--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really never saw an obstacle for me in…" description: "\"I really never saw an obstacle for me in taking leadership positions because, in a very ridiculous way, I thought, 'If Mary Robinson can do it then why..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/sinead-burke-27954_leadership_i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in_2197659.jpg" --- # I really never saw an obstacle for me in taking leadership… ![“I really never saw an obstacle for me in taking leadership positions because, in a very ridiculous way, I thought, 'If Mary Robinson can do it then why can't I?'” quote by Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/sinead-burke-27954_leadership_i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in_2197659.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/sinead-burke-27954_leadership_i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in_2197659.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/sinead-burke-27954_leadership_i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in_2197659.jpg) > “I really never saw an obstacle for me in taking leadership positions because, in a very ridiculous way, I thought, 'If Mary Robinson can do it then why can't I?'” [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing role models shows leadership is achievable, breaking self-doubt. **In simple terms:** Role models make leadership feel possible. Key Takeaway Find and study leaders you admire. Themes leadership confidence role models Mood motivational empowering Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - career advancement - public speaking - community organizing Key Concepts social learning self-efficacy gender equality Questions to Reflect On - Who inspires you to lead? - What unique path can you forge? A Different Perspective Overreliance on others may limit personal vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ## Related quotes > [“Ash stripped some of the papery purple bark off his yew stick. 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Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-s-lee/) > [“As she prayed, she thought of Mary, holding her infant son in her lap, nurturing and sustaining him through his childhood, and then watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chadwick/as-she-prayed-she-thought-of-mary-holding-her-infant-son-in-her-lap/) [Elizabeth Chadwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chadwick/) > [“No matter how egalitarian a group might start out, someone always wound up taking a leadership role.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/no-matter-how-egalitarian-a-group-might-start-out-someone-always/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [We never used to blink at taking a leadership role in the world. And we understood leadership often required something other than drones and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/we-never-used-to-blink-at-taking-a-leadership-role-in-the-world-and/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [Taking on a leadership role doesn't mean that you only have to be personally ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacinda-ardern/taking-on-a-leadership-role-doesn-t-mean-that-you-only-have-to-be/) [Jacinda Ardern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacinda-ardern/) > [By declaring yourself a leader, you're taking initiative and moving into a role of influence in a lively and vital network that's changing the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/by-declaring-yourself-a-leader-you-re-taking-initiative-and-moving/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Looking at how things might be under Trump is scary, particularly when a pinnacle moment in his campaign saw him mocking and belittling a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/looking-at-how-things-might-be-under-trump-is-scary-particularly-when/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [Most people I was at school with, if they saw me on telly, wouldn't know I'd been at school with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-widdicombe/most-people-i-was-at-school-with-if-they-saw-me-on-telly-wouldn-t/) [Josh Widdicombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-widdicombe/) > [For the Russian masses, the proletarians, knew for certain, and already saw during the war, and in part before their very eyes, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-gorter/for-the-russian-masses-the-proletarians-knew-for-certain-and-already/) [Herman Gorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-gorter/) > [If the Bible is correct, and the Earth is only 6,000 years old, that means there were no dinosaurs, and museum curators have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-shock/if-the-bible-is-correct-and-the-earth-is-only-6-000-years-old-that/) [Ron Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-shock/) > [When I first heard that a comet was going to hit Jupiter, my reaction was, 'Eh. So what? Jupiter's huge. Comets are small. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-hammel/when-i-first-heard-that-a-comet-was-going-to-hit-jupiter-my-reaction/) [Heidi Hammel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-hammel/) > [I grew up on a set and saw my family doing it and thought, 'I can do that too.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-culkin/i-grew-up-on-a-set-and-saw-my-family-doing-it-and-thought-i-can-do/) [Rory Culkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-culkin/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) ## More by Sinead Burke > [Using a public bathroom is an incredibly embarrassing experience. I enter the stall but can't reach the lock on the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/using-a-public-bathroom-is-an-incredibly-embarrassing-experience-i/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [Hate crime and hate speech must not be tolerated. Our policy and lawmakers and those who uphold the law must protect the most vulnerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/hate-crime-and-hate-speech-must-not-be-tolerated-our-policy-and/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [Looking at how things might be under Trump is scary, particularly when a pinnacle moment in his campaign saw him mocking and belittling a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/looking-at-how-things-might-be-under-trump-is-scary-particularly-when/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [People often ask me when I realised that I was different. Some people seem surprised that it's a question that I cannot answer. