--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To say directing was a long-stewing…" description: "\"To say directing was a long-stewing ambition doesn't cover it. If you cut me open, you'd see it.\" — Michael Keaton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/michael-keaton-3191_ambition_to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambi_411500.jpg" --- # To say directing was a long-stewing ambition doesn't cover… ![“To say directing was a long-stewing ambition doesn't cover it. If you cut me open, you'd see it.” quote by Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/michael-keaton-3191_ambition_to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambi_411500.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/michael-keaton-3191_ambition_to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambi_411500.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/michael-keaton-3191_ambition_to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambi_411500.jpg) > “To say directing was a long-stewing ambition doesn't cover it. If you cut me open, you'd see it.” [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes his lifelong passion for directing as innate, visible if examined closely. **In simple terms:** Directing is an innate, deep‑seated drive. Key Takeaway Embrace and pursue your true calling. Themes passion career identity Mood determined reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - film projects - career transitions - personal branding Key Concepts creative drive self‑realization Questions to Reflect On - What hidden talents drive you? - How can you reveal them to others? A Different Perspective Talent alone may not guarantee success without opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) ## Related quotes > [Directing is a very long process, and I have to be in love with it if I want to give up two years of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-harris/directing-is-a-very-long-process-and-i-have-to-be-in-love-with-it-if/) [Danielle Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-harris/) > [I'd say that directing is in my heart. And that's where my focus is, like a laser beam. That's what I've been studying for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/i-d-say-that-directing-is-in-my-heart-and-that-s-where-my-focus-is/) [RZA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [You know, episodic TV directing is a very long and arduous job. You have very short schedules, short short shooting days, and you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katey-sagal/you-know-episodic-tv-directing-is-a-very-long-and-arduous-job-you/) [Katey Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katey-sagal/) > [It's every girl's dream to be a cover girl!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/it-s-every-girl-s-dream-to-be-a-cover-girl/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [Ideas come from all over, but as I write more and more, I find I'm always hunting for mood: I want to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/ideas-come-from-all-over-but-as-i-write-more-and-more-i-find-i-m/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“It was a cover up. I could tell by the dust jacket.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/it-was-a-cover-up-i-could-tell-by-the-dust-jacket/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [To cover politics in Washington allows you to live in the very, very wide gap between what the actual truth is, and how people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/to-cover-politics-in-washington-allows-you-to-live-in-the-very-very/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [My cover is hard but my life is harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teady/my-cover-is-hard-but-my-life-is-harder/) $Teady > [Every day, I hear a song and I think, 'This would be great to cover on Glee.' I like Led Zeppelin, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-salling/every-day-i-hear-a-song-and-i-think-this-would-be-great-to-cover-on/) [Mark Salling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-salling/) > [I look forward to the day that a lot of the folks that you all talk about and cover on this network will begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-look-forward-to-the-day-that-a-lot-of-the-folks-that-you-all-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The N.Y.C. tech scene is vibrant, and Betabeat will be a great vehicle to cover it in depth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-kushner/the-n-y-c-tech-scene-is-vibrant-and-betabeat-will-be-a-great-vehicle/) [Jared Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-kushner/) > [I never thought I'd be on the cover of the 'Atlanta Journal' unless I killed someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-robinson/i-never-thought-i-d-be-on-the-cover-of-the-atlanta-journal-unless-i/) [Chris Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-robinson/) > [Just being in a video game is an honor, and being on the cover, I can't really describe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-judge/just-being-in-a-video-game-is-an-honor-and-being-on-the-cover-i-can-t/) [Aaron Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-judge/) > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Uh, I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-mars/uh-i-wanna-be-on-the-cover-of-forbes-magazine/) [Bruno Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-mars/) ## More by Michael Keaton > [I took my play very seriously, and I got way, way lost in my play world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-took-my-play-very-seriously-and-i-got-way-way-lost-in-my-play-world/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [I was so gullible as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-was-so-gullible-as-a-kid/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [Work hard. Don’t quit. Be appreciative, be thankful, be grateful, be respectful. Also, never whine, never complain. And always, for crying out loud, keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/work-hard-don-t-quit-be-appreciative-be-thankful-be-grateful-be/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [I read that John Hughes script for 'Mr. Mom,' and I thought, 'This guy is a funny writer.' I went: 'You ought to stick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-read-that-john-hughes-script-for-mr-mom-and-i-thought-this-guy-is-a/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [Yeah, I had to change my name because there were two other actors registered at Equity with that name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/yeah-i-had-to-change-my-name-because-there-were-two-other-actors/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [There comes a point in your life when you realize how quickly time goes by, and how quickly it has gone. Then it really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/there-comes-a-point-in-your-life-when-you-realize-how-quickly-time/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [It's great to be young and insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/it-s-great-to-be-young-and-insane/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [There are times when I consciously give the character something physical - a walk, the way he sits, how he talks, or his lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/there-are-times-when-i-consciously-give-the-character-something/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [I'm envious of writers and musicians. I think it must be so difficult. Not just the frustration, but the discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-m-envious-of-writers-and-musicians-i-think-it-must-be-so-difficult/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [I worked at a PBS station called WQED in Pittsburgh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-worked-at-a-pbs-station-called-wqed-in-pittsburgh/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [Westerns were always my favorite things when I was little. And it always bothered me when cowboys were too clean in movies, or when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/westerns-were-always-my-favorite-things-when-i-was-little-and-it/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [If you get a good comedy once a year, man, that's pretty good. I may be pickier than some, but still, there aren't that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/if-you-get-a-good-comedy-once-a-year-man-that-s-pretty-good-i-may-be/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [I liked 'Robocop' because of the director, and it was an intelligent, big-action studio movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-liked-robocop-because-of-the-director-and-it-was-an-intelligent-big/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [I probably could've done this earlier, if I was more ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-probably-could-ve-done-this-earlier-if-i-was-more-ambitious/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [“Dogberry: Thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/dogberry-thou-wilt-be-condemned-into-everlasting-redemption-for-this/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) [Explore all 136 Michael Keaton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To say directing was a long-stewing ambition doesn't cover it. If you cut me open, you'd see it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Keaton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambition-doesn-t-cover-it-if-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambition-doesn-t-cover-it-if-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/michael-keaton-3191_ambition_to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambi_411500.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/michael-keaton-3191_ambition_to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambi_411500.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9e/michael-keaton-3191_ambition_to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambi_411500.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To say directing was a long-stewing ambition doesn't cover it. If you cut me open, you'd see it.” — Michael Keaton", "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 Keaton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To say directing was a long-stewing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambition-doesn-t-cover-it-if-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/to-say-directing-was-a-long-stewing-ambition-doesn-t-cover-it-if-you/#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 } } ] } ```