--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was 16 when I quit gymnastics and…" description: "\"I was 16 when I quit gymnastics and decided to start acting. I started booking immediately after. I was very lucky and fortunate, but I also did the ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/nina-dobrev-4666_acting_i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-deci_2370006.jpg" --- # I was 16 when I quit gymnastics and decided to start… ![“I was 16 when I quit gymnastics and decided to start acting. I started booking immediately after. I was very lucky and fortunate, but I also did the hard work. Half of it's hard work and half of it's luck. It's been working out so far. Fingers crossed for the future.” quote by Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/nina-dobrev-4666_acting_i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-deci_2370006.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/nina-dobrev-4666_acting_i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-deci_2370006.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/nina-dobrev-4666_acting_i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-deci_2370006.jpg) > “I was 16 when I quit gymnastics and decided to start acting. I started booking immediately after. I was very lucky and fortunate, but I also did the hard work. Half of it's hard work and half of it's luck. It's been working out so far. Fingers crossed for the future.” [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success often blends effort and chance; hard work prepares you to seize opportunities when luck appears. **In simple terms:** Hard work plus luck leads to success. Key Takeaway Combine preparation with openness to chance. Themes career luck effort opportunity resilience Mood optimistic determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - audition preparation - career transition - entrepreneurial ventures - creative projects Key Concepts probability skill development networking Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance preparation with openness to chance? - What role does luck play in your field? A Different Perspective Luck alone isn’t enough; without effort, opportunities fade. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Fingers crossed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingers-crossed/) [Gymnastics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gymnastics/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) ## Related quotes > [I was a rhythmic and athletic gymnast for a little while. Then, when I quit gymnastics, I fell in love with yoga. So sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-was-a-rhythmic-and-athletic-gymnast-for-a-little-while-then-when-i/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [Up to nineteen seventy six when I quit gymnastics I was very, disappointed because I didn't have anything which is, live with. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-korbut/up-to-nineteen-seventy-six-when-i-quit-gymnastics-i-was-very/) [Olga Korbut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-korbut/) > [I didn't even want to start acting when I started. At least, I never thought about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taissa-farmiga/i-didn-t-even-want-to-start-acting-when-i-started-at-least-i-never/) [Taissa Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taissa-farmiga/) > [I'd been an actor my whole life, since I was a kid. And then, I quit for awhile and went to university. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-d-been-an-actor-my-whole-life-since-i-was-a-kid-and-then-i-quit-for/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [When I first started out on the soap, I was more theatrical, like a stage actor, a little bigger than life. As I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-wise/when-i-first-started-out-on-the-soap-i-was-more-theatrical-like-a/) [Ray Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-wise/) > [I never thought about acting before I started modeling, but since then I've been in short films and music videos, and I got interested.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rila-fukushima/i-never-thought-about-acting-before-i-started-modeling-but-since-then/) [Rila Fukushima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rila-fukushima/) > [I felt that I was forgetting about all of the stresses when I was acting, and that's when I started thinking more seriously about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seo-in-guk/i-felt-that-i-was-forgetting-about-all-of-the-stresses-when-i-was/) [Seo In-guk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seo-in-guk/) > [I've always loved comedy and growing up it was the comedies that I really responded to. So I don't know how it turned out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-buscemi/i-ve-always-loved-comedy-and-growing-up-it-was-the-comedies-that-i/) [Steve Buscemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-buscemi/) > [I don't know that I had context for being trans until I moved to Rochester, New York, to pursue my dream of acting, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelica-ross/i-don-t-know-that-i-had-context-for-being-trans-until-i-moved-to/) [Angelica Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelica-ross/) > [I hardly knew anything when I first arrived. I had to learn how to act as I went along. After about a year I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-george/i-hardly-knew-anything-when-i-first-arrived-i-had-to-learn-how-to-act/) [Melissa George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-george/) > [I was always drawn to performing, but I never thought I could. I have no idea what I wanted to do outside of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-was-always-drawn-to-performing-but-i-never-thought-i-could-i-have/) [Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/) > [My path to acting started with watching a lot of movies, because I grew up in a very rural place, that was snowed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-gladstone/my-path-to-acting-started-with-watching-a-lot-of-movies-because-i/) [Lily Gladstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-gladstone/) > [My acting started with musicals in elementary school, so singing is something I've always done, never done professionally - so you're not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-snyder/my-acting-started-with-musicals-in-elementary-school-so-singing-is/) [Clayton Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clayton-snyder/) > [I grew up near the University of Michigan, so we'd sneak into college parties. That's where my acting started - lying about the professors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mircea-monroe/i-grew-up-near-the-university-of-michigan-so-we-d-sneak-into-college/) [Mircea Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mircea-monroe/) > [I was ashamed to admit I was hipped to the idea of acting. That's why I started in with the props.