---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I discovered that I act because I really…"
description: "\"I discovered that I act because I really love to act. I don't act because maybe it will get me a magazine cover or that I can get on a talk show.\" — Jo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e5/john-corbett-21416_actor_i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really_2667185.png"
---

#  I discovered that I act because I really love to act. I…

![“I discovered that I act because I really love to act. I don't act because maybe it will get me a magazine cover or that I can get on a talk show.” quote by John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e5/john-corbett-21416_actor_i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really_2667185.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e5/john-corbett-21416_actor_i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really_2667185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e5/john-corbett-21416_actor_i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really_2667185.png)

> “I discovered that I act because I really love to act. I don't act because maybe it will get me a magazine cover or that I can get on a talk show.”

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

## About This Quote

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

He acts driven by intrinsic love for activity, not external rewards.

**In simple terms:** He acts because he loves acting, not for fame.

Key Takeaway

Pursue passions for their own sake.

Themes

motivation authenticity intrinsic drive

Mood

reflective inspirational

Type

personal development motivation

When to use this quote

- creative projects
- volunteering
- personal hobbies

Key Concepts

Self‑determination theory flow self‑actualization

Questions to Reflect On

- What activities bring you pure joy?
- How do you balance passion with practical needs?

A Different Perspective

External validation can still influence decisions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Act Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-maybe-1624539/) [Act Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act-really-418267/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Discovered Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-act-2474851/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Love Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-act/) [Magazine covers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazine-covers/) [Magazines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazines/) [Maybe Magazine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-magazine-2474852/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Talk show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-show/)

## Related quotes

> [I really love to act. I really love to touch the people with my work. It's about giving people what they want to see.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-really-love-to-act-i-really-love-to-touch-the-people-with-my-work/)

[Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/)

> [You have all these plans to act, and maybe do it rather elegantly, and then they turn the rain machine on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nighy/you-have-all-these-plans-to-act-and-maybe-do-it-rather-elegantly-and/)

[Bill Nighy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nighy/)

> [You have to really kiss up to EVERYONE! Kiss up to anyone you think can help you. That's really the best advice I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-tenuta/you-have-to-really-kiss-up-to-everyone-kiss-up-to-anyone-you-think/)

[Judy Tenuta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-tenuta/)

> [For all you know, the way I act could very well be an act. Or maybe it isn't. I could be the most dangerous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-richards/for-all-you-know-the-way-i-act-could-very-well-be-an-act-or-maybe-it/)

[Stevie Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-richards/)

> [“A.J. nods out of politeness, but he doesn’t believe in random acts. He is a reader, and what he believes in is narrative construction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/a-j-nods-out-of-politeness-but-he-doesn-t-believe-in-random-acts-he/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [There's no anger in my act towards anyone other than myself... and maybe airlines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iliza-shlesinger/there-s-no-anger-in-my-act-towards-anyone-other-than-myself-and-maybe/)

[Iliza Shlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iliza-shlesinger/)

> [I don't like time off - I would prefer to act maybe 364 days a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-seehorn/i-don-t-like-time-off-i-would-prefer-to-act-maybe-364-days-a-year/)

[Rhea Seehorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-seehorn/)

> [“But is an act ever really only about itself? Does any element of this story occur in isolation? I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandria-marzano-lesnevich/but-is-an-act-ever-really-only-about-itself-does-any-element-of-this/)

[Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandria-marzano-lesnevich/)

> [From Italy, I'd get calls from cousins and aunts saying, 'I don't think you should act. It's really tough. What are the chances?' This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrico-colantoni/from-italy-i-d-get-calls-from-cousins-and-aunts-saying-i-don-t-think/)

[Enrico Colantoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enrico-colantoni/)

> [You can't learn how to act; you can only really learn it through experience and practice and really finding what your voice is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-stephens/you-can-t-learn-how-to-act-you-can-only-really-learn-it-through/)

[Toby Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-stephens/)

> [I really act for myself. I really love it. I don't think there's a way that you could handle these schedules, all of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-really-act-for-myself-i-really-love-it-i-don-t-think-there-s-a-way/)

[Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/)

> [I don't have a specific type of role that I aspire to play or aspire to act. I really like a challenge and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-lengies/i-don-t-have-a-specific-type-of-role-that-i-aspire-to-play-or-aspire/)

