--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd never been to acting school, so I…" description: "\"I'd never been to acting school, so I never thought I'd get this far.\" — John Ratzenberger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/john-ratzenberger-11869_acting_i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-nev_2893436.jpg" --- # I'd never been to acting school, so I never thought I'd… ![“I'd never been to acting school, so I never thought I'd get this far.” quote by John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/john-ratzenberger-11869_acting_i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-nev_2893436.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/john-ratzenberger-11869_acting_i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-nev_2893436.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/john-ratzenberger-11869_acting_i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-nev_2893436.jpg) > “I'd never been to acting school, so I never thought I'd get this far.” [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He succeeded despite lacking formal training, showing that talent and perseverance can outweigh conventional education. **In simple terms:** Success without formal schooling. Key Takeaway Believe in your abilities despite non‑traditional paths. Themes self‑belief non‑traditional paths career Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - acting career - entrepreneurship - self‑taught projects Key Concepts growth mindset experience over education Questions to Reflect On - How can you leverage unconventional experience? - What barriers have you overcome? A Different Perspective Lack of formal training may limit early opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-school/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [School Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school-thought-356304/) [Thought Far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-far-708470/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [You know, I was the class clown in Catholic school, but I never thought I would make a living out of it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-vergara/you-know-i-was-the-class-clown-in-catholic-school-but-i-never-thought/) [Sofia Vergara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-vergara/) > [The thought of how far the human race would have advanced without government simply staggers the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-casey/the-thought-of-how-far-the-human-race-would-have-advanced-without/) [Doug Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-casey/) > [I never really thought about anything as far as I can remember.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/2d/i-never-really-thought-about-anything-as-far-as-i-can-remember/) [2D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/2d/) > [“Traveling at night toward the stars, I thought yet again how very far away they were, and how you could travel your whole lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-oppel/traveling-at-night-toward-the-stars-i-thought-yet-again-how-very-far/) [Kenneth Oppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-oppel/) > [There have been times in my football career where I've thought: 'Is this it? Is this as far as I'm going to go?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrone-mings/there-have-been-times-in-my-football-career-where-i-ve-thought-is/) [Tyrone Mings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrone-mings/) > [“When Peter sets his mind to a thing," Tanngnost thought, "far be it from reason to stop him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brom/when-peter-sets-his-mind-to-a-thing-tanngnost-thought-far-be-it-from/) [Brom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brom/) > [“only when I thought how far I had yet to go that I lost faith that I would get there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/only-when-i-thought-how-far-i-had-yet-to-go-that-i-lost-faith-that-i/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [I never thought I'd be in this far. 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I never thought of myself as being all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mcgovern/i-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-moderate-liberal-a-fighter-for-peace/) [George McGovern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mcgovern/) > [Besides stray instances of acting in school and college, I hadn't prepared myself to be an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mawra-hocane/besides-stray-instances-of-acting-in-school-and-college-i-hadn-t/) [Mawra Hocane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mawra-hocane/) > [I didn't go to acting school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chatwin/i-didn-t-go-to-acting-school/) [Justin Chatwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chatwin/) > [At school, nobody thought I was smart and I became smart. Nobody wanted to be my friend and then I had lots of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/at-school-nobody-thought-i-was-smart-and-i-became-smart-nobody-wanted/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [I did a lot of theater in school. I thought maybe I wanted to go to law school or be a judge or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-jones/i-did-a-lot-of-theater-in-school-i-thought-maybe-i-wanted-to-go-to/) [Rashida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-jones/) ## More by John Ratzenberger > [ It was when Boston invited us to do a parade one November, and I was the only \[Star Wars\] cast member skeptical of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/it-was-when-boston-invited-us-to-do-a-parade-one-november-and-i-was/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [Sure, the comedians who swear or use scatological humor can get laughs, but they're uncomfortable laughs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/sure-the-comedians-who-swear-or-use-scatological-humor-can-get-laughs/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [ Maybe, I got a sense when \[Star Wars\] came out, and there were always these lines around the block. We didn't understand the popularity… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/maybe-i-got-a-sense-when-star-wars-came-out-and-there-were-always/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [A farce, or slapstick humor, does well universally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/a-farce-or-slapstick-humor-does-well-universally/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [ It was the last generation of writers \[ the Cheers\] that had grown up reading books instead of watching TV. So you weren't getting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/it-was-the-last-generation-of-writers-the-cheers-that-had-grown-up/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [Hollywood has lost touch with their audience a long time ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/hollywood-has-lost-touch-with-their-audience-a-long-time-ago/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [Before 1972, no actors got residuals. They just got paid. No residuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/before-1972-no-actors-got-residuals-they-just-got-paid-no-residuals/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [I come from Bridgeport, Connecticut and have friends I grew up with there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-come-from-bridgeport-connecticut-and-have-friends-i-grew-up-with/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [I was a carpenter in Northern Vermont and got this tax refund check that just about covered a one-way airfare to London. So this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-was-a-carpenter-in-northern-vermont-and-got-this-tax-refund-check/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [From what I can see, too many kids don't learn pride in their country anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/from-what-i-can-see-too-many-kids-don-t-learn-pride-in-their-country/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [But from what I can see all around me today, that America is fading fast, if it's not already gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/but-from-what-i-can-see-all-around-me-today-that-america-is-fading/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [You've got to write for your audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/you-ve-got-to-write-for-your-audience/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [In fact, my son learned his first swear word from E.T. at age five. The way I look at it, E.T. stole a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/in-fact-my-son-learned-his-first-swear-word-from-e-t-at-age-five-the/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [After all, at end of the day, when you're breathing your last, it's not your producer, director, or cast mates by your bedside; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/after-all-at-end-of-the-day-when-you-re-breathing-your-last-it-s-not/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [To them, the real United States is just flyover country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/to-them-the-real-united-states-is-just-flyover-country/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) [Explore all 57 John Ratzenberger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) ## 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": "I'd never been to acting school, so I never thought I'd get this far.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ratzenberger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-never-thought-i-d-get-this-far/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-never-thought-i-d-get-this-far/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/john-ratzenberger-11869_acting_i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-nev_2893436.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/john-ratzenberger-11869_acting_i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-nev_2893436.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/john-ratzenberger-11869_acting_i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-nev_2893436.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'd never been to acting school, so I never thought I'd get this far.” — John Ratzenberger", "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 Ratzenberger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'd never been to acting school,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-never-thought-i-d-get-this-far/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/i-d-never-been-to-acting-school-so-i-never-thought-i-d-get-this-far/#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 } } ] } ```