--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been able to do things that allow me…" description: "\"I've been able to do things that allow me to hold my head up and still be popular.\" — Sam Waterston" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/sam-waterston-18872_able_i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-m_2244836.jpg" --- # I've been able to do things that allow me to hold my head… ![“I've been able to do things that allow me to hold my head up and still be popular.” quote by Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/sam-waterston-18872_able_i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-m_2244836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/sam-waterston-18872_able_i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-m_2244836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/sam-waterston-18872_able_i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-m_2244836.jpg) > “I've been able to do things that allow me to hold my head up and still be popular.” [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing personal integrity with social acceptance is achievable through authentic actions. **In simple terms:** Stay true, stay liked. Key Takeaway Be authentic, stay respected. Themes integrity popularity self‑esteem balance Mood confident thoughtful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - workplace - public speaking - media appearances - leadership roles Key Concepts authenticity social dynamics self‑presentation Questions to Reflect On - What compromises are you willing to make? - How does authenticity affect your relationships? A Different Perspective Authenticity may be challenged by external pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [If things don't work out the way you want, hold your head up high and be proud. And try again. And again. And again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/if-things-don-t-work-out-the-way-you-want-hold-your-head-up-high-and/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Hold your head up to the gun of a million cathode ray tubes aired at your tiny skull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jethro-tull/hold-your-head-up-to-the-gun-of-a-million-cathode-ray-tubes-aired-at/) [Jethro Tull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jethro-tull/) > [Put your shoulders back, hold your head up high knowing that the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/put-your-shoulders-back-hold-your-head-up-high-knowing-that-the-same/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [You're gonna have to learn to get out there in front of those cameras and hold your head up. Take charge when you're singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patsy-cline/you-re-gonna-have-to-learn-to-get-out-there-in-front-of-those-cameras/) [Patsy Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patsy-cline/) > [I had to hold my head up high and put a bold face on things, but the thoughts keep coming anyways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-had-to-hold-my-head-up-high-and-put-a-bold-face-on-things-but-the/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [Someone once asked me how I hold my head up so high after all I have been through. I said it's because no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-buckley/someone-once-asked-me-how-i-hold-my-head-up-so-high-after-all-i-have/) Patricia Buckley > [Made my bed and here I lie, try to hold my head up high. Lying to myself sometimes, bad decisions but I, I won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-hornsby/made-my-bed-and-here-i-lie-try-to-hold-my-head-up-high-lying-to/) [Bruce Hornsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-hornsby/) > [Hold your head up, there's a light in the sky I know your fed up but you must try to survive Each moment's precious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/hold-your-head-up-there-s-a-light-in-the-sky-i-know-your-fed-up-but/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [Crowds are the most difficult thing for me these days because I have to walk with my head down and my eyes averted. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/crowds-are-the-most-difficult-thing-for-me-these-days-because-i-have/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) > [You hold your head up. You submitting to me doesn't mean you're anything less...the very last thing I want is for you to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-banks/you-hold-your-head-up-you-submitting-to-me-doesn-t-mean-you-re/) [Maya Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-banks/) > [“Through collaborating with Me in all things, you allow My Life to merge with yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/through-collaborating-with-me-in-all-things-you-allow-my-life-to/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) > [The Chinese say 'You will have an abundance of those things which you allow'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-chinese-say-you-will-have-an-abundance-of-those-things-which-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't complain about things you allow to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-complain-about-things-you-allow-to-happen/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that the best thing we can do for our children is to allow them to do things for themselves, allow them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/i-think-that-the-best-thing-we-can-do-for-our-children-is-to-allow/) [C JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/) > [Rather hold my head high and die than live and duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/rather-hold-my-head-high-and-die-than-live-and-duck/) Fabolous ## More by Sam Waterston > [I played Lucky in Waiting for Godot at Yale and it was a thing that Stanislavski talks about: he says you don't need his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-played-lucky-in-waiting-for-godot-at-yale-and-it-was-a-thing-that/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [As for lawyers, it's more fun to play one than to be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/as-for-lawyers-it-s-more-fun-to-play-one-than-to-be-one/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [I think people have some control over what they want; there's a relationship - maybe not automatic - between what you want and get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-think-people-have-some-control-over-what-they-want-there-s-a/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [Good directors say, Here's where the play is. They stand by the heart of the matter. Some of them stand beside it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/good-directors-say-here-s-where-the-play-is-they-stand-by-the-heart/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [I think the bait for doing something really is always the part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-think-the-bait-for-doing-something-really-is-always-the-part/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [I dont think playing a villain is my greatest talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-dont-think-playing-a-villain-is-my-greatest-talent/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [In order to continue to do interesting work, you need to be...proceeding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/in-order-to-continue-to-do-interesting-work-you-need-to-be-proceeding/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [That's where I'd like to be: when the business says here's a good actor who is marketable so we can use him. Just that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/that-s-where-i-d-like-to-be-when-the-business-says-here-s-a-good/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [I literally was saved by a role, from becoming a cab driver. I never did have to wait tables, though, so looking back I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-literally-was-saved-by-a-role-from-becoming-a-cab-driver-i-never/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [The Killing Fields, my character's teachings frame the movie and the argument of his lectures is the challenge of dealing with the painfulness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/the-killing-fields-my-character-s-teachings-frame-the-movie-and-the/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [“In reality, conclusions are muddy, there are no final curtains, and life just goes on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/in-reality-conclusions-are-muddy-there-are-no-final-curtains-and-life/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [I don't like driving much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-don-t-like-driving-much/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [If you're going to be born ugly and be an actor - the least they can do is let you play Lincoln.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/if-you-re-going-to-be-born-ugly-and-be-an-actor-the-least-they-can-do/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [Painting is very interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/painting-is-very-interesting/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) > [The bad guys don't always get punished and the good guys are not necessarily pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/the-bad-guys-don-t-always-get-punished-and-the-good-guys-are-not/) [Sam Waterston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) [Explore all 34 Sam Waterston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been able to do things that allow me to hold my head up and still be popular.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sam Waterston" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-me-to-hold-my-head-up-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-me-to-hold-my-head-up-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/sam-waterston-18872_able_i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-m_2244836.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/sam-waterston-18872_able_i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-m_2244836.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a7/sam-waterston-18872_able_i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-m_2244836.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've been able to do things that allow me to hold my head up and still be popular.” — Sam Waterston", "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": "Sam Waterston", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-waterston/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've been able to do things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-me-to-hold-my-head-up-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-waterston/i-ve-been-able-to-do-things-that-allow-me-to-hold-my-head-up-and/#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 } } ] } ```