---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So you dare tell me who to be"
description: "\"“So you dare tell me who to be”\" — Sara Bareilles"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/sara-bareilles-2495_dare_so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be-360760_360760.png"
---

#  So you dare tell me who to be

![“So you dare tell me who to be” quote by Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/sara-bareilles-2495_dare_so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be-360760_360760.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/sara-bareilles-2495_dare_so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be-360760_360760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/sara-bareilles-2495_dare_so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be-360760_360760.png)

> ““So you dare tell me who to be””

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The line challenges authority, asserting personal autonomy against imposed identities.

**In simple terms:** Reject others’ labels and define yourself.

Key Takeaway

Stand firm in self‑definition.

Themes

self‑identity rebellion autonomy

Mood

defiant empowering

Type

inspirational assertive

When to use this quote

- career choices
- personal relationships
- creative projects
- social activism

Key Concepts

personal freedom social pressure self‑expression

Questions to Reflect On

- Who tries to define you?
- How do you respond when pressured to conform?

A Different Perspective

Defying others may alienate supportive relationships if not communicated sensitively.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare/) [Dare Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare-tell-1749297/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell/)

## Related quotes

> [Your my angel, and I dont dare to tell it to the real angle from heaven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raiderz-rotiz/your-my-angel-and-i-dont-dare-to-tell-it-to-the-real-angle-from-heaven/)

[Raiderz Rotiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raiderz-rotiz/)

> [“I will never be able to do or be everything you want, nor vice versa, but I'd like to think we can be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/i-will-never-be-able-to-do-or-be-everything-you-want-nor-vice-versa/)

[Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/)

> [Don't you dare tell me we gotta let it go...We been on top for too long just to let it go under. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danity-kane/don-t-you-dare-tell-me-we-gotta-let-it-go-we-been-on-top-for-too-long/)

[Danity Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danity-kane/)

> [I love you. It hurts more than anything ever has, but I do. So don't you dare tell me I don't. Don't you ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-downham/i-love-you-it-hurts-more-than-anything-ever-has-but-i-do-so-don-t-you/)

[Jenny Downham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-downham/)

> [That is the one eternal education: to be sure enough that something is true that you dare to tell it to a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-is-the-one-eternal-education-to-be-sure-enough-that-something-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Dare to tell the smallest of stories if you want to generate large emotions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-zinsser/dare-to-tell-the-smallest-of-stories-if-you-want-to-generate-large/)

[William Zinsser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-zinsser/)

> [“Let me tell you how it’s going to be, Justice. You don’t tell me who I can and can’t have inside my house. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurann-dohner/let-me-tell-you-how-it-s-going-to-be-justice-you-don-t-tell-me-who-i/)

[Laurann Dohner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurann-dohner/)

> [So tell me you hate me and that you don't care so tell me you never did that it was all a dare so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-tell-me-you-hate-me-and-that-you-don-t-care-so-tell-me-you-never/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“If you are constantly afraid of being left alone, you will never dare to tell people around you the truth. Thus through a pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taskinsoy/if-you-are-constantly-afraid-of-being-left-alone-you-will-never-dare/)

[John Taskinsoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taskinsoy/)

> [“I dare you to tell me to walk through fire Wear my soul and call me a liar...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinedown/i-dare-you-to-tell-me-to-walk-through-fire-wear-my-soul-and-call-me-a/)

[Shinedown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinedown/)

> [Sometimes I identify myself as 25 and I dare someone to tell me different!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-braxton/sometimes-i-identify-myself-as-25-and-i-dare-someone-to-tell-me/)

[Tamar Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-braxton/)

> [“Don't you dare tell me what side I'm on. You know nothing, nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/don-t-you-dare-tell-me-what-side-i-m-on-you-know-nothing-nothing/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“Tell me about the hands that broke you like tree branches. Tell me about the heart that made you a home, the barren soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-sparacino/tell-me-about-the-hands-that-broke-you-like-tree-branches-tell-me/)

[Bianca Sparacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-sparacino/)

> [Definition of a best friend; The person you cant be mad at for even an hour because you have something important to tell them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/definition-of-a-best-friend-the-person-you-cant-be-mad-at-for-even-an/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I wanted to tell the story of Luong Ung, who's a dear friend of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-wanted-to-tell-the-story-of-luong-ung-who-s-a-dear-friend-of-mine/)

[Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/)

