--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting is the only thing I ever really…" description: "\"Acting is the only thing I ever really wanted to do, and I'm really ill-prepared to do anything else.\" — Nikki Cox" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/nikki-cox-20803_acting_acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-w_3157412.png" --- # Acting is the only thing I ever really wanted to do, and… ![“Acting is the only thing I ever really wanted to do, and I'm really ill-prepared to do anything else.” quote by Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/nikki-cox-20803_acting_acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-w_3157412.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/nikki-cox-20803_acting_acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-w_3157412.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/nikki-cox-20803_acting_acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-w_3157412.png) > “Acting is the only thing I ever really wanted to do, and I'm really ill-prepared to do anything else.” [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She expresses that acting is her true passion, while feeling unprepared for other paths. **In simple terms:** Acting is her passion, other jobs feel uncertain. Key Takeaway Embrace your passion despite uncertainty. Themes passion career identity self‑doubt Mood determined reflective Type personal motivational When to use this quote - career decisions - skill development - risk taking Key Concepts vocational calling personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - How can you prepare for alternative careers? - What steps can you take to strengthen your acting skills? A Different Perspective Passion may not guarantee success without preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-thing-384735/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Ill Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill-prepared-337126/) [Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared/) [Really Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-ill-1341896/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [Heads of state are notoriously ill prepared for their mature careers; think of Adolf Hitler (landscape painter), Ho Chi Minh (seaman), and our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/heads-of-state-are-notoriously-ill-prepared-for-their-mature-careers/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [Dad didn't earn a big wage but even if he was really ill he'd go to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/dad-didn-t-earn-a-big-wage-but-even-if-he-was-really-ill-he-d-go-to/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [I think maybe when you live with someone who is really very ill for a long time, it somehow gives you more of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigella-lawson/i-think-maybe-when-you-live-with-someone-who-is-really-very-ill-for-a/) [Nigella Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigella-lawson/) > [“You know, it’s how you feel about someone being really ill that tells you whether you love them. Not whether you enjoy sex with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-lane-mat-joiner/you-know-it-s-how-you-feel-about-someone-being-really-ill-that-tells/) [Joel Lane, Mat Joiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-lane-mat-joiner/) > [My body started to shut down. I got really, really ill. When you're starving yourself, you can't concentrate. I was like a walking zombie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-gold/my-body-started-to-shut-down-i-got-really-really-ill-when-you-re/) [Tracey Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-gold/) > [I was really ill growing up as my body was rejecting everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mckenna/i-was-really-ill-growing-up-as-my-body-was-rejecting-everything/) [Megan McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mckenna/) > [This loss of power shows how ill prepared I am for a zombie takeover or purge situation...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-loss-of-power-shows-how-ill-prepared-i-am-for-a-zombie-takeover/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Which brings us to one of my core management beliefs: If you don’t try to uncover what is unseen and understand its nature, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/which-brings-us-to-one-of-my-core-management-beliefs-if-you-don-t-try/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [“Life has ill-prepared me for finding any enjoyment in a press of merrymakers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-r-king/life-has-ill-prepared-me-for-finding-any-enjoyment-in-a-press-of/) [Laurie R. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-r-king/) > [“one of my core management beliefs: If you don’t try to uncover what is unseen and understand its nature, you will be ill prepared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/one-of-my-core-management-beliefs-if-you-don-t-try-to-uncover-what-is/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [Expecting hell, we're ill prepared for heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shalom-auslander/expecting-hell-we-re-ill-prepared-for-heaven/) [Shalom Auslander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shalom-auslander/) > [I never considered I might make a career out of writing as I was going to school, so when I did turn my attentions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/i-never-considered-i-might-make-a-career-out-of-writing-as-i-was/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“Look how many of our young are ill prepared to enter adult life today. This was designed by progressives to create government dependency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/look-how-many-of-our-young-are-ill-prepared-to-enter-adult-life-today/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [I was pregnant and nursing most of the years I was at 24 Sussex. I was ill-prepared and hardly even