--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My dad said, 'The thing that I was told…" description: "\"My dad said, 'The thing that I was told that was really helpful was that I mustn't be afraid of the things I was afraid of when I was five years old'. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-hooper-11526_afraid_my-dad-said-the-thing-that-i-was-told-th_2377886.jpg" --- # My dad said, 'The thing that I was told that was really… ![“My dad said, 'The thing that I was told that was really helpful was that I mustn't be afraid of the things I was afraid of when I was five years old'. The shock of his childhood had put him in this defensive crouch against the world, and he needed to know that he had a nice wife and kids and it…” quote by Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-hooper-11526_afraid_my-dad-said-the-thing-that-i-was-told-th_2377886.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-hooper-11526_afraid_my-dad-said-the-thing-that-i-was-told-th_2377886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aab/tom-hooper-11526_afraid_my-dad-said-the-thing-that-i-was-told-th_2377886.jpg) > “My dad said, 'The thing that I was told that was really helpful was that I mustn't be afraid of the things I was afraid of when I was five years old'. The shock of his childhood had put him in this defensive crouch against the world, and he needed to know that he had a nice wife and kids and it wasn't the same any more.” [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Overcoming childhood fear requires recognizing that past anxieties no longer define present reality. **In simple terms:** Face old fears with new confidence. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and release old fears. Themes courage family growth Mood reflective hopeful Type advice personal development When to use this quote - parenting - personal therapy - career transitions Key Concepts psychology fear reframing Questions to Reflect On - What childhood fear still influences you? - How can loved ones help reframe that fear? A Different Perspective Fear may resurface under stress; support is essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-years-2311180/) [Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood/) [Childhood Defensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childhood-defensive-5879695/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Dad Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad-said/) [Defensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defensive/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpful/) [Him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/him/) [His](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/his/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Same](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same/) [Shock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shock/) [Shock Childhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shock-childhood-5879696/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Things Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-afraid/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [You can tell if it's a good collection if people are afraid of it. In ten years, everyone will love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rei-kawakubo/you-can-tell-if-it-s-a-good-collection-if-people-are-afraid-of-it-in/) [Rei Kawakubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rei-kawakubo/) > [We talk a great deal about Russia today, and I'm afraid that in twenty years, we and Russia will be more similar than different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-talk-a-great-deal-about-russia-today-and-i-m-afraid-that-in-twenty/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I have failed at many things, but I have never been afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-gordimer/i-have-failed-at-many-things-but-i-have-never-been-afraid/) [Nadine Gordimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-gordimer/) > [“There were a lot of things I was afraid of—but not guys like him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-were-a-lot-of-things-i-was-afraid-of-but-not-guys-like-him/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I found that the things I am afraid of most are things for which there are no obvious remedies. Like, what do you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-aster/i-found-that-the-things-i-am-afraid-of-most-are-things-for-which/) [Ari Aster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-aster/) > [“Life is filled with things to be afraid of so, as far as I can see it, you’ve got a choice – either you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pilkington/life-is-filled-with-things-to-be-afraid-of-so-as-far-as-i-can-see-it/) [Paul Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pilkington/) > [“Sometimes people who look different from you are scary. Maybe they are ugly. Maybe they are loud. Maybe they are big. Maybe they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hutchins/sometimes-people-who-look-different-from-you-are-scary-maybe-they-are/) [Jeff Hutchins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hutchins/) > [I was very afraid to write a novel - it was a dream for a very long time, and it was one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-marr/i-was-very-afraid-to-write-a-novel-it-was-a-dream-for-a-very-long/) [Melissa Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-marr/) > [Yeah, right. The things that I'm afraid of? You wouldn't even believe." "You're afraid to trust me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/yeah-right-the-things-that-i-m-afraid-of-you-wouldn-t-even-believe/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“There's nothing wrong with being scared...It happens to all of us. What's wrong is if we don't try things because we're afraid. We can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-hannah/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-being-scared-it-happens-to-all-of-us-what/) [Kristin Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-hannah/) > [“As long as something teaches you some things, do not be afraid of it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/as-long-as-something-teaches-you-some-things-do-not-be-afraid-of-it/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The amount of things you ignore is equal to the amount of things you are afraid of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cervantes/the-amount-of-things-you-ignore-is-equal-to-the-amount-of-things-you/) [Andrew Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cervantes/) > [Fear is a ... it's a weird thing, when you think about it. People are only afraid of other things, they're never afraid of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-wells/fear-is-a-it-s-a-weird-thing-when-you-think-about-it-people-are-only/) [Dan Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-wells/) > [I won't touch on risky, because that's subjective. People are just afraid of things too much. Afraid of things that don't necessarily merit fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/i-won-t-touch-on-risky-because-that-s-subjective-people-are-just/) [Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/) > [I've always been curious about the things that I'm afraid to look at, that make me embarrassed or bother me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/i-ve-always-been-curious-about-the-things-that-i-m-afraid-to-look-at/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) ## More by Tom Hooper > [I decided to be a filmmaker when I was 12. I had utter clarity that this would be my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-decided-to-be-a-filmmaker-when-i-was-12-i-had-utter-clarity-that/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [What's fascinating about the Australians is they have this quality that they are impervious to majesty. They're not awed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/what-s-fascinating-about-the-australians-is-they-have-this-quality/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [The more and more I work with really great actors, the more it's about opening yourself up to what they bring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/the-more-and-more-i-work-with-really-great-actors-the-more-it-s-about/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [My two great loves when I'm shooting are working with great actors and composing images.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/my-two-great-loves-when-i-m-shooting-are-working-with-great-actors/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [I began to think that if you're a stutterer, it's about inhabiting silence, emptiness, and nothingness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-began-to-think-that-if-you-re-a-stutterer-it-s-about-inhabiting/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [The relationship that Tony Blair has with Cherie Blair doesn't have an immediate binding effect on the body politic with Britain. But in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/the-relationship-that-tony-blair-has-with-cherie-blair-doesn-t-have/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [The more uncompromisingly specific you are the more you end up touching the bigger universal truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/the-more-uncompromisingly-specific-you-are-the-more-you-end-up/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [Well, I'm half Australian, half English and I live in London. That is the only reason I came upon this story. My Australian mother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/well-i-m-half-australian-half-english-and-i-live-in-london-that-is/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [In 'The King's Speech,' patriotism is utterly contained within a historical moment, the third of September, 1939, where the aggressor is clear, the fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/in-the-king-s-speech-patriotism-is-utterly-contained-within-a/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [When I was growing up my mother would say, 'Your dad may have to learn about being a father because he lost his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/when-i-was-growing-up-my-mother-would-say-your-dad-may-have-to-learn/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [I have a ton of scripts sent to me. At the moment, Im frankly struggling to catch up. Im reading through all of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-have-a-ton-of-scripts-sent-to-me-at-the-moment-im-frankly/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [I appear to be drawn to iconic characters and what they reflect back to our cultures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-appear-to-be-drawn-to-iconic-characters-and-what-they-reflect-back/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [I mean, we've all had those dreams where, you know, we try to cry out and our voice won't come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-mean-we-ve-all-had-those-dreams-where-you-know-we-try-to-cry-out/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [Actors are programmed to see the worst. If you're talking about an actor's TV series, you say, 'I loved you last night.' And they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/actors-are-programmed-to-see-the-worst-if-you-re-talking-about-an/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [I think people enjoy finding out something genuinely new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-think-people-enjoy-finding-out-something-genuinely-new/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) [Explore all 59 Tom Hooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My dad said, 'The thing that I was told that was really helpful was that I mustn't be afraid of the things I was afraid of when I was five years old'. 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