--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was focused on either being a social…" description: "\"I was focused on either being a social worker or physiotherapist. That was the direction I was going until I met a girl who wanted to be an actress, an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/lennie-james-15462_actress_i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-w_888932.jpg" --- # I was focused on either being a social worker or… ![“I was focused on either being a social worker or physiotherapist. That was the direction I was going until I met a girl who wanted to be an actress, and I wanted to be close to the girl, so I followed her into an audition.” quote by Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/lennie-james-15462_actress_i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-w_888932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/lennie-james-15462_actress_i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-w_888932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/lennie-james-15462_actress_i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-w_888932.jpg) > “I was focused on either being a social worker or physiotherapist. That was the direction I was going until I met a girl who wanted to be an actress, and I wanted to be close to the girl, so I followed her into an audition.” [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He changed his career path to follow a romantic interest, showing personal priorities can override original plans. **In simple terms:** He chose love over his planned career. Key Takeaway Consider how relationships influence life choices. Themes love career personal growth decision making Mood reflective conflicted Type personal narrative life lesson When to use this quote - romantic relationship - career crossroads - personal sacrifice Key Concepts identity values commitment Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your major life decisions? - How do you balance personal desire with professional ambition? A Different Perspective May neglect long‑term goals for short‑term affection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) [Actress Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress-wanted-1126786/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Focused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focused/) [Followed Audition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/followed-audition-1126784/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Physiotherapist Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physiotherapist-direction-1126785/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social worker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-worker/) [Wanted Actress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-actress/) ## Related quotes > [I got pigeonholed a bit. When I wanted to be an actress, I never wanted to be the kind of actress I became.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-ward/i-got-pigeonholed-a-bit-when-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-never-wanted/) [Rachel Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-ward/) > [I always wanted to be an actress. I always wanted to be a movie star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-movie-star/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I wanted to be an actress. I wanted to be known. Yes, it's difficult sometimes. I believe that if you're going to be in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-wanted-to-be-known-yes-it-s-difficult/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [I made a commitment to myself; that I wanted to be an actress, and I wanted to do films that make a difference. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/i-made-a-commitment-to-myself-that-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-and-i-2/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) > [I wanted to be an actress, and I wanted to be a model.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delta-burke/i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-and-i-wanted-to-be-a-model/) [Delta Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delta-burke/) > [Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be an actress. And ever since I became an actress, I wanted to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepti-naval/ever-since-i-was-a-child-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-and-ever-since-i/) [Deepti Naval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepti-naval/) > [When I wanted to be an actress, I never wanted really to be the kind of actress I became.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-ward/when-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-never-wanted-really-to-be-the-kind/) [Rachel Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-ward/) > [I never wanted to be an actress. I wanted to go into the medical professional. Acting was not important enough. That was a hobby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-brown/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-actress-i-wanted-to-go-into-the-medical/) [June Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-brown/) > [I wanted to be a musical theatre actress - I wanted to play Sally Bowles, forever and ever always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mulligan/i-wanted-to-be-a-musical-theatre-actress-i-wanted-to-play-sally/) [Carey Mulligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mulligan/) > [I was 16 and standing on Tottenham Court Road when this woman came over and asked me if I was an actress. She wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgina-campbell/i-was-16-and-standing-on-tottenham-court-road-when-this-woman-came/) [Georgina Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgina-campbell/) > [I had no idea of being a star, all I knew was that I wanted to be a great actress, I wanted to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-had-no-idea-of-being-a-star-all-i-knew-was-that-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [As an actress, I always wanted to do movies, and I never dreamt about doing movies in America just because I didn't think it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-cotillard/as-an-actress-i-always-wanted-to-do-movies-and-i-never-dreamt-about/) [Marion Cotillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-cotillard/) > [The reason I became an actress is because I wanted my acting to reflect life as it is. I want to put truth on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/the-reason-i-became-an-actress-is-because-i-wanted-my-acting-to/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [My mother wanted to be an actress. She wanted to follow her dreams and she never really got a chance to do that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/my-mother-wanted-to-be-an-actress-she-wanted-to-follow-her-dreams-and/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [I knew I wanted to be an actress as soon as I popped out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-wallace/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-as-soon-as-i-popped-out/) [Dee Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-wallace/) ## More by Lennie James > [All the great shows owe a lot to 'Hill Street Blues.