--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had to jump around in the arts for a…" description: "\"I had to jump around in the arts for a while just to survive. I earned a little money here and there, playing the guitar at union meetings, functions. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/alan-arkin-5379_absolutely_i-had-to-jump-around-in-the-arts-for-a-w_2180317.png" --- # I had to jump around in the arts for a while just to… ![“I had to jump around in the arts for a while just to survive. I earned a little money here and there, playing the guitar at union meetings, functions. I sold some science-fiction stories. I knew there was absolutely no question of me not being connected with the arts, but I couldn't find any…” quote by Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/alan-arkin-5379_absolutely_i-had-to-jump-around-in-the-arts-for-a-w_2180317.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/alan-arkin-5379_absolutely_i-had-to-jump-around-in-the-arts-for-a-w_2180317.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/alan-arkin-5379_absolutely_i-had-to-jump-around-in-the-arts-for-a-w_2180317.png) > “I had to jump around in the arts for a while just to survive. I earned a little money here and there, playing the guitar at union meetings, functions. I sold some science-fiction stories. I knew there was absolutely no question of me not being connected with the arts, but I couldn't find any acting jobs.” [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator describes a precarious artistic life, juggling various gigs and writing to survive, highlighting resilience amid uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Surviving as an artist by juggling odd jobs. Key Takeaway Persist despite instability. Themes art survival versatility Mood determined hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - freelance work - performing arts - writing - financial planning Key Concepts gig economy creative resilience Questions to Reflect On - What strategies helped you stay afloat? - How can artists find stable income? A Different Perspective Financial insecurity can be overwhelming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arts/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Guitar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guitar/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Meetings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meetings/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [I studied acting in school and then, of course, couldn't get an acting job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-studied-acting-in-school-and-then-of-course-couldn-t-get-an-acting/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [When I started acting, my parents gave me three rules: I had to stay good in school, stay the kid they always knew I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/when-i-started-acting-my-parents-gave-me-three-rules-i-had-to-stay/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [You couldn't take football away from me, you couldn't take acting away from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dougray-scott/you-couldn-t-take-football-away-from-me-you-couldn-t-take-acting-away/) [Dougray Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dougray-scott/) > [When I went home from Juilliard, I couldn't find acting work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/when-i-went-home-from-juilliard-i-couldn-t-find-acting-work/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I couldn't get an acting job to save my life when I moved to L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-vardalos/i-couldn-t-get-an-acting-job-to-save-my-life-when-i-moved-to-l-a/) [Nia Vardalos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-vardalos/) > [I will always be an actress. I couldn't see myself without acting. But I'd love to direct and keep writing. I don't think one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-del-castillo/i-will-always-be-an-actress-i-couldn-t-see-myself-without-acting-but/) [Kate del Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-del-castillo/) > [I left school and couldn't find acting work, so I started going to clubs where you could do stand-up. I've always improvised, and stand-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-left-school-and-couldn-t-find-acting-work-so-i-started-going-to/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [I couldn't do an acting job just to be working. It really had to have some soul to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-cross/i-couldn-t-do-an-acting-job-just-to-be-working-it-really-had-to-have/) [Marcia Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-cross/) > [Being a 25 year old man with no money or job affected my sense of self-worth. Rejection became unbearable. 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I thought just Americans could get acting jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-anne-moss/when-i-was-a-kid-i-didn-t-know-canadians-could-be-actors-i-thought/) [Carrie-Anne Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-anne-moss/) > [I was lucky in that I didn't have to do too many outside-of-acting side jobs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/briga-heelan/i-was-lucky-in-that-i-didn-t-have-to-do-too-many-outside-of-acting/) [Briga Heelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/briga-heelan/) > [Hollywood is fickle; your career can end pretty fast. If the acting jobs dry up, you have to have something to fall back on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lawrence/hollywood-is-fickle-your-career-can-end-pretty-fast-if-the-acting/) Matthew Lawrence ## More by Alan Arkin > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [If I'm going to make a fake movie, it's going to be a fake hit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/if-i-m-going-to-make-a-fake-movie-it-s-going-to-be-a-fake-hit/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I don't mind watching plays once in a while, but as long as I don't have to be in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-mind-watching-plays-once-in-a-while-but-as-long-as-i-don-t/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I had a hard time treating my field as if it's horse racing, putting actors in competition against each other. 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I haven't got time to be charming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-m-very-old-i-haven-t-got-time-to-be-charming/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I'm an actor. My life as an actor depends on who sends me what. I'm just taking the best stuff that I can find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-m-an-actor-my-life-as-an-actor-depends-on-who-sends-me-what-i-m/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [Education does not mean jamming information into somebody's head. 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They worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-laurel/the-game-business-arose-from-computer-programs-that-were-written-by/) [Brenda Laurel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-laurel/) > [If I was a man, I would be a drag queen. Honestly, I would. I absolutely love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/if-i-was-a-man-i-would-be-a-drag-queen-honestly-i-would-i-absolutely/) [Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/) > [There's very little about being in a functional-M.R.I. scanner that is natural: you are flat on your back, absolutely still, with your head immobilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-marantz-henig/there-s-very-little-about-being-in-a-functional-m-r-i-scanner-that-is/) [Robin Marantz Henig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-marantz-henig/) > [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/) [Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/) > [I'm absolutely an Elizabeth Taylor fan!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherilyn-fenn/i-m-absolutely-an-elizabeth-taylor-fan/) [Sherilyn Fenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherilyn-fenn/) > [You can absolutely be what you can't see! 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