--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When it finally came my way and doors…" description: "\"When it finally came my way and doors opened up for me to do it and to be on stage, it felt like a natural thing to try out. And it just so happened to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/mahershala-ali-6687_actor_when-it-finally-came-my-way-and-doors-op_2515837.jpg" --- # When it finally came my way and doors opened up for me to… ![“When it finally came my way and doors opened up for me to do it and to be on stage, it felt like a natural thing to try out. And it just so happened to speak to me. I really couldn't do what I needed to do in the most fulfilling way in Hayward, Calif., or in the Bay Area, that it required me to go…” quote by Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/mahershala-ali-6687_actor_when-it-finally-came-my-way-and-doors-op_2515837.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/mahershala-ali-6687_actor_when-it-finally-came-my-way-and-doors-op_2515837.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7b/mahershala-ali-6687_actor_when-it-finally-came-my-way-and-doors-op_2515837.jpg) > “When it finally came my way and doors opened up for me to do it and to be on stage, it felt like a natural thing to try out. And it just so happened to speak to me. I really couldn't do what I needed to do in the most fulfilling way in Hayward, Calif., or in the Bay Area, that it required me to go off to NYU.” [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. Opportunities arise when one follows intuition and embraces change, even if it means relocating. **In simple terms:** Follow intuition, embrace change. Key Takeaway Trust inner voice, pursue new horizons. Themes career growth intuition Mood hopeful determined Type motivational personal When to use this quote - education - acting - relocation - career advancement Key Concepts Life transitions personal destiny Questions to Reflect On - What inner call guides you? - Are you ready to leave your comfort zone? A Different Perspective Changing locations can bring uncertainty and loss of support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Bay area](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bay-area/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [Getting to St. Mary's College was a big deal for me because that essentially led to me getting to go to NYU.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/getting-to-st-mary-s-college-was-a-big-deal-for-me-because-that/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I always wanted to be an artist of some sort and I was really shy growing up, so performing didn't really seem like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-sudol/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-artist-of-some-sort-and-i-was-really-shy/) [Alison Sudol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-sudol/) > [It was crazy, a nerve-wracking experience being on that stage. I felt like a fan sitting there watching this thing come to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hemsworth/it-was-crazy-a-nerve-wracking-experience-being-on-that-stage-i-felt/) [Chris Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hemsworth/) > [I was five years old; I got addicted to being on stage. I felt like it was the most wonderful place on Earth, performing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/i-was-five-years-old-i-got-addicted-to-being-on-stage-i-felt-like-it/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [As things grew for me I felt like I was losing myself and wanted to stay true to myself as well. I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/as-things-grew-for-me-i-felt-like-i-was-losing-myself-and-wanted-to/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I can't imagine doing anything cooler or better than what we did on 'The Stage' and felt like we're firing on all cylinders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/synyster-gates/i-can-t-imagine-doing-anything-cooler-or-better-than-what-we-did-on/) [Synyster Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/synyster-gates/) > [I was singing in a mall, and I picked a girl to come up onstage with me. As I was grabbing her hand, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-carter/i-was-singing-in-a-mall-and-i-picked-a-girl-to-come-up-onstage-with/) [Aaron Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-carter/) > [I got on stage and I went, "Oh wow. No stage fright." I couldn't do public speaking, and I couldn't play the piano in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hunter/i-got-on-stage-and-i-went-oh-wow-no-stage-fright-i-couldn-t-do-public/) [Holly Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hunter/) > [It was a big step, to go from not talking to people to stepping on to a stage. That's when I felt the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shum-jr/it-was-a-big-step-to-go-from-not-talking-to-people-to-stepping-on-to/) [Harry Shum, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shum-jr/) > [On stage, I have felt most fulfilled as a playwright, for everything I create gets to grow and evolve with collaboration from directors, actors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colman-domingo/on-stage-i-have-felt-most-fulfilled-as-a-playwright-for-everything-i/) [Colman Domingo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colman-domingo/) > [You can't be a proper comic unless you've been out on stage and felt the fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/you-can-t-be-a-proper-comic-unless-you-ve-been-out-on-stage-and-felt/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [“Going on stage always felt like being shot out of a cannon. My stomach would tighten as I got closer to the backstage area.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/going-on-stage-always-felt-like-being-shot-out-of-a-cannon-my-stomach/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [There is no 'perfect' in music. If I ever came off the stage and felt it could not be better, it would then be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-slatkin/there-is-no-perfect-in-music-if-i-ever-came-off-the-stage-and-felt-it/) [Leonard Slatkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-slatkin/) > [I enjoyed making people laugh. I discovered that I loved that power over them. On stage, I felt I could really express who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-cattrall/i-enjoyed-making-people-laugh-i-discovered-that-i-loved-that-power/) [Kim Cattrall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-cattrall/) > [Friend, you are a divine mingle-mangle of guts and stardust. So hang in there! If doors opened for me, they can open for anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/friend-you-are-a-divine-mingle-mangle-of-guts-and-stardust-so-hang-in/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) ## More by Mahershala Ali > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [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/) > [Like so many families, we were dealing with limited means. We weren't poor at all, but we had some challenging times financially. When my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/like-so-many-families-we-were-dealing-with-limited-means-we-weren-t/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think how strict my mother's home could be with my mom and my stepfather, there was a fluidity and freedom in my dad's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-how-strict-my-mother-s-home-could-be-with-my-mom-and-my/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My mother is an ordained minister. I'm a Muslim. She didn't do backflips when I called her to tell her I converted 17 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-mother-is-an-ordained-minister-i-m-a-muslim-she-didn-t-do/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My experiences growing up - my father lived in New York, so I was going out there in the summers and meeting really interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-experiences-growing-up-my-father-lived-in-new-york-so-i-was-going/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I'm not shy about trying to find what truth there is in any genre, whether that be an action piece, a sci-fi piece, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-m-not-shy-about-trying-to-find-what-truth-there-is-in-any-genre/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [You are an American, so you're hurt that other American citizens have been hurt, but you end up having to shoulder the shame for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/you-are-an-american-so-you-re-hurt-that-other-american-citizens-have/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [My parents were in high school when I was born. My mom was 16, my dad was 17. They were kids, at the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/my-parents-were-in-high-school-when-i-was-born-my-mom-was-16-my-dad/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Because on that watch list, they would be like, yeah, your name - they told me like, yeah, your name matches the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/because-on-that-watch-list-they-would-be-like-yeah-your-name-they/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I started traveling by myself as early as 5 to see my dad. I'd go to Toronto or Los Angeles, depending on what show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-started-traveling-by-myself-as-early-as-5-to-see-my-dad-i-d-go-to/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [One thing that the audience, and perhaps critics, aren't aware of is that, especially in a film like 'Moonlight,' you always shoot a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/one-thing-that-the-audience-and-perhaps-critics-aren-t-aware-of-is/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I think in some ways, I would go back home, and I didn't really quite fit in and couldn't - didn't have a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-think-in-some-ways-i-would-go-back-home-and-i-didn-t-really-quite/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [I remember clearly, when I was about 4, my Aunt Linda said, 'I'm not babysitting him no more. He's bad.' It was one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-remember-clearly-when-i-was-about-4-my-aunt-linda-said-i-m-not/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [Theater will cast in a more open way; Denzel Washington might play Richard III. Television and film don't really cast openly like that. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/theater-will-cast-in-a-more-open-way-denzel-washington-might-play/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) [Explore all 98 Mahershala Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When it finally came my way and doors opened up for me to do it and to be on stage, it felt like a natural thing to try out. And it just so happened to speak to me. 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