorship can profoundly reshape self‑belief and leadership skills, turning near‑failure into perseverance. **In simple terms:** A short lesson restored confidence and helped finish the program. Key Takeaway Seek mentors who can give concise, powerful guidance. Themes leadership confidence mentorship Mood inspirational reflective Type anecdotal motivational When to use this quote - military training - career setbacks - personal development - education Key Concepts self‑efficacy resilience Questions to Reflect On - Who can you approach for a concise, impactful lesson? - How can you apply that lesson to future challenges? A Different Perspective Short guidance may not replace sustained effort or broader learning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Academy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Back to work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/back-to-work/) [Confidence In Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-in-myself/) [Naval academy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naval-academy/) ## Related quotes > [The Marine Corps went from 15,000, which its strength was when I was Commandant, to approximately 400,000 when I retired, and more than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-holcomb/the-marine-corps-went-from-15-000-which-its-strength-was-when-i-was/) Thomas Holcomb > [Leadership is all about emotional intelligence. Management is taught, while leadership is experienced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajeev-suri/leadership-is-all-about-emotional-intelligence-management-is-taught/) [Rajeev Suri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajeev-suri/) > [For many many years, I've taught, not only leadership, but I've taught people that they need a personal growth plan. Growth is not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/for-many-many-years-i-ve-taught-not-only-leadership-but-i-ve-taught/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“VJ had gone to the Naval Academy, where he competed as a powerlifter and developed a distaste for military customs such as short hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-fick/vj-had-gone-to-the-naval-academy-where-he-competed-as-a-powerlifter/) [Nathaniel Fick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-fick/) > [The POW camps of North Vietnam were packed with Air Force and Naval Academy graduates. The six midshipmen in my Naval Academy class of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/the-pow-camps-of-north-vietnam-were-packed-with-air-force-and-naval/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [One of the things I learned at the Naval Academy and the Marine Corps is we have to make tough decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-young/one-of-the-things-i-learned-at-the-naval-academy-and-the-marine-corps/) [Todd Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-young/) > [A few years later the Naval Academy was founded at Annapolis, and a similar course was pursued to provide it with a corps of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-newcomb/a-few-years-later-the-naval-academy-was-founded-at-annapolis-and-a/) [Simon Newcomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-newcomb/) > [I wrestled and played football in high school and in my last year, I started as a wrestler and actually had a fairly good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-wrestled-and-played-football-in-high-school-and-in-my-last-year-i/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [I was suppose to be a Jesuit priest or a naval academy graduate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/i-was-suppose-to-be-a-jesuit-priest-or-a-naval-academy-graduate/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [I began serving my country when I was 18 years old and entered the U.S. Naval Academy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/i-began-serving-my-country-when-i-was-18-years-old-and-entered-the-u/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [When I left Kentucky at age 18 to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and lifted my right hand to swear the oath to defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-mcgrath/when-i-left-kentucky-at-age-18-to-attend-the-u-s-naval-academy-and/) [Amy McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-mcgrath/) > [I went to the Naval Academy in Annapolis and then I went right into the Navy after that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/i-went-to-the-naval-academy-in-annapolis-and-then-i-went-right-into/) [Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/) > [Everything in my life I owe to God, my family, the Naval Academy, and the Marine Corps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-young/everything-in-my-life-i-owe-to-god-my-family-the-naval-academy-and/) [Todd Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-young/) > [“Chester William Nimitz, Sr. was the last surviving officer to serve as a five star admiral in the Unites States Navy, holding the rank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/chester-william-nimitz-sr-was-the-last-surviving-officer-to-serve-as/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One > [Without a decisive naval force we can do nothing definitive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/without-a-decisive-naval-force-we-can-do-nothing-definitive/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More by Sam Smith > [I'm really scared of flying. Like, really, really, really scared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/i-m-really-scared-of-flying-like-really-really-really-scared/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [I had a role in developing the doctrine From the Sea, which was later modified to Forward From the Sea. But the way we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/i-had-a-role-in-developing-the-doctrine-from-the-sea-which-was-later/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [It was only until I started to be myself that the music started to flow and people started to listen. So, thank you guys...