---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People ask me, 'Did you always want to be…"
description: "\"People ask me, 'Did you always want to be on SNL?' No, actually, it never crossed my mind. It didn't even seem possible. It would've been like saying, ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/bill-hader-2662_actually_people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be_320833.jpg"
---

#  People ask me, 'Did you always want to be on SNL?' No…

![“People ask me, 'Did you always want to be on SNL?' No, actually, it never crossed my mind. It didn't even seem possible. It would've been like saying, 'Hey, do you wanna go to the moon?'” quote by Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/bill-hader-2662_actually_people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be_320833.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/bill-hader-2662_actually_people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be_320833.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/bill-hader-2662_actually_people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be_320833.jpg)

> “People ask me, 'Did you always want to be on SNL?' No, actually, it never crossed my mind. It didn't even seem possible. It would've been like saying, 'Hey, do you wanna go to the moon?'”

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

## About This Quote

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

He expresses that becoming a SNL cast member was never a conscious ambition, feeling it as improbable as traveling to the moon.

**In simple terms:** He never imagined SNL, like a moon mission.

Key Takeaway

Embrace unexpected opportunities.

Themes

career ambition surprise possibility

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- creative pursuits
- goal setting
- overcoming self‑limiting beliefs

Key Concepts

self‑efficacy unexpected paths dreams

Questions to Reflect On

- What unexpected paths have you overlooked?
- How can you prepare for unlikely opportunities?

A Different Perspective

It may overlook the role of preparation and networking.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Saturday night live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saturday-night-live/) [Snl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snl/)

## Related quotes

> [Don't do the impossible for the man who didn't do for you only the possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/don-t-do-the-impossible-for-the-man-who-didn-t-do-for-you-only-the/)

[SunShine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/)

> [A factory that can turn carbon nanotubes into a sheet a yard wide and long enough to stretch one-fourth of the way to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/a-factory-that-can-turn-carbon-nanotubes-into-a-sheet-a-yard-wide-and/)

[Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/)

> [I am not sure about Bill Nelson. I haven't heard him say, 'Let's junk the NASA plan to send humans to the moon.' He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-am-not-sure-about-bill-nelson-i-haven-t-heard-him-say-let-s-junk/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [Google X is here to do moonshot-type projects. Not just shooting to the moon, but bringing the moon back to Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/google-x-is-here-to-do-moonshot-type-projects-not-just-shooting-to/)

[Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/)

> [I'm probably the only one in the world you can name that's worked with Billie Holiday, Louie Armstrong, Ella, Duke, Miles, Dizzy, Ray Charles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-m-probably-the-only-one-in-the-world-you-can-name-that-s-worked/)

[Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/)

> [I remember reading about Mae Jemison, that astronaut. That was immensely fantastic to me. This woman went to the moon!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-rotich/i-remember-reading-about-mae-jemison-that-astronaut-that-was/)

Juliana Rotich

> [Perhaps future space probes will be plastered in commercial logos, just as Formula One cars are now. Perhaps Robot Wars in space will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/perhaps-future-space-probes-will-be-plastered-in-commercial-logos/)

[Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/)

> [I played in 'From the Earth to the Moon,' working with Tom Hanks. He is a great guy, very smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verica/i-played-in-from-the-earth-to-the-moon-working-with-tom-hanks-he-is-a/)

[Tom Verica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verica/)

> [In spite of the opinions of certain narrow-minded people, who would shut up the human race upon this globe, as within some magic circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/in-spite-of-the-opinions-of-certain-narrow-minded-people-who-would/)

[Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/)

> [I like the company of men. I've never been welcome in those groups, but then I would no more go to a consciousness-raising group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-friday/i-like-the-company-of-men-i-ve-never-been-welcome-in-those-groups-but/)

[Nancy Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-friday/)

> [If you're going to go to the moon, you don't shoot the rocket right at the moon. You have to go at it obliquely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/if-you-re-going-to-go-to-the-moon-you-don-t-shoot-the-rocket-right-at/)

[Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/)

> [The next humans to walk on the moon may be Chinese. Only China seems to have the resources, the dirigiste government, and the willingness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/the-next-humans-to-walk-on-the-moon-may-be-chinese-only-china-seems/)

[Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/)

> [I wanted to fly the Millennium Falcon; I wanted to save the girl. In real life, you can't do all of that: NASA's budget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-faison/i-wanted-to-fly-the-millennium-falcon-i-wanted-to-save-the-girl-in/)

[Donald Faison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-faison/)

> [Malaria is a disease that kills one to three million people a year. 300 to 500 million cases are reported. It's estimated that Africa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-novogratz/malaria-is-a-disease-that-kills-one-to-three-million-people-a-year/)

[Jacqueline Novogratz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-novogratz/)

> [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/)

[Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/)