## More by Sara Bareilles

> [I'm happy to be working with all women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/i-m-happy-to-be-working-with-all-women/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [“Started as a flicker, meant to be a flame. Skin has gotten thicker, but it burns the same. Still a baby in a cradle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/started-as-a-flicker-meant-to-be-a-flame-skin-has-gotten-thicker-but/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [You can be the outcast or be the backlash of somebody's lack of love. Or you can start speaking up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/you-can-be-the-outcast-or-be-the-backlash-of-somebody-s-lack-of-love/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [My hairstylist taught me a trick for my hair. You section off your hair and put them up in these crazy little knots and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/my-hairstylist-taught-me-a-trick-for-my-hair-you-section-off-your/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [To make room for the parts that aren't you it gets harder to bloom in a garden of Love love love love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/to-make-room-for-the-parts-that-aren-t-you-it-gets-harder-to-bloom-in/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [My favourite thing to do in any city is just to get lost and go for long walks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/my-favourite-thing-to-do-in-any-city-is-just-to-get-lost-and-go-for/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [I'm that person who owns all of the seasons on DVDs, including the Lifetime intimate portraits showcasing The Golden Girls. I am a massive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/i-m-that-person-who-owns-all-of-the-seasons-on-dvds-including-the/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [“Your a lovely creation, I'd like to think that I am too. My friends said I look better with out you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/your-a-lovely-creation-i-d-like-to-think-that-i-am-too-my-friends/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [I have been influenced by many different artists at many different stages of my life. Starting out, it was people like Elton John, Billy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/i-have-been-influenced-by-many-different-artists-at-many-different/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [Stepping back into theatre, a childhood dream, I always felt like I would be onstage. I hadn't imagined myself in a composer role... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/stepping-back-into-theatre-a-childhood-dream-i-always-felt-like-i/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [“My emotional world imploded, and there is nothing that could have been said or done to make it easier. No one was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/my-emotional-world-imploded-and-there-is-nothing-that-could-have-been/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [Only thing I ever could need, only one good thing worth trying to be and it's love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/only-thing-i-ever-could-need-only-one-good-thing-worth-trying-to-be/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [I can very much relate to waking up inside of your life and saying to yourself, "How did I get here?"](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/i-can-very-much-relate-to-waking-up-inside-of-your-life-and-saying-to/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [One of the wonderful ways to celebrate women is to hire women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/one-of-the-wonderful-ways-to-celebrate-women-is-to-hire-women/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

> [“We can understand the sentiment you're saying to us Oh, But sensible sells so could you kindly shut up And get started At keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/we-can-understand-the-sentiment-you-re-saying-to-us-oh-but-sensible/)

[Sara Bareilles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

[Explore all 163 Sara Bareilles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/)

## More Dare quotes

> [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [This is no time for ease and comfort. It is time to dare and endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/this-is-no-time-for-ease-and-comfort-it-is-time-to-dare-and-endure/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

> [Life is more complicated than we think, yet far simpler than anyone dares to imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/life-is-more-complicated-than-we-think-yet-far-simpler-than-anyone/)

[Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/)

> [I should not dare to call my soul my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/i-should-not-dare-to-call-my-soul-my-own/)

[Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/)

> [Nobody calls me a racist when I do redneck jokes. Jeff Foxworthy can do as many 'You might be a redneck jokes' as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/nobody-calls-me-a-racist-when-i-do-redneck-jokes-jeff-foxworthy-can/)

[Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/)

> [Dare to dream! Never underestimate the Power of Our Dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dare-to-dream-never-underestimate-the-power-of-our-dream/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Why stop now? Seduce me, Brian.I dare you." "I've always found it hard to turn aside a dare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/why-stop-now-seduce-me-brian-i-dare-you-i-ve-always-found-it-hard-to/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [This moment in which you experience stillness is every moment. Don't let the mind seduce you into the past or future. Stay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/this-moment-in-which-you-experience-stillness-is-every-moment-don-t/)

[Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/)

> [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/)

[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/)

> [I tend to get reactions just by being on screen, because I guess I'm physically queer-coded or something. Especially with 'Star Wars;' I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-o-brian/i-tend-to-get-reactions-just-by-being-on-screen-because-i-guess-i-m/)

[Katy O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-o-brian/)

> [Who would dare assign to art the sterile function of imitating nature?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/who-would-dare-assign-to-art-the-sterile-function-of-imitating-nature/)

[Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/)

> [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/)

[Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/)

> [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/)

[William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/)

> [The male dares to be different to the degree that he accepts his passivity and his desire to be female, his fagginess. The farthest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-solanas/the-male-dares-to-be-different-to-the-degree-that-he-accepts-his/)

[Valerie Solanas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-solanas/)

> [I drink, I huff, I strut, look big and stare; And all this I can do, because I dare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-villiers/i-drink-i-huff-i-strut-look-big-and-stare-and-all-this-i-can-do/)

[Theresa Villiers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-villiers/)

[Browse all 2,415 Dare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dare/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“So you dare tell me who to be”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Sara Bareilles"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Dare"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/sara-bareilles-2495_dare_so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be-360760_360760.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/sara-bareilles-2495_dare_so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be-360760_360760.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aec/sara-bareilles-2495_dare_so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be-360760_360760.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“So you dare tell me who to be” — Sara Bareilles",
                "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": "Sara Bareilles",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-bareilles/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“So you dare tell me who...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-bareilles/so-you-dare-tell-me-who-to-be/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
