--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Long before I was a success, my parents…" description: "\"Long before I was a success, my parents made me feel like I could be one.\" — Toni Morrison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/toni-morrison-271_feels_long-before-i-was-a-success-my-parents-m_1064642.jpg" --- # Long before I was a success, my parents made me feel like… ![“Long before I was a success, my parents made me feel like I could be one.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/toni-morrison-271_feels_long-before-i-was-a-success-my-parents-m_1064642.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/toni-morrison-271_feels_long-before-i-was-a-success-my-parents-m_1064642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/toni-morrison-271_feels_long-before-i-was-a-success-my-parents-m_1064642.jpg) > “Long before I was a success, my parents made me feel like I could be one.” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Parental encouragement can shape self‑belief, laying groundwork for achievement. **In simple terms:** Parents helped build confidence. Key Takeaway Cultivate supportive relationships early. Themes confidence family influence self‑esteem potential mentorship Mood hopeful affirming Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - career planning - personal growth - mentoring programs Key Concepts psychological empowerment social support growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs did your parents instill that still guide you? - How do you maintain confidence when support wanes? A Different Perspective Support can become pressure if unrealistic expectations arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Parent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parent/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [We have always been a big success as parents and I get on well, always have, with my exes - and had to because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/we-have-always-been-a-big-success-as-parents-and-i-get-on-well-always/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) > [If you can last long enough, in success, you have to get really creative and come up with new stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/if-you-can-last-long-enough-in-success-you-have-to-get-really/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [I give credit of my success to my parents. My father was a poet philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-kumar/i-give-credit-of-my-success-to-my-parents-my-father-was-a-poet/) [Manoj Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-kumar/) > [I think because I worked really hard before I had any kind of success it kept me grounded. You just don't know how long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-vig/i-think-because-i-worked-really-hard-before-i-had-any-kind-of-success/) [Butch Vig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-vig/) > [May my enemies live long so they can see my success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/may-my-enemies-live-long-so-they-can-see-my-success/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What does "success" mean to you? Was Mother Teresa a "success"? Was your favorite teacher a "success"? Were your parents, grandparents, your pastor, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-teague/what-does-success-mean-to-you-was-mother-teresa-a-success-was-your/) [Bob Teague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-teague/) > [“The mountain climber takes pride in planting his flag at the top because it took a lot to get there. If he took a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-lythcott-haims/the-mountain-climber-takes-pride-in-planting-his-flag-at-the-top/) [Julie Lythcott-Haims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-lythcott-haims/) > [How long will you have success, to him that you not open doors to come?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/how-long-will-you-have-success-to-him-that-you-not-open-doors-to-come/) Mak\_786 > [Of course I owe so much of my success to my parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-williamson/of-course-i-owe-so-much-of-my-success-to-my-parents/) [Matthew Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-williamson/) > [I Pray That My Enemies Will Live Long To See My Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newlove/i-pray-that-my-enemies-will-live-long-to-see-my-success/) [Newlove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newlove/) > [You long for success? Start at the bottom; dig down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/you-long-for-success-start-at-the-bottom-dig-down/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [I feel lucky because I was a nerd, which I talk about in the book, but I had academic success, so through that, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-feel-lucky-because-i-was-a-nerd-which-i-talk-about-in-the-book-but/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [“Never rush to destroy your enemies. Let them live long enough to see your success”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/never-rush-to-destroy-your-enemies-let-them-live-long-enough-to-see/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) > [Credit for my success should go to my parents and my late guru Mandolin Srinivas garu.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/credit-for-my-success-should-go-to-my-parents-and-my-late-guru/) [Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/) > [If we measure our success as parents solely by what our children become, there is no inviolable guarantee in Scripture that we will experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/if-we-measure-our-success-as-parents-solely-by-what-our-children/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. 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