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-was-ashamed-to-admit-i-was-hipped-to-the-idea-of-acting-that-s-why/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) ## More by Nina Dobrev > [Every role is a challenge.I want to keep doing everything I want to try to do things that aren't similar to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/every-role-is-a-challenge-i-want-to-keep-doing-everything-i-want-to/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I love playing confused, broken characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-love-playing-confused-broken-characters/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I want to do things where the talent range is difficult and that scare me. I thrive on that; if it's not scaring me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-want-to-do-things-where-the-talent-range-is-difficult-and-that/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [Yoga changed my body 100 percent. It tones everything and leans you out. Dancer's pose is amazing. It works every muscle!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/yoga-changed-my-body-100-percent-it-tones-everything-and-leans-you/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [My goal on the show was to be professional. But sometimes you cant help who you have a connection with, and you can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/my-goal-on-the-show-was-to-be-professional-but-sometimes-you-cant/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I could be a yoga instructor. I'm not certified, but I could do it. Once I did a class where the instructor didn't show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-could-be-a-yoga-instructor-i-m-not-certified-but-i-could-do-it-once/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I am a fan of the vampire shows, especially 'True Blood.' I'm obsessed with it. I got to meet the entire cast at Comic-Con…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-am-a-fan-of-the-vampire-shows-especially-true-blood-i-m-obsessed/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I love fashion, and I love clothes, and so collaborating and putting pieces together is a passion that I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-love-fashion-and-i-love-clothes-and-so-collaborating-and-putting/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [Actually... I'm starting a new thing and rebelling against ridiculously high heels. It's inhumane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/actually-i-m-starting-a-new-thing-and-rebelling-against-ridiculously/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [To be honest, I don't watch a lot of TV. It's kind of ironic because I'm on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/to-be-honest-i-don-t-watch-a-lot-of-tv-it-s-kind-of-ironic-because-i/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I mean everybody's got ex-boyfriends and girlfriends. Everybody's got baggage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-mean-everybody-s-got-ex-boyfriends-and-girlfriends-everybody-s-got/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [Cole Haan is like high fashion Nike, so you feel like you're wearing Nike shoes, but you're wearing heels. Every time I'm on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/cole-haan-is-like-high-fashion-nike-so-you-feel-like-you-re-wearing/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [Wash your face at the end of the night! There's nothing worse than sleeping in makeup. You wake up looking like a painting that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/wash-your-face-at-the-end-of-the-night-there-s-nothing-worse-than/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [I think that when people start hanging around each other, they start to pick on on each other's quirks and taste in music, apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-think-that-when-people-start-hanging-around-each-other-they-start/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) > [When we do get a little time off, I tend to watch movies, go to dinners, and keep it low-key.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/when-we-do-get-a-little-time-off-i-tend-to-watch-movies-go-to-dinners/) [Nina Dobrev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) [Explore all 107 Nina Dobrev quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/) ## 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 > [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 was 16 when I quit gymnastics and decided to start acting. I started booking immediately after. I was very lucky and fortunate, but I also did the hard work. Half of it's hard work and half of it's luck. It's been working out so far. Fingers crossed for the future.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nina Dobrev" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-decided-to-start-acting-i-started/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-decided-to-start-acting-i-started/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/nina-dobrev-4666_acting_i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-deci_2370006.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/nina-dobrev-4666_acting_i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-deci_2370006.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ad/nina-dobrev-4666_acting_i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-deci_2370006.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was 16 when I quit gymnastics and decided to start acting. I started booking immediately after. I was very…” — Nina Dobrev", "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": "Nina Dobrev", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-dobrev/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was 16 when I quit...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-decided-to-start-acting-i-started/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-dobrev/i-was-16-when-i-quit-gymnastics-and-decided-to-start-acting-i-started/#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 } } ] } ```