--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do a lot better if I sit around and…" description: "\"I do a lot better if I sit around and think about a character for a couple of months.\" — Clive Owen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clive-owen-3148_about_i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-th_1598964.png" --- # I do a lot better if I sit around and think about a… ![“I do a lot better if I sit around and think about a character for a couple of months.” quote by Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clive-owen-3148_about_i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-th_1598964.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clive-owen-3148_about_i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-th_1598964.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clive-owen-3148_about_i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-th_1598964.png) > “I do a lot better if I sit around and think about a character for a couple of months.” [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spending months developing a character in depth leads to better performance, emphasizing the value of prolonged reflection. **In simple terms:** Thinking about a character for months improves work. Key Takeaway Invest time in preparation. Themes acting character development preparation Mood thoughtful professional Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - film casting - writing workshops Key Concepts psychology creative process craftsmanship Questions to Reflect On - How does deep reflection affect your work? - What methods help you develop characters efficiently? A Different Perspective Time constraints may limit this approach. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Better Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-sit-455771/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Couple Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple-months-412873/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Sit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit/) [Sit Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-think-310944/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-character-322821/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [A couple of months ago, I was down in Florida for the Food and Wine Festival. And this journalist grabbed me and said, 'How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-colicchio/a-couple-of-months-ago-i-was-down-in-florida-for-the-food-and-wine/) [Tom Colicchio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-colicchio/) > [When I do a play, it's like agreeing to be ill for a couple of months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/when-i-do-a-play-it-s-like-agreeing-to-be-ill-for-a-couple-of-months/) [Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/) > [I'd rather go to a place and spend a couple of months, get to know it, get to know the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sacco/i-d-rather-go-to-a-place-and-spend-a-couple-of-months-get-to-know-it/) [Joe Sacco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sacco/) > [When I was 25, I had risked everything to launch Justin Bieber and was a couple months away from losing everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scooter-braun/when-i-was-25-i-had-risked-everything-to-launch-justin-bieber-and-was/) [Scooter Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scooter-braun/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I love to sit on my own and think, not to be photographed all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/i-love-to-sit-on-my-own-and-think-not-to-be-photographed-all-the-time/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [Every door opens to something and it is better to go toward that something than to sit staring at the blank wall of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda-popkin/every-door-opens-to-something-and-it-is-better-to-go-toward-that/) [Zelda Popkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda-popkin/) > [Better to go than sit around being a terrible old bore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-waugh/better-to-go-than-sit-around-being-a-terrible-old-bore/) [Auberon Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-waugh/) > [Its better to sit on the side lines and wait for love the more you look the harder it becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/its-better-to-sit-on-the-side-lines-and-wait-for-love-the-more-you/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad, and it is better still to sit with the good than alone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/it-is-better-to-sit-alone-than-in-company-with-the-bad-and-it-is/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/) > [Its better to sit without speaking and people thik your stupid than to speak and prove thier point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/its-better-to-sit-without-speaking-and-people-thik-your-stupid-than/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [It is better to sit in appreciative contemplation of a world in which beauty is eternally supported on a foundation of ugliness: cut out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/it-is-better-to-sit-in-appreciative-contemplation-of-a-world-in-which/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Better sit still, than rise to meet the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-drayton/better-sit-still-than-rise-to-meet-the-devil/) [Michael Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-drayton/) > [“Better not to sit on a hedgehog if you are naked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulgakov-mikhail/better-not-to-sit-on-a-hedgehog-if-you-are-naked/) [Bulgakov Mikhail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulgakov-mikhail/) > [It is better to sit down than to stand, it is better to lie down than to sit, but death is the best of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indian-proverb/it-is-better-to-sit-down-than-to-stand-it-is-better-to-lie-down-than/) [Indian Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indian-proverb/) ## More by Clive Owen > [It's just lovely to be involved in a movie that does go back to the basics - characters and great writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/it-s-just-lovely-to-be-involved-in-a-movie-that-does-go-back-to-the/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I've been very fortunate with the scripts I've had and the people I worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-with-the-scripts-i-ve-had-and-the-people-i/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I find sometimes that if you do too many takes, it starts to become meaningless to me. It is hard to sustain it for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-find-sometimes-that-if-you-do-too-many-takes-it-starts-to-become/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I'm just constantly trying to renew and give myself new challenges and push myself to uncomfortable places, trying to get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-m-just-constantly-trying-to-renew-and-give-myself-new-challenges/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [America's been very, very good to me. I've been very lucky and worked a lot there, and appreciate and love the work that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/america-s-been-very-very-good-to-me-i-ve-been-very-lucky-and-worked-a/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [The medical operations are so challenging because they're so technical, as well. I assumed before we started that we would do the classic thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/the-medical-operations-are-so-challenging-because-they-re-so/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Belfast during the Troubles looked like a different world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/belfast-during-the-troubles-looked-like-a-different-world/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Rudeness can make me angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/rudeness-can-make-me-angry/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I am a big soccer fan, and a very big Liverpool fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-am-a-big-soccer-fan-and-a-very-big-liverpool-fan/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [The further you run from your sins, the more exhausted you are when they catch up to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/the-further-you-run-from-your-sins-the-more-exhausted-you-are-when/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Ultimately, to have a career in movies, to a certain extent, certainly in England, you can't sustain a career in just English movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/ultimately-to-have-a-career-in-movies-to-a-certain-extent-certainly/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [As I get older, I've been having a better and better time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/as-i-get-older-i-ve-been-having-a-better-and-better-time/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [I think that Phil Kaufman is one of the best directors that I have come across.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-think-that-phil-kaufman-is-one-of-the-best-directors-that-i-have/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [Audiences can be very judgmental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/audiences-can-be-very-judgmental/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) > [When I was younger, people used to say you only really prove yourself as an actor on stage. And I disagree with that. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/when-i-was-younger-people-used-to-say-you-only-really-prove-yourself/) [Clive Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) [Explore all 138 Clive Owen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do a lot better if I sit around and think about a character for a couple of months.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clive Owen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-think-about-a-character-for-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-think-about-a-character-for-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clive-owen-3148_about_i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-th_1598964.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clive-owen-3148_about_i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-th_1598964.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/clive-owen-3148_about_i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-th_1598964.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I do a lot better if I sit around and think about a character for a couple of months.” — Clive Owen", "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": "Clive Owen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-owen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I do a lot better if...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-think-about-a-character-for-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-owen/i-do-a-lot-better-if-i-sit-around-and-think-about-a-character-for-a/#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 } } ] } ```