## More by Bill Hader

> [The first time I met James Franco, he was dressed like James Dean. He was James Dean, literally, filming a biopic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/the-first-time-i-met-james-franco-he-was-dressed-like-james-dean-he/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [Let's face it: I look pretty out of shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/let-s-face-it-i-look-pretty-out-of-shape/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [In the U.S., it's like, you start with a great script, and then on set - not everybody, but definitely in the Apatow group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/in-the-u-s-it-s-like-you-start-with-a-great-script-and-then-on-set/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [Fred Armisen does a pretty good me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/fred-armisen-does-a-pretty-good-me/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [I took Second City out of desperation, and that's what ended up working out. It shows that you should be doing a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-took-second-city-out-of-desperation-and-that-s-what-ended-up/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [When you're at your absolute, most exhausted... That's when you have to be at the top of your game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/when-you-re-at-your-absolute-most-exhausted-that-s-when-you-have-to/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [The idea of a Chicago band that wanted to sing songs about California is really funny. Having never been to California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/the-idea-of-a-chicago-band-that-wanted-to-sing-songs-about-california/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [No one knows anything. You're going to make mistakes and you're going to do things that people think are stupid. You can't sit there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/no-one-knows-anything-you-re-going-to-make-mistakes-and-you-re-going/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [George Saunders is a complete genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/george-saunders-is-a-complete-genius/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [I think that's the thing I learned at 'Saturday Night Live' - any time I would try and strategize, I would always, always fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-think-that-s-the-thing-i-learned-at-saturday-night-live-any-time-i/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [You learn quickly at 'SNL' you get in trouble if you compare yourself to other people, where they're at, or what other people had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/you-learn-quickly-at-snl-you-get-in-trouble-if-you-compare-yourself/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [Turns out typecasting is a real thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/turns-out-typecasting-is-a-real-thing/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [You can be the lead in a movie just for the sake of being a lead in a movie, or you can just be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/you-can-be-the-lead-in-a-movie-just-for-the-sake-of-being-a-lead-in-a/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [I learned a lot just watching people perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-learned-a-lot-just-watching-people-perform/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

> [Fred Willard still makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/fred-willard-still-makes-me-laugh/)

[Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

[Explore all 155 Bill Hader quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/)

## More Actually 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/)

> [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [I actually like getting out of my comfort zone. It shakes me up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/i-actually-like-getting-out-of-my-comfort-zone-it-shakes-me-up/)

[Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/)

> [You have to talk about why things happened the way they did. You can't actually explain my political life except by a series of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lange/you-have-to-talk-about-why-things-happened-the-way-they-did-you-can-t/)

[David Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lange/)

> [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/)

[Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/)

> [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/)

[L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/)

> [I'm from Europe, England, and I actually lived in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/i-m-from-europe-england-and-i-actually-lived-in-italy/)

[Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adewale-akinnuoye-agbaje/)

> [The alternative comedy scene is actually pretty small, I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-wilson/the-alternative-comedy-scene-is-actually-pretty-small-i-guess/)

[Casey Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-wilson/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [The shelves of many evangelicals are full of books that point out the flaws in evolution, discuss it only as a theory, and almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/the-shelves-of-many-evangelicals-are-full-of-books-that-point-out-the/)

[Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/)

> [Somebody said that part of my reaction to British cinema is actually, paradoxically, a patriotic one. I'm so disappointed that we're not better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-brownlow/somebody-said-that-part-of-my-reaction-to-british-cinema-is-actually/)

[Kevin Brownlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-brownlow/)

> [I actually do sing sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morten-harket/i-actually-do-sing-sometimes/)

[Morten Harket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morten-harket/)

> [I've actually got quite a good memory. I've good recall. It's often things which other people might not notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/i-ve-actually-got-quite-a-good-memory-i-ve-good-recall-it-s-often/)

[Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/)

> [Because there is actually something very interesting in Goodfellas, how the style of the film changes as time goes by and based on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cox/because-there-is-actually-something-very-interesting-in-goodfellas/)

[Alex Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cox/)

> ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/)

[Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/)

Browse all 4,248 Actually quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "People ask me, 'Did you always want to be on SNL?' No, actually, it never crossed my mind. It didn't even seem possible. It would've been like saying, 'Hey, do you wanna go to the moon?'",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill Hader"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be-on-snl-no-actually-it-never/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actually"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be-on-snl-no-actually-it-never/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/bill-hader-2662_actually_people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be_320833.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/bill-hader-2662_actually_people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be_320833.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/710/bill-hader-2662_actually_people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be_320833.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“People ask me, 'Did you always want to be on SNL?' No, actually, it never crossed my mind. It didn't even…” — Bill Hader",
                "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": "Bill Hader",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "People ask me, 'Did you always...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be-on-snl-no-actually-it-never/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/people-ask-me-did-you-always-want-to-be-on-snl-no-actually-it-never/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
