---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first started out in Houston, it…"
description: "\"When I first started out in Houston, it was theater or bust. And I loved it. I still love it. And then I went to undergraduate and graduate school for ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ac/jim-parsons-10157_acting_when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-w_2189658.jpg"
---

#  When I first started out in Houston, it was theater or…

![“When I first started out in Houston, it was theater or bust. And I loved it. I still love it. And then I went to undergraduate and graduate school for acting.” quote by Jim Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ac/jim-parsons-10157_acting_when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-w_2189658.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ac/jim-parsons-10157_acting_when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-w_2189658.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ac/jim-parsons-10157_acting_when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-w_2189658.jpg)

> “When I first started out in Houston, it was theater or bust. And I loved it. I still love it. And then I went to undergraduate and graduate school for acting.”

[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.

Passion for theater sparked a lifelong dedication to acting and performance.

**In simple terms:** Theater sparked lifelong dedication.

Key Takeaway

Pursue your true passion.

Themes

passion career art

Mood

enthusiastic determined

Type

inspirational motivational

When to use this quote

- auditions
- stage performance
- creative projects

Key Concepts

dedication craft growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can you take today to deepen your craft?
- How do you stay motivated during setbacks?

A Different Perspective

Success depends on continual skill development and networking.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Graduate school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduate-school/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/houston/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Undergraduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undergraduate/)

## Related quotes

> [On bad days, I think I'd like to be a plastic surgeon who goes to Third World countries and operates on children in villages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tama-janowitz/on-bad-days-i-think-i-d-like-to-be-a-plastic-surgeon-who-goes-to/)

[Tama Janowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tama-janowitz/)

> [I was an undergraduate at Princeton, and I was pressed by the math department to go on to graduate school. Actually they gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alonzo-church/i-was-an-undergraduate-at-princeton-and-i-was-pressed-by-the-math/)

[Alonzo Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alonzo-church/)

> [The Vietnam War was causing people to get drafted; I had received a deferment to finish my undergraduate education, and in order to continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-shapiro/the-vietnam-war-was-causing-people-to-get-drafted-i-had-received-a/)

[Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-shapiro/)

> [Unfortunately, the Bible won't tell you directly, "Thou shalt take the new job in marketing..." or "Thou shalt go directly from undergraduate school to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/unfortunately-the-bible-won-t-tell-you-directly-thou-shalt-take-the/)

[Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/)

> [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/)

> [I never went to school for acting; it just comes to me. I never practice. I read the script, I'll memorize it. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-goyo/i-never-went-to-school-for-acting-it-just-comes-to-me-i-never/)

[Dakota Goyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-goyo/)

> [One day I was in school, and the next I was acting opposite Jeremy Irons. That's how quickly it happened. I was in class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-headey/one-day-i-was-in-school-and-the-next-i-was-acting-opposite-jeremy/)

[Lena Headey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-headey/)

> [I always tell kids, in high school or acting students, to do something else around acting, or not around it, just in your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariette-hartley/i-always-tell-kids-in-high-school-or-acting-students-to-do-something/)

[Mariette Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariette-hartley/)

> [Theater was such a different school of acting. But it really is a foundation of everything. It's where it all started! And I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lewis/theater-was-such-a-different-school-of-acting-but-it-really-is-a/)

[Matthew Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lewis/)

> [I left the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin in 2004, and I did five years of theater after that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-turner/i-left-the-gaiety-school-of-acting-in-dublin-in-2004-and-i-did-five/)

[Aidan Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-turner/)

> [Since Nandita Das comes from a different school of acting, I had to behave in a particular manner. Then with the boys - Rahul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uday-chopra/since-nandita-das-comes-from-a-different-school-of-acting-i-had-to/)

[Uday Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uday-chopra/)

> [I like working one-on-one with someone, and I think that to go to a school of acting isn't really my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-maeve/i-like-working-one-on-one-with-someone-and-i-think-that-to-go-to-a/)

[Stella Maeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-maeve/)

> [I wasn't good at anything at school, and acting was the only thing that I really loved doing and was interested in. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-poulter/i-wasn-t-good-at-anything-at-school-and-acting-was-the-only-thing/)

[Will Poulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-poulter/)

> [At school there was no acting to be had other than school plays which I did now and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/at-school-there-was-no-acting-to-be-had-other-than-school-plays-which/)

[Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/)

> [Because I grew up in southern California I had access to a high level of professionalism in school, acting classes and summer theater work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-englund/because-i-grew-up-in-southern-california-i-had-access-to-a-high-level/)

[Robert Englund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-englund/)

## 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 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

> [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 first started out in Houston, it was theater or bust. And I loved it. I still love it. And then I went to undergraduate and graduate school for acting.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jim Parsons"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-was-theater-or-bust-and-i/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Acting"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-was-theater-or-bust-and-i/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ac/jim-parsons-10157_acting_when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-w_2189658.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ac/jim-parsons-10157_acting_when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-w_2189658.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ac/jim-parsons-10157_acting_when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-w_2189658.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I first started out in Houston, it was theater or bust. And I loved it. I still love it. And then I…” — Jim Parsons",
                "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": "Jim Parsons",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-parsons/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I first started out in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-was-theater-or-bust-and-i/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-parsons/when-i-first-started-out-in-houston-it-was-theater-or-bust-and-i/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
