--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes it's like teaching a kid how to…" description: "\"Sometimes it's like teaching a kid how to swim; sometimes you throw them in the deep end and tell them, 'Don't die. Keep moving your arms.' It's kind o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/paul-walter-hauser-9608_acting_sometimes-it-s-like-teaching-a-kid-how-t_2796556.jpg" --- # Sometimes it's like teaching a kid how to swim; sometimes… ![“Sometimes it's like teaching a kid how to swim; sometimes you throw them in the deep end and tell them, 'Don't die. Keep moving your arms.' It's kind of like that with acting sometimes, where there's a lot of trust afforded.” quote by Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/paul-walter-hauser-9608_acting_sometimes-it-s-like-teaching-a-kid-how-t_2796556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/paul-walter-hauser-9608_acting_sometimes-it-s-like-teaching-a-kid-how-t_2796556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/paul-walter-hauser-9608_acting_sometimes-it-s-like-teaching-a-kid-how-t_2796556.jpg) > “Sometimes it's like teaching a kid how to swim; sometimes you throw them in the deep end and tell them, 'Don't die. Keep moving your arms.' It's kind of like that with acting sometimes, where there's a lot of trust afforded.” [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting requires trust and willingness to take risks, even when guidance feels harsh. **In simple terms:** Acting needs trust and risk. Key Takeaway Embrace risky practice with trust. Themes trust risk learning performance coaching Mood nervous determined Type motivational practical When to use this quote - audition prep - stage rehearsal - film set - improv class Key Concepts psychology skill acquisition confidence building Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance trust and safety? - When is pushing too far? A Different Perspective Too much pressure can cause burnout or injury. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trust/) ## Related quotes > [For me dancing is not just moving your arms and legs but basically it's a very spiritual experience. It's part of me and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-me-dancing-is-not-just-moving-your-arms-and-legs-but-basically-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like acting a lot, but it's not something I get out of bed for every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-russo/i-like-acting-a-lot-but-it-s-not-something-i-get-out-of-bed-for-every/) [Joe Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-russo/) > [I don't concern myself with thinking ahead to the finished product. I focus more specifically on what the character is experiencing. Once you relieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-don-t-concern-myself-with-thinking-ahead-to-the-finished-product-i/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [You know how when you read a book and it becomes a movie, and it's different than you pictured? In some ways, acting is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-saylor/you-know-how-when-you-read-a-book-and-it-becomes-a-movie-and-it-s/) [Morgan Saylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-saylor/) > [I acted professionally for about eight years, and I was writing all that time but never showed anybody any of it. There just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-acted-professionally-for-about-eight-years-and-i-was-writing-all/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [Stand-up comedy is a lot about amplifying emotions and situations; movie acting has a lot to do with mellowing things down and making them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vir-das/stand-up-comedy-is-a-lot-about-amplifying-emotions-and-situations/) [Vir Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vir-das/) > [Modeling stuff is cool - obviously you get to travel and wear cool clothes, take cool pictures, meet cool people - but for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hero-fiennes-tiffin/modeling-stuff-is-cool-obviously-you-get-to-travel-and-wear-cool/) [Hero Fiennes-Tiffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hero-fiennes-tiffin/) > [I don't mean to put acting down - it's a lot of fun but you can't take it seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-don-t-mean-to-put-acting-down-it-s-a-lot-of-fun-but-you-can-t-take/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [I love acting and I have a lot of fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/i-love-acting-and-i-have-a-lot-of-fun/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [I'm acting a lot when I'm writing for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sia/i-m-acting-a-lot-when-i-m-writing-for-other-people/) [Sia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sia/) > [There's a very fine line between underacting and not acting at all. And not acting is what a lot of actors are guilty of.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-blondell/there-s-a-very-fine-line-between-underacting-and-not-acting-at-all/) [Joan Blondell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-blondell/) > [I really don't like too much of the commercial acting in a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boban-marjanovic/i-really-don-t-like-too-much-of-the-commercial-acting-in-a-lot-of/) [Boban Marjanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boban-marjanovic/) > [I watched a film with a very famous, great, great actor, I won't mention his name because everyone loves his memory, but I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/i-watched-a-film-with-a-very-famous-great-great-actor-i-won-t-mention/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [Juilliard is wonderful in that they don't pick just one way of working. They give you a palette. There is method acting. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-camargo/juilliard-is-wonderful-in-that-they-don-t-pick-just-one-way-of/) [Christian Camargo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-camargo/) > [With acting, there are a lot of subtleties and non-verbals involved. If someone is over there, getting eaten by a shark, there's a non-verbal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgrath/with-acting-there-are-a-lot-of-subtleties-and-non-verbals-involved-if/) [Mark McGrath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgrath/) ## More by Paul Walter Hauser > [I think that I can do with the Penguin what Heath Ledger did with the Joker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/i-think-that-i-can-do-with-the-penguin-what-heath-ledger-did-with-the/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [Oh, boy, I love dogs. I do have a great affection for all things canine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/oh-boy-i-love-dogs-i-do-have-a-great-affection-for-all-things-canine/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [Keith Lee is one of the most fascinating, exciting people alive. The guy is the size of Dusty Rhodes, moves like a luchador and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/keith-lee-is-one-of-the-most-fascinating-exciting-people-alive-the/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [I, Tonya' is definitely a calling card for people in the industry to acknowledge who I am or the basis on which I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/i-tonya-is-definitely-a-calling-card-for-people-in-the-industry-to/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [I've been a fan of accents my whole life. I love trying to parrot or mimic voices that I hear every day, whether it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/i-ve-been-a-fan-of-accents-my-whole-life-i-love-trying-to-parrot-or/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [I've been turned down by so many things in Hollywood, and the world itself is only getting darker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/i-ve-been-turned-down-by-so-many-things-in-hollywood-and-the-world/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [Cruella' is its own movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/cruella-is-its-own-movie/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [The hope is that you're never pigeonholed, but at the same time I would have been content being a guy in the sitcom who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/the-hope-is-that-you-re-never-pigeonholed-but-at-the-same-time-i/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [Funny people come from all over. I think Michigan has dark humor on lock, though. Michigan, to me, is equal parts beautiful and noticeably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/funny-people-come-from-all-over-i-think-michigan-has-dark-humor-on/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [My background with AEW is just that, as a fan. I really signed on pretty hard early on. 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And that's why I believe in fate and believe in God. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/everyone-is-the-dude-or-woman-for-the-moment-they-re-in-sometimes-and/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) > [That's what I love about Richard - he has got this big heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-walter-hauser/that-s-what-i-love-about-richard-he-has-got-this-big-heart/) [Paul Walter Hauser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) [Explore all 71 Paul Walter Hauser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-walter-hauser/) ## 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": "Sometimes it's like teaching a kid how to swim; sometimes you throw them in the deep end and tell them, 'Don't die. Keep moving your arms.' 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