--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Going into my 20s, I was uncertain…" description: "\"Going into my 20s, I was uncertain, trying to figure out what my relationship to acting is.\" — Gaby Hoffmann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/gaby-hoffmann-2890_acting_going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying_2810271.png" --- # Going into my 20s, I was uncertain, trying to figure out… ![“Going into my 20s, I was uncertain, trying to figure out what my relationship to acting is.” quote by Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/gaby-hoffmann-2890_acting_going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying_2810271.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/gaby-hoffmann-2890_acting_going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying_2810271.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/gaby-hoffmann-2890_acting_going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying_2810271.png) > “Going into my 20s, I was uncertain, trying to figure out what my relationship to acting is.” [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In her 20s, she felt uncertain, exploring her relationship with acting. **In simple terms:** Uncertainty is part of growth. Key Takeaway Embrace exploration of purpose. Themes career self‑discovery artistic identity Mood introspective hopeful Type career creative When to use this quote - audition processes - creative workshops - personal reflection Key Concepts psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - What defines your artistic purpose? - How can you navigate career doubts? A Different Perspective Fear of failure can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [20S Uncertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20s-uncertain-3515608/) [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Figure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figure/) [Going 20S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-20s-3298609/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Relationship Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-acting-880532/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Uncertain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertain/) [Uncertain Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertain-trying-3515609/) ## Related quotes > [I am no longer fearful or uncomfortable about showing myself. And I realized I shouldn't get ahead of myself and lock myself in fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boa/i-am-no-longer-fearful-or-uncomfortable-about-showing-myself-and-i/) [BoA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boa/) > [You will never have a strong relationship if you keep acting like a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-have-a-strong-relationship-if-you-keep-acting-like-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I consider my relationship with acting in Hollywood as sort of a mutual breakup. Through puberty, Hollywood didn't really want me anymore, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-consider-my-relationship-with-acting-in-hollywood-as-sort-of-a/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [I had a really complicated relationship with acting for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-sprouse/i-had-a-really-complicated-relationship-with-acting-for-a-long-time/) [Cole Sprouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-sprouse/) > [I didn't even realize that I was interested in film until I was in college, and since then, I've had a very uncertain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-didn-t-even-realize-that-i-was-interested-in-film-until-i-was-in/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [Fiction, maybe art in general, is a tentative, uncertain enterprise; it's not science, it's an exploration, but you never find much in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/fiction-maybe-art-in-general-is-a-tentative-uncertain-enterprise-it-s/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Of all the uncertain things marriage is the uncertainest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/of-all-the-uncertain-things-marriage-is-the-uncertainest/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [Because a truly skeptical position would be a very uncertain one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/because-a-truly-skeptical-position-would-be-a-very-uncertain-one/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [Bailey might not have great intelligence or abilities, but his whole aim, thought and study was that of the born leader--to look out for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gould-cozzens/bailey-might-not-have-great-intelligence-or-abilities-but-his-whole/) [James Gould Cozzens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gould-cozzens/) > [It is not like studying German, where you mull along, in a groping, uncertain way, for thirty years; and at last, just as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-not-like-studying-german-where-you-mull-along-in-a-groping/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [The planet's survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-planet-s-survival-has-become-so-uncertain-that-any-effort-any/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [“She's sure, absolutely sure, that what she's waiting for will happen, just the way she wants it to; and I'm so uncertain, so fearful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-lowry/she-s-sure-absolutely-sure-that-what-she-s-waiting-for-will-happen/) [Lois Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-lowry/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. There is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/you-imagine-that-i-look-back-on-my-life-s-work-with-calm-satisfaction/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) ## More by Gaby Hoffmann > [We all got driven out of Manhattan. It was a very conducive place for artists when I was growing up, and now it's definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/we-all-got-driven-out-of-manhattan-it-was-a-very-conducive-place-for/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [If somebody smiles at me on the street, I'm like, 'Hi, have a nice day!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/if-somebody-smiles-at-me-on-the-street-i-m-like-hi-have-a-nice-day/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [My senior thesis was a documentary. By the time I graduated from college, I thought I was going to make films, and my interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/my-senior-thesis-was-a-documentary-by-the-time-i-graduated-from/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [My mom could be pretty strict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/my-mom-could-be-pretty-strict/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [Television has filled the space for actors that really want to make good work and not just make a lot of money and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/television-has-filled-the-space-for-actors-that-really-want-to-make/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I think anyone who behaves boorishly but without a good sense of humor is not as fun to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-think-anyone-who-behaves-boorishly-but-without-a-good-sense-of/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I was never that famous, but I do think going to college and really getting away from the business and taking a true break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-was-never-that-famous-but-i-do-think-going-to-college-and-really/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I certainly don't have any boundaries myself, but I think I'm very aware of other people's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-certainly-don-t-have-any-boundaries-myself-but-i-think-i-m-very/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [It's funny because I grew up with the T.V. on 24 hours a day. And the more money I made, the more T.V.s we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/it-s-funny-because-i-grew-up-with-the-t-v-on-24-hours-a-day-and-the/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [History is weirdly dismissed as not having anything to do with the present moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/history-is-weirdly-dismissed-as-not-having-anything-to-do-with-the/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [Looking at somebody looking good is so... boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/looking-at-somebody-looking-good-is-so-boring/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I just try to show up and be relaxed and present and honest. And that's my only trick. And sometimes it works, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-just-try-to-show-up-and-be-relaxed-and-present-and-honest-and-that/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I started missing acting when I was in school, and I realized after being in the business after however many years that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-started-missing-acting-when-i-was-in-school-and-i-realized-after/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [I think I happened to work with sort of a bunch of slightly difficult male directors when I was a kid. I've since worked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/i-think-i-happened-to-work-with-sort-of-a-bunch-of-slightly-difficult/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) > [My mother is the sort of a person who has no boundaries and no filter. She also has a big ego, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/my-mother-is-the-sort-of-a-person-who-has-no-boundaries-and-no-filter/) [Gaby Hoffmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) [Explore all 146 Gaby Hoffmann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Going into my 20s, I was uncertain, trying to figure out what my relationship to acting is.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gaby Hoffmann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying-to-figure-out-what-my/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying-to-figure-out-what-my/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/gaby-hoffmann-2890_acting_going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying_2810271.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/gaby-hoffmann-2890_acting_going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying_2810271.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3d/gaby-hoffmann-2890_acting_going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying_2810271.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Going into my 20s, I was uncertain, trying to figure out what my relationship to acting is.” — Gaby Hoffmann", "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": "Gaby Hoffmann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaby-hoffmann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Going into my 20s, I was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying-to-figure-out-what-my/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaby-hoffmann/going-into-my-20s-i-was-uncertain-trying-to-figure-out-what-my/#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 } } ] } ```