--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can't remember a time when I wasn't…" description: "\"I can't remember a time when I wasn't acting, so I can't imagine what I would do if I stopped now.\" — Lillian Gish" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/lillian-gish-27995_acting_i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-ac_1408892.png" --- # I can't remember a time when I wasn't acting, so I can't… ![“I can't remember a time when I wasn't acting, so I can't imagine what I would do if I stopped now.” quote by Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/lillian-gish-27995_acting_i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-ac_1408892.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/lillian-gish-27995_acting_i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-ac_1408892.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/lillian-gish-27995_acting_i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-ac_1408892.png) > “I can't remember a time when I wasn't acting, so I can't imagine what I would do if I stopped now.” [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Constant activity defines identity; stopping feels unimaginable. **In simple terms:** Always acting defines you. Key Takeaway Consider balance and rest. Themes identity activity purpose Mood contemplative curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career burnout - creative blocks - life transitions Key Concepts psychology habit formation Questions to Reflect On - What would you do if you paused? - How does constant action affect your wellbeing? A Different Perspective Rest may be feared as loss of self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-imagine-1603497/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Stopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-stopped-4959580/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-wasn-298955/) [Wasn Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasn-acting-247554/) ## Related quotes > [Just imagine how much you'd get done if you stopped actively sabotaging your own work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/just-imagine-how-much-you-d-get-done-if-you-stopped-actively/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I just happened to step into acting. And now I can't imagine myself doing anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-o-brien/i-just-happened-to-step-into-acting-and-now-i-can-t-imagine-myself/) [Dylan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-o-brien/) > [Voice acting is very creative, especially 'Star Wars' voice acting, because there's so much you have to imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lanter/voice-acting-is-very-creative-especially-star-wars-voice-acting/) [Matt Lanter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lanter/) > [I can't say I don't like acting, but I can't imagine a career when I have to spend 70 percent of my time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-can-t-say-i-don-t-like-acting-but-i-can-t-imagine-a-career-when-i/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [If I wasn't acting, I have no clue what I'd be doing 'cause I have no other talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-freeman/if-i-wasn-t-acting-i-have-no-clue-what-i-d-be-doing-cause-i-have-no/) [Morgan Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-freeman/) > [There is one scene where he is kissing up my back. It is really sexy and I didn't know he was going to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gemma-arterton/there-is-one-scene-where-he-is-kissing-up-my-back-it-is-really-sexy/) [Gemma Arterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gemma-arterton/) > [If I wasn't acting, I'd try and be a footballer. I wouldn't be a musician because I can't write my own music. Realistically, I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-blackley/if-i-wasn-t-acting-i-d-try-and-be-a-footballer-i-wouldn-t-be-a/) [Jamie Blackley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-blackley/) > ['How the West was Won' was very hard, because it was a three cameras technique, meaning three cameras wide. Therefore I wasn't speaking to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/how-the-west-was-won-was-very-hard-because-it-was-a-three-cameras/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [“The point was - he wasn't acting . It was as if he'd forgotten how! Jack still knew his lines, but he was out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-point-was-he-wasn-t-acting-it-was-as-if-he-d-forgotten-how-jack/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I can only live my life in this way. I don't think I would be living it a different way if I wasn't acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-fanning/i-can-only-live-my-life-in-this-way-i-don-t-think-i-would-be-living/) [Dakota Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-fanning/) > [If I wasn't acting, I would be trying to break into acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colletti/if-i-wasn-t-acting-i-would-be-trying-to-break-into-acting/) [Stephen Colletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colletti/) > [I wasn't acting on passion. I was simply acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/i-wasn-t-acting-on-passion-i-was-simply-acting/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [He wasn't into one-night stands, he wasn't into scoring just to see if he could, he wasn't into acting just charming enough to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/he-wasn-t-into-one-night-stands-he-wasn-t-into-scoring-just-to-see-if/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I decided I'm gonna make my living from this, or I'm not doing it. The last time I had a job that wasn't an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-taylor/i-decided-i-m-gonna-make-my-living-from-this-or-i-m-not-doing-it-the/) [Robert Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-taylor/) > [I had all the usual ambition growing up. I wanted to be a writer, a musician, a hockey player. I wanted to do something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/i-had-all-the-usual-ambition-growing-up-i-wanted-to-be-a-writer-a/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) ## More by Lillian Gish > [You can get through life with bad manners, but it's easier with good manners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/you-can-get-through-life-with-bad-manners-but-it-s-easier-with-good/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [It had been drilled into us that when an audience pays to see a performance, it is entitled to the best performance you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/it-had-been-drilled-into-us-that-when-an-audience-pays-to-see-a/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [Young man, if God had wanted you to see me that way, he would have put your eyes in your bellybutton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/young-man-if-god-had-wanted-you-to-see-me-that-way-he-would-have-put/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [I've never been in style, so I can't go out of style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/i-ve-never-been-in-style-so-i-can-t-go-out-of-style/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [It's a hard world for little things,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/it-s-a-hard-world-for-little-things/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [“I've never been in style, so I can never go out of style.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/i-ve-never-been-in-style-so-i-can-never-go-out-of-style/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [Never get caught acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/never-get-caught-acting/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [As long as you are curious, you will never be bored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/as-long-as-you-are-curious-you-will-never-be-bored/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [Hollywood has turned into an emotional Detroit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/hollywood-has-turned-into-an-emotional-detroit/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [Love is a hard rock between two people and can't be torn apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/love-is-a-hard-rock-between-two-people-and-can-t-be-torn-apart/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [You know, when I first went into the movies Lionel Barrymore played my grandfather. Later he played my father and finally he played my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/you-know-when-i-first-went-into-the-movies-lionel-barrymore-played-my/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [The older I get, the more I believe in what I can't explain or understand, even more than the things that are explainable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/the-older-i-get-the-more-i-believe-in-what-i-can-t-explain-or/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [Fans always write asking why I didn't smile more in films. I smiled in 'Annie Laurie', but I can't recall that it helped much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/fans-always-write-asking-why-i-didn-t-smile-more-in-films-i-smiled-in/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [The stage was our school, our home, our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/the-stage-was-our-school-our-home-our-life/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) > [Hollywood - an emotional Detroit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/hollywood-an-emotional-detroit/) [Lillian Gish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) [Explore all 19 Lillian Gish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/) ## 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 can't remember a time when I wasn't acting, so I can't imagine what I would do if I stopped now.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lillian Gish" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-acting-so-i-can-t-imagine-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-acting-so-i-can-t-imagine-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/lillian-gish-27995_acting_i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-ac_1408892.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/lillian-gish-27995_acting_i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-ac_1408892.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f4/lillian-gish-27995_acting_i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-ac_1408892.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can't remember a time when I wasn't acting, so I can't imagine what I would do if I stopped now.” — Lillian Gish", "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": "Lillian Gish", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-gish/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can't remember a time when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-acting-so-i-can-t-imagine-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-gish/i-can-t-remember-a-time-when-i-wasn-t-acting-so-i-can-t-imagine-what/#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 } } ] } ```