--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was younger, I thought, 'Ok, I'm…" description: "\"When I was younger, I thought, 'Ok, I'm supposed to do this project because it'll help my career,' but that didn't work because I ended up doing movies..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/james-franco-2025_career_when-i-was-younger-i-thought-ok-i-m-supp_2810591.jpg" --- # When I was younger, I thought, 'Ok, I'm supposed to do… ![“When I was younger, I thought, 'Ok, I'm supposed to do this project because it'll help my career,' but that didn't work because I ended up doing movies that I worked really hard on but I didn't really like and they didn't turn out well, so it was like I lost double. Once I just started working…” quote by James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/james-franco-2025_career_when-i-was-younger-i-thought-ok-i-m-supp_2810591.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/james-franco-2025_career_when-i-was-younger-i-thought-ok-i-m-supp_2810591.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e4/james-franco-2025_career_when-i-was-younger-i-thought-ok-i-m-supp_2810591.jpg) > “When I was younger, I thought, 'Ok, I'm supposed to do this project because it'll help my career,' but that didn't work because I ended up doing movies that I worked really hard on but I didn't really like and they didn't turn out well, so it was like I lost double. Once I just started working with people and projects I believed in, everything changed and I suddenly had a career that I loved and that I was proud of.” [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Working on meaningful projects leads to fulfillment, outweighing earlier career missteps. **In simple terms:** Purposeful work brings joy. Key Takeaway Align work with values. Themes career fulfillment purpose creative work Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - film projects - collaborations - personal branding Key Concepts psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - How to identify meaningful work? - What sacrifices are worth it? A Different Perspective Financial success still matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) ## Related quotes > [I was always anxious about whether I'd find a career I loved or be able to afford to buy a house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-nightingale/i-was-always-anxious-about-whether-i-d-find-a-career-i-loved-or-be/) [Mary Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-nightingale/) > [I was a newspaper editor in high school, and I truly thought of journalism as a career. I loved it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-asner/i-was-a-newspaper-editor-in-high-school-and-i-truly-thought-of/) [Ed Asner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-asner/) > [Well, I'm a writer by nature, and I got a little bit - a little taste of a daily fast-paced writing job, writing career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-gotti/well-i-m-a-writer-by-nature-and-i-got-a-little-bit-a-little-taste-of/) [Victoria Gotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-gotti/) > [Ive had a wonderful time, a great career. I wouldnt call it a career; it was what I loved to do. I never called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-franchitti/ive-had-a-wonderful-time-a-great-career-i-wouldnt-call-it-a-career-it/) [Dario Franchitti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-franchitti/) > [I had a fantastic career. 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I have worked with some incredible people - incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andie-macdowell/i-had-a-whole-bunch-of-very-successful-movies-i-have-worked-with-some/) [Andie MacDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andie-macdowell/) > [I worked so hard for so long - I did a lot of movies. I also worked a lot when my kids were smaller,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/i-worked-so-hard-for-so-long-i-did-a-lot-of-movies-i-also-worked-a/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [I pride myself on doing character-driven movies and, when my movies have worked, it's been because of the right casting and the right character,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-liman/i-pride-myself-on-doing-character-driven-movies-and-when-my-movies/) [Doug Liman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-liman/) > [When I met Dante I didn't work in the movies, but I enjoyed so much the movies. I worked in interior design and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lo-schiavo/when-i-met-dante-i-didn-t-work-in-the-movies-but-i-enjoyed-so-much/) Francesca Lo Schiavo > [We always have the movies that are more toward real life, but they don't have that much drama or suspense, or we have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asghar-farhadi/we-always-have-the-movies-that-are-more-toward-real-life-but-they-don/) [Asghar Farhadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asghar-farhadi/) > [ All these teachers and \[screenwriting\] books mean you see movies that have been worked over by more committees wielding more rules, that all originality… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-schrader/all-these-teachers-and-screenwriting-books-mean-you-see-movies-that/) [Paul Schrader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-schrader/) ## More by James Franco > [I love that the idea of examining memory, and the way memory is edited was made more interesting because it was being filtered through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-love-that-the-idea-of-examining-memory-and-the-way-memory-is-edited/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Reviews about film acting are very... tricky, because movies are such a collaborative thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/reviews-about-film-acting-are-very-tricky-because-movies-are-such-a/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [ I went to NYU graduate film school and met Pam \[Romanowsky\], and after doing a few things with her I thought she had the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-went-to-nyu-graduate-film-school-and-met-pam-romanowsky-and-after/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I was a black center in the middle of all the nature. I was nothing, but I could do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-was-a-black-center-in-the-middle-of-all-the-nature-i-was-nothing/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I hate being an actor, they dress you and put on your makeup and you just feel like a little baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-hate-being-an-actor-they-dress-you-and-put-on-your-makeup-and-you/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Always have one artistic thing that is pure, at least one thing, where you don’t compromise. You can do other things to make money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/always-have-one-artistic-thing-that-is-pure-at-least-one-thing-where/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I've been acting for many years now, and I find there's nothing I enjoy more than making films with my friends and people I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-ve-been-acting-for-many-years-now-and-i-find-there-s-nothing-i/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [The wind came in languid gusts like whispered reminders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/the-wind-came-in-languid-gusts-like-whispered-reminders/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [In a movie, a book, or a play, a character doesn't live in a vacuum. She is subject to pressures from the world outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/in-a-movie-a-book-or-a-play-a-character-doesn-t-live-in-a-vacuum-she/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Anyone has outside influences. They are the results of the cosmic roll of the dice: this person is born Aragon the Ranger, this person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/anyone-has-outside-influences-they-are-the-results-of-the-cosmic-roll/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I have high aspirations. I want to be an architect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-have-high-aspirations-i-want-to-be-an-architect/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [If you have a profession that depends on what you look like, you can't blame somebody for caring about that. It's part of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/if-you-have-a-profession-that-depends-on-what-you-look-like-you-can-t/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Everyone pretends to be normal and be your best friend, but underneath, everyone is living some other life you don't know about, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/everyone-pretends-to-be-normal-and-be-your-best-friend-but-underneath/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [I don't like sleeping in a bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-don-t-like-sleeping-in-a-bed/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [My favorite role ever was Alien in 'Spring Breakers'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/my-favorite-role-ever-was-alien-in-spring-breakers/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) [Explore all 191 James Franco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. 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