--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're auditioning, hold on loosely…" description: "\"When you're auditioning, hold on loosely. Work hard on it at home, like you always do. But when you're in the room, let a choice happen to you rather t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/carrie-preston-12501_auditioning_when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely_2158283.png" --- # When you're auditioning, hold on loosely. Work hard on it… ![“When you're auditioning, hold on loosely. Work hard on it at home, like you always do. But when you're in the room, let a choice happen to you rather than forcing a choice that's not ready to come. You'll surprise yourself and, hopefully, the people in the room.” quote by Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/carrie-preston-12501_auditioning_when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely_2158283.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/carrie-preston-12501_auditioning_when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely_2158283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/carrie-preston-12501_auditioning_when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely_2158283.png) > “When you're auditioning, hold on loosely. Work hard on it at home, like you always do. But when you're in the room, let a choice happen to you rather than forcing a choice that's not ready to come. You'll surprise yourself and, hopefully, the people in the room.” [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balance preparation with openness; let performance emerge naturally rather than forcing it. **In simple terms:** Prepare well, then stay flexible on stage. Key Takeaway Trust your preparation and allow spontaneity. Themes performance authenticity flexibility confidence Mood encouraging motivational Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - theater auditions - public speaking - musical performances - improvisation workshops Key Concepts creative flow mindful presence self-trust Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt most authentic on stage? - How can you cultivate a receptive mindset before performing? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on preparation can cause rigidity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [“It has no choice, but to happen because I imagined it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharada-vallem/it-has-no-choice-but-to-happen-because-i-imagined-it/) Sharada Vallem > [90% of life is our choice, it will happen the way you want, but 10% is not at all in your hands. this by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yssubramanyam/90-of-life-is-our-choice-it-will-happen-the-way-you-want-but-10-is/) [Yssubramanyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yssubramanyam/) > [“Choice can only happen when preferences aren’t outweighed by need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-davis/choice-can-only-happen-when-preferences-aren-t-outweighed-by-need/) [Jane Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-davis/) > [“Sometimes when you hold on too loosely, it's as if you aren't holding on at all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layla-m-wier/sometimes-when-you-hold-on-too-loosely-it-s-as-if-you-aren-t-holding/) Layla M. Wier > [Whatever you are holding onto in this life, hold it loosely so it won’t hurt when the Lord has to pry your fingers open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priscilla-shirer/whatever-you-are-holding-onto-in-this-life-hold-it-loosely-so-it-won/) [Priscilla Shirer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priscilla-shirer/) > [“hold it loosely”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swindoll-charles-r/hold-it-loosely/) [Swindoll Charles R](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swindoll-charles-r/) > [A relationship is like sand in your hand. Hold loosely with respect its stays, but when you close your hand and become possessive, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-relationship-is-like-sand-in-your-hand-hold-loosely-with-respect/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Learn to hold loosely all that is not eternal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maude-royden/learn-to-hold-loosely-all-that-is-not-eternal/) [Maude Royden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maude-royden/) > [Spirituality is like a bird: If you hold it too closely, it chokes, And if you hold it too loosely, it escapes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yisroel-salanter/spirituality-is-like-a-bird-if-you-hold-it-too-closely-it-chokes-and/) [Yisroel Salanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yisroel-salanter/) > [Hold loosely to the things of this life, so that if God requires them of you, it will be easy to let them go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/hold-loosely-to-the-things-of-this-life-so-that-if-god-requires-them/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [Auditioning is so different than doing the work in some ways. It's very much about solving the scene, I think, and coming in with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/auditioning-is-so-different-than-doing-the-work-in-some-ways-it-s/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [Dating is sort of like auditioning. Even on your worst day, if you're right for the role, you're going to get another shot; you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mcgorry/dating-is-sort-of-like-auditioning-even-on-your-worst-day-if-you-re/) [Matt McGorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mcgorry/) > [There are several times when I walked into a room and just felt like such a sham. That's the problem with auditioning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lillard/there-are-several-times-when-i-walked-into-a-room-and-just-felt-like/) [Matthew Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lillard/) > [When