---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to be more insecure about working…"
description: "\"I used to be more insecure about working, and I guess the older I get, the more rich my life becomes, I don't need to work as much as I used to. I mean..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/john-slattery-19038_anxiety_i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working_1116069.jpg"
---

#  I used to be more insecure about working, and I guess the…

![“I used to be more insecure about working, and I guess the older I get, the more rich my life becomes, I don't need to work as much as I used to. I mean, New York is a hard town to be in when you have nothing else to do besides show business. It's brutal, especially as an actor, because you sit…” quote by John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/john-slattery-19038_anxiety_i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working_1116069.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/john-slattery-19038_anxiety_i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working_1116069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/john-slattery-19038_anxiety_i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working_1116069.jpg)

> “I used to be more insecure about working, and I guess the older I get, the more rich my life becomes, I don't need to work as much as I used to. I mean, New York is a hard town to be in when you have nothing else to do besides show business. It's brutal, especially as an actor, because you sit around with this low - grade fever of anxiety, waiting for the phone to ring. Or waiting for something.”

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

## About This Quote

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

Aging brings financial security, reducing the pressure to constantly work, yet anxiety persists in a demanding city like New York.

**In simple terms:** Older actors feel richer, need less work, but still face anxiety.

Key Takeaway

Balance financial stability with creative fulfillment.

Themes

career anxiety city life

Mood

thoughtful empathetic

Type

psychological career

When to use this quote

- career planning
- mental health management
- urban living

Key Concepts

psychology economics artistic expression

Questions to Reflect On

- What strategies help manage performance anxiety?
- How does environment influence artistic stress?

A Different Perspective

Financial security doesn't eliminate creative anxiety.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Brutal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutal/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Rich life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-life/) [Show business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/show-business/)

## Related quotes

> [When actors get pigeonholed, that's their own doing to a large degree. Because if you do something that people like, obviously they're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-larroquette/when-actors-get-pigeonholed-that-s-their-own-doing-to-a-large-degree/)

[John Larroquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-larroquette/)

> [“Since we aim for a healthy life for all, we should teach young girls that their worth cannot be validated by dating older rich…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/since-we-aim-for-a-healthy-life-for-all-we-should-teach-young-girls/)

[Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/)

> [Everybody complains about getting older, but I find it such a rich time of life. There are negative things about it, I suppose, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/everybody-complains-about-getting-older-but-i-find-it-such-a-rich/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [“Question : BELOVED MASTER, SHOULD ONE TRY TO BE RICH OR NOT? Osho : A rich life is something inner. And I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/question-beloved-master-should-one-try-to-be-rich-or-not-osho-a-rich/)

[Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/)

> [Poverty, we may say, surrounds a man with ready-made barriers, which if they do mournfully gall and hamper, do at least prescribe for him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/poverty-we-may-say-surrounds-a-man-with-ready-made-barriers-which-if/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [I'm living by example by continuing on with my career and having a full, rich life, and I am incidentally gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/i-m-living-by-example-by-continuing-on-with-my-career-and-having-a/)

[Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/)

> [It is only by following your deepest instinct that you can lead a rich life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-butler-hathaway/it-is-only-by-following-your-deepest-instinct-that-you-can-lead-a/)

[Katharine Butler Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-butler-hathaway/)

> [“Rich will be my life if I can keep my memories full and brimming, and record them on clear-eyed mornings while I set joyously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/rich-will-be-my-life-if-i-can-keep-my-memories-full-and-brimming-and/)

[Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/)

> [We are not going to succeed in everything we attempt in life. That's a guarantee. In fact, the more we do in life, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/we-are-not-going-to-succeed-in-everything-we-attempt-in-life-that-s-a/)

[Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/)

> [Instead of a passion for the Yankees or fly-fishing or birding, I want to pass on to my sons a love of books, music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumaan-alam/instead-of-a-passion-for-the-yankees-or-fly-fishing-or-birding-i-want/)

[Rumaan Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumaan-alam/)

> [my life has been wonderful. I have done what I felt like. I was given courage and I was given adventure and that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-bergman/my-life-has-been-wonderful-i-have-done-what-i-felt-like-i-was-given/)

[Ingrid Bergman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-bergman/)

> [“Money equals wealth yes. But doing something that gives you meaning, that is what leads to a rich life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-tsang/money-equals-wealth-yes-but-doing-something-that-gives-you-meaning/)

Lindy Tsang

> [After 'The Real Thing,' I thought about giving up acting because it's difficult to have a rich life outside your work when you're an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ehle/after-the-real-thing-i-thought-about-giving-up-acting-because-it-s/)

