Never forget where you come from meaning

I have tremendous respect and admiration for people who are authentic, people who happily acknowledge their family background and cultural roots, and who never forget where they come from. There are many people in the world who have struggled to have a better future, and they have accomplished it by hard work, dedication, sacrifices, and by the help of others. A great number of these people have made it big in business, and in the media and entertainment industries--to name a few.

The saddest thing to see is how quick some of these people forget where they come from to a point that they feel ashamed to talk about their past and how they arrived to where they are now. I think this goes beyond sad because such stories can serve as a very valuable tool to encourage other people who have also embarked on a journey to pursue a better future. Why does this happen? What makes these people "forget" where they come from?

When people go through hardships in life, they often become resentful and frustrated for having struggled more than others. Even when they make it big, they are selfish, arrogant, boastful, disrespectful, and so on. It seems that in the way to pursuing a better future, their hearts were hardened by the circumstances they had to endure.

It is understandable that suffering and pain can cause any person to feel the most negative emotions. However, when people's goals have been satisfactorily met, there's no reason for them to allow those negative emotions to control them. Life is hard, no doubt. Fortunately, we can learn to be better people without forgetting where we come from.

How do you remain true to yourself? Here are five pieces of advice that can be very helpful to you.

Don't be ashamed of your family background and cultural roots: Our world is so diverse, and no nationality is better than another. Not having had the best parents, the ideal childhood and the most prestigious academic education are not a reasons to feel embarrassed about your life. You are at a better place now than you were yesterday, this is what counts. Do not let other people define who you are because of where you come from. No one has had a perfect family nor has had the perfect cultural and educational experiences.

Acknowledge and share your struggles and accomplishments: This does not imply that you have to dwell on the difficult things that you went through. There's a difference in acknowledging your struggles and sharing how you overcame them; doing this helps you to continue pressing on and this is also encouraging to others.

Be grateful to the ones who help you: Always recognize the people who help you during your journey. This is not about repaying them for what they have done for you, it is about being grateful and showing that you do not take people or things for granted. Do what your heart tells you to do. Having an attitude of gratitude is key in life.

Help others with your resources: Remember the people who've helped you and be the kind of person who helps others, too. Helping others is rewarding. It is not about the amount of help that you can give, it is about the good disposition that you have to help. You may not have what a certain person needs, though you can lead her to someone who could provide what she needs. You have more resources to help others than you think. It is not always about money.

Be respectful to everyone: Respect is to be extended to every person, it is a human right. Respect people. If you do not agree with what some people believe or say, it is okay, respect them anyway. At the same time, keep healthy boundaries in place. Being disrespectful to disrespectful people is foolish. 

Have an accountability group in place: It is very important to have people in your life that you can reach out to for advice and to keep a reality check on how you're coping with things. Your group may consist of two or more people who you highly trust and confide on. This is extremely essential for you to thrive in life.

Never forgetting where you come from will keep you grounded and in touch with reality. Embrace your life and that of those who have helped you to be where you are now.

If you liked this article, you may also like: The 4 C's of Walt Disney's Secret Success Formula.

What do you think about embracing your past and your present no matter what you have gone through? Please share in the comments section below. 

Image credit: inmygroup.com


“I plan to eat with the people I starved with.”


  • “Never forget who you are.” – The Lion King


  • “Never forget where you came from, when you’re at the top.”                                                                 

    Never forget where you come from meaning
    never forget where you came from quotes

  • “Return to the root and you will find the meaning.” – Sengcan


  • “I’ll never forget my friends and where I came from.” – Romario


  • “You can never forget where you from, no matter how far you go.”


  • “Never forget where you came from and who helped you get there.”                                                     

    Never forget where you come from meaning
    don’t forget where you came from

  • “Never forget where you came from… When you get rich.” – Joshua


  • “No matter how far you go in life, never forget where you came from.”


  • “It’s not about where you come from, it’s about heart.” – Eric Thomas


  • “Never forget where you came from. You may have to go back someday.”


  • “Love the people who saw you when you were invisible to everyone else.”


  • “Don’t forget who you are and where you come from.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald


  • “I know I can act and it doesn’t matter where you come from.” – Boris Kodjoe


  • “Never forget where you came from but strive for a place you have never been.”


  • “There’s no point apologizing about where you come from.” – Colin Greenwood


  • “I’m living proof you can excel regardless of where you come from.” – Keith Swea


  • “Never forget where you came from. It’s what made you the person you are today.”


  • “Never forget where you came from and never take your eyes off where you’re heading.”                                                                                                                                                   

    Never forget where you come from meaning
    remember where you came from quotes

  • “Home is where you come to when you’ve got nothing better to do.” – Margaret Thatcher


  • “Knowing where you come from is one thing, but it’s suicide to stay there.” – Dennis Covington


  • “No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, you are beautiful.” – Michelle Obama


  • “Never forget where you came from, but never let that hold you back from where you want to go.”                                                                                                                           

    Never forget where you come from meaning
    never forget where you came from quotes Pictures

  • “Never forget where you came from, and the people that rode with you before you were anything.”