[Vanessa Lengies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-lengies/)

> [When you act, you really have to give all of yourself, and if you're doing that purely for money, it's not healthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/when-you-act-you-really-have-to-give-all-of-yourself-and-if-you-re/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [After 'Zeher' I wanted to actually act. I really didn't have drive to be honest before that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shamita-shetty/after-zeher-i-wanted-to-actually-act-i-really-didn-t-have-drive-to-be/)

[Shamita Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shamita-shetty/)

> [When I was launched in 2010, people told me that I wasn't the best looking guy, so I would have to act really well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ranveer-singh/when-i-was-launched-in-2010-people-told-me-that-i-wasn-t-the-best/)

[Ranveer Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ranveer-singh/)

## More by John Corbett

> [Fame is an odd thing. It bugs you a little bit, but it's really not bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/fame-is-an-odd-thing-it-bugs-you-a-little-bit-but-it-s-really-not-bad/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I thought if I wanted people to take me seriously, I needed to act serious and not reveal too much of my private life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-thought-if-i-wanted-people-to-take-me-seriously-i-needed-to-act/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [When I was starting out, I didn't know what the hell I was doing and my person who was helping me out, I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/when-i-was-starting-out-i-didn-t-know-what-the-hell-i-was-doing-and/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I'm not going to tell you the movies, but I remember getting halfway through the thing and everything sort of tunnel-visioned on me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-m-not-going-to-tell-you-the-movies-but-i-remember-getting-halfway/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [Look, I've done some low-budget movies and I've done some big-budget movies, and the big-budget movies were always kind of disorganized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/look-i-ve-done-some-low-budget-movies-and-i-ve-done-some-big-budget/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I actually got hurt in a steel factory in 1985 and so that changed my life. I went to a junior college and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-actually-got-hurt-in-a-steel-factory-in-1985-and-so-that-changed-my/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I'd never even seen a play by the time I was 24 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-d-never-even-seen-a-play-by-the-time-i-was-24-years-old/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I'm not opposed to adoption. It's not in my immediate future because I'm on the move a lot and if I were going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-m-not-opposed-to-adoption-it-s-not-in-my-immediate-future-because-i/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [Now that people know who I am, I get offered plays here and there. It was so much easier to do it when nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/now-that-people-know-who-i-am-i-get-offered-plays-here-and-there-it/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [You know, I like playing music and playing guitar, and I like to draw, so I thought I would end up just probably barely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/you-know-i-like-playing-music-and-playing-guitar-and-i-like-to-draw/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [In Hollywood if you're good looking, tall, have okay teeth and nice skin, the odds of being successful are great. If you're short and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/in-hollywood-if-you-re-good-looking-tall-have-okay-teeth-and-nice/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I really take acting seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-really-take-acting-seriously/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [Acting is a win-win situation. There is no risk involved. That's why I get tired of hearing actors who try to make out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/acting-is-a-win-win-situation-there-is-no-risk-involved-that-s-why-i/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I don't want to slam the cute and fun movies out there, but it gets old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-don-t-want-to-slam-the-cute-and-fun-movies-out-there-but-it-gets-old/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

> [I'm getting out of acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-m-getting-out-of-acting/)

[John Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

[Explore all 29 John Corbett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/)

## More Actor 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/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/)

[Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/)

> [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/)

[David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/)

[Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/)

> [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/)

[Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/)

> [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. 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! 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/)

> [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/)

[Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/)

> [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/)

[Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I discovered that I act because I really love to act. I don't act because maybe it will get me a magazine cover or that I can get on a talk show.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Corbett"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really-love-to-act-i-don-t-act/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Actor"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really-love-to-act-i-don-t-act/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e5/john-corbett-21416_actor_i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really_2667185.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e5/john-corbett-21416_actor_i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really_2667185.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8e5/john-corbett-21416_actor_i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really_2667185.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I discovered that I act because I really love to act. I don't act because maybe it will get me a magazine…” — John Corbett",
                "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": "John Corbett",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corbett/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I discovered that I act because...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really-love-to-act-i-don-t-act/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corbett/i-discovered-that-i-act-because-i-really-love-to-act-i-don-t-act/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