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/all-the-great-shows-owe-a-lot-to-hill-street-blues/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [The fact that I lost my mum was horrible, and if I could change anything, I would definitely change that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/the-fact-that-i-lost-my-mum-was-horrible-and-if-i-could-change/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [I owe 'Jericho' my whole time in America, really. It was a fantastic group of people to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-owe-jericho-my-whole-time-in-america-really-it-was-a-fantastic/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [I'm pretty much a London boy, and it was a big enough city to try and conquer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-m-pretty-much-a-london-boy-and-it-was-a-big-enough-city-to-try-and/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [My foster mother wanted to create a family home. For me, she had made a place that I felt I could always go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/my-foster-mother-wanted-to-create-a-family-home-for-me-she-had-made-a/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [I was dreading all of the ghost stories of working on American television, not in the least, the length. In Britain, a series is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-was-dreading-all-of-the-ghost-stories-of-working-on-american/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [In the kids' home I was in, there was very little change of staff. People stuck around, and they stuck around because they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/in-the-kids-home-i-was-in-there-was-very-little-change-of-staff/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [One of the things I learnt over the years is that there is a craft to writing, like there is a craft to acting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/one-of-the-things-i-learnt-over-the-years-is-that-there-is-a-craft-to/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [My favorite television show of all time is 'Hill Street Blues.' I think it's the show that is to television what Pele was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/my-favorite-television-show-of-all-time-is-hill-street-blues-i-think/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [I like arriving somewhere and taking a left when someone tells you to go right. When all the tourist signs are pointing one way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-like-arriving-somewhere-and-taking-a-left-when-someone-tells-you-to/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [I like playing guys where it's as important what they're thinking as what they're saying. Those are the people I like playing, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-like-playing-guys-where-it-s-as-important-what-they-re-thinking-as/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [I particular enjoy the crime writer, Walter Ellis Mosley. He does a series of Chandler-esque detective stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-particular-enjoy-the-crime-writer-walter-ellis-mosley-he-does-a/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [We did four months on 'Line of Duty' from beginning to end, and that would be a long theater run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/we-did-four-months-on-line-of-duty-from-beginning-to-end-and-that/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [If you're very clearly good or you're very clearly bad, then there isn't that much internal dilemma going on, and that's not necessarily as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/if-you-re-very-clearly-good-or-you-re-very-clearly-bad-then-there-isn/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) > [I don't remember when I didn't know about Martin Luther King.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-don-t-remember-when-i-didn-t-know-about-martin-luther-king/) [Lennie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) [Explore all 43 Lennie James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/) ## More Actress quotes > [Sigourney Weaver is a wonderful person. I was so lucky to have the opportunity to meet and work with such an amazing actress. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-henn/sigourney-weaver-is-a-wonderful-person-i-was-so-lucky-to-have-the/) [Carrie Henn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-henn/) > [People forget I'm an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-heatherton/people-forget-i-m-an-actress/) [Joey Heatherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-heatherton/) > [I adore Kelly Bishop as a human being and as an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-gunn/i-adore-kelly-bishop-as-a-human-being-and-as-an-actress/) [Sean Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-gunn/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [I'm an actress, not a pin-up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-annis/i-m-an-actress-not-a-pin-up/) [Francesca Annis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-annis/) > [My father was a GP; my mother was a teacher and amateur actress. My father was a bit of a storyteller, but the acting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciaran-hinds/my-father-was-a-gp-my-mother-was-a-teacher-and-amateur-actress-my/) [Ciaran Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciaran-hinds/) > [I never wished that I was a superstar. Hell, I never even wished that I was an actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/i-never-wished-that-i-was-a-superstar-hell-i-never-even-wished-that-i/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [Many of the heroines from outside Karnataka have worked in my films, but the attitude and adjusting nature of top South Indian actress Nayantara…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rockline-venkatesh/many-of-the-heroines-from-outside-karnataka-have-worked-in-my-films/) [Rockline Venkatesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rockline-venkatesh/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [I never wanted to be an opera singer. I wanted to be an actress, maybe a rock singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristine-opolais/i-never-wanted-to-be-an-opera-singer-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-maybe/) [Kristine Opolais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristine-opolais/) > [When an actor charges high fees, nobody says anything. But when an actress does the same, it becomes news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijayashanti/when-an-actor-charges-high-fees-nobody-says-anything-but-when-an/) [Vijayashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijayashanti/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) [Browse all 2,244 Actress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was focused on either being a social worker or physiotherapist. That was the direction I was going until I met a girl who wanted to be an actress, and I wanted to be close to the girl, so I followed her into an audition.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lennie James" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-worker-or-physiotherapist-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actress" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-worker-or-physiotherapist-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/lennie-james-15462_actress_i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-w_888932.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/lennie-james-15462_actress_i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-w_888932.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/lennie-james-15462_actress_i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-w_888932.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was focused on either being a social worker or physiotherapist. That was the direction I was going until I…” — Lennie James", "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": "Lennie James", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennie-james/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was focused on either being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-worker-or-physiotherapist-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennie-james/i-was-focused-on-either-being-a-social-worker-or-physiotherapist-that/#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 } } ] } ```