I was auditioning for 'Gotham,' I got a handful of comics from different decades, so I had a perspective - it's been around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-michael-smith/when-i-was-auditioning-for-gotham-i-got-a-handful-of-comics-from/) [Cory Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-michael-smith/) > [When I was six years old my friend was auditioning for 'Annie,' and I decided I wanted to audition with her. My mom was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-emerson/when-i-was-six-years-old-my-friend-was-auditioning-for-annie-and-i/) [Jacqueline Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-emerson/) ## More by Carrie Preston > [Everyone thinks they went to high school with me. I take it as a compliment that I look different in every role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/everyone-thinks-they-went-to-high-school-with-me-i-take-it-as-a/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [By the time I was twelve, I had started my own theater company and was doing plays in the backyard and the front yard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/by-the-time-i-was-twelve-i-had-started-my-own-theater-company-and-was/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [Auditioning is so different than doing the work in some ways. It's very much about solving the scene, I think, and coming in with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/auditioning-is-so-different-than-doing-the-work-in-some-ways-it-s/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I got my first big paycheck for 'My Best Friend's Wedding.' This was in the days when you actually did get paid to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-got-my-first-big-paycheck-for-my-best-friend-s-wedding-this-was-in/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I have a great amount of respect for what a manicurist does - now, when I go and get my own nails done at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-have-a-great-amount-of-respect-for-what-a-manicurist-does-now-when/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I have a recurring role on 'Person of Interest,' which is my husband's show. I play the love of his life. It was really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-have-a-recurring-role-on-person-of-interest-which-is-my-husband-s/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I really like to play these complicated characters, and I really like to transform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-really-like-to-play-these-complicated-characters-and-i-really-like/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [Neutrogena Ultra Sheer sunscreen makes me feel like I'm getting supersonic protection because I am so, so pale and need all the help I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/neutrogena-ultra-sheer-sunscreen-makes-me-feel-like-i-m-getting/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I owe so much to Shakespeare. Nothing is more humbling and more exhilarating than taking ahold of those sacred words and riding them like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-owe-so-much-to-shakespeare-nothing-is-more-humbling-and-more/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I do like to get inspired by and support any female leads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-do-like-to-get-inspired-by-and-support-any-female-leads/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I'm a character actor and I get lost in these characters, so I think it's only recently that people have begun to connect dots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-m-a-character-actor-and-i-get-lost-in-these-characters-so-i-think/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [What I like to do as an actor is transform. It's way more fun to play characters who are completely different than me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/what-i-like-to-do-as-an-actor-is-transform-it-s-way-more-fun-to-play/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I think that in order for anything to work on television, you have to have conflict. Nothing can be too happy or it's boring.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-think-that-in-order-for-anything-to-work-on-television-you-have-to/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [Getting or not getting the job isn't an indicator of your abilities. You're going to get jobs when you think you sucked, and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/getting-or-not-getting-the-job-isn-t-an-indicator-of-your-abilities/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) > [I tend to play every color in the Southern rainbow, and the challenge is to make each character different so I'm not doing any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/i-tend-to-play-every-color-in-the-southern-rainbow-and-the-challenge/) [Carrie Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) [Explore all 54 Carrie Preston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/) ## More Auditioning quotes > [When I was six years old my friend was auditioning for 'Annie,' and I decided I wanted to audition with her. My mom was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-emerson/when-i-was-six-years-old-my-friend-was-auditioning-for-annie-and-i/) [Jacqueline Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-emerson/) > [When I was auditioning for 'Gotham,' I got a handful of comics from different decades, so I had a perspective - it's been around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-michael-smith/when-i-was-auditioning-for-gotham-i-got-a-handful-of-comics-from/) [Cory Michael Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-michael-smith/) > [There are several times when I walked into a room and just felt like such