--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been a working actor for many years…" description: "\"I've been a working actor for many years, but it's not always been successful for me. I certainly struggled in the past.\" — Jim Parsons" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/jim-parsons-10157_actor_i-ve-been-a-working-actor-for-many-years_1253713.jpg" --- # I've been a working actor for many years, but it's not… ![“I've been a working actor for many years, but it's not always been successful for me. I certainly struggled in the past.” quote by Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/jim-parsons-10157_actor_i-ve-been-a-working-actor-for-many-years_1253713.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/jim-parsons-10157_actor_i-ve-been-a-working-actor-for-many-years_1253713.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/jim-parsons-10157_actor_i-ve-been-a-working-actor-for-many-years_1253713.jpg) > “I've been a working actor for many years, but it's not always been successful for me. I certainly struggled in the past.” [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actor acknowledges a long, uneven career with past struggles, emphasizing perseverance despite setbacks. **In simple terms:** Success is uneven; persistence matters. Key Takeaway Keep persisting despite setbacks. Themes career resilience art Mood reflective hopeful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - acting auditions - career planning - personal development - networking Key Concepts growth mindset industry challenges Questions to Reflect On - What strategies helped you overcome past struggles? - How can you turn setbacks into learning? A Different Perspective Success may also require external opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Working actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-actor/) ## Related quotes > [I certainly struggled when I was little and didn't have an easy time, so I try to put that stuff in my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-shannon/i-certainly-struggled-when-i-was-little-and-didn-t-have-an-easy-time/) [Molly Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-shannon/) > [Well, I think probably when I first got in the business, I wasn't thinking of being strictly a character actor. But I knew I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-root/well-i-think-probably-when-i-first-got-in-the-business-i-wasn-t/) [Stephen Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-root/) > [I recognize how lucky I am as an actor. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-fellowes/you-see-in-america-it-s-quite-standard-for-an-actor-to-sign-at-the/) [Julian Fellowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-fellowes/) > [I wanted to be an actor since I was nine years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-since-i-was-nine-years-old/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I've always said that actor years is like dog years: it feels like forever when you're not working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-brooks/i-ve-always-said-that-actor-years-is-like-dog-years-it-feels-like/) [Danielle Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-brooks/) ## More by Jim Parsons > [I have never been an activist for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-have-never-been-an-activist-for-anything/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [It isn't called TV money for nothing. There was a time where I paid my rent by doing theater for years, and I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/it-isn-t-called-tv-money-for-nothing-there-was-a-time-where-i-paid-my/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [I came from a family in Texas who simply never spoke about money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-came-from-a-family-in-texas-who-simply-never-spoke-about-money/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [The whole time I've been an actor, from early in Houston, my goal has been to work - to keep doing it. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/the-whole-time-i-ve-been-an-actor-from-early-in-houston-my-goal-has/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [The TV schedule is essentially four or five days to get in touch with the story you're doing that week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/the-tv-schedule-is-essentially-four-or-five-days-to-get-in-touch-with/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [My hiatus timeline is so minimal, there's only a select number of projects that I can go in for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/my-hiatus-timeline-is-so-minimal-there-s-only-a-select-number-of/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [What this is about is hopefully an opportunity for me to help pave the way for my future in terms of getting financially choosier.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/what-this-is-about-is-hopefully-an-opportunity-for-me-to-help-pave/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [In voicing so much is left to your imagination to create the world around you like that. It's really the essence of what's so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/in-voicing-so-much-is-left-to-your-imagination-to-create-the-world/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [You learn a lot as a kid, like you don't know anything. I didn't know what was gonna happen if I opened the door.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/you-learn-a-lot-as-a-kid-like-you-don-t-know-anything-i-didn-t-know/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [Home is where you feel unjudged, and where what I do isn't necessarily stupid or wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/home-is-where-you-feel-unjudged-and-where-what-i-do-isn-t-necessarily/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [Apparently, all I do is walk my dogs. In L.A., I have more of a yard existence, and so I enjoy walking my two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/apparently-all-i-do-is-walk-my-dogs-in-l-a-i-have-more-of-a-yard/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [I don't think the jet-setting life is really for most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-don-t-think-the-jet-setting-life-is-really-for-most-people/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [One of the things I'm always reminded of when I'm back on stage is how much you have to be aware of and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/one-of-the-things-i-m-always-reminded-of-when-i-m-back-on-stage-is/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [I grew up with two different parakeets - one that lived for five years, and one that lived for 13 years - so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-grew-up-with-two-different-parakeets-one-that-lived-for-five-years/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) > [I couldn't tell you a good, bad or ugly pilot just from reading it, but I can tell you a character I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/i-couldn-t-tell-you-a-good-bad-or-ugly-pilot-just-from-reading-it-but/) [Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) [Explore all 67 Jim Parsons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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