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/people-often-ask-me-when-i-realised-that-i-was-different-some-people/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [My height was not a deterrent, and it did not make me the person I am. It was like my long brown hair or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/my-height-was-not-a-deterrent-and-it-did-not-make-me-the-person-i-am/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [I was fortunate and worked hard to graduate top of my class as a primary school teacher and receive the Vere Foster Award, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-was-fortunate-and-worked-hard-to-graduate-top-of-my-class-as-a/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [I often forget that I'm a little person. It's the physical environment and society that remind me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-often-forget-that-i-m-a-little-person-it-s-the-physical-environment/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [If somebody, without knowing me, comes up to me and wants to upset or belittle me, I think that reflects badly on them, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/if-somebody-without-knowing-me-comes-up-to-me-and-wants-to-upset-or/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [With the rise of social media, it has given me an opportunity and a platform to have a voice as a blogger and as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/with-the-rise-of-social-media-it-has-given-me-an-opportunity-and-a/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [For so long, the fashion industry has designed almost exclusively for a particular woman with particular measurements, and they've never really been challenged on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/for-so-long-the-fashion-industry-has-designed-almost-exclusively-for/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [Disability is articulated as a struggle, an unnecessary burden that one must overcome to the soundtrack of a string crescendo. But disabled lives are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/disability-is-articulated-as-a-struggle-an-unnecessary-burden-that/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [Listening sounds like a ridiculous characteristic for mentoring, but genuinely being invested and interested in people, meeting them for cups of coffee and spending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/listening-sounds-like-a-ridiculous-characteristic-for-mentoring-but/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [I want garments that reflect my personality. It's difficult to find in the childrenswear department. And often, womenswear requires far too many alterations. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-want-garments-that-reflect-my-personality-it-s-difficult-to-find-in/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [When people learn that I'm a qualified primary school teacher, I'm often met with surprise and a list of questions, including, 'How do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/when-people-learn-that-i-m-a-qualified-primary-school-teacher-i-m/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) > [Having to re-articulate your values and, most importantly, your rights, is something that can be quite tiring and frustrating. However, I am meticulous and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/having-to-re-articulate-your-values-and-most-importantly-your-rights/) [Sinead Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) [Explore all 20 Sinead Burke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/) ## More Leadership quotes > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [It is absolutely necessary... for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-absolutely-necessary-for-me-to-have-persons-that-can-think-for/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“Under the treaty of Sevres in 1920 Greece had been given Smyrna, and by 1922 the Greek army was trying to push its way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-faulks/under-the-treaty-of-sevres-in-1920-greece-had-been-given-smyrna-and/) [Sebastian Faulks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-faulks/) > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [Some people you speak to you speak into their heads. It's logical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/some-people-you-speak-to-you-speak-into-their-heads-it-s-logical/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) Jennifer Siebel Newsom > [Leaders need to compromise, negotiate with members of both parties and ideologies, and reform health care the right way - by developing a strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/leaders-need-to-compromise-negotiate-with-members-of-both-parties-and/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You can have Asians being leading men that are sex symbols. You can have leading women powering through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/you-can-have-asians-being-leading-men-that-are-sex-symbols-you-can/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) > [“A man who saw has turned blind, A hearer deaf, A leader now leads astray!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-lichtheim/a-man-who-saw-has-turned-blind-a-hearer-deaf-a-leader-now-leads-astray/) [Miriam Lichtheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-lichtheim/) [Browse all 20,954 Leadership quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I really never saw an obstacle for me in taking leadership positions because, in a very ridiculous way, I thought, 'If Mary Robinson can do it then why can't I?'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sinead Burke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in-taking-leadership-positions/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Leadership" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in-taking-leadership-positions/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/sinead-burke-27954_leadership_i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in_2197659.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/sinead-burke-27954_leadership_i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in_2197659.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/960/sinead-burke-27954_leadership_i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in_2197659.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I really never saw an obstacle for me in taking leadership positions because, in a very ridiculous way, I…” — Sinead Burke", "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": "Sinead Burke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-burke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I really never saw an obstacle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in-taking-leadership-positions/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-burke/i-really-never-saw-an-obstacle-for-me-in-taking-leadership-positions/#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 } } ] } ```