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I chose to embrace the spirit of my mother, who, though she had too many of her own dreams denied, deferred, and destroyed, she still instilled in me, her child, that I could have dreams and that I did have a responsibility and the power.
Chris Gardner
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote highlights the influence of a mother's encouragement despite her own unfulfilled dreams.

Chris Gardner reflects on the powerful impact his mother had on his life by instilling in him the belief that he could pursue his dreams. Despite facing her own challenges and having her dreams deferred, she empowered him with a sense of responsibility and potential, showcasing the profound role of parental support in shaping one's aspirations and resilience in the face of adversity.

Themes

MotherDreamsResponsibilityInspirationEmpowerment

In practice

Example use cases

During a graduation speech, a speaker may use this quote to emphasize the importance of parental support in achieving one's dreams.

More from Chris Gardner

Walk that walk and go forward all the time. Don't just talk that talk, walk it and go forward. Also, the walk didn't have to be long strides; baby steps counted too. Go forward.
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I've said that if you're not doing something that you're passionate about, you're compromising yourself every single day.
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The secret to success: find something you love to do so much, you can’t wait for the sun to rise to do it all over again.
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Passion is the thing that won't let you sleep at night because you want to get up in the morning and go do your thing.
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You know how mountains get moved? Everyone who can move a couple, move a couple. Those who can move rocks, move rocks. Those who can move boulders, move boulders. That's how mountains get moved. If every one of us did everything we could, I believe we would be in a different world.
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Be bold enough to find the one thing that you are passionate about. It might not be what you were trained to do. But be bold enough to do the one thing. Nobody needs to dig it but you.
Chris GardnerRead

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