---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My parents are very practical people and…"
description: "\"My parents are very practical people and they told me, 'If this comedy thing is an actual career and a job that you want, then you have to treat it lik..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/ayo-edebiri-6347_career_my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and_1430913.jpg"
---

#  My parents are very practical people and they told me, 'If…

![“My parents are very practical people and they told me, 'If this comedy thing is an actual career and a job that you want, then you have to treat it like that.'” quote by Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/ayo-edebiri-6347_career_my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and_1430913.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/ayo-edebiri-6347_career_my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and_1430913.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/ayo-edebiri-6347_career_my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and_1430913.jpg)

> “My parents are very practical people and they told me, 'If this comedy thing is an actual career and a job that you want, then you have to treat it like that.'”

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Treating a passion as a profession requires discipline, business mindset, and clear goals.

**In simple terms:** Take comedy seriously like a job.

Key Takeaway

Apply professional standards to creative work.

Themes

discipline business creativity

Mood

determined pragmatic

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- stand‑up gigs
- writing contracts
- budgeting
- networking

Key Concepts

career management professionalism goal setting

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance artistic freedom with business demands?
- What structures help sustain creative work?

A Different Perspective

Passion alone may not guarantee financial stability.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [I always loved performing, but my parents were very practical, middle-class Jewish people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-borstein/i-always-loved-performing-but-my-parents-were-very-practical-middle/)

[Alex Borstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-borstein/)

> [“And youth, though they see every day the cradle and grave shaped so alike, never believe death will happen to them. I told you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parke-godwin/and-youth-though-they-see-every-day-the-cradle-and-grave-shaped-so/)

[Parke Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parke-godwin/)

> [I've seen so many excellent actors - excellent actors - who, the minute they're told they're in a comedy, turn into God knows what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-ve-seen-so-many-excellent-actors-excellent-actors-who-the-minute/)

[Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/)

> [I have always been told that I was a funny, entertaining person and have always been told to give comedy a try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-have-always-been-told-that-i-was-a-funny-entertaining-person-and/)

[Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/)

> [I grew up in a place where no one knew anyone in the entertainment business, I never knew it was an actual career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-grew-up-in-a-place-where-no-one-knew-anyone-in-the-entertainment/)

[Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/)

> [I don't think I ever saw acting as an actual career until late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemsworth/i-don-t-think-i-ever-saw-acting-as-an-actual-career-until-late/)

[Luke Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemsworth/)

> [But I grew up in a place where no one knew anyone in the entertainment business, I never knew it was an actual career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/but-i-grew-up-in-a-place-where-no-one-knew-anyone-in-the/)

[Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/)

> [Chris Lighty was a huge portion of my actual career. It's difficult to adjust to not have someone around that's in your life, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/chris-lighty-was-a-huge-portion-of-my-actual-career-it-s-difficult-to/)

[Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/)

> [I loved to sing my whole life, but it was never really - I don't even know how to say it. It was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-kohanski/i-loved-to-sing-my-whole-life-but-it-was-never-really-i-don-t-even/)

[Chloe Kohanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-kohanski/)

> [I had been writing songs for awhile - since I was 14 - and playing guitar, but I never really knew how to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-had-been-writing-songs-for-awhile-since-i-was-14-and-playing-guitar/)

[Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/)

> [Technical know-how of the experts must be transformed into practical do-how of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-c-james-yen/technical-know-how-of-the-experts-must-be-transformed-into-practical/)

[Y. C. James Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-c-james-yen/)

> [The well adjusted make poor prophets. A pleasant existence blinds us to the possibilities of drastic change. We cling to what we call our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-well-adjusted-make-poor-prophets-a-pleasant-existence-blinds-us/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [The English, being the most practical people in the world, came up with parliamentary democracy and codified football and Cadbury's Creme Egg. And yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/the-english-being-the-most-practical-people-in-the-world-came-up-with/)

[Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/)

> [Practical people would be more practical if they would take a little more time for dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-mcevoy/practical-people-would-be-more-practical-if-they-would-take-a-little/)

[J. P. McEvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-mcevoy/)

