--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always felt I had to prove myself…" description: "\"I've always felt I had to prove myself, and now it has become second nature. When I first went to university, I took lodgings with a woman who said, 'W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/sanjeev-bhaskar-16409_always_i-ve-always-felt-i-had-to-prove-myself-a_2271817.jpg" --- # I've always felt I had to prove myself, and now it has… ![“I've always felt I had to prove myself, and now it has become second nature. When I first went to university, I took lodgings with a woman who said, 'What are the chances of you staining my pans?' I said, 'I don't think I understand the question...' and she said, 'When you cook your curries.'” quote by Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/sanjeev-bhaskar-16409_always_i-ve-always-felt-i-had-to-prove-myself-a_2271817.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/sanjeev-bhaskar-16409_always_i-ve-always-felt-i-had-to-prove-myself-a_2271817.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d9/sanjeev-bhaskar-16409_always_i-ve-always-felt-i-had-to-prove-myself-a_2271817.jpg) > “I've always felt I had to prove myself, and now it has become second nature. When I first went to university, I took lodgings with a woman who said, 'What are the chances of you staining my pans?' I said, 'I don't think I understand the question...' and she said, 'When you cook your curries.'” [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a habit of constantly proving oneself, which has become ingrained, illustrated by a humorous misunderstanding about cooking. **In simple terms:** Feeling the need to prove oneself becomes a habit. Key Takeaway Recognize and break the habit of over‑proving. Themes self‑esteem habit identity humor Mood reflective lighthearted introspective Type anecdotal motivational When to use this quote - university life - new job - social interactions - personal growth Key Concepts psychology social pressure self‑validation Questions to Reflect On - What situations trigger your need to prove yourself? - How can you shift from proving to simply being? A Different Perspective Habit may mask underlying insecurity and hinder authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chances/) [Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cook/) [Cooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cooks/) [Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curry/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Felt Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-prove-360681/) [First](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Prove myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove-myself/) [Prove Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove-second-1577698/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second/) [She](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/she/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) [University Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university-took-3751996/) [Went University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/went-university/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone I went to school with went to university, or took a year off and then went, and that was the norm - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacey-farber/everyone-i-went-to-school-with-went-to-university-or-took-a-year-off/) [Stacey Farber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacey-farber/) > [I've always felt that I had to go out and prove myself in every fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashad-evans/i-ve-always-felt-that-i-had-to-go-out-and-prove-myself-in-every-fight/) [Rashad Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashad-evans/) > [I never felt I had to prove myself with anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-diaz/i-never-felt-i-had-to-prove-myself-with-anything/) [Cameron Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-diaz/) > [I wish I could say something that would make you trust me, but if you give me time I can prove it to you...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/i-wish-i-could-say-something-that-would-make-you-trust-me-but-if-you-2/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [I went to university in Birmingham in the 1970s just when the curry revolution was starting in Britain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-tarrant/i-went-to-university-in-birmingham-in-the-1970s-just-when-the-curry/) [Chris Tarrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-tarrant/) > [I wanted to be a jazz pianist, but I wasn't good enough. I got into city college because I didn't have the grades to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-wanted-to-be-a-jazz-pianist-but-i-wasn-t-good-enough-i-got-into/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [In 1986 I went to study at the Delhi University and that's where I took up theatre seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-krishna-acharya/in-1986-i-went-to-study-at-the-delhi-university-and-that-s-where-i/) [Vijay Krishna Acharya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-krishna-acharya/) > [I always felt I had to prove my intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-mcgovern/i-always-felt-i-had-to-prove-my-intelligence/) [Steph McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-mcgovern/) > [“I went to Cambridge University. I took a number of baths - and a degree in English. I worried a lot about girls and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/i-went-to-cambridge-university-i-took-a-number-of-baths-and-a-degree/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [During my 20s at auditions, I felt I had to prove that I wasn't just pretty, that I had acting chops. Now I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/during-my-20s-at-auditions-i-felt-i-had-to-prove-that-i-wasn-t-just/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [I started modeling at 14. It's simple. You respond to what the photographer wants and wear other people's ideas. I got bored with it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-cole/i-started-modeling-at-14-it-s-simple-you-respond-to-what-the/) [Lily Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-cole/) > [After graduating in engineering I went to the University of Kansas to get an MA in economics as a vehicle for allowing me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-l-smith/after-graduating-in-engineering-i-went-to-the-university-of-kansas-to/) [Vernon L. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-l-smith/) > [I went to university with no money. I can't understand a society that wouldn't give a poor person the same opportunity as a rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-went-to-university-with-no-money-i-can-t-understand-a-society-that/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I went to the University of Minnesota to study art. I left the university to come to New York and live in Soho. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-lange/i-went-to-the-university-of-minnesota-to-study-art-i-left-the/) [Jessica Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-lange/) > [When I went to university, I was already working professionally with the Ulster Actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nesbitt/when-i-went-to-university-i-was-already-working-professionally-with/) [James Nesbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nesbitt/) ## More by Sanjeev Bhaskar > [We lived above my father's launderette. 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Actually, more of a fatness video.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/i-might-do-a-fitness-video-actually-more-of-a-fatness-video/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [If I go anywhere where there are people who vaguely look like me, there is always that feeling of, 'Actually I do look quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/if-i-go-anywhere-where-there-are-people-who-vaguely-look-like-me/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [I was greatly influenced by 'The Goons' and 'Monty Python' reconstituting what comedy was - it could come from a funny word, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/i-was-greatly-influenced-by-the-goons-and-monty-python-reconstituting/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [My mum thought my TV and film addiction was laziness. 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I think it's a defence mechanism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/i-make-terrible-jokes-every-time-i-go-into-a-hospital-i-think-it-s-a/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) [Explore all 40 Sanjeev Bhaskar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always felt I had to prove myself, and now it has become second nature. 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