--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Part of the work is determining through…" description: "\"Part of the work is determining through what instrument you are playing. Actors are physical, olympian storytellers and we should be able to create ent..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/ajay-naidu-21321_able_part-of-the-work-is-determining-through_2994306.png" --- # Part of the work is determining through what instrument… ![“Part of the work is determining through what instrument you are playing. Actors are physical, olympian storytellers and we should be able to create entire landscapes with nothing.” quote by Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/ajay-naidu-21321_able_part-of-the-work-is-determining-through_2994306.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/ajay-naidu-21321_able_part-of-the-work-is-determining-through_2994306.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/ajay-naidu-21321_able_part-of-the-work-is-determining-through_2994306.png) > “Part of the work is determining through what instrument you are playing. Actors are physical, olympian storytellers and we should be able to create entire landscapes with nothing.” [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor must understand the tool they use—body, voice, or mind—to create vivid scenes without external aids. **In simple terms:** Know your acting instrument. Key Takeaway Master your chosen expressive tool. Themes performance creativity technique self‑awareness Mood inspired thoughtful Type educational motivational When to use this quote - theatre - film - solo performance - creative workshops Key Concepts embodiment method acting improvisation Questions to Reflect On - What instrument best expresses your story? - How can you blend multiple tools effectively? A Different Perspective Focusing on one instrument may limit versatility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Actors Physical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors-physical-4721867/) [Instrument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument/) [Instrument Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instrument-playing-1951317/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Olympian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympian/) [Playing Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-actors-3822514/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Storyteller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storyteller/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Be the instrument playing the sound of your life's passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/be-the-instrument-playing-the-sound-of-your-life-s-passing/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [ I was kind of scared at first to do that \[vice-over\] because when you're on set, a lot of the things going on around… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-fanning/i-was-kind-of-scared-at-first-to-do-that-vice-over-because-when-you/) [Elle Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-fanning/) > [The time I like listening to music most on headphones is, I have a game I play with my brother, he's a musician as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-time-i-like-listening-to-music-most-on-headphones-is-i-have-a/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [You would never do stand-up without an audience. I mean, no one would even consider it. It's like they're the instrument you're playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/you-would-never-do-stand-up-without-an-audience-i-mean-no-one-would/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [It happens to us quite often-it feels as though I'm not playing my instrument, something else is playing it and that same thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginger-baker/it-happens-to-us-quite-often-it-feels-as-though-i-m-not-playing-my/) [Ginger Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginger-baker/) > [I try to play like Jimi Hendrix is playing. Forget what instrument you're playing, forget the colloquialisms, and Just get into what you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/i-try-to-play-like-jimi-hendrix-is-playing-forget-what-instrument-you/) [John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/) > [I consider the piano my 'main' instrument and have been playing for as long as I can remember. It seems to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-consider-the-piano-my-main-instrument-and-have-been-playing-for-as/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [There was always a guitar hanging around the house when I was a kid. It was a much lower impact instrument than me playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/there-was-always-a-guitar-hanging-around-the-house-when-i-was-a-kid/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [The turntable is now an instrument at the Smithsonian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/the-turntable-is-now-an-instrument-at-the-smithsonian/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [Well, my mom was an Olympian, so we have some good genes on that front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivanka-trump/well-my-mom-was-an-olympian-so-we-have-some-good-genes-on-that-front/) [Ivanka Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivanka-trump/) > [I grew up playing softball, and at the age of nine, I decided I was going to be an Olympian. I didn't really know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elana-meyers/i-grew-up-playing-softball-and-at-the-age-of-nine-i-decided-i-was/) [Elana Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elana-meyers/) > [I had dreams in 2000 of being an Olympian for boxing. I never talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/i-had-dreams-in-2000-of-being-an-olympian-for-boxing-i-never-talk/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [But I like it when my patients are impressed not knowing that I was an Olympian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debi-thomas/but-i-like-it-when-my-patients-are-impressed-not-knowing-that-i-was/) [Debi Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debi-thomas/) > [An athlete gains so much knowledge by just participating in a sport. Focus, discipline, hard work, goal setting and, of course, the thrill of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristi-yamaguchi/an-athlete-gains-so-much-knowledge-by-just-participating-in-a-sport/) [Kristi Yamaguchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristi-yamaguchi/) > [Apollo?” I guessed… He put a finger to his lips. “I’m incognito. Call me Fred.” A god named Fred?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/apollo-i-guessed-he-put-a-finger-to-his-lips-i-m-incognito-call-me/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## More by Ajay Naidu > [I applied to American Repertory School up at Harvard at got in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/i-applied-to-american-repertory-school-up-at-harvard-at-got-in/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [I like the theatre because you paint with broad strokes. To me the theatre is stretching its definition really far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/i-like-the-theatre-because-you-paint-with-broad-strokes-to-me-the/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [There is extraordinary similarities between the Midwest in America and Europe in that there is this sense of vast, open sky and loneliness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/there-is-extraordinary-similarities-between-the-midwest-in-america/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [The camera is interested in what you are thinking as opposed to just what you are doing or saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/the-camera-is-interested-in-what-you-are-thinking-as-opposed-to-just/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [It is important to tell good stories. You can tell stories even if they are not huge, epic, and wonderful. You can still take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/it-is-important-to-tell-good-stories-you-can-tell-stories-even-if/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [My family was very supportive of my acting. They didn't really have a choice because I got jobs acting before anyone could really say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/my-family-was-very-supportive-of-my-acting-they-didn-t-really-have-a/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [There's got to be something greater than us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/there-s-got-to-be-something-greater-than-us/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [The turntable is now an instrument at the Smithsonian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/the-turntable-is-now-an-instrument-at-the-smithsonian/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [My first acting job happened by accident when I was really young. I was in fifth grade and my teacher saw an ad in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/my-first-acting-job-happened-by-accident-when-i-was-really-young-i/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [It is important to make your own stuff. Even if you are not an actor, it is important to not stop involving yourself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/it-is-important-to-make-your-own-stuff-even-if-you-are-not-an-actor/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [I had been working early in my life in films - since I was 11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/i-had-been-working-early-in-my-life-in-films-since-i-was-11/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [I knew I was happy when I was dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/i-knew-i-was-happy-when-i-was-dancing/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [All India radio was worldwide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/all-india-radio-was-worldwide/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [When you get to play with the big boys, your game improves drastically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/when-you-get-to-play-with-the-big-boys-your-game-improves-drastically/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) > [It is important to keep your head up and follow what you believe is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/it-is-important-to-keep-your-head-up-and-follow-what-you-believe-is/) [Ajay Naidu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) [Explore all 29 Ajay Naidu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Part of the work is determining through what instrument you are playing. Actors are physical, olympian storytellers and we should be able to create entire landscapes with nothing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ajay Naidu" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/part-of-the-work-is-determining-through-what-instrument-you-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/part-of-the-work-is-determining-through-what-instrument-you-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/ajay-naidu-21321_able_part-of-the-work-is-determining-through_2994306.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/ajay-naidu-21321_able_part-of-the-work-is-determining-through_2994306.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/ajay-naidu-21321_able_part-of-the-work-is-determining-through_2994306.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Part of the work is determining through what instrument you are playing. Actors are physical, olympian…” — Ajay Naidu", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ajay Naidu", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajay-naidu/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Part of the work is determining...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/part-of-the-work-is-determining-through-what-instrument-you-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajay-naidu/part-of-the-work-is-determining-through-what-instrument-you-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```