> [ “\[...\] from what I'd been able to ascertain online, the Swiss were a reassuringly practical people. They had a long, proud history of staying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-extence/from-what-i-d-been-able-to-ascertain-online-the-swiss-were-a/)

[Gavin Extence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-extence/)

## More by Ayo Edebiri

> [I found out about Sister Song through Poppy Liu, who's on the show 'Hacks.' Reproductive rights are human rights, and I wanted to shine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-found-out-about-sister-song-through-poppy-liu-who-s-on-the-show/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [The reality is that we have all these conflicting truths and none of us knows why we are the way we are, unless you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/the-reality-is-that-we-have-all-these-conflicting-truths-and-none-of/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [Right before prom I got my eyebrows waxed for the first time, and we can see these are not waxable eyebrows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/right-before-prom-i-got-my-eyebrows-waxed-for-the-first-time-and-we/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [Well, I love classic cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/well-i-love-classic-cinema/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I think Austin Butler should win an Oscar for 'Elvis.' You don't have to see it, all you need to know is I'm correct.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-think-austin-butler-should-win-an-oscar-for-elvis-you-don-t-have-to/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I was a weird Black girl. I still am. But growing up, if you get told your interests are weird or not Black enough,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-was-a-weird-black-girl-i-still-am-but-growing-up-if-you-get-told/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I have so many memories of watching 'Oprah' with my mom after school and really feeling united with the country. Her show was such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-have-so-many-memories-of-watching-oprah-with-my-mom-after-school/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [Everyone in the world is an absolute freak and I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/everyone-in-the-world-is-an-absolute-freak-and-i-love-it/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I think there's something that's in the Boston tap water that makes you a fan of Boston teams, regardless of anything. They can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-think-there-s-something-that-s-in-the-boston-tap-water-that-makes/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [In sixth grade, my mom got me a green iPod Nano that she won at a work raffle and I cried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/in-sixth-grade-my-mom-got-me-a-green-ipod-nano-that-she-won-at-a-work/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [SNL' is something that in my bones, I dreamed of as a comedian, as a young kid. That to me is a pinnacle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/snl-is-something-that-in-my-bones-i-dreamed-of-as-a-comedian-as-a/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I get very nervous when people like stuff too much. I feel, like, as a child of the Internet, I know what that's like:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-get-very-nervous-when-people-like-stuff-too-much-i-feel-like-as-a/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I love Sandy Liang; she's a New York girl. I adore Shush/Tong, Martine Rose and Thom Browne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-love-sandy-liang-she-s-a-new-york-girl-i-adore-shush-tong-martine/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I remember always being afraid of the chefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-remember-always-being-afraid-of-the-chefs/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

> [I fell in love with improv but like the good, repressed, immigrant child I am, I bottled that energy up and used it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/i-fell-in-love-with-improv-but-like-the-good-repressed-immigrant/)

[Ayo Edebiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

[Explore all 99 Ayo Edebiri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/)

## More Career quotes

> [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/)

Alison James

> [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/)

[Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/)

> [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/)

> [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/)

[Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/)

> [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/)

[Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/)

> [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/)

[Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/)

> [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/)

[Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/)

> [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/)

[Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/)

> [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/)

[Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/)

> [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/)

[John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/)

> [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/)

[Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/)

> [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/)

[Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/)

> [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/)

[Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/)

[Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "My parents are very practical people and they told me, 'If this comedy thing is an actual career and a job that you want, then you have to treat it like that.'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ayo Edebiri"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and-they-told-me-if-this-comedy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Career"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and-they-told-me-if-this-comedy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/ayo-edebiri-6347_career_my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and_1430913.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/ayo-edebiri-6347_career_my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and_1430913.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df4/ayo-edebiri-6347_career_my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and_1430913.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“My parents are very practical people and they told me, 'If this comedy thing is an actual career and a job…” — Ayo Edebiri",
                "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": "Ayo Edebiri",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayo-edebiri/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "My parents are very practical people...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and-they-told-me-if-this-comedy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayo-edebiri/my-parents-are-very-practical-people-and-they-told-me-if-this-comedy/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