[Jennifer Ehle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ehle/)

> [“The English major reads because, as rich as the one life he has may be, one life is not enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-edmundson/the-english-major-reads-because-as-rich-as-the-one-life-he-has-may-be/)

[Mark Edmundson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-edmundson/)

> [A little too abstract, a little too wise, It is time for us to kiss the earth again, It is time to let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinson-jeffers/a-little-too-abstract-a-little-too-wise-it-is-time-for-us-to-kiss-the/)

[Robinson Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinson-jeffers/)

## More by John Slattery

> [I've never directed anything before 'Mad Men,' so I don't feel I have any advice for the other directors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-ve-never-directed-anything-before-mad-men-so-i-don-t-feel-i-have/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [Viewers can hate a character and at the same time can't take their eyes off of him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/viewers-can-hate-a-character-and-at-the-same-time-can-t-take-their/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [When I first started, I was kind of surprised that anyone would ever hire me at all. So I took everything that I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/when-i-first-started-i-was-kind-of-surprised-that-anyone-would-ever/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [And I don't want to jump out of an airplane - I've done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/and-i-don-t-want-to-jump-out-of-an-airplane-i-ve-done-that/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [I guess, you make a big studio film, you spend a lot of money on it and you hope people go see it. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-guess-you-make-a-big-studio-film-you-spend-a-lot-of-money-on-it-and/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [For some reason surfing... I'm not scared of the ocean so the risk doesn't seem as great to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/for-some-reason-surfing-i-m-not-scared-of-the-ocean-so-the-risk-doesn/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [I've dyed my hair a million times and it looks terrible, always. It just looks fake. And it doesn't make me look that much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-ve-dyed-my-hair-a-million-times-and-it-looks-terrible-always-it/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [I'm proud of myself that I had the courage to experiment with crazy hairstyles and some fashion things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-m-proud-of-myself-that-i-had-the-courage-to-experiment-with-crazy/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [I do voiceovers, but being on-camera and selling something? I wasn't really interested. And then I thought, well, wait a minute. Everybody's selling something.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-do-voiceovers-but-being-on-camera-and-selling-something-i-wasn-t/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [The rule of surfing is never tell anyone where you go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/the-rule-of-surfing-is-never-tell-anyone-where-you-go/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [You have to fight for what you need to fight for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/you-have-to-fight-for-what-you-need-to-fight-for/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [The path you end up on means that you have to close a lot of doors, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/the-path-you-end-up-on-means-that-you-have-to-close-a-lot-of-doors-too/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [I'm a little kid at heart, so my eyes light up when everything is lit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-m-a-little-kid-at-heart-so-my-eyes-light-up-when-everything-is-lit/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [We all went through that teen phase of wearing that really soft fragrance. As I got older, I started loving men's fragrances and cologne.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/we-all-went-through-that-teen-phase-of-wearing-that-really-soft/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

> [Characters can become boring. That's what's tricky about television. It goes on and on - you're playing this same character for five seasons and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/characters-can-become-boring-that-s-what-s-tricky-about-television-it/)

[John Slattery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

[Explore all 33 John Slattery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/)

## More Anxiety quotes

> [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/)

Nagisa Tatsumi

> [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/)

[Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/)

> [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/)

[Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/)

> [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/)

[Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/)

> [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/)

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

> [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/)

[Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/)

> [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/)

[Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/)

> [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/)

[Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/)

> [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/)

[Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/)

> [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/)

[Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/)

> [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/)

[Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/)

> [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/)

[Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/)

[Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I used to be more insecure about working, and I guess the older I get, the more rich my life becomes, I don't need to work as much as I used to. I mean, New York is a hard town to be in when you have nothing else to do besides show business. It's brutal, especially as an actor, because you sit around with this low - grade fever of anxiety, waiting for the phone to ring. Or waiting for something.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Slattery"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working-and-i-guess-the-older-i-get/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anxiety"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working-and-i-guess-the-older-i-get/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/john-slattery-19038_anxiety_i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working_1116069.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/john-slattery-19038_anxiety_i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working_1116069.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/afd/john-slattery-19038_anxiety_i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working_1116069.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I used to be more insecure about working, and I guess the older I get, the more rich my life becomes, I…” — John Slattery",
                "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 Slattery",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-slattery/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I used to be more insecure...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working-and-i-guess-the-older-i-get/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-slattery/i-used-to-be-more-insecure-about-working-and-i-guess-the-older-i-get/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
