--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I knew I needed to establish myself to…" description: "\"I knew I needed to establish myself to get to where I am.\" — Sofia Kenin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sofia-kenin-8427_establish_i-knew-i-needed-to-establish-myself-to-g_456624.jpg" --- # I knew I needed to establish myself to get to where I am. ![“I knew I needed to establish myself to get to where I am.” quote by Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sofia-kenin-8427_establish_i-knew-i-needed-to-establish-myself-to-g_456624.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sofia-kenin-8427_establish_i-knew-i-needed-to-establish-myself-to-g_456624.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sofia-kenin-8427_establish_i-knew-i-needed-to-establish-myself-to-g_456624.jpg) > “I knew I needed to establish myself to get to where I am.” [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires first establishing a solid foundation before advancing further. **In simple terms:** Build a base before aiming higher. Key Takeaway Focus on solid foundations early. Themes growth career self‑esteem Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - skill development - personal branding Key Concepts foundation self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What foundation are you building now? - How do you balance foundation with flexibility? A Different Perspective Foundations alone may not guarantee long‑term success without adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Everyone knew as much as they needed to know to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/everyone-knew-as-much-as-they-needed-to-know-to-be-happy/) [Ian McEwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [“I was so sure that I knew what they needed and what I wanted to sell them that I never stopped long enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/i-was-so-sure-that-i-knew-what-they-needed-and-what-i-wanted-to-sell/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [I knew that, when needed, mountains would move for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-knew-that-when-needed-mountains-would-move-for-me/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [I never exactly knew what I needed until the moment we became friends...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naquitta-faith/i-never-exactly-knew-what-i-needed-until-the-moment-we-became-friends/) [Naquitta Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naquitta-faith/) > [“She tried to clear her mind. She knew she needed to return to the war, already in progress.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-linnea/she-tried-to-clear-her-mind-she-knew-she-needed-to-return-to-the-war/) Sharon Linnea > [Big ups to the Goodwill for having everything we never knew we needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/big-ups-to-the-goodwill-for-having-everything-we-never-knew-we-needed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I could put a book in his hands, but I couldn't take him by the ankles and dip him headfirst in another world. 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I needed someone who could focus on and spearhead the business side of things, and \[Neal Dodson\] was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-knew-i-needed-a-partner-i-needed-someone-who-could-focus-on-and/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“It was a point in his favor, and heaven knew he needed one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-salerni/it-was-a-point-in-his-favor-and-heaven-knew-he-needed-one/) [Dianne Salerni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-salerni/) > [I always studied because I knew I had to. 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He sees the game so well, and knows exactly what to say to make me play better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/my-dad-plays-every-point-with-me-he-sees-the-game-so-well-and-knows/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [Immigrant stories are good stories for everyone to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/immigrant-stories-are-good-stories-for-everyone-to-know/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I wanted to go pro, but having the option to go to college was important for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-wanted-to-go-pro-but-having-the-option-to-go-to-college-was/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [Definitely I feel with more matches, I'm the type of player I win a match or few matches, then I get confidence right away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/definitely-i-feel-with-more-matches-i-m-the-type-of-player-i-win-a/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I was never the biggest, so I had to take the ball early and control the points in order to not be overpowered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-was-never-the-biggest-so-i-had-to-take-the-ball-early-and-control/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I didn't want to overthink things because you can start overdoing it and get anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-didn-t-want-to-overthink-things-because-you-can-start-overdoing-it/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I guess maybe it doesn't matter how you serve, as long as you get it in. Yeah, that's worked for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-guess-maybe-it-doesn-t-matter-how-you-serve-as-long-as-you-get-it/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [Grand Slams are four tournaments a year, so of course those are the big ones, those are the ones that people and us players…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/grand-slams-are-four-tournaments-a-year-so-of-course-those-are-the/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I've watched Serena. I've been following her, all the slams she's been winning. It's a special feeling just to be ahead of her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-ve-watched-serena-i-ve-been-following-her-all-the-slams-she-s-been/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I'm not a good actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-m-not-a-good-actress/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I feel like I'm doing a really good job with keeping my ground and staying focused, starting off strong in the third set, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-feel-like-i-m-doing-a-really-good-job-with-keeping-my-ground-and/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [Of course, I believed in myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/of-course-i-believed-in-myself/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [Me, I'm a rising star for American tennis. I'm really proud to represent my country and hopefully I can keep going higher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/me-i-m-a-rising-star-for-american-tennis-i-m-really-proud-to/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) > [I'm not a player that's going to grind at the baseline - I like to dictate and control the point and try to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-m-not-a-player-that-s-going-to-grind-at-the-baseline-i-like-to/) [Sofia Kenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) [Explore all 81 Sofia Kenin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-kenin/) ## More Establish quotes > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [It's been a bit tricky trying to establish a 'designer' profile and not a designer-cum-girl-around-town.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-philo/it-s-been-a-bit-tricky-trying-to-establish-a-designer-profile-and-not/) [Phoebe Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-philo/) > [In 1986, I was asked by the then-Dean of Science at the University of British Columbia, Dr. R.C. Miller, Jr., to establish a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-smith/in-1986-i-was-asked-by-the-then-dean-of-science-at-the-university-of/) [Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-smith/) > [Be it commercial or offbeat, I want to establish myself as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raashi-khanna/be-it-commercial-or-offbeat-i-want-to-establish-myself-as-an-actress/) [Raashi Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raashi-khanna/) > [I tried to go to Kosovo to establish a statue to commemorate those who died during the wars, and to discuss moving on, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivica-dacic/i-tried-to-go-to-kosovo-to-establish-a-statue-to-commemorate-those/) [Ivica Dacic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivica-dacic/) > [It is of the highest importance to provide equal access to the labour market. Governments should act to establish equitable employment standards and penalise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/it-is-of-the-highest-importance-to-provide-equal-access-to-the-labour/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > ['The New Yorker' didn't invent the magazine cartoon, but it did really establish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/the-new-yorker-didn-t-invent-the-magazine-cartoon-but-it-did-really/) [Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/) > [I did not establish the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society as a protest organisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-did-not-establish-the-sea-shepherd-conservation-society-as-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I sort of managed to establish in my life that relationships aren't really a thing I can handle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hegerty/i-sort-of-managed-to-establish-in-my-life-that-relationships-aren-t/) [Anne Hegerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hegerty/) > [The resurrection of Jesus Christ was necessary to establish the truth of his mission and put the stamp of all-conquering power on his gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-was-necessary-to-establish-the-truth/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [In the early 1990s we witnessed the emergence of a revitalized contemporary Chinese art world that began as a reaction against the government-approved Social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-glimcher/in-the-early-1990s-we-witnessed-the-emergence-of-a-revitalized/) [Arne Glimcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-glimcher/) > [You don't get paid much until you establish yourself in cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satyadev-kancharana/you-don-t-get-paid-much-until-you-establish-yourself-in-cinema/) [Satyadev Kancharana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satyadev-kancharana/) > [Engineers in the developed world should be arguing not for protectionism but for trade agreements that seek to establish rules that result in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-behlendorf/engineers-in-the-developed-world-should-be-arguing-not-for/) [Brian Behlendorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-behlendorf/) > [It's my goal to establish myself at Bayern Munich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-kimmich/it-s-my-goal-to-establish-myself-at-bayern-munich/) [Joshua Kimmich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-kimmich/) > [I think the motive is to establish in federal law the personhood from conception forward and try and alter the Constitution through statute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lofgren/i-think-the-motive-is-to-establish-in-federal-law-the-personhood-from/) [Zoe Lofgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lofgren/) Browse all 160 Establish quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I knew I needed to establish myself to get to where I am.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sofia Kenin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-knew-i-needed-to-establish-myself-to-get-to-where-i-am/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Establish" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-kenin/i-knew-i-needed-to-establish-myself-to-get-to-where-i-am/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/742/sofia-kenin-8427_establish_i-knew-i-needed-to-establish-myself-to-g_456624.jpg", "contentUrl": 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