"At first, it was hard to sit down and read the things that people were saying. A lot of people would've worked their way up to this position and would've gotten a thick skin over a few years' time. For me, though, all this happened in a few months"
About this Quote
Her comparison to “a lot of people” is doing quiet cultural work. In pop mythology, stars are supposed to be grateful and resilient, as if visibility automatically comes with protective armor. Underwood punctures that narrative by acknowledging the apprenticeship most public figures get: years of small-stage feedback, manageable criticism, a gradual callusing. She didn’t get that. The subtext is less complaint than disorientation: she’s describing a mismatch between the speed of the industry and the pace of human psychology.
There’s also a sly indictment of the audience in how she externalizes the injury. The problem isn’t just that criticism exists; it’s the volume and immediacy of “people saying” things, likely amplified by tabloids and early social media comment culture. Underwood’s intent feels like boundary-setting: reminding listeners that overnight success is an overnight invasion, and “thick skin” isn’t a personality trait so much as time-earned survival gear.
Quote Details
| Topic | Resilience |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Underwood, Carrie. (2026, January 16). At first, it was hard to sit down and read the things that people were saying. A lot of people would've worked their way up to this position and would've gotten a thick skin over a few years' time. For me, though, all this happened in a few months. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/at-first-it-was-hard-to-sit-down-and-read-the-109680/
Chicago Style
Underwood, Carrie. "At first, it was hard to sit down and read the things that people were saying. A lot of people would've worked their way up to this position and would've gotten a thick skin over a few years' time. For me, though, all this happened in a few months." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/at-first-it-was-hard-to-sit-down-and-read-the-109680/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"At first, it was hard to sit down and read the things that people were saying. A lot of people would've worked their way up to this position and would've gotten a thick skin over a few years' time. For me, though, all this happened in a few months." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/at-first-it-was-hard-to-sit-down-and-read-the-109680/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
