--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I grew up thinking that because I…" description: "\"I grew up thinking that because I couldn't read, I was stupid and would never amount to anything. I worked my way through college as a waitress and tho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/suze-orman-1007_amount_i-grew-up-thinking-that-because-i-couldn_2652283.png" --- # I grew up thinking that because I couldn't read, I was… ![“I grew up thinking that because I couldn't read, I was stupid and would never amount to anything. I worked my way through college as a waitress and thought I wasn't capable of doing anything else. My grades in English were horrible, and I barely got through.” quote by Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/suze-orman-1007_amount_i-grew-up-thinking-that-because-i-couldn_2652283.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/suze-orman-1007_amount_i-grew-up-thinking-that-because-i-couldn_2652283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b0/suze-orman-1007_amount_i-grew-up-thinking-that-because-i-couldn_2652283.png) > “I grew up thinking that because I couldn't read, I was stupid and would never amount to anything. I worked my way through college as a waitress and thought I wasn't capable of doing anything else. My grades in English were horrible, and I barely got through.” [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling inadequate due to literacy struggles leads to self‑doubt, but perseverance and work can overcome early setbacks. **In simple terms:** Low literacy caused self‑doubt, but hard work helped. Key Takeaway Believe in growth despite early challenges. Themes self‑esteem education resilience career overcoming adversity Mood determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - college work - career change - skill development - self‑advocacy Key Concepts growth mindset self‑efficacy social mobility Questions to Reflect On - What resources could have helped you earlier? - How can you support others facing similar doubts? A Different Perspective Hard work alone may not fix systemic barriers to education. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [I was stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-was-stupid/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Waitress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waitress/) ## Related quotes > [“I never argued with people who underestimated me. If the accent and the muscles and the movies made people think I was stupid, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-never-argued-with-people-who-underestimated-me-if-the-accent-and/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [“Yo momma is so stupid… she worked at a M&M factory and threw out all the W's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lol-funny-jokes-club/yo-momma-is-so-stupid-she-worked-at-a-m-m-factory-and-threw-out-all/) [LOL Funny Jokes Club](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lol-funny-jokes-club/) > [“Where had he been? Drinking, obviously. Then she started cataloging all the ways he was worthless. On fool impulse, as his most potent available…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/where-had-he-been-drinking-obviously-then-she-started-cataloging-all/) [Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/) > [“I was well-read but perhaps that only made me stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-smyth/i-was-well-read-but-perhaps-that-only-made-me-stupid/) [Richard Smyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-smyth/) > [If anyone spends almost the whole day in reading...he gradually loses the capacity for thinking...This is the case with many learned persons; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/if-anyone-spends-almost-the-whole-day-in-reading-he-gradually-loses/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [When we wrote that scene about the Sleepy Kittens where he's reading the storybook to the kids, it's like we've had to read these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinco-paul/when-we-wrote-that-scene-about-the-sleepy-kittens-where-he-s-reading/) [Cinco Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinco-paul/) > [This is the case with many learned persons; they have read themselves stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/this-is-the-case-with-many-learned-persons-they-have-read-themselves/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [All we do is read the stupid textbook," said Ron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-we-do-is-read-the-stupid-textbook-said-ron/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The directors thought, They understand nothing in the real economy, in real life. 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I grew up thinking it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/it-was-always-assumed-i-would-be-a-professor-i-grew-up-thinking-it/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [I grew up thinking that whatever I wanted to do, I could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-principal/i-grew-up-thinking-that-whatever-i-wanted-to-do-i-could-do/) [Victoria Principal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-principal/) > [I grew up thinking of show business as a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-basil/i-grew-up-thinking-of-show-business-as-a-business/) [Toni Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-basil/) ## More by Suze Orman > [I've never believed unemployment numbers because the way that they calculate unemployment makes no sense whatsoever. It's not how many people are unemployed. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-ve-never-believed-unemployment-numbers-because-the-way-that-they/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Never invest emergency savings in the stock market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/never-invest-emergency-savings-in-the-stock-market/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Just because you can afford it doesn't mean you should buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/just-because-you-can-afford-it-doesn-t-mean-you-should-buy-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/your-goal-should-be-to-pay-off-your-credit-card-bills-in-full-at-the/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Consider a 15- or 20-year fixed-rate mortgage instead of a 30-year, if you can afford the monthly payments - they may not be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/consider-a-15-or-20-year-fixed-rate-mortgage-instead-of-a-30-year-if/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Believing you are worthy of love means that you believe I deserve to be treated well - with respect and dignity. I deserve to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/believing-you-are-worthy-of-love-means-that-you-believe-i-deserve-to/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Women fake orgasms and men fake finances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/women-fake-orgasms-and-men-fake-finances/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [If you're not staying on top of your money, you are putting your financial well-being at risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/if-you-re-not-staying-on-top-of-your-money-you-are-putting-your/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [When you understand that your self-worth is not determined by your net-worth, then you'll have financial freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/when-you-understand-that-your-self-worth-is-not-determined-by-your/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [ I think Oprah's \[winfrey\] learned from me that it's OK to be harsh on people because in one's harshness you can see transformation happen… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-think-oprah-s-winfrey-learned-from-me-that-it-s-ok-to-be-harsh-on/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [No well-planned retirement should be without long term care insurance. It is the very cornerstone of retirement security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/no-well-planned-retirement-should-be-without-long-term-care-insurance/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [The chances of a bank going out of business are extremely slim, but it's always a good idea to spread around major sums so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/the-chances-of-a-bank-going-out-of-business-are-extremely-slim-but-it/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [True generosity is an offering; given freely and out of pure love. No strings attached. No expectations. 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What matters is what that amount represents in terms of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-amount-you-give-isn-t-important-what-matters-is-what-that-amount/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/) [Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. 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