I wanted to be Stan Laurel, then I wanted to be Fred Astaire and then Captain Kangaroo. I actually started out as a radio announcer when I was 17 and never left the business so that's literally 70 years.
Dick Van DykeRead
I never had a lot of drive, but because I had family responsibilities, I had a lot of tenacity - the tenacity of a drowning man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Having family responsibilities can cultivate tenacity in challenging situations.
In this quote, Dick Van Dyke reflects on how the pressure of family responsibilities fostered a strong sense of tenacity within him, even when he lacked inherent motivation or drive. The comparison to the tenacity of a 'drowning man' underscores the desperation and determination one can feel when faced with critical obligations, emphasizing the idea that love and duty to family can become a powerful motivator.
Themes
TenacityFamilyResponsibilityMotivationDrive
In practice
Example use cases
During a family gathering, to emphasize the importance of perseverance during tough times.
More from Dick Van Dyke
All quotes βI didn't even start dancing until I was in my thirties, and it was like flying.
Dick Van DykeRead
I get little kids who recognize me from 'Mary Poppins,' and it just delights me because it's our third generation.
Dick Van DykeRead
Just knowing you don't have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn - and those are all good things.
Dick Van DykeRead
Somebody asked what I wanted on my gravestone. I'm just going to put: 'Glad I Could Help.'
Dick Van DykeRead
I was lucky to get the kinds of parts I wanted. I always said I didn't want to do anything my kids can't see.
Dick Van DykeRead
Similar quotes
A workplace culture where fathers are encouraged to take paternity leave would result in stronger families, a more equal labour market and a better economy.
David LammyRead
I think you are who you are, and your kids will see who you are. So you'd better be a good person, because they are going to see it, and that's going to shape them. They are going to become you.
Alicia KeysRead
Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.
Henry Ward BeecherRead
I got to play with my dad. I got to go to work with him. That's the biggest thing that ever happened to me other than the days my kids were born. That's bigger than any record I'll ever set.
Ken Griffey, Jr.Read
Life began with waking up and loving my mother's face.
George EliotRead
Well now, I'd rather have you than a dozen boys, Anne,' said Matthew patting her hand. 'Just mind you that β rather than a dozen boys. Well now, I guess it wasn't a boy that took the Avery scholarship, was it? It was a girl β my girl β my girl that I'm proud of.
Lucy Maud MontgomeryRead