--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whatever expectations I had for myself…" description: "\"Whatever expectations I had for myself, none of them have come to pass. I grew up thinking I was going to be an actor, which I am. But I thought I'd be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/michael-ian-black-3765_actor_whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-n_143499.png" --- # Whatever expectations I had for myself, none of them have… ![“Whatever expectations I had for myself, none of them have come to pass. I grew up thinking I was going to be an actor, which I am. But I thought I'd be a very serious sort of Shakespearean guy going from town to town having sex with various Juliets all over the country.” quote by Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/michael-ian-black-3765_actor_whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-n_143499.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/michael-ian-black-3765_actor_whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-n_143499.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/michael-ian-black-3765_actor_whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-n_143499.png) > “Whatever expectations I had for myself, none of them have come to pass. I grew up thinking I was going to be an actor, which I am. But I thought I'd be a very serious sort of Shakespearean guy going from town to town having sex with various Juliets all over the country.” [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on unmet expectations of a grand Shakespearean acting career, settling for a different reality. **In simple terms:** His acting dreams differed from his actual career. Key Takeaway Adapt goals when reality diverges from expectations. Themes career expectations adaptation Mood reflective optimistic Type career personal‑development When to use this quote - acting auditions - career counseling - self‑reflection - creative projects - life planning Key Concepts theatre personal growth identity Questions to Reflect On - How can one find fulfillment in altered paths? - What strategies help adjust career expectations? A Different Perspective May convey disappointment without resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actor Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-thought/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Expectations Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations-come-788743/) [Going Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-actor/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Grew up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-up/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Having sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-sex/) [Juliet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/juliet/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Shakespearean Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespearean-guy-1615834/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/towns/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/various/) ## Related quotes > [I thought I'd become a funeral director when I wasn't going to be an actor. I thought I would be good at helping some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-thought-i-d-become-a-funeral-director-when-i-wasn-t-going-to-be-an/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [When they offered me 'Wayne's World 2,' they said: 'We were going to give this to another actor, then we thought we'd see you'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-brown/when-they-offered-me-wayne-s-world-2-they-said-we-were-going-to-give/) [Ralph Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-brown/) > [A lot of expectations come from a Shoojit Sircar film, especially after 'Piku.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shoojit-sircar/a-lot-of-expectations-come-from-a-shoojit-sircar-film-especially/) [Shoojit Sircar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shoojit-sircar/) > [You should have high expectations for yourself and others should come second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-should-have-high-expectations-for-yourself-and-others-should-come/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It would be nice at some point to do something that people expect to be good. Although then with high expectations come a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-miller/it-would-be-nice-at-some-point-to-do-something-that-people-expect-to/) [Christopher Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-miller/) > [If you say "I'm going to be an actor, but I'll get a teaching degree just in case," when things get hard, you'll just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/if-you-say-i-m-going-to-be-an-actor-but-i-ll-get-a-teaching-degree/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [Even through my college years, I was trying out plays and shows, but I never really thought it made much sense to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dermot-mulroney/even-through-my-college-years-i-was-trying-out-plays-and-shows-but-i/) [Dermot Mulroney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dermot-mulroney/) > [I've never really thought of myself as just an actor; I always thought of myself as aspiring to be an artist, and an artist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leguizamo/i-ve-never-really-thought-of-myself-as-just-an-actor-i-always-thought/) [John Leguizamo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leguizamo/) > [Even trying it as an actor, I never thought I'd actually make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-azaria/even-trying-it-as-an-actor-i-never-thought-i-d-actually-make-it/) [Hank Azaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-azaria/) > [“I have never thought of myself as an actor, thought I play about 500 different characters in the show. Actors play someone else I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/i-have-never-thought-of-myself-as-an-actor-thought-i-play-about-500/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [I didn't become an actor because I thought I'd make lots of money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/i-didn-t-become-an-actor-because-i-thought-i-d-make-lots-of-money/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [I was studying with Stella Adler, who was a great, great teacher who encouraged me to be an actor. I had thought I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-beatty/i-was-studying-with-stella-adler-who-was-a-great-great-teacher-who/) [Warren Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-beatty/) > [It was always my dream to be a New York theater actor. I never