--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just want to be a professional. I…" description: "\"I just want to be a professional. I couldn't live without acting.\" — Mickey Rooney" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/mickey-rooney-10095_acting_i-just-want-to-be-a-professional-i-could_2842646.jpg" --- # I just want to be a professional. I couldn't live without… ![“I just want to be a professional. I couldn't live without acting.” quote by Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/mickey-rooney-10095_acting_i-just-want-to-be-a-professional-i-could_2842646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/mickey-rooney-10095_acting_i-just-want-to-be-a-professional-i-could_2842646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/mickey-rooney-10095_acting_i-just-want-to-be-a-professional-i-could_2842646.jpg) > “I just want to be a professional. I couldn't live without acting.” [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professional dedication is essential; acting is a vital need. **In simple terms:** Acting is essential. Key Takeaway Pursue your passion fully. Themes career dedication artistry Mood determined passionate Type career motivational When to use this quote - theatre - film - personal branding - goal setting Key Concepts psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - What sacrifices are you willing to make for your craft? - How do you sustain passion over time? A Different Perspective Passion can be financially risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Couldn Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couldn-live/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Live Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-acting-1259911/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Professional Couldn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/professional-couldn-762549/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Professional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-professional-1474256/) ## Related quotes > [If I had a choice, I'd rather not fight someone from Brazil, but as a professional, I couldn't say no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyoto-machida/if-i-had-a-choice-i-d-rather-not-fight-someone-from-brazil-but-as-a/) [Lyoto Machida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyoto-machida/) > [I love doing both animation and live acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/i-love-doing-both-animation-and-live-acting/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [With 'Avatar,' you're beginning to see the need for less and less actors and less of an appreciation for live acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/with-avatar-you-re-beginning-to-see-the-need-for-less-and-less-actors/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [I could live without acting… Acting is a gift I've received. And I'm grateful for it and I enjoy it. But it's not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-moreau/i-could-live-without-acting-acting-is-a-gift-i-ve-received-and-i-m/) [Jeanne Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-moreau/) > [I couldn't live without acting. In fact anybody who can live without that feeling is a complete idiot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lorre/i-couldn-t-live-without-acting-in-fact-anybody-who-can-live-without/) [Peter Lorre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lorre/) > [During the holidays, professional players would come and say hello to us in the academy and that really made you want to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gervinho/during-the-holidays-professional-players-would-come-and-say-hello-to/) [Gervinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gervinho/) > [I want to be a professional wakeboarder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-cerrone/i-want-to-be-a-professional-wakeboarder/) [Donald Cerrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-cerrone/) > [I remember when I was in third grade, I was in a classroom, and the teacher said, 'What do you want to do when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-lavine/i-remember-when-i-was-in-third-grade-i-was-in-a-classroom-and-the/) [Zach LaVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-lavine/) > [Mostly with commercial work, it isn't about personal vision. It's not a personal effort, it's work for hire. That's more my attitude with those.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-anderson/mostly-with-commercial-work-it-isn-t-about-personal-vision-it-s-not-a/) [Wes Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-anderson/) > [You get older, and you want to be a professional athlete; you want to win on the biggest stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-mahomes/you-get-older-and-you-want-to-be-a-professional-athlete-you-want-to/) [Patrick Mahomes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-mahomes/) > [We didn't want to become professional Northerners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-myers/we-didn-t-want-to-become-professional-northerners/) [Dave Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-myers/) > [Our officials want nothing more than to be at the top of their professional game and make the correct call. That's what they do;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stern/our-officials-want-nothing-more-than-to-be-at-the-top-of-their/) [David Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stern/) > [I want to be a professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-burke/i-want-to-be-a-professional/) [Chris Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-burke/) > [If I can inspire kids to do what I do - want to become professional soccer players - then I think that that's everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-pulisic/if-i-can-inspire-kids-to-do-what-i-do-want-to-become-professional/) [Christian Pulisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-pulisic/) > [I think there are a lot of people who say they want to be professional athletes, say they want to make millions of dollars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/i-think-there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-say-they-want-to-be/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) ## More by Mickey Rooney > [You always pass failure on your way to success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/you-always-pass-failure-on-your-way-to-success/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Women liked me because I made them laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/women-liked-me-because-i-made-them-laugh/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Look, I come from vaudeville, I come from burlesque, I come from heartaches, I come from sadness, I come from gladness, I come from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/look-i-come-from-vaudeville-i-come-from-burlesque-i-come-from/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Had I been brighter, the ladies been gentler, the Scotch been weaker, had the gods been kinder, had the dice been hotter, this could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/had-i-been-brighter-the-ladies-been-gentler-the-scotch-been-weaker/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Hollywood has unfortunately become a memory. It's nothing but a sign on the side of a hill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/hollywood-has-unfortunately-become-a-memory-it-s-nothing-but-a-sign/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [I came from a poor family. My father was from Glasgow, Scotland; my mother's brothers were brakemen on the railroad. We didn't have anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/i-came-from-a-poor-family-my-father-was-from-glasgow-scotland-my/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Someone once asked me what I want on my epitaph when I pass away. Just the words 'I tried.' That's what this game of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/someone-once-asked-me-what-i-want-on-my-epitaph-when-i-pass-away-just/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Now. Now is the most important time of all of your young lives. And what does now stand for - N-O-W? No Other Way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/now-now-is-the-most-important-time-of-all-of-your-young-lives-and/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [I keep going because if you stop, you stop. Why retire? Inspire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/i-keep-going-because-if-you-stop-you-stop-why-retire-inspire/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [Meadowlark Lemon is one very clever man, unique and truly one of a kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/meadowlark-lemon-is-one-very-clever-man-unique-and-truly-one-of-a-kind/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [I buy women shoes and they use them to walk away from me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/i-buy-women-shoes-and-they-use-them-to-walk-away-from-me/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [My marriage license reads, 'To whom it may concern,'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/my-marriage-license-reads-to-whom-it-may-concern/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [And that's the way I have always lived, for the laughs – today. N-O-W. No Other Way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/and-that-s-the-way-i-have-always-lived-for-the-laughs-today-n-o-w-no/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [I belong to the public. The public made me. The public can break me. I owe them my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/i-belong-to-the-public-the-public-made-me-the-public-can-break-me-i/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) > [. . . children - not kids. Kids are goats. I've always spoken of my children as children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rooney/children-not-kids-kids-are-goats-i-ve-always-spoken-of-my-children-as/) [Mickey Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) [Explore all 68 Mickey Rooney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rooney/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I just want to be a professional. 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