--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was the desire to do the complete…" description: "\"It was the desire to do the complete thing. I only took taking acting lessons because my whole thing, really, was to direct. But my first jobs were act..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/james-coburn-48004_acting_it-was-the-desire-to-do-the-complete-thi_3236249.jpg" --- # It was the desire to do the complete thing. I only took… ![“It was the desire to do the complete thing. I only took taking acting lessons because my whole thing, really, was to direct. But my first jobs were acting jobs.” quote by James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/james-coburn-48004_acting_it-was-the-desire-to-do-the-complete-thi_3236249.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/james-coburn-48004_acting_it-was-the-desire-to-do-the-complete-thi_3236249.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c8/james-coburn-48004_acting_it-was-the-desire-to-do-the-complete-thi_3236249.jpg) > “It was the desire to do the complete thing. I only took taking acting lessons because my whole thing, really, was to direct. But my first jobs were acting jobs.” [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He pursued acting to learn directing, using early roles as a stepping stone toward his true passion. **In simple terms:** He acted to become a director. Key Takeaway Use related jobs to learn desired skills. Themes career development learning film industry Mood practical motivational Type advisory inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - mentorship - on‑the‑job training Key Concepts acting directing skill acquisition Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a side role into a learning opportunity? - What skills are transferable? A Different Perspective Acting may distract from directorial goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-jobs-959880/) [Acting Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-lessons-494578/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Jobs Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs-acting-2433330/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Taking Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-acting-502165/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [I spent a lot of time taking acting lessons... Actors have no inhibitions, and I'm inhibited by everything. To be able to make fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maksim-chmerkovskiy/i-spent-a-lot-of-time-taking-acting-lessons-actors-have-no/) [Maksim Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maksim-chmerkovskiy/) > [My tutor was a film director on the side, and she introduced me to film. She then put me in one of her short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-hewson/my-tutor-was-a-film-director-on-the-side-and-she-introduced-me-to/) [Eve Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-hewson/) > [I've always been in the middle of making my own movies, so taking acting jobs that take me away from that has been impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/i-ve-always-been-in-the-middle-of-making-my-own-movies-so-taking/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [I always wanted to be a film-maker when I was younger, not an actor. I was an eight-year-old who dreamed of being a writer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-hill/i-always-wanted-to-be-a-film-maker-when-i-was-younger-not-an-actor-i/) [Jonah Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-hill/) > [People do more important jobs than acting in film that should be recognised, but for some reason it's big money, so people are elevated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-garcia/people-do-more-important-jobs-than-acting-in-film-that-should-be/) [Adam Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-garcia/) > [I was cast in commercials, music videos, and booked a lot of modeling jobs. But my acting career never took off because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-ross/i-was-cast-in-commercials-music-videos-and-booked-a-lot-of-modeling/) [Angelica Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-ross/) > [I always treat all the jobs I do as an acting class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-chandler/i-always-treat-all-the-jobs-i-do-as-an-acting-class/) [Kyle Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-chandler/) > [I've had so many jobs other than acting, it's insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-louiso/i-ve-had-so-many-jobs-other-than-acting-it-s-insane/) [Todd Louiso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-louiso/) > [Whenever I've done jobs, whether it's an acting job or writing job, there's an aspect of it that feels like you help build your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyatt-cenac/whenever-i-ve-done-jobs-whether-it-s-an-acting-job-or-writing-job/) [Wyatt Cenac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyatt-cenac/) > [There are two main jobs in acting - the first one is to be a good actor, and the second one is to convince…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-fox/there-are-two-main-jobs-in-acting-the-first-one-is-to-be-a-good-actor/) [Laurence Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-fox/) > [Acting lessons teach you to really listen to what the other person is saying because in acting it's all about responding to the lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-mottola/acting-lessons-teach-you-to-really-listen-to-what-the-other-person-is/) [Tommy Mottola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-mottola/) > [Go learn the language. Go take some acting lessons. Start from zero like everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselyn-sanchez/go-learn-the-language-go-take-some-acting-lessons-start-from-zero/) [Roselyn Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselyn-sanchez/) > [Back in Rome I did some acting lessons and I realised I loved it more than anything else I had ever done before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caterina-murino/back-in-rome-i-did-some-acting-lessons-and-i-realised-i-loved-it-more/) [Caterina Murino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caterina-murino/) > [“After my baccalaureate, I signed up for acting lessons; there followed some inglorious years, during which I grew nastier and nastier and, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-houellebecq/after-my-baccalaureate-i-signed-up-for-acting-lessons-there-followed/) [Michel Houellebecq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-houellebecq/) > [I just want to bring as much natural as I can. I'm not saying that people who take acting lessons are false. They're much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-white/i-just-want-to-bring-as-much-natural-as-i-can-i-m-not-saying-that/) [Betty White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-white/) ## More by James Coburn > [Taking in and blowing out smoke? And now you see girls smoking cigars. It got to be such a fad. Girls on the covers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-coburn/taking-in-and-blowing-out-smoke-and-now-you-see-girls-smoking-cigars/) [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) > [There's nothing more toxic or deadly than a human child. A single touch could kill you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-coburn/there-s-nothing-more-toxic-or-deadly-than-a-human-child-a-single/) [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) > [The Magnificent Seven was really kind of a miraculous event that took place in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-coburn/the-magnificent-seven-was-really-kind-of-a-miraculous-event-that-took/) [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) > [Studios have been trying to get rid of the actor for a long time and now they can do it. They got animation. NO…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-coburn/studios-have-been-trying-to-get-rid-of-the-actor-for-a-long-time-and/) [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) > [It's turned into a world of amateurs. There are amateur actors making millions of dollars, amateur cinematographers, amateur directors... Jesus, these amateur directors can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-coburn/it-s-turned-into-a-world-of-amateurs-there-are-amateur-actors-making/) [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) > [Killing is an excellent way of dealing with a hostility problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-coburn/killing-is-an-excellent-way-of-dealing-with-a-hostility-problem/) [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) > [First job I went out on in new York I got, and when I came back, the first job I went out on, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-coburn/first-job-i-went-out-on-in-new-york-i-got-and-when-i-came-back-the/) [James Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) [Explore all 8 James Coburn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-coburn/) ## 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": "It was the desire to do the complete thing. I only took taking acting lessons because my whole thing, really, was to direct. 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