--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never had any freedom - over my whole…" description: "\"I never had any freedom - over my whole life, there had always been people telling me what to do. And when I did finally get that freedom I had no idea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/sergei-polunin-3855_freedom_i-never-had-any-freedom-over-my-whole-li_720206.jpg" --- # I never had any freedom - over my whole life, there had… ![“I never had any freedom - over my whole life, there had always been people telling me what to do. And when I did finally get that freedom I had no idea what to do with it - that was something I hadn't been trained for.” quote by Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/sergei-polunin-3855_freedom_i-never-had-any-freedom-over-my-whole-li_720206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/sergei-polunin-3855_freedom_i-never-had-any-freedom-over-my-whole-li_720206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/860/sergei-polunin-3855_freedom_i-never-had-any-freedom-over-my-whole-li_720206.jpg) > “I never had any freedom - over my whole life, there had always been people telling me what to do. And when I did finally get that freedom I had no idea what to do with it - that was something I hadn't been trained for.” [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes feeling unprepared for true autonomy after a life of external control. **In simple terms:** Freedom felt overwhelming without guidance. Key Takeaway Seek mentorship when gaining independence. Themes freedom autonomy self‑discovery control Mood reflective conflicted Type advice personal development When to use this quote - career transition - creative projects - personal relationships - self‑directed learning Key Concepts psychology personal growth learning Questions to Reflect On - How can you prepare for autonomy before it arrives? - What resources help navigate newfound freedom? A Different Perspective Freedom alone doesn't guarantee direction; support is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I'd been ill and hadn't trained for a week and I'd been out of the team for three weeks before that, so I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-morrison/i-d-been-ill-and-hadn-t-trained-for-a-week-and-i-d-been-out-of-the/) Clinton Morrison > [I never wanted to lose out on an acting job and wonder if I hadn't been trained enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-alan-grier/i-never-wanted-to-lose-out-on-an-acting-job-and-wonder-if-i-hadn-t/) [David Alan Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-alan-grier/) > [Even though we know freedom as an idea we're not really as free as we think we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-brien/even-though-we-know-freedom-as-an-idea-we-re-not-really-as-free-as-we/) [Richard O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-brien/) > [“Freedom is not an idea; a philosophy written about freedom is not freedom. Either one is free or one is not. One is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/freedom-is-not-an-idea-a-philosophy-written-about-freedom-is-not/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I'm really grateful to be given the freedom to have an idea and execute it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-mock/i-m-really-grateful-to-be-given-the-freedom-to-have-an-idea-and/) [Evan Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-mock/) > [“ 'Freedom.' He pauses a moment to reflect on the F-word. 'Sometimes I think it's an idea that enslaves us. We're never free from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/freedom-he-pauses-a-moment-to-reflect-on-the-f-word-sometimes-i-think/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [The British Empire has advanced to a new conception of autonomyand freedom, to the idea of a system of British nations, each freely ordering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-vi/the-british-empire-has-advanced-to-a-new-conception-of-autonomyand/) George VI > [The one true freedom in life is to come to terms with death, and as early as possible, for death is an event that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-sloane-coffin/the-one-true-freedom-in-life-is-to-come-to-terms-with-death-and-as/) [William Sloane Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-sloane-coffin/) > [“Freedom is about life or death, I would rather die fighting for it than die running away from the oppressor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mutanda/freedom-is-about-life-or-death-i-would-rather-die-fighting-for-it/) Peter Mutanda > [Freedom of life does not mean disorder of life, does not mean chaos, and just everyone doing anything he wants. That is not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/freedom-of-life-does-not-mean-disorder-of-life-does-not-mean-chaos/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [Believe in all the good things you keep inside There is no freedom in life without freedom of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-enigk/believe-in-all-the-good-things-you-keep-inside-there-is-no-freedom-in/) [Jeremy Enigk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-enigk/) > [Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/freedom-has-its-life-in-the-hearts-the-actions-the-spirit-of-men-and/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [You still want that freedom life going out and making room for conflicts. I don't want that at all. But I wasn't sending no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-still-want-that-freedom-life-going-out-and-making-room-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That really important freedom in my life, the freedom to marry, came about because of choices that were made by policymakers who had power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/that-really-important-freedom-in-my-life-the-freedom-to-marry-came/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [The individual who no longer has a rigid mind has found freedom. Life can be so easy. Refuse to let go and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ohsawa/the-individual-who-no-longer-has-a-rigid-mind-has-found-freedom-life/) [George Ohsawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ohsawa/) ## More by Sergei Polunin > [I wasted so many years just traveling and sitting in hotels, searching for things, not knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-wasted-so-many-years-just-traveling-and-sitting-in-hotels-searching/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [The Royal Ballet was good to me. They gave me everything I asked for. It's just... I felt tricked. I became a principal and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/the-royal-ballet-was-good-to-me-they-gave-me-everything-i-asked-for/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I didn't want people to think I'm a dancer. I'm much more. I'm a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-didn-t-want-people-to-think-i-m-a-dancer-i-m-much-more-i-m-a-human/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [Art and war are opposites, so our goal as an artist is to build and create, not destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/art-and-war-are-opposites-so-our-goal-as-an-artist-is-to-build-and/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I normally don't regret. I enjoy everything, even if it's bad or good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-normally-don-t-regret-i-enjoy-everything-even-if-it-s-bad-or-good/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [What made my mind go free is that I wanted to become an artist. As soon as I said to myself, 'Oh I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/what-made-my-mind-go-free-is-that-i-wanted-to-become-an-artist-as/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I do get depressed sometimes, I don't know why. It's since I was a kid and it's just part of my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-do-get-depressed-sometimes-i-don-t-know-why-it-s-since-i-was-a-kid/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I went and got a tattoo of James Dean on my shoulder without actually seeing him in any movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-went-and-got-a-tattoo-of-james-dean-on-my-shoulder-without-actually/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [The Sensorium Galaxy Planet of Motion is the future. We are memorizing dance because dance will exist in a virtual world forever. The Planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/the-sensorium-galaxy-planet-of-motion-is-the-future-we-are-memorizing/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [The Royal Ballet School looked after me very well, they were like my family, and the company gave me everything. But I was unhappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/the-royal-ballet-school-looked-after-me-very-well-they-were-like-my/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [As soon as I said to myself, "Oh I'm not a dancer; I'm not an actor," it made me so free to do anything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/as-soon-as-i-said-to-myself-oh-i-m-not-a-dancer-i-m-not-an-actor-it/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [Just let me live my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/just-let-me-live-my-life/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I'm not a bad boy now I'm living in Russia. London was great but there were too many distractions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-m-not-a-bad-boy-now-i-m-living-in-russia-london-was-great-but-there/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I actually always have good intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-actually-always-have-good-intentions/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [You know when you believe in Christmas? I was like that with ballet. I thought I would reach a level where I'd have enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/you-know-when-you-believe-in-christmas-i-was-like-that-with-ballet-i/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) [Explore all 120 Sergei Polunin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [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/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I never had any freedom - over my whole life, there had always been people telling me what to do. 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