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/it-was-only-until-i-started-to-be-myself-that-the-music-started-to/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [My cross earrings are a mini statement; I wear them every day! My whole dream is to be iconic, and the way you dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/my-cross-earrings-are-a-mini-statement-i-wear-them-every-day-my-whole/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [I'll be excited when I get my heart broken properly for the first time. I'll be like, 'Thank God I've experienced something. Someone wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/i-ll-be-excited-when-i-get-my-heart-broken-properly-for-the-first/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [As a kid, I collected 'Vogue' every month for three years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/as-a-kid-i-collected-vogue-every-month-for-three-years/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [Polls are the corporate media's standardized tests to determine how well we have learned what it has taught us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/polls-are-the-corporate-media-s-standardized-tests-to-determine-how/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [I hate it when guys wear really tight t-shirts. It's just so horrible, especially when you can see their bellies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/i-hate-it-when-guys-wear-really-tight-t-shirts-it-s-just-so-horrible/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [Would to God, brethren, I could tell you WHO I am! Would to God I could tell you WHAT I know! But you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/would-to-god-brethren-i-could-tell-you-who-i-am-would-to-god-i-could/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [Kill me if you will, I am not afraid to die; and I have endured so much oppression that I am weary of life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/kill-me-if-you-will-i-am-not-afraid-to-die-and-i-have-endured-so-much/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [I'm more comfortable performing in front of 50,000 people than five people - it's easier. When there's that many people, I feel like I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/i-m-more-comfortable-performing-in-front-of-50-000-people-than-five/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [It was only until I started to be myself that the music started to flow & people started to listen so thank you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/it-was-only-until-i-started-to-be-myself-that-the-music-started-to-2/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [When I'm performing, I'm not even thinking about the song. I'm thinking about the audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/when-i-m-performing-i-m-not-even-thinking-about-the-song-i-m-thinking/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [I used to get very angry as I was getting older, because my voice was breaking. So I've trained my voice so religiously through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/i-used-to-get-very-angry-as-i-was-getting-older-because-my-voice-was/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [It's my job to have ups and downs because it makes good music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/it-s-my-job-to-have-ups-and-downs-because-it-makes-good-music/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) [Explore all 145 Sam Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) ## More Academy quotes > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike - and I don't think there really is a distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike-and/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [If all the Atheists & Agnostics left America, they'd lose 93% of The National Academy of Sciences & less than 1% of the prison population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/if-all-the-atheists-agnostics-left-america-they-d-lose-93-of-the/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [“Step Up Academy offers a conducive, encouraging, comfortable environment for children to step up their learning and achieve success. Our students progress within the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerthiga-manokumar/step-up-academy-offers-a-conducive-encouraging-comfortable/) Kerthiga Manokumar > [I remember when I first won the Academy Award and how much I loved it. I just wish there was an award around that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-woodward/i-remember-when-i-first-won-the-academy-award-and-how-much-i-loved-it/) [Joanne Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-woodward/) > [Few years ago, I said something about the Academy being very white male, which is the reality, and I was slashed to pieces by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/few-years-ago-i-said-something-about-the-academy-being-very-white/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) > [I think that no matter whether you're Quentin Tarantino or any other kind of a rebel, or whatever, everyone who makes movies still wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/i-think-that-no-matter-whether-you-re-quentin-tarantino-or-any-other/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [“Fuck Briarcrest Academy, and fuck you all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilsa-madden-mills/fuck-briarcrest-academy-and-fuck-you-all/) [Ilsa Madden-Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilsa-madden-mills/) > [I don't really look forward to movie stardom or doing a $200-million movie or winning an Academy Award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-taylor/i-don-t-really-look-forward-to-movie-stardom-or-doing-a-200-million/) [Rachael Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-taylor/) > [I am an outsider looking in, absolutely. You're not going to see me at the Academy Awards 'Vanity Fair' party any time soon. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-am-an-outsider-looking-in-absolutely-you-re-not-going-to-see-me-at/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [In all our academies we attempt far too much. ... In earlier times lectures were delivered upon chemistry and botany as branches of medicine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/in-all-our-academies-we-attempt-far-too-much-in-earlier-times/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The 'Police Academy' stuff was all hyper-slapsticky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-police-academy-stuff-was-all-hyper-slapsticky/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [The Academies of Art are nothing but great painting factories - those with talent are fed in at one end, and they come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edvard-munch/the-academies-of-art-are-nothing-but-great-painting-factories-those/) [Edvard Munch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edvard-munch/) > [Furnished as all Europe now is with Academies of Science, with nice instruments and the spirit of experiment, the progress of human knowledge will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/furnished-as-all-europe-now-is-with-academies-of-science-with-nice/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Browse all 557 Academy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/academy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Naval Academy is a very prestigious place, and I choose to try it. 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