The more I'm pushed in a position of leadership and I know I have to be the mouthpiece for so many other people who can't speak for themselves, the more confidence I'm gaining.
Viola DavisRead
It became motivation as opposed to something else - the thing about poverty is that it starts affecting your mind and your spirit because people don't see you. I chose from a very young age that I didn't want that for my life. And it very much has helped me appreciate and value the things that are in my life now because I never had it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes how overcoming poverty can be a motivating force that shapes one's appreciation for life.
Viola Davis reflects on her experiences of poverty and how it impacted her mindset and spirit. She chose to rise above her circumstances, which motivated her to pursue a better life and ultimately led her to appreciate the value of what she has now, contrasting it with her past struggles.
Themes
MotivationPovertyAppreciationOvercomingLife
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used to inspire students at a graduation ceremony who have overcome challenges.
More from Viola Davis
All quotes →What excites me is just taking some time to breathe in life. The mundane is very exciting.
Viola DavisRead
I don't care if someone is new to acting or experienced in acting: you always learn something from them. It's just like people in life - whether they're young or middle-aged or old, you always learn something from someone.
Viola DavisRead
I don't see a lot of narratives written where a woman who looks like me gets to be beautiful and sexualized and upwardly mobile, middle-class, funny, quirky. They're very seldom written.
Viola DavisRead
And that's what people want to see when they go to the theater. I believe at the end of the day, they want to see themselves - parts of their lives they can recognize. And I feel if I can achieve that, it's pretty spectacular.
Viola DavisRead
There's no prerequisites to worthiness. You're born worthy, and I think that's a message a lot of women need to hear.
Viola DavisRead
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