--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know I can act and it doesn't matter…" description: "\"I know I can act and it doesn't matter where you come from.\" — Boris Kodjoe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/boris-kodjoe-13368_come_i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-w_1777048.png" --- # I know I can act and it doesn't matter where you come from. ![“I know I can act and it doesn't matter where you come from.” quote by Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/boris-kodjoe-13368_come_i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-w_1777048.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/boris-kodjoe-13368_come_i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-w_1777048.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/boris-kodjoe-13368_come_i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-w_1777048.png) > “I know I can act and it doesn't matter where you come from.” [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One can act regardless of background; personal agency transcends origin. **In simple terms:** You can act no matter where you're from. Key Takeaway Believe in your ability to act. Themes self‑efficacy agency diversity Mood determined optimistic Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - community activism - overcoming bias Key Concepts personal empowerment social mobility Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take despite your background? - How does belief shape outcomes? A Different Perspective Systemic barriers may limit opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Doesn Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-matter-233607/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-act-361459/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Matter Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter-come-608126/) ## Related quotes > [No matter where you come from, everything comes through work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalidou-koulibaly/no-matter-where-you-come-from-everything-comes-through-work/) [Kalidou Koulibaly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalidou-koulibaly/) > [It doesn't matter where you come from. It's what you do when you get here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-butler/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-come-from-it-s-what-you-do-when-you-get/) [Malcolm Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-butler/) > [It doesn't matter where you come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-come-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No matter who you are, no matter where you come from, you are beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/no-matter-who-you-are-no-matter-where-you-come-from-you-are-beautiful/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I hoped people would take me as I am. It doesn't matter where I come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saara-aalto/i-hoped-people-would-take-me-as-i-am-it-doesn-t-matter-where-i-come/) [Saara Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saara-aalto/) > [Love yourself no matter who you are or where you come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/love-yourself-no-matter-who-you-are-or-where-you-come-from/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [“No matter who you are or where you come from, we're the same. We were meant to be together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-jacobs/no-matter-who-you-are-or-where-you-come-from-we-re-the-same-we-were/) [Chloe Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-jacobs/) > [The only notes that matter come in a wad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/the-only-notes-that-matter-come-in-a-wad/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [We have to know before we can act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/we-have-to-know-before-we-can-act/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [I don't know how to put on an act; I always show myself for what I am, in whatever mood I'm in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-know-how-to-put-on-an-act-i-always-show-myself-for-what-i-am/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“People don't want to know. They have to be made to know. Whether they act on what they know is up to them. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/people-don-t-want-to-know-they-have-to-be-made-to-know-whether-they/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells/the-people-must-know-before-they-can-act-and-there-is-no-educator-to/) [Ida B. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells/) > [I don't know how to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-don-t-know-how-to-act/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [You know how they do, how they act. See you with another man and they want you back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trina/you-know-how-they-do-how-they-act-see-you-with-another-man-and-they/) [Trina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trina/) > [Actors may know how to act, but a lot of them don't know how to behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-fisher/actors-may-know-how-to-act-but-a-lot-of-them-don-t-know-how-to-behave/) [Carrie Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-fisher/) ## More by Boris Kodjoe > [I like to laugh, I like to smile, and I don't take myself too seriously. I can be a goofball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-like-to-laugh-i-like-to-smile-and-i-don-t-take-myself-too-seriously/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [The whole time I was modeling, I had a place in Paris, and a place in New York, and I was really single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/the-whole-time-i-was-modeling-i-had-a-place-in-paris-and-a-place-in/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [I'm always an entrepreneur, but I'd probably be a teacher. I like teaching kids, whether that's tennis on the courts or history in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-m-always-an-entrepreneur-but-i-d-probably-be-a-teacher-i-like/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [I came to America because of a tennis scholarship. I really wanted to get away because I was really frustrated about my injury so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-came-to-america-because-of-a-tennis-scholarship-i-really-wanted-to/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [I was looking to show people I could act. I was looking for something that would take me away from the whole hunk riding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-was-looking-to-show-people-i-could-act-i-was-looking-for-something/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [I've always given people the benefit of the doubt until they prove me otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-ve-always-given-people-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-until-they-prove-me/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [It's so not sexy and intimate. There are 40 people in the room. There's a guy with his belly hanging out, with a boom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/it-s-so-not-sexy-and-intimate-there-are-40-people-in-the-room-there-s/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [We shoot 12 to 14 hours a day. To do all that physical stuff yourself, you have to be on a nutritional plan. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/we-shoot-12-to-14-hours-a-day-to-do-all-that-physical-stuff-yourself/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [Sometimes in the black culture, being raised as an independent woman is misconstrued as someone who doesn't need a man. I think that's wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/sometimes-in-the-black-culture-being-raised-as-an-independent-woman/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [Secular artists see themselves with performance; they are more self involved, presentational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/secular-artists-see-themselves-with-performance-they-are-more-self/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [Yet, that's what studios do. If one thing works, they'll keep doing it till it runs its course and people aren't interested anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/yet-that-s-what-studios-do-if-one-thing-works-they-ll-keep-doing-it/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [I love the fact that we, as black people, carry our faith with us. We share it and embrace it and love it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-love-the-fact-that-we-as-black-people-carry-our-faith-with-us-we/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [In Vienna, when I was a year-and-a-half or two years-old. I remember it because I remember the little blue raincoat I used to wear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/in-vienna-when-i-was-a-year-and-a-half-or-two-years-old-i-remember-it/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [I believe trust is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-believe-trust-is-a-choice/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) > [I knew immediately that she was going to be in my life forever. I didn't know in what capacity, but I knew that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-knew-immediately-that-she-was-going-to-be-in-my-life-forever-i-didn/) [Boris Kodjoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) [Explore all 50 Boris Kodjoe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/) ## More Come quotes > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [If you've got some to say to Ric Flair, you come say it to me, and I'll make the translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-piper/if-you-ve-got-some-to-say-to-ric-flair-you-come-say-it-to-me-and-i-ll/) [Roddy Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-piper/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Mihir is one of the most secure men that I have ever come across in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manini-mishra/mihir-is-one-of-the-most-secure-men-that-i-have-ever-come-across-in/) [Manini Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manini-mishra/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [We'd always come into Syracuse for the Empire State Games and the stair fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/we-d-always-come-into-syracuse-for-the-empire-state-games-and-the/) [Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“More we know, more we come know that how less we know”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/souvik-khamrui/more-we-know-more-we-come-know-that-how-less-we-know/) [Souvik Khamrui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/souvik-khamrui/) > [I mean, you've kind of got the track down, especially with ovals. The only thing that improves is that when race conditions come, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danica-patrick/i-mean-you-ve-kind-of-got-the-track-down-especially-with-ovals-the/) [Danica Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danica-patrick/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My preference is for people who come to rehearsal and get into the ring. I like a muscular actor who's playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantello/my-preference-is-for-people-who-come-to-rehearsal-and-get-into-the/) [Joe Mantello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantello/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) [Browse all 13,032 Come quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know I can act and it doesn't matter where you come from.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Boris Kodjoe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-come-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Come" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-come-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/boris-kodjoe-13368_come_i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-w_1777048.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/boris-kodjoe-13368_come_i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-w_1777048.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f2/boris-kodjoe-13368_come_i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-w_1777048.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I know I can act and it doesn't matter where you come from.” — Boris Kodjoe", "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": "Boris Kodjoe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-kodjoe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I know I can act and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-come-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-kodjoe/i-know-i-can-act-and-it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-come-from/#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 } } ] } ```