--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Back in high school I told my dad, \"I'm…" description: "\"Back in high school I told my dad, \"I'm going to have a computer someday.\" And he said that it cost as much as a house-the downpayment on a house. And ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/steve-wozniak-2527_apartment_back-in-high-school-i-told-my-dad-i-m-go_3004673.png" --- # Back in high school I told my dad, "I'm going to have a… ![“Back in high school I told my dad, "I'm going to have a computer someday." And he said that it cost as much as a house-the downpayment on a house. And I said, "Well, I'll live in an apartment."” quote by Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/steve-wozniak-2527_apartment_back-in-high-school-i-told-my-dad-i-m-go_3004673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/steve-wozniak-2527_apartment_back-in-high-school-i-told-my-dad-i-m-go_3004673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/steve-wozniak-2527_apartment_back-in-high-school-i-told-my-dad-i-m-go_3004673.png) > “Back in high school I told my dad, "I'm going to have a computer someday." And he said that it cost as much as a house-the downpayment on a house. And I said, "Well, I'll live in an apartment."” [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A young dream of owning a computer is juxtaposed with its high cost, leading to a pragmatic compromise of living modestly to afford the goal. **In simple terms:** Expensive dreams can be pursued by adjusting lifestyle. Key Takeaway Plan finances to achieve tech aspirations. Themes technology dreams finance family advicegoalsetting budgeting Mood inspirational practical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - college students - startup founders - budget constraints Key Concepts personal finance technology adoption Questions to Reflect On - What sacrifices are worth making for a dream? - How to balance ambition with financial reality? A Different Perspective Compromise may limit other life aspects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apartment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartment/) [Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer/) [Computer Someday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computer-someday-4787487/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Downpayment House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downpayment-house-4787488/) [Going Computer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-computer-2015305/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [House Downpayment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house-downpayment-4787489/) [My dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-dad/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Someday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/someday/) [Told Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-dad/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [When the first American steps on the red dust of Mars, it's going to be because of computer scientists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marillyn-hewson/when-the-first-american-steps-on-the-red-dust-of-mars-it-s-going-to/) [Marillyn Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marillyn-hewson/) > [I need to have something else going on. 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Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-augustine/) > [Mum once told Dad that vices are only vices when looked at through the frame of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/mum-once-told-dad-that-vices-are-only-vices-when-looked-at-through/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) ## More by Steve Wozniak > [Being an electronic genius was a reputation I had, maybe being even into math and science almost exclusively and not wanting to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/being-an-electronic-genius-was-a-reputation-i-had-maybe-being-even/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [Basically, from the time Steve left Apple to the time Steve came back, he really became an outstanding business manager, able to...trust people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/basically-from-the-time-steve-left-apple-to-the-time-steve-came-back/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [I want to feel that I own things,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/i-want-to-feel-that-i-own-things/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [After the Apple II was introduced, then came the Commodore and the Tandy TRS-80.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/after-the-apple-ii-was-introduced-then-came-the-commodore-and-the/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [There's nothing that would keep Apple out of the Android market as a secondary phone market,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/there-s-nothing-that-would-keep-apple-out-of-the-android-market-as-a/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [I'm also a fan with sticking with the most standard software that millions of other users also use, because you get the benefit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/i-m-also-a-fan-with-sticking-with-the-most-standard-software-that/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [Imagination is something you do alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/imagination-is-something-you-do-alone/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [Our first computers were born not out of greed or ego, but in the revolutionary spirit of helping common people rise above the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/our-first-computers-were-born-not-out-of-greed-or-ego-but-in-the/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [ He \[Steve Jobs\] had come from the surplus electronics parts world.So he came from that world, and he said let's sell PC boards for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wozniak/he-steve-jobs-had-come-from-the-surplus-electronics-parts-world-so-he/) [Steve Wozniak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wozniak/) > [I thought Microsoft did a lot of things that were good and right building parts of the browser into the operating system. 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