Logo - Feel The Words

Being Quotes

On identity, openness and staying true to yourself.

This set of quotes explores what it means to simply be: holding onto a child's spontaneity, embracing honesty that feels inappropriate in creative work, or aging with flexibility instead of resistance. For more on self-belief, see our Able quotes.

After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair.

Quotes by David Petraeus

There is a wide range of opportunities for us and we see a main part of our strategy as being a company that supplies products across a range of different end applications and indeed we have quite a wide product...

Quotes by David Milne

One of the attractive things about being in Scotland is that we have a very good pipeline of new people coming into the company from the excellent universities around us.

Quotes by David Milne

We see portability in electronics being a continuing requirement, higher functionality, better battery life, requiring lower power for the actual electronics.

Quotes by David Milne

We opened a design center in the South of England last year as part of our strategy for being close to our customers and developing innovative products for exciting new markets.

Quotes by David Milne

People like to say that East Asians in general, and Japanese in particular, are not very expressive: there's that term 'inscrutable.' But often, Europeans just don't get the Asian codes. Believe me, the message is being expressed OK.

Quotes by David Mitchell

For me, novels coalesce into being, rather than arrive fully formed.

Quotes by David Mitchell

Writers are so used to books being optioned and then the movie never happens.

Quotes by David Mitchell

I am so tired of being told by Democratic operatives to 'suck it up' because so many other profound issues are at stake.

Quotes by David Mixner

Bryan Gray at Preston gave me a chance, even though Joe Royle and Ian Rush were being linked with the job. He taught me an awful lot about structuring the job and encouraged me to invest in young players.

Quotes by David Moyes

The last thing I'd ever want to see is another manager being sacked. I certainly don't like the phrase 'sacking season.'

Quotes by David Moyes

I love being a producer, and I think I essentially still operate as a producer even though I now have control of marketing and the ability to green-light shows - something every producer wants but that they don't get!

Quotes by David Nevins

My 20s was a sea of worry. I worried about benefit forms, about being thrown out of my flat. I never went on holiday because I thought: 'What if an audition comes up?' I was a nervous wreck.

Quotes by David Nicholls

I think probably I'm quite sentimental; I like big emotional stories, I like being moved by things, but I think I'm very embarrassed by sentiment. I'm very embarrassed by corniness.

Quotes by David Nicholls

I really was a terrible actor. I did it for years in my twenties because it was like being at university again.

Quotes by David Nicholls

Most of the books and films I love walk a knife edge between romance and cynicism, and I wanted 'One Day' to stay on that line. I wanted it to be moving, but without being manipulative.

Quotes by David Nicholls

To view any individual as being independent of relationality is like viewing a point outside of a line, a line outside of a figure, a figure outside of a body.

Quotes by David Novak

That experience of being at Mt. St. Helen's was really formative. I don't even know if I'd be a photographer. It was an essential moment for me.

Quotes by David Maisel

My basic philosophy is that no human being is a saint.

Quotes by David Maraniss

It's hard to know exactly how people develop the characters they do. There could be people from humble beginnings that turn into jerks. Some characteristics are just part of that special soul of that human being.

Quotes by David Maraniss

Frequently Asked Questions

What perspectives on "being" show up in these quotes?
The quotes touch on being from a particular place ("Being from Louisiana and a big outdoorsman"), being childlike as a performer, being inappropriate as part of the craft of acting, and being flexible and open as part of aging well.
Is there a quote here about acting and creativity?
Yes, two: "As an actor, you always want to reach back to being a child and having the spontaneity and the imagination of a child," and "There's so much we can't express in our day-to-day interaction with people because it's considered inappropriate. And acting is all about being inappropriate." For more on consistent character traits, see Always.
What does this page say about aging?
"Aging gracefully means being flexible, being open, allowing change, enjoying change and loving yourself" offers a positive take on getting older, tied closely to the idea of "being" open to change.
Is there anything here about personal identity or background?
Yes: "Love the show 'Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.' Being from Louisiana and a big outdoorsman, I'm a big fan of 'Duck Dynasty' as well" ties personal identity to place and interests. For more quotes centered on personal likes, browse Like.
How does this page relate to the Able quotes page?
"Being" here is about states and qualities of a person - childlike, open, flexible - while Able focuses more on capability and what someone can do. Also check Good for more positive, character-focused quotes.

You may also like our Good quotes on positive character traits and Always quotes on consistency and steadfastness.