---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's not millions of dollars riding…"
description: "\"There's not millions of dollars riding behind something - so I think a lot of people took chances on me and cast me in roles in Chicago that I never wo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/jessie-mueller-18532_chicago_there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-b_3186590.jpg"
---

#  There's not millions of dollars riding behind something…

![“There's not millions of dollars riding behind something - so I think a lot of people took chances on me and cast me in roles in Chicago that I never would have gotten cast in possibly if I had come to New York right away. I got to be the not-your-typical-choice for a role.” quote by Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/jessie-mueller-18532_chicago_there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-b_3186590.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/jessie-mueller-18532_chicago_there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-b_3186590.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/jessie-mueller-18532_chicago_there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-b_3186590.jpg)

> “There's not millions of dollars riding behind something - so I think a lot of people took chances on me and cast me in roles in Chicago that I never would have gotten cast in possibly if I had come to New York right away. I got to be the not-your-typical-choice for a role.”

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

She attributes her early career success to being in the right place at the right time, allowing her to secure roles she might not have gotten elsewhere.

**In simple terms:** Location gave her unique opportunities.

Key Takeaway

Leverage local opportunities early.

Themes

career opportunity timing

Mood

optimistic reflective

Type

career inspirational

When to use this quote

- auditioning in regional theater
- relocating for work
- building a local reputation

Key Concepts

networking geography industry dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How might you create opportunities where you are?
- What risks are worth taking for a unique role?

A Different Perspective

Success may still depend on talent and persistence beyond geography.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [If one took no chances, one would not fly at all. Safety lies in the judgment of the chances one takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/if-one-took-no-chances-one-would-not-fly-at-all-safety-lies-in-the/)

[Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/)

> [So now I'm flirting with death, hustling like a G While victory wasn't watching took chances repeatedly As a teenage boy before acne Before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/so-now-i-m-flirting-with-death-hustling-like-a-g-while-victory-wasn-t/)

[Jay-z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/)

> [I'm not from the generation that took chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/i-m-not-from-the-generation-that-took-chances/)

[John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/)

> [“Remember how we forgot? Once upon a time, we were young Our dreams hung like apples Waiting to be picked and peeled And hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-l-koyczan/remember-how-we-forgot-once-upon-a-time-we-were-young-our-dreams-hung/)

Shane L. Koyczan

> [I didn't really start performing until high school. My whole family is actually in the business, and started in the business in Chicago, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-didn-t-really-start-performing-until-high-school-my-whole-family-is/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [“I will have both of you," he said. "My Sentinel and my city. And the GP will learn exactly how stubborn we both can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/i-will-have-both-of-you-he-said-my-sentinel-and-my-city-and-the-gp/)

[Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/)

> [I'm from Chicago. And I was an actor in high school and college, and I wanted to see if I could make a run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/i-m-from-chicago-and-i-was-an-actor-in-high-school-and-college-and-i/)

[Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/)

> [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/)

[Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/)

> [I loved 'Chicago Code;' I watched that a lot. It was great because it really captured the city - I'm from Chicago, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/i-loved-chicago-code-i-watched-that-a-lot-it-was-great-because-it/)

[Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/)

> [Whenever I was flying commercial, I would land in Chicago, and they would announce, 'Get your passports out.' It happened so often, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-khan/whenever-i-was-flying-commercial-i-would-land-in-chicago-and-they/)

[Shahid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-khan/)

> [This week I realized my dad will make you cry in the store if you make him mad. Also when your crossing the street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-week-i-realized-my-dad-will-make-you-cry-in-the-store-if-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Things are more like they are now...than they have EVER been before!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-arnie-mamath/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-have-ever-been-before/)

Uncle Arnie Mamath

> [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/)

[Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [I'm proud to say I had a bet with a guy from Chicago who said Chicago is windier and colder than Wyoming. Wyoming dominated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leach/i-m-proud-to-say-i-had-a-bet-with-a-guy-from-chicago-who-said-chicago/)

[Mike Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leach/)

