"Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it"
About this Quote
Then she pivots to the real argument: not “work harder,” but “claim your standing.” “Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it” frames confidence as a moral and psychological permission slip. The subtext is about gatekeeping: the biggest barrier often isn’t talent but the internalized belief that someone else is more entitled - more qualified, more “naturally” suited to the room. Sawyer’s choice of “accept” is telling. It implies the right already exists; the work is letting it feel true.
In context, coming from a journalist who rose through male-dominated corridors of power and image-policed TV news, the quote reads like mentorship without sentimentality. It’s not asking you to outmuscle the competition; it’s asking you to stop volunteering for your own disqualification. Equality here isn’t a slogan. It’s a posture: walk into the fight assuming you belong, because everyone else already does.
Quote Details
| Topic | Confidence |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Sawyer, Diane. (2026, January 17). Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/whatever-you-want-in-life-other-people-are-going-44232/
Chicago Style
Sawyer, Diane. "Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/whatever-you-want-in-life-other-people-are-going-44232/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Whatever you want in life, other people are going to want it too. Believe in yourself enough to accept the idea that you have an equal right to it." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/whatever-you-want-in-life-other-people-are-going-44232/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.