knew my husband, let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-trudeau/i-was-pregnant-and-nursing-most-of-the-years-i-was-at-24-sussex-i-was/) [Margaret Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-trudeau/) > [“If you don’t try to uncover what is unseen and understand its nature, you will be ill prepared to lead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/if-you-don-t-try-to-uncover-what-is-unseen-and-understand-its-nature/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) ## More by Nikki Cox > [For me, I've worked hard for people to think I'm funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/for-me-i-ve-worked-hard-for-people-to-think-i-m-funny/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [To be perfectly honest, drama is a lot simpler than comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/to-be-perfectly-honest-drama-is-a-lot-simpler-than-comedy/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [I was really, really, really skinny. Great big mouth on a little face. Just goofy-looking. More goofy than I am now. Really goofy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/i-was-really-really-really-skinny-great-big-mouth-on-a-little-face/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [This is not what I want to do with my life, and I don't think it's the right way to a long-lasting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/this-is-not-what-i-want-to-do-with-my-life-and-i-don-t-think-it-s-the/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [When all of a sudden, people say, 'Wow, you look nice,' and carry on, it's shocking. Really awkward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/when-all-of-a-sudden-people-say-wow-you-look-nice-and-carry-on-it-s/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [All that some actresses want is for people to take them seriously instead of caring about how they look. For me, Ive worked hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/all-that-some-actresses-want-is-for-people-to-take-them-seriously/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [All that some actresses want is for people to take them seriously instead of caring about how they look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/all-that-some-actresses-want-is-for-people-to-take-them-seriously-2/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [Mary and I look eerily similar but other than that, the differences are pretty much night and day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/mary-and-i-look-eerily-similar-but-other-than-that-the-differences/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [I'm hardly famous. I wouldn't want to trade places with anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/i-m-hardly-famous-i-wouldn-t-want-to-trade-places-with-anyone-else/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [You're asking the wrong girl about fame. I'm hardly famous. I wouldn't want to trade places with anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/you-re-asking-the-wrong-girl-about-fame-i-m-hardly-famous-i-wouldn-t/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [Filming scenes like that are always odd but I feel comfortable with Josh and care about him a great deal, so it could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/filming-scenes-like-that-are-always-odd-but-i-feel-comfortable-with/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [The only other thing that interested me as a kid was being a bricklayer. So if I hadn't become an actress, I would probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/the-only-other-thing-that-interested-me-as-a-kid-was-being-a/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [I've always wanted to appear in a 3-D Movie, that's always been a goal of mine. If you appear in a 3-D picture you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/i-ve-always-wanted-to-appear-in-a-3-d-movie-that-s-always-been-a-goal/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [The only thing better than succeeding is watching people you know fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/the-only-thing-better-than-succeeding-is-watching-people-you-know-fail/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) > [I'm not going to lie, there's a gross part of my ego that was terrifically flattered, a 16-year-old kid who all her life had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/i-m-not-going-to-lie-there-s-a-gross-part-of-my-ego-that-was/) [Nikki Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) [Explore all 30 Nikki Cox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/) ## 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": "Acting is the only thing I ever really wanted to do, and I'm really ill-prepared to do anything else.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nikki Cox" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-wanted-to-do-and-i-m-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-wanted-to-do-and-i-m-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/nikki-cox-20803_acting_acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-w_3157412.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/nikki-cox-20803_acting_acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-w_3157412.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d87/nikki-cox-20803_acting_acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-w_3157412.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Acting is the only thing I ever really wanted to do, and I'm really ill-prepared to do anything else.” — Nikki Cox", "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": "Nikki Cox", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-cox/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Acting is the only thing I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-wanted-to-do-and-i-m-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-cox/acting-is-the-only-thing-i-ever-really-wanted-to-do-and-i-m-really/#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 } } ] } ```