## More by Jessie Mueller

> [The thing I try to tell people who are just starting in the business is to listen to yourself, trust yourself, and be kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/the-thing-i-try-to-tell-people-who-are-just-starting-in-the-business/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [Directors didn't know what to do with me in college. I didn't really sound like a belter. I didn't look like a soprano. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/directors-didn-t-know-what-to-do-with-me-in-college-i-didn-t-really/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> ['What's the Use' is normally done with all the women onstage with Julie. Sometimes it's staged as a 'lay at my feet, dear children,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/what-s-the-use-is-normally-done-with-all-the-women-onstage-with-julie/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> ['White Christmas' is one of my favorite movies, so I've always just had a love for that kind of golden era musical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/white-christmas-is-one-of-my-favorite-movies-so-i-ve-always-just-had/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [As an actor, you always use the tools of who you are and your experience of what you have to offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/as-an-actor-you-always-use-the-tools-of-who-you-are-and-your/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I didn't really start performing until high school. My whole family is actually in the business, and started in the business in Chicago, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-didn-t-really-start-performing-until-high-school-my-whole-family-is/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I think the job of art and drama is to hold a mirror up to those things and say, 'What do you think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-think-the-job-of-art-and-drama-is-to-hold-a-mirror-up-to-those/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I really feel strongly that we don't need to dumb things down for children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-really-feel-strongly-that-we-don-t-need-to-dumb-things-down-for/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I grew up watching the films of 'Carousel' and 'Oklahoma' and 'The Music Man' and 'My Fair Lady' - all the classic musicals of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-grew-up-watching-the-films-of-carousel-and-oklahoma-and-the-music/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I always thought moving to New York would mean starting over in theater, because I had great work in Chicago and didn't want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-always-thought-moving-to-new-york-would-mean-starting-over-in/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [The thing that gives me great hope is that I think, if anything, our world now is ready to be, like, 'This stuff happens.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/the-thing-that-gives-me-great-hope-is-that-i-think-if-anything-our/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I watch Renee Fleming a lot. I listen to Renee Fleming a lot. She was like my built-in master class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-watch-renee-fleming-a-lot-i-listen-to-renee-fleming-a-lot-she-was/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I always loved playing the sidekick, and that's what I expected - I didn't think I was pretty enough or diva enough to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-always-loved-playing-the-sidekick-and-that-s-what-i-expected-i-didn/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I'm glad to say I'm experiencing more of a conversation in my artistic workforce world than I ever have before. But it's a job,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-m-glad-to-say-i-m-experiencing-more-of-a-conversation-in-my/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

> [I'm a sucker for a good country song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-m-a-sucker-for-a-good-country-song/)

[Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

[Explore all 34 Jessie Mueller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/)

## More Chicago quotes

> [I'm proud to say I had a bet with a guy from Chicago who said Chicago is windier and colder than Wyoming. Wyoming dominated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leach/i-m-proud-to-say-i-had-a-bet-with-a-guy-from-chicago-who-said-chicago/)

[Mike Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leach/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/)

[Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/)

> [“Things are more like they are now...than they have EVER been before!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-arnie-mamath/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-have-ever-been-before/)

Uncle Arnie Mamath

> [This week I realized my dad will make you cry in the store if you make him mad. Also when your crossing the street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-week-i-realized-my-dad-will-make-you-cry-in-the-store-if-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Whenever I was flying commercial, I would land in Chicago, and they would announce, 'Get your passports out.' It happened so often, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-khan/whenever-i-was-flying-commercial-i-would-land-in-chicago-and-they/)

[Shahid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-khan/)

> [I loved 'Chicago Code;' I watched that a lot. It was great because it really captured the city - I'm from Chicago, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/i-loved-chicago-code-i-watched-that-a-lot-it-was-great-because-it/)

[Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/)

> [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/)

[Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/)

> [I'm from Chicago. And I was an actor in high school and college, and I wanted to see if I could make a run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/i-m-from-chicago-and-i-was-an-actor-in-high-school-and-college-and-i/)

[Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/)

> [“I will have both of you," he said. "My Sentinel and my city. And the GP will learn exactly how stubborn we both can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/i-will-have-both-of-you-he-said-my-sentinel-and-my-city-and-the-gp/)

[Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/)

> [You'd never think of taking a cab if you had to walk a mile down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But in a bad city you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-jahn/you-d-never-think-of-taking-a-cab-if-you-had-to-walk-a-mile-down/)

[Helmut Jahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-jahn/)

> [Perhaps the most typically American place in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryce/perhaps-the-most-typically-american-place-in-america/)

[James Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryce/)

> [I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater community that's really special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-the-chicago-theater-community/)

[KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/)

> [Chicago is unique. It is the only completely corrupt city in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edward-merriam/chicago-is-unique-it-is-the-only-completely-corrupt-city-in-america/)

[Charles Edward Merriam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edward-merriam/)

> [Chicago, to me, is the best wrestling crowd on the planet. They are the best. They are loud, they are ruthless, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldust/chicago-to-me-is-the-best-wrestling-crowd-on-the-planet-they-are-the/)

[Goldust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldust/)

[Browse all 1,655 Chicago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "There's not millions of dollars riding behind something - so I think a lot of people took chances on me and cast me in roles in Chicago that I never would have gotten cast in possibly if I had come to New York right away. I got to be the not-your-typical-choice for a role.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jessie Mueller"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-behind-something-so-i-think-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chicago"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-behind-something-so-i-think-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/jessie-mueller-18532_chicago_there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-b_3186590.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/jessie-mueller-18532_chicago_there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-b_3186590.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfc/jessie-mueller-18532_chicago_there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-b_3186590.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“There's not millions of dollars riding behind something - so I think a lot of people took chances on me and…” — Jessie Mueller",
                "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": "Jessie Mueller",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "There's not millions of dollars riding...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-behind-something-so-i-think-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/there-s-not-millions-of-dollars-riding-behind-something-so-i-think-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