a sham. That's the problem with auditioning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lillard/there-are-several-times-when-i-walked-into-a-room-and-just-felt-like/) [Matthew Lillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lillard/) > [Dating is sort of like auditioning. Even on your worst day, if you're right for the role, you're going to get another shot; you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mcgorry/dating-is-sort-of-like-auditioning-even-on-your-worst-day-if-you-re/) [Matt McGorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mcgorry/) > [Auditioning is a horrible experience because you know you are being absolutely scrutinized and judged. There are days where you can do it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-reilly/auditioning-is-a-horrible-experience-because-you-know-you-are-being/) [Kelly Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-reilly/) > [I don't get jobs in films by auditioning. I'm not blonde. You can't place me in movies the way you can with certain actors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-oh/i-don-t-get-jobs-in-films-by-auditioning-i-m-not-blonde-you-can-t/) [Sandra Oh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-oh/) > [All you have to remember is 'audition' is synonymous with 'opportunity. I mean, if you absolutely hate auditioning, do you also hate opportunities? That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-swank/all-you-have-to-remember-is-audition-is-synonymous-with-opportunity-i/) [Hilary Swank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-swank/) > [When I'm auditioning for something, if it's not me, I really hope the part doesn't go to me. You know what I mean? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-keller/when-i-m-auditioning-for-something-if-it-s-not-me-i-really-hope-the/) [Rachel Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-keller/) > [There's no enemy in the auditioning process. Everybody wants you to be the right person when you walk in the room. We're all just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mosley/there-s-no-enemy-in-the-auditioning-process-everybody-wants-you-to-be/) [Michael Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mosley/) > [I was crazy poor, but I was learning and putting myself out there and getting hired to do whatever gig I could and auditioning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-cannon/i-was-crazy-poor-but-i-was-learning-and-putting-myself-out-there-and/) [Kay Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-cannon/) > [I found myself in this conundrum of loving acting, but not liking the path that you have to take to do it. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-whannell/i-found-myself-in-this-conundrum-of-loving-acting-but-not-liking-the/) [Leigh Whannell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-whannell/) > [Usually when you're auditioning for something, you are taking whatever is coming at you and saying 'yes' because you have to to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-ralph/usually-when-you-re-auditioning-for-something-you-are-taking-whatever/) [Jason Ralph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-ralph/) > [Woody Allen, that was a dream come true, although I never really talked to him. Auditioning was fun, because you don't really hear much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jacobson/woody-allen-that-was-a-dream-come-true-although-i-never-really-talked/) [Peter Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jacobson/) > [Auditioning is always so different for different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hutcherson/auditioning-is-always-so-different-for-different-things/) [Josh Hutcherson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hutcherson/) > [I was in a play just outside of London and started auditioning for 'Sex Education,' but I just completely had the mindset that it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ncuti-gatwa/i-was-in-a-play-just-outside-of-london-and-started-auditioning-for/) [Ncuti Gatwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ncuti-gatwa/) Browse all 277 Auditioning quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you're auditioning, hold on loosely. Work hard on it at home, like you always do. But when you're in the room, let a choice happen to you rather than forcing a choice that's not ready to come. You'll surprise yourself and, hopefully, the people in the room.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carrie Preston" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely-work-hard-on-it-at-home-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Auditioning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely-work-hard-on-it-at-home-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/carrie-preston-12501_auditioning_when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely_2158283.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/carrie-preston-12501_auditioning_when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely_2158283.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf7/carrie-preston-12501_auditioning_when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely_2158283.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're auditioning, hold on loosely. Work hard on it at home, like you always do. But when you're in…” — Carrie Preston", "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": "Carrie Preston", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-preston/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're auditioning, hold on loosely....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely-work-hard-on-it-at-home-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-preston/when-you-re-auditioning-hold-on-loosely-work-hard-on-it-at-home-like/#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 } } ] } ```