--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started acting, I thought if I got…" description: "\"When I started acting, I thought if I got one or two jobs a year I'd be lucky. So yeah, my career has gone so much farther than I ever suspected it wou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/james-mcavoy-4316_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-thought-if-i-got_2779285.jpg" --- # When I started acting, I thought if I got one or two jobs… ![“When I started acting, I thought if I got one or two jobs a year I'd be lucky. So yeah, my career has gone so much farther than I ever suspected it would, and as such I feel lucky for everything I get. I feel thankful and grateful.” quote by James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/james-mcavoy-4316_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-thought-if-i-got_2779285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/james-mcavoy-4316_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-thought-if-i-got_2779285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f49/james-mcavoy-4316_acting_when-i-started-acting-i-thought-if-i-got_2779285.jpg) > “When I started acting, I thought if I got one or two jobs a year I'd be lucky. So yeah, my career has gone so much farther than I ever suspected it would, and as such I feel lucky for everything I get. I feel thankful and grateful.” [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Starting modestly, gratitude and perseverance can lead to unexpected, far‑reaching success. **In simple terms:** Small starts can lead to big outcomes. Key Takeaway Stay grateful and keep trying. Themes career gratitude perseverance Mood hopeful grateful Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - job hunting - skill development - networking - creative projects Key Concepts growth mindset self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take today? - How do you maintain gratitude during setbacks? A Different Perspective Success may still be uncertain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Ever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ever/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Farther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farther/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Feel Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-lucky/) [Feel Thankful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-thankful-541659/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Got](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got/) [Grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) [I feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-feel/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Lucky Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky-feel-332481/) [Much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/much/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-acting/) [Suspected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspected/) [Than](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/than/) [Thankful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thankful/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-jobs/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Yeah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yeah/) [Year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/year/) ## Related quotes > [I've been very fortunate. I feel very thankful. I've been able to come home and do some fun things and make it exciting for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-clemens/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-i-feel-very-thankful-i-ve-been-able-to-come/) [Roger Clemens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-clemens/) > [“It says give thanks, not feel thankful. I find that the act of giving thanks even when—especially when—I don’t feel thankful is a discipline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-l-yttrup/it-says-give-thanks-not-feel-thankful-i-find-that-the-act-of-giving/) [Ginny L. Yttrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginny-l-yttrup/) > [It's not easy being grateful all the time. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/it-s-not-easy-being-grateful-all-the-time-but-it-s-when-you-feel/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Being grateful all the time isn't easy. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/being-grateful-all-the-time-isn-t-easy-but-it-s-when-you-feel-least/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [“Sometimes it takes losing everything to realize what you had. And sometimes realizing what you had can actually make you feel thankful for losing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-saville/sometimes-it-takes-losing-everything-to-realize-what-you-had-and/) [Todd Saville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-saville/) > [We can't wait until everything is OK-with us or with the rest of the world-to feel thankful, or we will never experience joy at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-ryan/we-can-t-wait-until-everything-is-ok-with-us-or-with-the-rest-of-the/) [M. J. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-ryan/) > [I feel so thankful that I'm able to be a part of something that I love to wake up and run to work every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-wang/i-feel-so-thankful-that-i-m-able-to-be-a-part-of-something-that-i/) [Alexander Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-wang/) > [“To sit at a table with nourishing food in front of you and the people you love all around you yet not feel thankful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-michael-friese/to-sit-at-a-table-with-nourishing-food-in-front-of-you-and-the-people/) [Kurt Michael Friese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-michael-friese/) > [We get to do what we love, and that's the most important thing. I feel very thankful, every day that I get to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-berger/we-get-to-do-what-we-love-and-that-s-the-most-important-thing-i-feel/) [Howard Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-berger/) > [In an age where overindulgence seems to be the norm, I can't help but look back and feel thankful that my parents chose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-levy/in-an-age-where-overindulgence-seems-to-be-the-norm-i-can-t-help-but/) [Dan Levy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-levy/) > [Thank you, dear God, for this good life and forgive us if we do not love it enough. Thank you for the rain. