--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do not say to yourself, 'I am going to…" description: "\"Do not say to yourself, 'I am going to act this way tomorrow.' Just say to yourself - 'I am going to imagine myself acting this way NOW - for 30 minute..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/maxwell-maltz-3463_acting_do-not-say-to-yourself-i-am-going-to-act_2302278.png" --- # Do not say to yourself, 'I am going to act this way… ![“Do not say to yourself, 'I am going to act this way tomorrow.' Just say to yourself - 'I am going to imagine myself acting this way NOW - for 30 minutes - today.'” quote by Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/maxwell-maltz-3463_acting_do-not-say-to-yourself-i-am-going-to-act_2302278.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/maxwell-maltz-3463_acting_do-not-say-to-yourself-i-am-going-to-act_2302278.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/163/maxwell-maltz-3463_acting_do-not-say-to-yourself-i-am-going-to-act_2302278.png) > “Do not say to yourself, 'I am going to act this way tomorrow.' Just say to yourself - 'I am going to imagine myself acting this way NOW - for 30 minutes - today.'” [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Visualizing desired behavior now, rather than postponing it, trains the mind to act in alignment with that image, increasing confidence and performance. **In simple terms:** Imagine yourself acting now to build confidence. Key Takeaway Practice daily mental rehearsal of desired actions. Themes confidence visualization self‑efficacy habit formation mindset Mood motivational pragmatic optimistic Type advice technique psychology When to use this quote - public speaking - sports performance - habit change - stress management Key Concepts cognitive rehearsal behavioral activation goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What specific action will you visualize today? - How does immediate imagination differ from future planning? A Different Perspective Visualization alone may not overcome deep‑seated doubts without real‑world practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) ## Related quotes > [I could never imagine myself acting in front of a camera or doing anything in front of the camera. I was a very shy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/disha-patani/i-could-never-imagine-myself-acting-in-front-of-a-camera-or-doing/) [Disha Patani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/disha-patani/) > [When you're a kid, you imagine acting to be singing and fighting and like the movies. Then you become an actor and get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/when-you-re-a-kid-you-imagine-acting-to-be-singing-and-fighting-and/) [Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/) > [Seeing The English Patient is wonderfully draining, but imagine acting in it for six months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-scott-thomas/seeing-the-english-patient-is-wonderfully-draining-but-imagine-acting/) [Kristin Scott Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-scott-thomas/) > [I can't imagine writing if I didn't have a reader. Any more than an actor can imagine acting without an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-can-t-imagine-writing-if-i-didn-t-have-a-reader-any-more-than-an/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-buscaglia/life-lived-for-tomorrow-will-always-be-just-a-day-away-from-being/) [Leo Buscaglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-buscaglia/) > [“Tomorrow could be just few steps away - a dream, yesterday the fucking nightmare...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/tomorrow-could-be-just-few-steps-away-a-dream-yesterday-the-fucking/) Deyth Banger > [“Create a tomorrow that has more than just one day in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-michalopoulos/create-a-tomorrow-that-has-more-than-just-one-day-in-it/) [Angelos Michalopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelos-michalopoulos/) > [Today is today, and tomorrow is tomorrow. I'm just going to enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-dumais/today-is-today-and-tomorrow-is-tomorrow-i-m-just-going-to-enjoy-it/) [Troy Dumais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-dumais/) > [Everyone needs someone who will make them feel tomorrow is more than just another day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-who-will-make-them-feel-tomorrow-is-more-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And if tomorrow you're still just a friend...i'll stay up until 11:11 agian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilia/and-if-tomorrow-you-re-still-just-a-friend-i-ll-stay-up-until-11-11/) [Camilia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilia/) > [My mom - she doesn't care if I stop acting tomorrow; she just wants the best for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-reid/my-mom-she-doesn-t-care-if-i-stop-acting-tomorrow-she-just-wants-the/) [Storm Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-reid/) > [“The sun will come up tomorrow, just as it always has.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-houston/the-sun-will-come-up-tomorrow-just-as-it-always-has/) [Philip Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-houston/) > [“Tomorrow’s always there, just over the horizon. Until the tomorrows run out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-block/tomorrow-s-always-there-just-over-the-horizon-until-the-tomorrows-run/) [Lawrence Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-block/) > [Tomorrow is just another Monday or it's the first day on your path to success. It's cliche but true: Your destiny is defined by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tomorrow-is-just-another-monday-or-it-s-the-first-day-on-your-path-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would trade a thousand tomorrow's for just one day Then I could just call you to tell you good night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/i-would-trade-a-thousand-tomorrow-s-for-just-one-day-then-i-could/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) ## More by Maxwell Maltz > [This Creative Mechanism within you is impersonal. It will work automatically and impersonally to achieve goals of success and happiness, or unhappiness and failure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/this-creative-mechanism-within-you-is-impersonal-it-will-work/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Your automatic guidance system cannot guide you when you're stalled, “standing still”.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/your-automatic-guidance-system-cannot-guide-you-when-you-re-stalled/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [You can do only one thing at a time. I simply tackle one problem and concentrate all efforts on what I am doing at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/you-can-do-only-one-thing-at-a-time-i-simply-tackle-one-problem-and/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Within you, whoever you may be, regardless of how big a failure you may think yourself to be, is the ability and the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/within-you-whoever-you-may-be-regardless-of-how-big-a-failure-you-may/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Successful people are able to rise above crises by relaxing no matter what the external situation. Their belief in themselves, the strength of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/successful-people-are-able-to-rise-above-crises-by-relaxing-no-matter/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Functionally, a man is somewhat like a bicycle. A bicycle maintains its poise and equilibrium only so long as it's moving forward towards something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/functionally-a-man-is-somewhat-like-a-bicycle-a-bicycle-maintains-its/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Faith, courage, optimism, looking forward, bring us new life and more life. Futility, frustration, living in the past are not only characteristic of 'old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/faith-courage-optimism-looking-forward-bring-us-new-life-and-more/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [If you make friends with yourself you will never be alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/if-you-make-friends-with-yourself-you-will-never-be-alone/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [People who say that life is not worthwhile are really saying that they themselves have no personal goals which are worthwhile. Prescription: Get yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/people-who-say-that-life-is-not-worthwhile-are-really-saying-that/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Take the trouble to stop and think of the other person's feelings, his viewpoints, his desires and needs. Think more of what the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/take-the-trouble-to-stop-and-think-of-the-other-person-s-feelings-his/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Your present negative beliefs were formed by thought PLUS feelings. Generate enough emotion, or deep feeling and your new thoughts and ideas will cancel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/your-present-negative-beliefs-were-formed-by-thought-plus-feelings/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [The greatest miracle you can hope for is self-acceptance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/the-greatest-miracle-you-can-hope-for-is-self-acceptance/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [Get yourself a goal worth working for. Better still, get yourself a project.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/get-yourself-a-goal-worth-working-for-better-still-get-yourself-a/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [For imagination sets the goal picture which our automatic mechanism works on. We act, or fail to act, not because of will, as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/for-imagination-sets-the-goal-picture-which-our-automatic-mechanism/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [If you wait until circumstances justify your thinking pleasant thoughts, you are likely to wait forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/if-you-wait-until-circumstances-justify-your-thinking-pleasant/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) [Explore all 130 Maxwell Maltz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) ## 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 > [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. 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