My father was a certain kind of man - I saw how he treated my mother and his family and how he treated strangers. And I vowed I would never make a film that would not reflect properly on my father's name.
Sidney PoitierRead
Okay listen, you think I'm so inconsequential? Then try this on for size. All those who see unworthiness when they look at me and are given thereby to denying me value - to you I say, I'm not talking about being AS GOOD as you. I hereby declare myself BETTER than you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights self-worth and confidence in the face of criticism or doubt from others.
Sidney Poitier's quote expresses a powerful assertion of self-worth and identity. It challenges those who perceive him as inconsequential by declaring a personal value that defies their judgment. The statement serves as a reminder that one's self-assessment should not be determined by others' perceptions, and it encourages individuals to embrace and declare their own greatness despite external negativity.
Themes
Self-WorthConfidenceIndividualityValueAssertion
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a motivational speech about self-empowerment.
More from Sidney Poitier
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I wanted to explore the values that are at work, underpinning my life.
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We suffer pain, we hang tight to hope, we nurture expectations, we are plagued occasionally by fears, we are haunted by defeats and unrealized hopes . . . The hoplessness of which I speak is not limited.
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We're all imperfect, and life is simply a perpetual, unending struggle against those imperfections.
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I was the only Black person on the set. It was unusual for me to be in a circumstance in which every move I made was tantamount to representation of 18 million people.
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