thought I was pretty enough to be on camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harbour/it-was-always-my-dream-to-be-a-new-york-theater-actor-i-never-thought/) [David Harbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harbour/) > [I never had any desire to be a film actor. I never thought I was the good-looking movie type, which I assumed they wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/i-never-had-any-desire-to-be-a-film-actor-i-never-thought-i-was-the/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I was 11 and watching soap operas with my mom, and I thought it would be cool to be an actor. I thought soap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-robertson/i-was-11-and-watching-soap-operas-with-my-mom-and-i-thought-it-would/) [Britt Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-robertson/) ## More by Michael Ian Black > [Many, many people can write books. I just happen to be one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/many-many-people-can-write-books-i-just-happen-to-be-one-of-them/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“I do not go to church. I don’t go to Christian church or Jew church or any other church. I don’t go to church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-do-not-go-to-church-i-don-t-go-to-christian-church-or-jew-church-or/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [My process is surprisingly straightforward. I find myself with little to do over a stretch of time and I say, "I should write children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/my-process-is-surprisingly-straightforward-i-find-myself-with-little/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“Did my fingering turn you gay? I hope not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/did-my-fingering-turn-you-gay-i-hope-not/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“If I have any faith at all, I guess that's it. Faith in the small love that keeps our family together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/if-i-have-any-faith-at-all-i-guess-that-s-it-faith-in-the-small-love/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [You have to lead, in the case of a game show, a contestant through the architecture of the show. So there's a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/you-have-to-lead-in-the-case-of-a-game-show-a-contestant-through-the/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [I can be a snarky Asshole, or I can be sort of mentally impaired. It's very hard for me to just be normal human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-can-be-a-snarky-asshole-or-i-can-be-sort-of-mentally-impaired-it-s/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [By the end of the time I'm writing a book, I'm tearing my hair out and I want to go do stand-up. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/by-the-end-of-the-time-i-m-writing-a-book-i-m-tearing-my-hair-out-and/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [Kids love to be silly, they love to laugh, so I think it was natural for my kids to like the sort of books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/kids-love-to-be-silly-they-love-to-laugh-so-i-think-it-was-natural/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [I am a poker player, but I am not a good poker player. My favorite game is seven card stud, but I'll play hi/lo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-am-a-poker-player-but-i-am-not-a-good-poker-player-my-favorite-game/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [When you're writing something, and you're putting yourself out there, or you're performing and someone comes in and savages that, then of course it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/when-you-re-writing-something-and-you-re-putting-yourself-out-there/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [I don't watch that much comedy. I think it's professional jealousy. That and a lack of support for my community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-don-t-watch-that-much-comedy-i-think-it-s-professional-jealousy/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [I used to need the character but as I've gotten older I need it less and less - I prefer to play some version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/i-used-to-need-the-character-but-as-i-ve-gotten-older-i-need-it-less/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [“Cluelessness is not an attractive quality in a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/cluelessness-is-not-an-attractive-quality-in-a-man/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) > [The things I care about are the most pedestrian things in the world. I care about good ice cream and being a good dad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/the-things-i-care-about-are-the-most-pedestrian-things-in-the-world-i/) [Michael Ian Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) [Explore all 122 Michael Ian Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/) ## 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": "Whatever expectations I had for myself, none of them have come to pass. I grew up thinking I was going to be an actor, which I am. But I thought I'd be a very serious sort of Shakespearean guy going from town to town having sex with various Juliets all over the country.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Ian Black" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-none-of-them-have-come-to-pass/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-none-of-them-have-come-to-pass/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/michael-ian-black-3765_actor_whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-n_143499.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/michael-ian-black-3765_actor_whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-n_143499.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e4e/michael-ian-black-3765_actor_whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-n_143499.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Whatever expectations I had for myself, none of them have come to pass. I grew up thinking I was going to be…” — Michael Ian Black", "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": "Michael Ian Black", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ian-black/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Whatever expectations I had for myself,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-none-of-them-have-come-to-pass/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ian-black/whatever-expectations-i-had-for-myself-none-of-them-have-come-to-pass/#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 } } ] } ```