--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I hadn't been an actress, I was…" description: "\"If I hadn't been an actress, I was thinking seriously about going into psychology. It's just really what I'm interested in: the human psyche and how we..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/claire-danes-2119_actresses_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actress-i-was-thinki_2312253.jpg" --- # If I hadn't been an actress, I was thinking seriously… ![“If I hadn't been an actress, I was thinking seriously about going into psychology. It's just really what I'm interested in: the human psyche and how we process information.” quote by Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/claire-danes-2119_actresses_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actress-i-was-thinki_2312253.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/claire-danes-2119_actresses_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actress-i-was-thinki_2312253.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd2/claire-danes-2119_actresses_if-i-hadn-t-been-an-actress-i-was-thinki_2312253.jpg) > “If I hadn't been an actress, I was thinking seriously about going into psychology. It's just really what I'm interested in: the human psyche and how we process information.” [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She reflects on a possible alternate career in psychology, driven by fascination with the mind and information processing. **In simple terms:** She once considered becoming a psychologist. Key Takeaway Explore interests beyond current profession. Themes career exploration psychology self‑reflection learning curiosity Mood inquisitive optimistic Type career philosophical When to use this quote - career counseling - personal development - education - creative pursuits Key Concepts cognitive science human behavior Questions to Reflect On - What draws you to study the mind? - How can you integrate psychological insights now? A Different Perspective She may be idealizing psychology without practical experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) [Human psyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-psyche/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I was going to do a psychology degree with the Open University. 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Now I look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/i-remember-when-i-was-starting-out-as-a-young-actress-thinking-oh-my/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [Is Paris Hilton even an actress? I'm thinking no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-dupont/is-paris-hilton-even-an-actress-i-m-thinking-no/) [Tiffany Dupont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-dupont/) > [I'm not sure if I want to direct a film, but certainly, as an actress, I'm always thinking, 'Surely this must be my last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-m-not-sure-if-i-want-to-direct-a-film-but-certainly-as-an-actress-i/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [I love theatre - it's where I started - and I've directed a play myself. I'm not sure if I want to direct a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-love-theatre-it-s-where-i-started-and-i-ve-directed-a-play-myself-i/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [I'm funding a new business with money I would have given away in the first place. And I'm starting a responsible business and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horst-rechelbacher/i-m-funding-a-new-business-with-money-i-would-have-given-away-in-the/) [Horst Rechelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horst-rechelbacher/) > [“The human psyche, like human bones, is strongly inclined towards self-healing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bowlby/the-human-psyche-like-human-bones-is-strongly-inclined-towards-self/) [John Bowlby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bowlby/) > [“Negativity is totally unnatural. It is a psychic pollutant, and there is a deep link between the poisoning and destruction of nature and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/negativity-is-totally-unnatural-it-is-a-psychic-pollutant-and-there/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Modern man, seeking a middle position in the evaluation of sense impression and thought, can, following Plato , interpret the process of understanding nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/modern-man-seeking-a-middle-position-in-the-evaluation-of-sense/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [“In the twenty-first century it sounds childish to compare the human psyche to a steam engine. Today we know of a far more sophisticated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/in-the-twenty-first-century-it-sounds-childish-to-compare-the-human/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Something in our nature cries out to be loved by another. Isolation is devastating to the human psyche. That is why solitary confinement is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/something-in-our-nature-cries-out-to-be-loved-by-another-isolation-is/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“I am now convinced that Google searches are the most important dataset ever collected on the human psyche. This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-stephens-davidowitz/i-am-now-convinced-that-google-searches-are-the-most-important/) [Seth Stephens-Davidowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-stephens-davidowitz/) ## More by Claire Danes > [My character was kidnapped by the Terminator and I was kidnapped by the Terminator production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/my-character-was-kidnapped-by-the-terminator-and-i-was-kidnapped-by/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I think it's important to never play 'crazy' - you have to know what kind of crazy you're playing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-think-it-s-important-to-never-play-crazy-you-have-to-know-what-kind/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I hadn't been free from adult responsibilities since I was 12, and I needed to experience that. I really needed to just be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-hadn-t-been-free-from-adult-responsibilities-since-i-was-12-and-i/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [Counterterrorism isn't really about the nunchakus, the guns and gadgets. It's about psychology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/counterterrorism-isn-t-really-about-the-nunchakus-the-guns-and/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [Growing up in New York with artist parents - a very liberal environment, where we were always encouraged to challenge the status quo -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/growing-up-in-new-york-with-artist-parents-a-very-liberal-environment/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I was told that going to college wouldn't be good for my career, but I think that's nonsense. 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It can be dangerous because it's over-used or inappropriately used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/voice-over-can-be-tricky-it-can-be-dangerous-because-it-s-over-used/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I think people who make movies and have invested a lot of money in them get frightened that if they challenge an audience they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-think-people-who-make-movies-and-have-invested-a-lot-of-money-in/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I was a pretty nerdy kid. I was pretty nerdy. I'm still kind of nerdy. I have all of the worst qualities of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-was-a-pretty-nerdy-kid-i-was-pretty-nerdy-i-m-still-kind-of-nerdy-i/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [I care about being formally physically attractive in my life, and I think that I am quite vain about my performance. I'm just not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/i-care-about-being-formally-physically-attractive-in-my-life-and-i/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [When I was younger, like 14...I was desperate to find that 'true love' experience, but really, if you have to ask yourself if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/when-i-was-younger-like-14-i-was-desperate-to-find-that-true-love/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [However, I'm at a very comfortable place in my career and celebrity, in that I don't have to audition as extensively as I used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/however-i-m-at-a-very-comfortable-place-in-my-career-and-celebrity-in/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) [Explore all 185 Claire Danes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) ## More Actresses quotes > [I feel excited about getting older as an actress, too. 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She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [By the time I was seventeen, I was on my way to Hollywood and didn't look back. My family is supportive now, but like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/by-the-time-i-was-seventeen-i-was-on-my-way-to-hollywood-and-didn-t/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [Just have fun. Smile. And keep putting on lipstick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-keaton/just-have-fun-smile-and-keep-putting-on-lipstick/) [Diane Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-keaton/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [I want to be fulfilled creatively as an actress and get to be in roles that are meaningful and impactful. I hope the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-want-to-be-fulfilled-creatively-as-an-actress-and-get-to-be-in/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [All the baggage that comes with fame, being an actress. The down side to it is the intrusion into your life and this expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/all-the-baggage-that-comes-with-fame-being-an-actress-the-down-side/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) > [I've seen new actresses do one show and disappear or struggle for years to get their next break. 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