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/thank-you-dear-god-for-this-good-life-and-forgive-us-if-we-do-not/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [“May discouragement never meet you in the dark corners of your life. In fact, may every place you wander have lovely light! If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-becker-holstein/may-discouragement-never-meet-you-in-the-dark-corners-of-your-life-in/) [Barbara Becker Holstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-becker-holstein/) > [I feel thankful to God, first and foremost, allowing me to enjoy this 'smell the roses' kind of thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-wonder/i-feel-thankful-to-god-first-and-foremost-allowing-me-to-enjoy-this/) [Stevie Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-wonder/) > [I'm just a little speck on this great comedy icon that is 'SNL,' and I feel thankful to be a part of it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-sherman/i-m-just-a-little-speck-on-this-great-comedy-icon-that-is-snl-and-i/) [Sarah Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-sherman/) > [Dont pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, simple, and yet not-so-small gifts in your life. It may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/dont-pray-for-the-big-things-and-forget-to-give-thanks-for-the/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) ## More by James McAvoy > [I like cooking, but I don't think I could be a chef. Everyone from the ground up does terrible hours, whether you've just walked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-like-cooking-but-i-don-t-think-i-could-be-a-chef-everyone-from-the/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [Shooting films in Britain is always difficult, because we've never got enough money to make them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/shooting-films-in-britain-is-always-difficult-because-we-ve-never-got/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I'd like to keep work work and life life. It means you've got your life to come back to, somewhere to come home to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-d-like-to-keep-work-work-and-life-life-it-means-you-ve-got-your/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I like playing sport, and I like doing physical stuff. I like hiking and I like climbing and I like playing sport. I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-like-playing-sport-and-i-like-doing-physical-stuff-i-like-hiking/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I wanted to join the navy to get some perspective on the world and explore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-wanted-to-join-the-navy-to-get-some-perspective-on-the-world-and/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I did undergo hypnotherapy, and it didn't work! The guy couldn't put me under. I was very disappointed. I was very keen to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-did-undergo-hypnotherapy-and-it-didn-t-work-the-guy-couldn-t-put-me/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [If a scene is three pages long, quite often people break it up and do a page, say 'cut' then move on to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/if-a-scene-is-three-pages-long-quite-often-people-break-it-up-and-do/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [In a love scene that's really advantageous because you don't have that horrible moment of: "We don't really know what we're supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/in-a-love-scene-that-s-really-advantageous-because-you-don-t-have/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [That's the main thing that attracts me - characters who have big journeys. I like playing those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/that-s-the-main-thing-that-attracts-me-characters-who-have-big/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I think fear is one of the natural states of most actors, to be honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-think-fear-is-one-of-the-natural-states-of-most-actors-to-be-honest/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I've been in a few fights and I know what it's like to get punched in the face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-ve-been-in-a-few-fights-and-i-know-what-it-s-like-to-get-punched-in/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I learned something from a string of failed relationships. You don't see a pattern quickly. You see it over time. I learned to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-learned-something-from-a-string-of-failed-relationships-you-don-t/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I don't mind playing somebody who's not likable, or makes the audience feel slightly conflicted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-don-t-mind-playing-somebody-who-s-not-likable-or-makes-the-audience/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [I've spent a long time giving people the benefit of the doubt, and I'm tired of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/i-ve-spent-a-long-time-giving-people-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-and-i-m/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) > [My favorite name of a fandom is Benedict Cumberbatch's - 'the Cumberbatches' is just the best name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcavoy/my-favorite-name-of-a-fandom-is-benedict-cumberbatch-s-the/) [James McAvoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) [Explore all 112 James McAvoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcavoy/) ## 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": "When I started acting, I thought if I got one or two jobs a year I'd be lucky. So yeah, my career has gone so much farther than I ever suspected it would, and as such I feel lucky for everything I get. 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