  • “Work hard and follow your dreams, but never forget where you came from.” – Vanessa Hudgens


  • “Never forget where you came from. That’s what I think when I walk into a cave.” – Demetri Martin


  • “You can dream big and it doesn’t matter what you look like, where you come from.” – Misty Copelan


  • “Let’s never forget where we came from and we’ll find peace in our destiny.” – Milton Manrique Juarez


  • “Where you come from does matter — but not nearly as much as where you are headed.” – Jodi Picoult


  • “Always be humble, never forget where you came from or who you were before you became successful.”


  • “Never forget who ignored you when you needed them and who helped you before you even had to ask.”


  • “I think what I’ve learned out of this lifetime is you should be proud of where you come from.” – Kid Rock


  • “If you don’t know where you come from, then you want know when you’er being taken back.” – Joseph Lowery


  • “Never to forget where you came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over.” – Fannie Lou Hamer


  • “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey


  • “If you know where you are from, it is harder for people to stop you where you are going.” – Matshona Dhliwayo


  • “It doesn’t matter where you come from or who you think you are, we’re all human beings with beating hearts.” – Demi Lovato


  • “Don’t forget where you came from, even how successful you are. At the end, we’ll have same grave size. Stay humble always.”


  • “Never forget who you are, never forget where you came from and why you are here on this beautiful planet.” – Euginia Herlihy


  • “A political convention is just not a place where you come away with any trace of faith in human nature.” – Murray Kempton


  • “Remember who you are and where you come from; otherwise, you don’t know where you are going.” – Karolina Kurkova


  • “Remember that it is not where you come from, or not even where you are; it is where you are going that matters most.” – Bo


  • “It’s good to know where you come from. It makes you what you are today. It’s DNA, it’s in your blood.” – Alexander McQueen


  • “Never forget where you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you.” – Tyrion Lannister


  • “Never forget where you came from. Never forget people that were there for you. Never forget your route. But don’t live in the past.” – Sheroly Lee


  • “Go where the situation takes you, but never forget where you came from, where you belong and the direction of where you entered in.” – Auliq Ice


  • “No matter how big your house is, how recent your car is, or how big your bank account is. Our graves will always be the same size. Stay humble.”


  • “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from – if you put quality work out there, it will be appreciated.” – Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy


  • “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou


  • “It’s always good to remember where you come from and celebrate it. To remember where you come from is part of where you’re going.” – Anthony Burgess


  • “It doesn’t matter who you are, or where you come from, or how much money you’ve got in your pocket. You have your own destiny and your own life ahead of you.” – Lady Gaga


  • “Don’t forget where you come from Don’t die holding on to your words Cause you know you got a whole world to change But understand who you got to change first.” – Macklemore


  • “It doesn’t matter where you come from, what you have, what you don’t have. The only thing that matters is that you set a goal and you just dream, live, and fly.” – Barrington Irving


  • “You’ve been given status today, but never forget where you came from. You came from dirt and will return to dirt. You will be on that day as you began: just you and Him.” – Yasmin Mogahed


  • “Believe in yourself, Anything is possible no matter who you are, or where you come from. Find your path and stay on it, if you want something bad enough, nothing can stop you.” – Eddie Spears


  • “Assimilation is really a psychological process where you come to identify with a new country as yours. The ease of overseas travel and information access interferes with that.” – Mark Krikorian


  • “Sometimes it is impossible to know where you are headed without reflecting on where you came from. Understanding your heritage, your roots and your ancestry is an important part of carving out your future.”


  • “You leave your neighborhood but you never want to forget where you came from,” he says. “I have the best of best worlds. I’m street smart and book smart. You put that together in an African-American male and that’s dangerous.”


  • “Sometimes stereotyping happens not because of any nefarious reasons but rather because people don’t know who you are or where you come from, so they go for the broad strokes about you, your culture, your faith, all that.” – Faran Tahir


  • “When you’ve said all of the bad things and all of the good things you haven’t been saying, you will find that what you’ve really been withholding is, “I love you”. You don’t have to go looking for love when it is where you come from.” – Werner Erhard


  • “Set a goal and make a commitment to meet that goal. Do the best you can, but never forget your roots, never forget where you came from. After you have succeeded, look back and see if there are others that you might help to achieve what you have accomplished.” – Larry Holmes


  • “It is important that we know where we come from, because if you do not know where you come from, then you don’t know where you are, and if you don’t know where you are, you don’t know where you’re going. And if you don’t know where you’re going, you’re probably going wrong.” – Terry Pratchett


  • “Always be humble. No matter how wealthy, successful, or famous you become. Remember, you didn’t get there alone. There was always someone there, inspiring you, cheering you on, providing advise, lifting you up, giving support. Now, it’s your turn. Be the one who inspires others, lifts them up, and provide support. Never forget where you came from and how you got where you are.” – Joseph Andrus


  • “Never forget where you came from. It’s easy when you achieve any level of success to believe you are solely responsible for that success. It’s easy to forget all the sacrifices other people have made to get you where you are. Burn all of your bridges and you’ll have no human connection left. In that internal cave of isolation, you’ll lose your mind and identity, becoming a person you never intended to be. Humility, gratitude and recognition of your blessings keeps your success in proper perspective. You couldn’t do what you have done without the help of countless other people.”

  • What does it mean to remember where you came from?

    Remembering where you came from, what you've been through and what you have felt leads to a better understanding of other people and situations. A better understanding leads to success.

    Who said Don't forget where you came from?

    Quote by Luke Taylor: “Don't forget where you came from, but always re...”