--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't program, so I don't belong in…" description: "\"I don't program, so I don't belong in Silicon Valley. If I did belong in Silicon Valley, I'd be there creating a revolutionary compression algorithm fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/thomas-middleditch-4212_belong_i-don-t-program-so-i-don-t-belong-in-sil_2691154.jpg" --- # I don't program, so I don't belong in Silicon Valley. If I… ![“I don't program, so I don't belong in Silicon Valley. If I did belong in Silicon Valley, I'd be there creating a revolutionary compression algorithm for billions of dollars.” quote by Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/thomas-middleditch-4212_belong_i-don-t-program-so-i-don-t-belong-in-sil_2691154.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/thomas-middleditch-4212_belong_i-don-t-program-so-i-don-t-belong-in-sil_2691154.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/249/thomas-middleditch-4212_belong_i-don-t-program-so-i-don-t-belong-in-sil_2691154.jpg) > “I don't program, so I don't belong in Silicon Valley. If I did belong in Silicon Valley, I'd be there creating a revolutionary compression algorithm for billions of dollars.” [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling excluded from tech can stem from self‑doubt rather than actual lack of skill. **In simple terms:** Self‑doubt blocks belonging in tech. Key Takeaway Challenge your assumptions about who belongs. Themes identity belonging tech industry self‑esteem Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational personal growth When to use this quote - job interview - networking events - learning new tech - seeking mentorship Key Concepts impostor syndrome confidence building Questions to Reflect On - What skills can you develop to feel more included? - How does self‑talk affect your confidence? A Different Perspective Belonging also requires skill development, not just mindset. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Revolutionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutionary/) [Silicon valley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silicon-valley/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes it feels hard to remember that Silicon Valley is an actual place, a collage of parched suburbs, and not just the collective noun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/sometimes-it-feels-hard-to-remember-that-silicon-valley-is-an-actual/) [Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/) > [What makes Silicon Valley really work? It's a unique combination of great educational institutions - especially at Stanford - that generate engineers and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/what-makes-silicon-valley-really-work-it-s-a-unique-combination-of/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [You might call me a tech intermediary. I know how to talk to the people in Silicon Valley and then take that information and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ostrofsky/you-might-call-me-a-tech-intermediary-i-know-how-to-talk-to-the/) [Marc Ostrofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ostrofsky/) > [One of the great things about moving to Silicon Valley is that you're surrounded by all these people who've done it before. This place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/one-of-the-great-things-about-moving-to-silicon-valley-is-that-you-re/) [Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/) > [Historically, people have flocked to Silicon Valley because of the belief that that's where the latest innovation is happening. It's a snowball effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/historically-people-have-flocked-to-silicon-valley-because-of-the/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [In Delicious's case, it's a great brand that belongs in Silicon Valley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hurley/in-delicious-s-case-it-s-a-great-brand-that-belongs-in-silicon-valley/) [Chad Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hurley/) > [Most competition in Silicon Valley now heads toward there being one monopolistic winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/om-malik/most-competition-in-silicon-valley-now-heads-toward-there-being-one/) [Om Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/om-malik/) > [Silicon Valley is super competitive and super expensive for talent, for office space, for everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-blecharczyk/silicon-valley-is-super-competitive-and-super-expensive-for-talent/) [Nathan Blecharczyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-blecharczyk/) > [My sense is that we're ready for another industrial revolution in this country. 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I don't hang out with Silicon Valley people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/i-m-probably-the-worst-silicon-valley-insider-ever-i-don-t-hang-out/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [Silicon Valley is like Wall Street in that it will fill and pursue market opportunities to their logical extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/silicon-valley-is-like-wall-street-in-that-it-will-fill-and-pursue/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [Silicon Valley does not breed great technology. Instead, the smartest people from around the world tend to move to Silicon Valley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-collison/silicon-valley-does-not-breed-great-technology-instead-the-smartest/) [Patrick Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-collison/) > [The thing we should all be looking for are people who want to make a difference. I'm a big believer in the Silicon Valley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-reilly/the-thing-we-should-all-be-looking-for-are-people-who-want-to-make-a/) [Tim O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-reilly/) ## More by Thomas Middleditch > [It's an absurd world - you know, billionaires in Birkenstocks. But I'd rather have nerdy tech guys as the next Carnegie than oil tycoons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/it-s-an-absurd-world-you-know-billionaires-in-birkenstocks-but-i-d/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [In eighth grade, when I was just the school weirdo, my drama teacher put me in a play, and we came up with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/in-eighth-grade-when-i-was-just-the-school-weirdo-my-drama-teacher/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [If you think 'Game of Thrones' throws around some erroneous, unnecessary nudity, wait til you see 'Silicon Valley.