--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You really want to have a back-up plan…" description: "\"You really want to have a back-up plan, so when you don't feel like acting, or you're getting older and settling down, you can produce your own stuff. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/denis-leary-1350_acting_you-really-want-to-have-a-back-up-plan-s_178008.jpg" --- # You really want to have a back-up plan, so when you don't… ![“You really want to have a back-up plan, so when you don't feel like acting, or you're getting older and settling down, you can produce your own stuff. So that's when I set about forming my own company and getting creative control.” quote by Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/denis-leary-1350_acting_you-really-want-to-have-a-back-up-plan-s_178008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/denis-leary-1350_acting_you-really-want-to-have-a-back-up-plan-s_178008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/denis-leary-1350_acting_you-really-want-to-have-a-back-up-plan-s_178008.jpg) > “You really want to have a back-up plan, so when you don't feel like acting, or you're getting older and settling down, you can produce your own stuff. So that's when I set about forming my own company and getting creative control.” [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes the importance of having a contingency plan and creative independence, especially as one ages, leading to starting one's own venture for control. **In simple terms:** Plan B and creative control become vital with age, prompting entrepreneurship. Key Takeaway Develop a backup plan and pursue creative autonomy. Themes career creativity independence planning aging Mood motivational pragmatic determined Type inspirational advice When to use this quote - starting a business - career transition - skill development - financial safety net Key Concepts entrepreneurship self‑reliance strategic thinking Questions to Reflect On - What would your ideal backup plan look like? - How will you balance security with creative risk? A Different Perspective Backup plans can limit spontaneity and may require resources you lack. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Getting old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-old/) [Getting older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-older/) [Settling down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settling-down/) ## Related quotes > [Prior to the App Store, the chances of that happening, of somebody really young forming a company and in a period of no time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/prior-to-the-app-store-the-chances-of-that-happening-of-somebody/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I love working! I'm a huge fan of TV and will be happy as long as I'm getting to be creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-labyorteaux/i-love-working-i-m-a-huge-fan-of-tv-and-will-be-happy-as-long-as-i-m/) Patrick Labyorteaux > [I love getting to be creative with work!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorit-kemsley/i-love-getting-to-be-creative-with-work/) [Dorit Kemsley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorit-kemsley/) > [“Instead of getting mad or getting even, get creative.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-williams/instead-of-getting-mad-or-getting-even-get-creative/) [Pat Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-williams/) > [Suddenly, I don't want to be this person anymore. I don't want to pretend I'm fooling the world when I'm not. I want someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/suddenly-i-don-t-want-to-be-this-person-anymore-i-don-t-want-to/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [The majority of people don't want to plan. They want to be free of the responsibility of planning. What they ask for is merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-majority-of-people-don-t-want-to-plan-they-want-to-be-free-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a goal setter, but in broad strokes. I don't have a by-October-2009-I-want-to-be-here plan. All I do is work with an element of challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-dane/i-m-a-goal-setter-but-in-broad-strokes-i-don-t-have-a-by-october-2009/) [Eric Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-dane/) > [Folks, we want to end Obamacare. We want to go to a plan that is so much better and so much less expensive, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/folks-we-want-to-end-obamacare-we-want-to-go-to-a-plan-that-is-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I have the most creative control so nothing gets released without me feeling 100% happy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/griff/i-have-the-most-creative-control-so-nothing-gets-released-without-me/) [Griff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/griff/) > [I am working with writers and producers to have a more proprietary relationship over shows, having more ownership and creative control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-podeswa/i-am-working-with-writers-and-producers-to-have-a-more-proprietary/) [Jeremy Podeswa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-podeswa/) > [My other creative outlet is knitting; aside from being fun, it is my antidote to the film business: I have full creative control, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-goldstein-knowlton/my-other-creative-outlet-is-knitting-aside-from-being-fun-it-is-my/) [Linda Goldstein Knowlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-goldstein-knowlton/) > [That's a good thing for me. I own everything, I have 100% creative control, I own all my masters, everything. I'm blessed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/that-s-a-good-thing-for-me-i-own-everything-i-have-100-creative/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [I wrote a play that I directed and I was in, and I paid for the sets and the costumes and to put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailey-gates/i-wrote-a-play-that-i-directed-and-i-was-in-and-i-paid-for-the-sets/) [Hailey Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailey-gates/) > [I get total creative control when I'm in the studio now to do what I want to do. If I feel like doing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killah-priest/i-get-total-creative-control-when-i-m-in-the-studio-now-to-do-what-i/) [Killah Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killah-priest/) > [It's not the norm when creators have any protections with regards to creative control. And so it took some time, I think, for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-mcgruder/it-s-not-the-norm-when-creators-have-any-protections-with-regards-to/) [Aaron McGruder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-mcgruder/) ## More by Denis Leary > [I'm sick and tired of our generation being called the TV generation. What do you expect? We watched Lee Harvey Oswald get his brains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-m-sick-and-tired-of-our-generation-being-called-the-tv-generation/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [My father left Ireland because he did not want to muck horse manure for the rest of his life, and he wanted to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/my-father-left-ireland-because-he-did-not-want-to-muck-horse-manure/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I've eaten things that didn't complain this much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-ve-eaten-things-that-didn-t-complain-this-much/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [What I've learned is that life is too short and movies are too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/what-i-ve-learned-is-that-life-is-too-short-and-movies-are-too-long/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [Yeah, I love living in New York, man, and people who live in New York, we wear that fact like a badge right on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/yeah-i-love-living-in-new-york-man-and-people-who-live-in-new-york-we/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I've always had a thing for Catwoman. Michelle Pfeiffer or Halle Berry in tight leather pants, with the boots - I'm pretty good with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-ve-always-had-a-thing-for-catwoman-michelle-pfeiffer-or-halle-berry/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I spent a long time working in the movies to figure out that kind of acting and also how to write and produce for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-spent-a-long-time-working-in-the-movies-to-figure-out-that-kind-of/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I do have to say that I think that President Obama is the greatest President in the history of all of our Presidents, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-do-have-to-say-that-i-think-that-president-obama-is-the-greatest/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I don't want to see a 'Sopranos' movie. This is just me. I like to think the end is where it was on TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-don-t-want-to-see-a-sopranos-movie-this-is-just-me-i-like-to-think/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [The best comedy audiences in the country and this is tried and true, I'm not just saying it, in my opinion are Boston, Atlanta,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/the-best-comedy-audiences-in-the-country-and-this-is-tried-and-true-i/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [Happy Easter everyone! Jesus dies, comes back from the dead - and we get chocolate eggs. It's like turn-down service from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/happy-easter-everyone-jesus-dies-comes-back-from-the-dead-and-we-get/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I believe in prescription drugs. I believe in feeling better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-believe-in-prescription-drugs-i-believe-in-feeling-better/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [You try to - you want to fly on both sides of the political fence because that's where the - where the comedy is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/you-try-to-you-want-to-fly-on-both-sides-of-the-political-fence/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I'm not really a Spider-Man fan. I'm more of a Batman guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-m-not-really-a-spider-man-fan-i-m-more-of-a-batman-guy/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) > [I basically - I don't like tattoos, unless you're a firefighter who has a tattoo that has to do with that or a military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-leary/i-basically-i-don-t-like-tattoos-unless-you-re-a-firefighter-who-has/) [Denis Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) [Explore all 252 Denis Leary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-leary/) ## More Acting 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/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You really want to have a back-up plan, so when you don't feel like acting, or you're getting older and settling down, you can produce your own stuff. 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