--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My father had a lot to do with me…" description: "\"My father had a lot to do with me thinking about acting, though he never saw me act. He passed away probably - he passed away as I was doing my first p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e7/mahershala-ali-6687_acting_my-father-had-a-lot-to-do-with-me-thinki_2643953.jpg" --- # My father had a lot to do with me thinking about acting… ![“My father had a lot to do with me thinking about acting, though he never saw me act. He passed away probably - he passed away as I was doing my first play, but I just think being exposed to it and being around it. It wasn't something that I ever thought I couldn't do because I grew up around it.” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e7/mahershala-ali-6687_acting_my-father-had-a-lot-to-do-with-me-thinki_2643953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e7/mahershala-ali-6687_acting_my-father-had-a-lot-to-do-with-me-thinki_2643953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e7/mahershala-ali-6687_acting_my-father-had-a-lot-to-do-with-me-thinki_2643953.jpg) > “My father had a lot to do with me thinking about acting, though he never saw me act. He passed away probably - he passed away as I was doing my first play, but I just think being exposed to it and being around it. It wasn't something that I ever thought I couldn't do because I grew up around it.” [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Growing up surrounded by theater shaped his belief he could act, despite his father's absence at performances. **In simple terms:** Early exposure built confidence in acting. Key Takeaway Leverage early influences to pursue passions. Themes confidence family influence career choice Mood reflective inspired Type personal motivational When to use this quote - audition preparation - career counseling - personal storytelling Key Concepts self‑efficacy role modeling Questions to Reflect On - How did early exposure affect your confidence? - What role can mentors play when parents are absent? A Different Perspective Family presence may not guarantee support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I was born into a Christian household, in a parsonage in fact, so I grew up in sort of a missionary atmosphere but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/i-was-born-into-a-christian-household-in-a-parsonage-in-fact-so-i/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [I grew up in church. My mom's a minister, and my grandmother was an ordained minister. I was always very mindful of the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-grew-up-in-church-my-mom-s-a-minister-and-my-grandmother-was-an/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Most of the problems in life are because of two reasons;we act without thinking or we keep thinking without acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-the-problems-in-life-are-because-of-two-reasons-we-act/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man of knowledge lives by acting, not by thinking about acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/a-man-of-knowledge-lives-by-acting-not-by-thinking-about-acting/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [A healthier way of thinking and acting is to allow yourself to receive the help and love you need. You werent designed to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-barbarulo/a-healthier-way-of-thinking-and-acting-is-to-allow-yourself-to/) [Michael Barbarulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-barbarulo/) > [A warrior lives by acting, not by thinking about acting, nor by thinking about what he will think when he has finished acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/a-warrior-lives-by-acting-not-by-thinking-about-acting-nor-by/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [Most of the problems in life comes because of two reasons . First, we act without thinking second,We keep thinking without acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-the-problems-in-life-comes-because-of-two-reasons-first-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I sat around thinking about acting all day, I'd lose my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hall/if-i-sat-around-thinking-about-acting-all-day-i-d-lose-my-mind/) [Rebecca Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hall/) > [Thinking and acting the way that you need to will allow things to be as simple as you need them to be, or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/thinking-and-acting-the-way-that-you-need-to-will-allow-things-to-be/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [One of the things I tried to do is to kind of talk my actors through the scene, but at the same time let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wan/one-of-the-things-i-tried-to-do-is-to-kind-of-talk-my-actors-through/) [James Wan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wan/) > [Man was born for two things--thinking and acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/man-was-born-for-two-things-thinking-and-acting/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I'm tough, I'm pushy, I'm really loud. I used to spend a lot of time thinking about it. But we only have so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-quinn/i-m-tough-i-m-pushy-i-m-really-loud-i-used-to-spend-a-lot-of-time/) [Christine Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-quinn/) > [When the time came to make a decision about what do in life, I found myself thinking that acting was the thing I loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-watson/when-the-time-came-to-make-a-decision-about-what-do-in-life-i-found/) [Emily Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-watson/) > [The thing is, with 'This Is England', you're always thinking as yourself. You're acting on an instinct. 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