--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing is doing it, that's what it's…" description: "\"The thing is doing it, that's what it's all about. Not in the results of it. After all what is a risk? It's a risk not to take risks. Otherwise, you ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/al-pacino-1656_acting_the-thing-is-doing-it-that-s-what-it-s-a_2137111.jpg" --- # The thing is doing it, that's what it's all about. Not in… ![“The thing is doing it, that's what it's all about. Not in the results of it. After all what is a risk? It's a risk not to take risks. Otherwise, you can go stale and repeat yourself. I don't feel like a person who takes risks. Yet there's something within me that must provoke controversy because I…” quote by Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/al-pacino-1656_acting_the-thing-is-doing-it-that-s-what-it-s-a_2137111.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/al-pacino-1656_acting_the-thing-is-doing-it-that-s-what-it-s-a_2137111.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/61b/al-pacino-1656_acting_the-thing-is-doing-it-that-s-what-it-s-a_2137111.jpg) > “The thing is doing it, that's what it's all about. Not in the results of it. After all what is a risk? It's a risk not to take risks. Otherwise, you can go stale and repeat yourself. I don't feel like a person who takes risks. Yet there's something within me that must provoke controversy because I find it wherever I go. Anybody who cares about what he does takes risks.” [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Taking action matters more than outcomes; avoiding risk leads to stagnation and loss of authenticity. **In simple terms:** Action over results; risk is essential. Key Takeaway Embrace risk to stay alive. Themes risk authenticity action creativity stagnation Mood motivational reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - creative projects - personal development - public speaking - entrepreneurship Key Concepts Existentialism psychology personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What risks have you avoided that could have grown you? - How do you balance risk with responsibility? A Different Perspective Risk can cause failure and harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Controversy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/controversy/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Provoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provoking/) [Repeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeats/) [Results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/results/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Risk it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-it/) [Risk Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-risk/) [Risk Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-risks-1054350/) [Risks Provoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risks-provoke-4433266/) [Stale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stale/) [Takes Risks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-risks-1798688/) [Who cares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who-cares/) ## Related quotes > [Making art is nothing but risk, always. If it's not risk, it's no good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/making-art-is-nothing-but-risk-always-if-it-s-not-risk-it-s-no-good/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [In the case of anything, there is risk, but there are risks worth taking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/in-the-case-of-anything-there-is-risk-but-there-are-risks-worth-taking/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [“The biggest risk, is to take no risks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marsden/the-biggest-risk-is-to-take-no-risks/) [John Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marsden/) > [The dilemma is that if one does not risk anything one risks even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/the-dilemma-is-that-if-one-does-not-risk-anything-one-risks-even-more/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“Risk the risks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-lola/risk-the-risks/) [Lauren Lola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-lola/) > [Everybody takes risks everyday, it's what you choose to take a risk on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-anne-tuohy/everybody-takes-risks-everyday-it-s-what-you-choose-to-take-a-risk-on/) [Leigh Anne Tuohy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-anne-tuohy/) > [...the more risks you allow children to take, the better they learn to take care of themselves. If you never let them take any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/the-more-risks-you-allow-children-to-take-the-better-they-learn-to/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [And I'm interested in writing music that takes risks. My point is that maybe the term EDM is pinned on me and my buddies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/porter-robinson/and-i-m-interested-in-writing-music-that-takes-risks-my-point-is-that/) [Porter Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/porter-robinson/) > [So many people condemn me for risk taking, but I find it sort of hypocritical because everybody takes risks. Even the absence of activity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-honnold/so-many-people-condemn-me-for-risk-taking-but-i-find-it-sort-of/) [Alex Honnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-honnold/) > [The great thing about being a great band is that it takes risks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ward/the-great-thing-about-being-a-great-band-is-that-it-takes-risks/) [Bill Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ward/) > [I'm somebody who takes risks, for better or worse. Fortunately, most of them have been for the better!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-m-somebody-who-takes-risks-for-better-or-worse-fortunately-most-of/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [I'm the type of player who takes risks, so every now and then I'm going to give the ball away. I just have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-barkley/i-m-the-type-of-player-who-takes-risks-so-every-now-and-then-i-m/) [Ross Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-barkley/) > [I admire anyone who takes risks, especially in a creative sense, and who doesn't play it safe. Those are the people who keep things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-fox/i-admire-anyone-who-takes-risks-especially-in-a-creative-sense-and/) [Phoebe Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-fox/) > [I want to be someone who takes risks but also stays engaged by trying new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-fogel/i-want-to-be-someone-who-takes-risks-but-also-stays-engaged-by-trying/) [Susanna Fogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-fogel/) > [It takes risks to achieve. It's often scary. It requires something you didn't know before or a skill you didn't have before. But in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/it-takes-risks-to-achieve-it-s-often-scary-it-requires-something-you/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) ## More by Al Pacino > [Take a look at Israel's history and you would know who the terrorist is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/take-a-look-at-israel-s-history-and-you-would-know-who-the-terrorist/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Failure's relative. I've always felt, even early on, if I lose the freedom to fail, something's not right about that. It's how you treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/failure-s-relative-i-ve-always-felt-even-early-on-if-i-lose-the/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Who speaks of triumph? To endure is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/who-speaks-of-triumph-to-endure-is-everything/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Opinions I have about anything are in my personal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/opinions-i-have-about-anything-are-in-my-personal-life/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [The fruit falls off the tree. You don't shake it off before it's ready to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/the-fruit-falls-off-the-tree-you-don-t-shake-it-off-before-it-s-ready/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [“Attica! Attica! Attica!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/attica-attica-attica/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I always had this thing, when I was younger especially, I didn't want to do movies that much. I found they took a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-always-had-this-thing-when-i-was-younger-especially-i-didn-t-want/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [There has been a lot of self-doubt and unwelcome events in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/there-has-been-a-lot-of-self-doubt-and-unwelcome-events-in-my-life/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [ I think what you see \[in Salome the play backstage\] is an artist having this fit of temperament. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-think-what-you-see-in-salome-the-play-backstage-is-an-artist-having/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [ When \[Julia Marie Pacino\] was 5 or 6 years old, we were in an Italian restaurant, and these people came by the table and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/when-julia-marie-pacino-was-5-or-6-years-old-we-were-in-an-italian/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I went to Performing Arts because that was the only school that would accept me. My scholastic level was not very high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-went-to-performing-arts-because-that-was-the-only-school-that-would/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [My first language was shy. Its only by having been thrust into the limelight that I have learned to cope with my shyness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/my-first-language-was-shy-its-only-by-having-been-thrust-into-the/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [When I was younger, there was the sex thing. That's par for the course.When you're a movie star, it went with it. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/when-i-was-younger-there-was-the-sex-thing-that-s-par-for-the-course/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [An actor with too much money will usually find a way to get rid of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/an-actor-with-too-much-money-will-usually-find-a-way-to-get-rid-of-it/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I'm an actor, not a star. Stars are people who live in Hollywood and have heart-shaped swimming pools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-m-an-actor-not-a-star-stars-are-people-who-live-in-hollywood-and/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) [Explore all 219 Al Pacino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing is doing it, that's what it's all about. Not in the results of it. After all what is a risk? It's a risk not to take risks. Otherwise, you can go stale and repeat yourself. I don't feel like a person who takes risks. 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