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/if-you-think-game-of-thrones-throws-around-some-erroneous-unnecessary/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [I've been a Keanu Reeves fan for a very long time, since 'Bill and Ted' and 'Point Break' and stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/i-ve-been-a-keanu-reeves-fan-for-a-very-long-time-since-bill-and-ted/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [It's like PlayStation-Xbox. I like both. So nothing against Mac, but I do use Windows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/it-s-like-playstation-xbox-i-like-both-so-nothing-against-mac-but-i/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [I don't want to make some super cliche comment about how much more acceptable gaming is. 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One meeting was special in particular because this was before I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/i-ve-had-the-fortune-of-meeting-most-of-the-kids-in-the-hall-one/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [I know, for myself, I probably work a lot better in that - in the group environment. Only because if I am coming up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/i-know-for-myself-i-probably-work-a-lot-better-in-that-in-the-group/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [I still like farts. I still think farts are some of the funniest things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/i-still-like-farts-i-still-think-farts-are-some-of-the-funniest-things/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [The first home system we had was an Apple II, and I remember playing a game called 'Conan.' It should have been called 'Tarzan'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/the-first-home-system-we-had-was-an-apple-ii-and-i-remember-playing-a/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) > [I'm definitely not frowning on improv; I mean, I've been doing it for years. I just think that there's some styles of comedy that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-middleditch/i-m-definitely-not-frowning-on-improv-i-mean-i-ve-been-doing-it-for/) [Thomas Middleditch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) [Explore all 114 Thomas Middleditch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-middleditch/) ## More Belong quotes > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I hate this feeling. Like Im here. But, Im not. Like someone cares. But, they dont. Like I belong somewhere else, anywhere but here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-this-feeling-like-im-here-but-im-not-like-someone-cares-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As you know, in America there's no rights for the artist, so whatever films I've made kind of belong to the studio, so if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/as-you-know-in-america-there-s-no-rights-for-the-artist-so-whatever/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) > [“When the time comes, everybody’s got to end up where they belong. Only me, I didn’t have a place to call my own. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/when-the-time-comes-everybody-s-got-to-end-up-where-they-belong-only/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [God has a purpose for us. If he didn't we wouldn't be alive in the first place. We have a calling. We are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-janssen/god-has-a-purpose-for-us-if-he-didn-t-we-wouldn-t-be-alive-in-the/) [Kenny Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-janssen/) > [I thought of how many places there are in the world that belong in this way to someone, who has it in his blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/i-thought-of-how-many-places-there-are-in-the-world-that-belong-in/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [I belong to a Bohri Muslim family, and for us, food is our biggest celebration. We are used to elaborate five- to six-course meals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nushrat-bharucha/i-belong-to-a-bohri-muslim-family-and-for-us-food-is-our-biggest/) [Nushrat Bharucha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nushrat-bharucha/) > [“You need to belong to yourself, and let others belong to themselves too. 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You are the only one who is with you for your entire life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ruiz-jr/your-beliefs-and-your-beliefs-alone-belong-to-you-you-are-the-only/) [Miguel Ruiz Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ruiz-jr/) > [Earth does not belong to us; we belong to earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-seattle/earth-does-not-belong-to-us-we-belong-to-earth/) [Chief Seattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-seattle/) > [I think I know where you belong. I think I know its not with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-i-know-where-you-belong-i-think-i-know-its-not-with-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's a compelling reason why I belong in the Hall of Fame, but I understand the argument against me. My career didn't go like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-warner/there-s-a-compelling-reason-why-i-belong-in-the-hall-of-fame-but-i/) [Kurt Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-warner/) Browse all 1,571 Belong quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't program, so I don't belong in Silicon Valley. 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