--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was dealing with craft, and that's the…" description: "\"I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing, the number of people who have literally broken down on our stage, because when you're talkin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/james-lipton-13418_about_i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the_965538.jpg" --- # I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing… ![“I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing, the number of people who have literally broken down on our stage, because when you're talking about the thing that is most important to someone, they're liable to feel something strong.” quote by James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/james-lipton-13418_about_i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the_965538.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/james-lipton-13418_about_i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the_965538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/james-lipton-13418_about_i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the_965538.jpg) > “I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing, the number of people who have literally broken down on our stage, because when you're talking about the thing that is most important to someone, they're liable to feel something strong.” [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When discussing deeply personal topics, audiences may become emotionally overwhelmed because the subject touches core values. **In simple terms:** Talking about what matters can trigger strong emotions in listeners. Key Takeaway Approach sensitive topics with empathy and preparedness. Themes empathy communication vulnerability Mood reflective empathetic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - theatre performance - public speaking - personal storytelling Key Concepts psychology emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you gauge emotional readiness before sharing? - What strategies help calm an audience during intense moments? A Different Perspective Audience reactions can be unpredictable and may derail the conversation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craft/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [When you're talking about the thing that is most important to someone, they're liable to feel something strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/when-you-re-talking-about-the-thing-that-is-most-important-to-someone/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [“The surprising thing is where I’d found him – not up a tree or sulking in the shade, or splashing around in one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-jones/the-surprising-thing-is-where-i-d-found-him-not-up-a-tree-or-sulking/) [Lloyd Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-jones/) > [The most surprising thing - and the thing I really didn't think I would have an opportunity to do when I was younger -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-macdonald/the-most-surprising-thing-and-the-thing-i-really-didn-t-think-i-would/) [Danielle Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-macdonald/) > [Perhaps the most surprising thing about mathematics is that it is so surprising.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-charles-titchmarsh/perhaps-the-most-surprising-thing-about-mathematics-is-that-it-is-so/) [Edward Charles Titchmarsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-charles-titchmarsh/) > [I thought I might cry, the way you do when someone gives you some kindness when you most need it but when it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-thought-i-might-cry-the-way-you-do-when-someone-gives-you-some/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Sometimes a sincere moment is the most surprising thing you can write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-hirsch/sometimes-a-sincere-moment-is-the-most-surprising-thing-you-can-write/) [Alex Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-hirsch/) > [The surprising thing about this paper is that a man who could write it would.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/the-surprising-thing-about-this-paper-is-that-a-man-who-could-write/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The most surprising thing I discovered was how rich of a life I've led. It's easy to forget all the things we experience throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-jayne/the-most-surprising-thing-i-discovered-was-how-rich-of-a-life-i-ve/) [Erika Jayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-jayne/) > [The most surprising thing for my mother and father was when I was actually earning more money than them by the time I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-cilento/the-most-surprising-thing-for-my-mother-and-father-was-when-i-was/) [Diane Cilento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-cilento/) > [I think the most surprising thing about giving is it takes a while to find out what you're really interested in and what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-benioff/i-think-the-most-surprising-thing-about-giving-is-it-takes-a-while-to/) [Marc Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-benioff/) > [I've run a marathon - I think that's the most surprising thing about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herring/i-ve-run-a-marathon-i-think-that-s-the-most-surprising-thing-about-me/) [Richard Herring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herring/) > [The surprising thing about fatherhood was finding my inner mush. Now I want to share it with the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-meloni/the-surprising-thing-about-fatherhood-was-finding-my-inner-mush-now-i/) [Christopher Meloni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-meloni/) > [Landing the role of Stephen Hawking was the most positively surprising thing that has happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/landing-the-role-of-stephen-hawking-was-the-most-positively/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [Life, if you live it right, keeps surprising you, and the thing that keeps surprising you the most…is yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-deresiewicz/life-if-you-live-it-right-keeps-surprising-you-and-the-thing-that/) [William Deresiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-deresiewicz/) > [I usually listen to my body and train the body parts that I feel are strong for that particular day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-piana/i-usually-listen-to-my-body-and-train-the-body-parts-that-i-feel-are/) [Rich Piana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-piana/) ## More by James Lipton > [What I didn't know that by sticking to craft we would blow open some doors that I never saw opened before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/what-i-didn-t-know-that-by-sticking-to-craft-we-would-blow-open-some/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [The studio is meant to be always a place where, first of all, they can be out of spotlight, and second, where they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/the-studio-is-meant-to-be-always-a-place-where-first-of-all-they-can/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I may be writing well, I may be writing poorly, but I enjoy the act of writing and sometimes when it turns out okay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-may-be-writing-well-i-may-be-writing-poorly-but-i-enjoy-the-act-of/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [And I thought if I don't pre-interview - first of all, we couldn't afford it - but the second thing was it would force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/and-i-thought-if-i-don-t-pre-interview-first-of-all-we-couldn-t/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I'll miss it until the day I die, and I'm convinced to this day that I can get on a horse and jump a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-ll-miss-it-until-the-day-i-die-and-i-m-convinced-to-this-day-that-i/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [The definition of genius, really, should be that that person can do what the rest of us have to learn how to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/the-definition-of-genius-really-should-be-that-that-person-can-do/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [They will take a role that scares them over a role that doesn't. That's another thing I like about actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/they-will-take-a-role-that-scares-them-over-a-role-that-doesn-t-that/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I thought we would have at most an audience of 5,000 devotees because I made the decision to stick to craft, not to gossip,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-thought-we-would-have-at-most-an-audience-of-5-000-devotees-because/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [Our language, one of our most precious natural resources, deserves at least as much protection as our woodlands, streams and whooping cranes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/our-language-one-of-our-most-precious-natural-resources-deserves-at/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [We are the only school in America, drama school in America that trains actors, writers and directors side by side for three years in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/we-are-the-only-school-in-america-drama-school-in-america-that-trains/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [When you're talking about the thing that is most important to someone, they're liable to feel something strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/when-you-re-talking-about-the-thing-that-is-most-important-to-someone/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I stopped writing at the age of 18. I had written incessantly before that. I read, of course, because I was in university, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-stopped-writing-at-the-age-of-18-i-had-written-incessantly-before/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [I was originally going to be a lawyer, and the only thing I remember from the art of cross-examination is - you can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-originally-going-to-be-a-lawyer-and-the-only-thing-i-remember/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [Olivier was another case of a genius, who couldn't understand why anybody would have any trouble doing this, because for him it came so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/olivier-was-another-case-of-a-genius-who-couldn-t-understand-why/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) > [Hackman is able to live in the moment which means there is nothing for him at that split second than what is occurring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/hackman-is-able-to-live-in-the-moment-which-means-there-is-nothing/) [James Lipton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) [Explore all 50 James Lipton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing, the number of people who have literally broken down on our stage, because when you're talking about the thing that is most important to someone, they're liable to feel something strong.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Lipton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the-surprising-thing-the-number/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the-surprising-thing-the-number/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/james-lipton-13418_about_i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the_965538.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/james-lipton-13418_about_i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the_965538.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6cd/james-lipton-13418_about_i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the_965538.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was dealing with craft, and that's the surprising thing, the number of people who have literally broken…” — James Lipton", "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": "James Lipton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lipton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was dealing with craft, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the-surprising-thing-the-number/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lipton/i-was-dealing-with-craft-and-that-s-the-surprising-thing-the-number/#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 } } ] } ```