--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was an arrogant man. I not only thought…" description: "\"I was an arrogant man. I not only thought I could manage my life without help, I wanted it that way. I had best-selling books and a TV show and movie c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/w-bruce-cameron-4604_arrogant_i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought_1275667.png" --- # I was an arrogant man. I not only thought I could manage… ![“I was an arrogant man. I not only thought I could manage my life without help, I wanted it that way. I had best-selling books and a TV show and movie contracts; I felt invincible, secure in the thought that everything was my doing. And then, like all arrogant men, I came to stumble.” quote by W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/w-bruce-cameron-4604_arrogant_i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought_1275667.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/w-bruce-cameron-4604_arrogant_i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought_1275667.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/w-bruce-cameron-4604_arrogant_i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought_1275667.png) > “I was an arrogant man. I not only thought I could manage my life without help, I wanted it that way. I had best-selling books and a TV show and movie contracts; I felt invincible, secure in the thought that everything was my doing. And then, like all arrogant men, I came to stumble.” [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits past overconfidence and self‑reliance, recognizing that success can breed arrogance and eventual failure. **In simple terms:** He realized his pride led to a downfall. Key Takeaway Recognize limits and seek help early. Themes humility pride failure growth Mood reflective somber Type personal cautionary When to use this quote - career setbacks - personal relationships - public scrutiny - health crises Key Concepts ego self‑awareness resilience Questions to Reflect On - How might humility have changed your decisions? - What support could have prevented the stumble? A Different Perspective Arrogance can blind one to warning signs and support networks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Arrogant Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant-man/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) ## Related quotes > [“James Joyce seemed like the most arrogant man who ever lived, had both his eyes wide open and great faculty of speech, but what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/james-joyce-seemed-like-the-most-arrogant-man-who-ever-lived-had-both/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [And the only people I fear are those who never have doubts... Save us all from arrogant men, and all the causes they're for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/and-the-only-people-i-fear-are-those-who-never-have-doubts-save-us/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [There are a lot of arrogant men in the entertainment industry. You know there is abuse of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-martin/there-are-a-lot-of-arrogant-men-in-the-entertainment-industry-you/) [Stacy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-martin/) > [The modest man has everything to gain, and the arrogant man everything to lose; for modesty has always to deal with generosity, and arrogance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-rivarol/the-modest-man-has-everything-to-gain-and-the-arrogant-man-everything/) [Antoine Rivarol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-rivarol/) > [Some people feel like I'm arrogant. It's unfortunate, because people don't know my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-king/some-people-feel-like-i-m-arrogant-it-s-unfortunate-because-people/) [Bernice King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-king/) > [I have always been an arrogant man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-kapoor/i-have-always-been-an-arrogant-man/) [Rishi Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-kapoor/) > [The arrogant man is unteachable, for he is full of emptiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ore-abayomi/the-arrogant-man-is-unteachable-for-he-is-full-of-emptiness/) [Ore Abayomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ore-abayomi/) > [Only an arrogant man will claim to be independent of everybody else and be self-contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/only-an-arrogant-man-will-claim-to-be-independent-of-everybody-else/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I dislike arrogant men and diva behavior in either gender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-wright/i-dislike-arrogant-men-and-diva-behavior-in-either-gender/) [Robin Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-wright/) > [“Arrogant men with knowledge make more noise from their mouth than making a sense from their mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/arrogant-men-with-knowledge-make-more-noise-from-their-mouth-than/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Of all the arrogant men in this world, you are possibly the worst.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liesel-schwarz/of-all-the-arrogant-men-in-this-world-you-are-possibly-the-worst/) [Liesel Schwarz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liesel-schwarz/) > [What I don’t like are arrogant people. We’re all equal. I don’t like it when a person assumes to be better. It angers me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/what-i-don-t-like-are-arrogant-people-we-re-all-equal-i-don-t-like-it-2/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) > [“You make me sound like an arrogant ass," he said. "Are you?" "No! I'm just me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-cast/you-make-me-sound-like-an-arrogant-ass-he-said-are-you-no-i-m-just-me/) [P.C. Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-c-cast/) > [“He’d met Dee briefly and didn’t like him; he was one of those arrogant European immortals who thought they were better than anyone else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/he-d-met-dee-briefly-and-didn-t-like-him-he-was-one-of-those-arrogant/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [What I don't like are arrogant people. We're all equal. I don't like it when a person assumes to be better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/what-i-don-t-like-are-arrogant-people-we-re-all-equal-i-don-t-like-it/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) ## More by W. Bruce Cameron > [That's the lesson of the dogs, that it's important to both live in the moment and then go on to the next wonderful thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/that-s-the-lesson-of-the-dogs-that-it-s-important-to-both-live-in-the/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [Without a dog, no one will listen to your opinions for more than a few minutes without interrupting to tell you their opinions, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/without-a-dog-no-one-will-listen-to-your-opinions-for-more-than-a-few/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [I was riding my mountain bike in Colorado, and I met a dog who reminded me so much of my very first dog in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/i-was-riding-my-mountain-bike-in-colorado-and-i-met-a-dog-who/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [With social media, you don't just publish a book and figure you've done your part; your fans want to talk to you, have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/with-social-media-you-don-t-just-publish-a-book-and-figure-you-ve/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [Because failure isn't an option if success is just a matter of more effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/because-failure-isn-t-an-option-if-success-is-just-a-matter-of-more/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [“But humans drive the cars and decide when dogs eat and where dogs live and clearly this was something else in their power -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/but-humans-drive-the-cars-and-decide-when-dogs-eat-and-where-dogs/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [I've tried several diets over the past couple of years - not because I need to lose weight, but because my pants are trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/i-ve-tried-several-diets-over-the-past-couple-of-years-not-because-i/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [My philosophy on snow skiing is that there are less expensive ways to fall down a mountain. Yet every couple of years, I go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/my-philosophy-on-snow-skiing-is-that-there-are-less-expensive-ways-to/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [“You remind me in so many ways of my dog Molly, her gentleness, but also Max, with his self-assurance. Will you tell my angel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/you-remind-me-in-so-many-ways-of-my-dog-molly-her-gentleness-but-also/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [I started writing in fourth grade and never stopped. I faked my way through high school and nearly was flushed from college - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/i-started-writing-in-fourth-grade-and-never-stopped-i-faked-my-way/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [None of the kids in the neighborhood had dogs. My dad walked in that Labrador, and we started running together and rolling around together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/none-of-the-kids-in-the-neighborhood-had-dogs-my-dad-walked-in-that/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [When I was in seventh grade, I was a scrawny boy with no muscles, so I went out for wrestling. My intention was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/when-i-was-in-seventh-grade-i-was-a-scrawny-boy-with-no-muscles-so-i/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [“What happened to the Ford?” “God, Gloria made me sell it. Supposedly, I had too much independence—that’s the new theory, that I ran off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/what-happened-to-the-ford-god-gloria-made-me-sell-it-supposedly-i-had/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [The first cellphone I owned was hardly a slim, high-tech device - it was more like a brick with buttons, only with worse reception.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/the-first-cellphone-i-owned-was-hardly-a-slim-high-tech-device-it-was/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) > [3D printers give us what we've all been craving: another reason to talk to technical support. When you finally get the thing working, though,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/3d-printers-give-us-what-we-ve-all-been-craving-another-reason-to/) [W. Bruce Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) [Explore all 108 W. Bruce Cameron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/) ## More Arrogant quotes > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/) [Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I absolutely hate arrogant people, irks me to no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-absolutely-hate-arrogant-people-irks-me-to-no-end/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [Mourinho is a bit arrogant, but you've got to like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/mourinho-is-a-bit-arrogant-but-you-ve-got-to-like-him/) [Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [I was spoiled and I was arrogant. I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-was-spoiled-and-i-was-arrogant-i-was-very-demanding-had-an/) [Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/) > [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/) [Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/) > [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) > [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“He was a man. Handsome as sin, arrogant as fuck, and in need of at least one woman to prove he wasn’t God’s gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/he-was-a-man-handsome-as-sin-arrogant-as-fuck-and-in-need-of-at-least/) [Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/) > [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's amusing how arrogant people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amusing-how-arrogant-people-can-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,146 Arrogant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was an arrogant man. I not only thought I could manage my life without help, I wanted it that way. I had best-selling books and a TV show and movie contracts; I felt invincible, secure in the thought that everything was my doing. And then, like all arrogant men, I came to stumble.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. Bruce Cameron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought-i-could-manage-my-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arrogant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought-i-could-manage-my-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/w-bruce-cameron-4604_arrogant_i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought_1275667.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/w-bruce-cameron-4604_arrogant_i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought_1275667.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/188/w-bruce-cameron-4604_arrogant_i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought_1275667.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was an arrogant man. I not only thought I could manage my life without help, I wanted it that way. I had…” — W. Bruce Cameron", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "W. Bruce Cameron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-bruce-cameron/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was an arrogant man. I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought-i-could-manage-my-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-bruce-cameron/i-was-an-arrogant-man-i-not-only-thought-i-could-manage-my-life/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```