There's not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.
Jackie RobinsonRead
Many people resented my impatience and honesty, but I never cared about acceptance as much as I cared about respect.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Prioritizing respect over acceptance leads to genuine relationships.
In this quote, Jackie Robinson expresses that he values respect more than the acceptance of others. While his honesty and impatience may not always be appreciated, he believes that it is more important to remain true to oneself and command respect, rather than simply seeking to fit in or please others. This sentiment underscores the importance of integrity and self-worth in personal and professional interactions.
Themes
RespectHonestyImpatienceIntegritySelf-Worth
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a motivational speech about personal values.
More from Jackie Robinson
All quotes βThe way I figured it, I was even with baseball and baseball with me. The game had done much for me, and I had done much for it.
Jackie RobinsonRead
My problem was my inability to spend much time at home. I thought my family was secure, so I went running around everyplace else. I guess I had more of an effect on other people's kids than I did my own.
Jackie RobinsonRead
I had no future with the Dodgers, because I was too closely identified with Branch Rickey. After the club was taken over by Walter O'Malley, you couldn't even mention Mr. Rickey's name in front of him. I considered Mr. Rickey the greatest human being I had ever known.
Jackie RobinsonRead
The colonel replied that he didn't care how my men had got the job done. He was happy that it had been accomplished. He said that, obviously, no matter how much or how little I knew technically, I was able to get the best out of people I worked with.
Jackie RobinsonRead
When I look back at what I had to go through in black baseball, I can only marvel at the many black players who stuck it out for years in the Jim Crow leagues because they had nowhere else to go.
Jackie RobinsonRead
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