--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always had ambition, and the acting…" description: "\"I've always had ambition, and the acting was successful and put my name on the map, but it was never the plan to stop there.\" — Idris Elba" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/idris-elba-3366_acting_i-ve-always-had-ambition-and-the-acting_316384.jpg" --- # I've always had ambition, and the acting was successful… ![“I've always had ambition, and the acting was successful and put my name on the map, but it was never the plan to stop there.” quote by Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/idris-elba-3366_acting_i-ve-always-had-ambition-and-the-acting_316384.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/idris-elba-3366_acting_i-ve-always-had-ambition-and-the-acting_316384.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/idris-elba-3366_acting_i-ve-always-had-ambition-and-the-acting_316384.jpg) > “I've always had ambition, and the acting was successful and put my name on the map, but it was never the plan to stop there.” [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He achieved fame but never intended to settle, always aiming beyond initial success. **In simple terms:** Success was a stepping stone, not the final goal. Key Takeaway Keep pushing beyond early achievements. Themes ambition career growth Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - creative projects - public speaking - entrepreneurship Key Concepts personal development legacy goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What larger purpose drives you beyond fame? - How do you stay motivated after early success? A Different Perspective Fame can distract from long‑term purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ## Related quotes > [Singing was always my main ambition, but acting was something else I wanted to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-harding/singing-was-always-my-main-ambition-but-acting-was-something-else-i/) [Sarah Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-harding/) > [My father said, If you want to do acting, you have to be successful, which is a silly thing to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-cilento/my-father-said-if-you-want-to-do-acting-you-have-to-be-successful/) [Diane Cilento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-cilento/) > [But every job I've had I just end up writing tunes and skiving - so everything has been leading up to it, but I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cinnamon/but-every-job-i-ve-had-i-just-end-up-writing-tunes-and-skiving-so/) [Gerry Cinnamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cinnamon/) > [I've had an ambition to be somebody since I was 13 years old because I wanted to help my family. I wanted to hurry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trini-lopez/i-ve-had-an-ambition-to-be-somebody-since-i-was-13-years-old-because/) [Trini Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trini-lopez/) > [I've always had the ambition to win a lot of trophies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riyad-mahrez/i-ve-always-had-the-ambition-to-win-a-lot-of-trophies/) [Riyad Mahrez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riyad-mahrez/) > [I've never been interested enough to have a career trajectory. I've never had any ambition or thought of what I should be doing or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-lumley/i-ve-never-been-interested-enough-to-have-a-career-trajectory-i-ve/) [Joanna Lumley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-lumley/) > [Andres Segovia, the great name for guitar, he put classical guitar on the map. 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Taboos aren't rational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/remember-taboos-are-just-a-map-of-what-a-society-feels-it-s/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [I am a control freak back seat driver; a map reading co-pilot who directs every turn of the wheel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/i-am-a-control-freak-back-seat-driver-a-map-reading-co-pilot-who/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [The positivity that I put in my music has put me on the map, has helped me to put my country even more on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koffee/the-positivity-that-i-put-in-my-music-has-put-me-on-the-map-has/) [Koffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koffee/) ## More by Idris Elba > [Apparently, Daniel Craig said I'd be a great Bond. Daniel, why did you say that? Dropped me right in it! What an honor it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/apparently-daniel-craig-said-i-d-be-a-great-bond-daniel-why-did-you/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [It's weird because my parents don't really understand my business. I get fan mail all day long, but if a piece happens to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/it-s-weird-because-my-parents-don-t-really-understand-my-business-i/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [As an actor, you're trained to do the right thing, be politically correct, say your lines, say the right thing about the people you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/as-an-actor-you-re-trained-to-do-the-right-thing-be-politically/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [There's the argument that you can relate to someone who's completely unrelatable. In the way that a director shows you his imagination on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/there-s-the-argument-that-you-can-relate-to-someone-who-s-completely/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [Why work so hard to have a life...But kill ourselves to earn a living?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/why-work-so-hard-to-have-a-life-but-kill-ourselves-to-earn-a-living/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I just played indoor football for the first time since tearing my Achilles playing the same game...I'm HEELED!!! Get it!!??.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-just-played-indoor-football-for-the-first-time-since-tearing-my/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I was really ambitious, so I was innovative. I was one of the first DJs to do live calls, 'cause I found this phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-was-really-ambitious-so-i-was-innovative-i-was-one-of-the-first-djs/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [If I was gonna go to jail, I don't want to go to jail for stealing a bottle of water. I'll steal that $20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/if-i-was-gonna-go-to-jail-i-don-t-want-to-go-to-jail-for-stealing-a/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [My Father always told me that a fool at 40 is a fool for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/my-father-always-told-me-that-a-fool-at-40-is-a-fool-for-life/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I'm rebelling against being handed a career, like, 'You're the next this; you're the next that.' 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When I was younger, I could never put weight on, and now that I'm a little older, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-have-one-of-these-bodies-when-i-was-younger-i-could-never-put/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) > [I get criticized for taking roles in films like 'Ghost Rider 2', but if you look at my resume, dude, I've mixed it up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idris-elba/i-get-criticized-for-taking-roles-in-films-like-ghost-rider-2-but-if/) [Idris Elba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) [Explore all 132 Idris Elba quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idris-elba/) ## 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. 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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. 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