--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting was never my first choice as a…" description: "\"Acting was never my first choice as a profession, but I came to terms with it when I decided I better buckle down and be the best I can be at it.\" — Mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5eb/mickey-rourke-4846_acting_acting-was-never-my-first-choice-as-a-pr_1798131.png" --- # Acting was never my first choice as a profession, but I… ![“Acting was never my first choice as a profession, but I came to terms with it when I decided I better buckle down and be the best I can be at it.” quote by Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5eb/mickey-rourke-4846_acting_acting-was-never-my-first-choice-as-a-pr_1798131.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5eb/mickey-rourke-4846_acting_acting-was-never-my-first-choice-as-a-pr_1798131.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5eb/mickey-rourke-4846_acting_acting-was-never-my-first-choice-as-a-pr_1798131.png) > “Acting was never my first choice as a profession, but I came to terms with it when I decided I better buckle down and be the best I can be at it.” [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He acknowledges acting wasn't his first choice, but committed to excellence after deciding to work hard. **In simple terms:** He chose to excel in acting despite initial doubts. Key Takeaway Commit to mastery. Themes career determination self‑discipline Mood determined optimistic Type professional inspirational When to use this quote - acting workshops - skill training - career planning Key Concepts psychology professional growth Questions to Reflect On - What steps will you take to improve your craft? - How do you stay motivated when passion wavers? A Different Perspective Success may require external opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-choice-418257/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Being the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-the-best/) [Buckles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buckles/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Choice Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice-profession-2006636/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Decided Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-better-759498/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Profession Came](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession-came-2006635/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) ## Related quotes > [Acting as a profession came to me by chance: in 1946, after the war, I was having lunch with my cousin, who was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/acting-as-a-profession-came-to-me-by-chance-in-1946-after-the-war-i/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [I just think, in every acting choice that you make, you've got to go for the least obvious choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-foy/i-just-think-in-every-acting-choice-that-you-make-you-ve-got-to-go/) [Claire Foy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-foy/) > [I just stumbled into acting; my first choice indeed was music and sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prateik-babbar/i-just-stumbled-into-acting-my-first-choice-indeed-was-music-and/) [Prateik Babbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prateik-babbar/) > [I mean,he decided we'd be better apart,you know?it wasn't a joint decision.like, if your gonna make a decision about me and my life without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-mean-he-decided-we-d-be-better-apart-you-know-it-wasn-t-a-joint/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [“Generally, I decided, it was better to wait, if you had any feeling for the individual. If you hated her right off, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/generally-i-decided-it-was-better-to-wait-if-you-had-any-feeling-for/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Mr. Buckles has a vivid recollection of historic times, and one way for me to honor the service of those who wear the uniform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-buckles/mr-buckles-has-a-vivid-recollection-of-historic-times-and-one-way-for/) [Frank Buckles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-buckles/) > [You better...buckle uh down and then tighten up to stop this passing game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-simms/you-better-buckle-uh-down-and-then-tighten-up-to-stop-this-passing/) [Phil Simms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-simms/) > [When the landscape buckles and jerks around, when a dust column of debris rises from the collapse of a block of buildings on bodies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/when-the-landscape-buckles-and-jerks-around-when-a-dust-column-of/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [The finest manners in the world are awkwardness and fatuity when contrasted with a finer intelligence. They appear but as the fashions of past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-finest-manners-in-the-world-are-awkwardness-and-fatuity-when/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Most poets' revisions are disastrous. They buckle and dent what was originally forged at a red-hot heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-longley/most-poets-revisions-are-disastrous-they-buckle-and-dent-what-was/) [Michael Longley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-longley/) > [In a way, if we want to make the postseason, we feel like we have to win out. We have got some good games…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cartier-martin/in-a-way-if-we-want-to-make-the-postseason-we-feel-like-we-have-to/) [Cartier Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cartier-martin/) > [I can see the character in a photograph, in the way a guy stands or holds his hands, the way he buckles his belt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-gere/i-can-see-the-character-in-a-photograph-in-the-way-a-guy-stands-or/) [Richard Gere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-gere/) > [I love to accent movement. The eye goes to where the white is - you know, the glove. And the feet, if you're dancing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-love-to-accent-movement-the-eye-goes-to-where-the-white-is-you-know/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [By the grace of God alone, I was able to still focus, when it was time for me to do my job, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginuwine/by-the-grace-of-god-alone-i-was-able-to-still-focus-when-it-was-time/) [Ginuwine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginuwine/) > [I keep mementos from everything I've done. I've got my cab driver's license from 'Happiness.' I've got a pair of glasses and a belt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-harris/i-keep-mementos-from-everything-i-ve-done-i-ve-got-my-cab-driver-s/) [Jared Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-harris/) ## More by Mickey Rourke > [People ask me about that all the time. They say, "Did you ever think of directing?" And I say, "It's completely out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/people-ask-me-about-that-all-the-time-they-say-did-you-ever-think-of/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [Since I knew wrestling was all choreographed, I thought, Oh, they don't get hurt at all. But I walked away with a renewed respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/since-i-knew-wrestling-was-all-choreographed-i-thought-oh-they-don-t/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [Hollywood's famous for putting you in a box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/hollywood-s-famous-for-putting-you-in-a-box/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [Actors should shut up about politics. They tend to be ill-informed finger-pointers who just cosy up to some flavour of-the-month liberal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/actors-should-shut-up-about-politics-they-tend-to-be-ill-informed/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I spent a lot of years trying to beat the system and, in the end, the system kicked my behind good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-spent-a-lot-of-years-trying-to-beat-the-system-and-in-the-end-the/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I couldn't direct traffic. It's hard enough just acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-couldn-t-direct-traffic-it-s-hard-enough-just-acting/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [In order to understand the stock market we have to realize that, like anything enormous and inert, it's fundamentally stable, and, like anything emotion-driven,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/in-order-to-understand-the-stock-market-we-have-to-realize-that-like/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I thought my talent would transcend my outspokenness. I was wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-thought-my-talent-would-transcend-my-outspokenness-i-was-wrong/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I was very immature when I was young, and for me there was no balance. Everything was just all or nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-was-very-immature-when-i-was-young-and-for-me-there-was-no-balance/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I never look backwards. I have always been an athlete. I boxed before I acted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-never-look-backwards-i-have-always-been-an-athlete-i-boxed-before-i/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [Wrestling and boxing is like Ping-Pong and rugby. There's no connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/wrestling-and-boxing-is-like-ping-pong-and-rugby-there-s-no-connection/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [Where I come from, being a hard man is being able to take a good beating and then get back up again and carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/where-i-come-from-being-a-hard-man-is-being-able-to-take-a-good/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I used to love playing football in high school. I played with the same guys for 10 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-used-to-love-playing-football-in-high-school-i-played-with-the-same/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [Sometimes the independent movies can get a little too arty-farty. You watch the IFC Channel and you want to throw up. You don't always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/sometimes-the-independent-movies-can-get-a-little-too-arty-farty-you/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [I behaved worse than anybody for 15 years, and you have to pay the price for that. I used to blame other people, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-behaved-worse-than-anybody-for-15-years-and-you-have-to-pay-the/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) [Explore all 106 Mickey Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) ## 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. 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