--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never been career-oriented. Did I…" description: "\"I've never been career-oriented. Did I ever want to be a star? What's a star? Is that something in the heavens? That's the only definition that comes t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/pernell-roberts-22490_goals_i-ve-never-been-career-oriented-did-i-ev_1942130.jpg" --- # I've never been career-oriented. Did I ever want to be a… ![“I've never been career-oriented. Did I ever want to be a star? What's a star? Is that something in the heavens? That's the only definition that comes to my mind. And the most important goals in my life have been to move gently, to be at ease with the mystery of what it's all about.” quote by Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/pernell-roberts-22490_goals_i-ve-never-been-career-oriented-did-i-ev_1942130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/pernell-roberts-22490_goals_i-ve-never-been-career-oriented-did-i-ev_1942130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/128/pernell-roberts-22490_goals_i-ve-never-been-career-oriented-did-i-ev_1942130.jpg) > “I've never been career-oriented. Did I ever want to be a star? What's a star? Is that something in the heavens? That's the only definition that comes to my mind. And the most important goals in my life have been to move gently, to be at ease with the mystery of what it's all about.” [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker questions conventional ambition, preferring gentle living and mystery over fame and clear goals. **In simple terms:** Questioning fame, valuing simplicity and mystery. Key Takeaway Embrace calm curiosity over societal pressure. Themes self‑reflection purpose contentment Mood contemplative calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - spiritual practice - creative pursuits - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism minimalism Questions to Reflect On - What does “moving gently” mean to you? - How can mystery be a guiding principle? A Different Perspective May lack direction for concrete achievements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mystery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystery/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/star/) ## Related quotes > [I appreciate the idea that anybody would think of me as a star. But I'm really not career oriented in the sense that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/i-appreciate-the-idea-that-anybody-would-think-of-me-as-a-star-but-i/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [I want to be an all-star. It's something I've dreamed of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jrue-holiday/i-want-to-be-an-all-star-it-s-something-i-ve-dreamed-of/) [Jrue Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jrue-holiday/) > [I'm not a star, and I don't want to be a star. Stars fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/i-m-not-a-star-and-i-don-t-want-to-be-a-star-stars-fall/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [I want to be a star; yes, that's everyone's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-rajesh/i-want-to-be-a-star-yes-that-s-everyone-s-dream/) [Aishwarya Rajesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-rajesh/) > [If you just want to be a star, go away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-lewis/if-you-just-want-to-be-a-star-go-away/) [Jenifer Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-lewis/) > [I want to be a star. It doesn't mean that I'll act any less. My performance will be at par, but I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taapsee-pannu/i-want-to-be-a-star-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i-ll-act-any-less-my/) [Taapsee Pannu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taapsee-pannu/) > [People who want to be a star get their teeth capped. People who want to be an actor get to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ross/people-who-want-to-be-a-star-get-their-teeth-capped-people-who-want/) [Gary Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ross/) > [I am not in a hurry, I don't want to become a star overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koena-mitra/i-am-not-in-a-hurry-i-don-t-want-to-become-a-star-overnight/) [Koena Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koena-mitra/) > [From the beginning of The Hills, I was very career-oriented. I had had a boyfriend for the first year and a half, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-port/from-the-beginning-of-the-hills-i-was-very-career-oriented-i-had-had/) [Whitney Port](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-port/) > [I am not very career-oriented. I have a life and a career. I am not at all career-oriented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-mishra/i-am-not-very-career-oriented-i-have-a-life-and-a-career-i-am-not-at/) [Sanjay Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-mishra/) > [I'm not particularly a career-oriented guy. I'm lucky. I can make really interesting films much of the time with interesting people yet be anonymous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aidan-quinn/i-m-not-particularly-a-career-oriented-guy-i-m-lucky-i-can-make/) [Aidan Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aidan-quinn/) > [When you're a very career-oriented woman, sometimes you don't have as much time to go meet all kinds of guys. You're a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piper-perabo/when-you-re-a-very-career-oriented-woman-sometimes-you-don-t-have-as/) [Piper Perabo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piper-perabo/) > [Career is a part of my life... But my life is main for me, I want to die in peace... by making people laugh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-mishra/career-is-a-part-of-my-life-but-my-life-is-main-for-me-i-want-to-die/) [Sanjay Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-mishra/) > [I want to sit and be less career oriented. Snowboard, dirt bike, mountain bike, surf. Just be human. To me, that's an important part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-lewis/i-want-to-sit-and-be-less-career-oriented-snowboard-dirt-bike/) [Jason Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-lewis/) > [I was never career-oriented, not in the way other heroines are. Of course, I took my work seriously. But I never solicited work and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/namrata-shirodkar/i-was-never-career-oriented-not-in-the-way-other-heroines-are-of/) [Namrata Shirodkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/namrata-shirodkar/) ## More by Pernell Roberts > [There has been an obvious effort to play it safe, to make 'Bonanza' a good family show that would offend no one and hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/there-has-been-an-obvious-effort-to-play-it-safe-to-make-bonanza-a/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [I take parts when I feel like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/i-take-parts-when-i-feel-like-it/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [My problems with 'Bonanza' were problems of communication. What we discussed would be, never was. I thought it would be a sophisticated show. Instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/my-problems-with-bonanza-were-problems-of-communication-what-we/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [When money becomes more important than any other standard, then we're all in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/when-money-becomes-more-important-than-any-other-standard-then-we-re/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [I've worked a lot in Europe, particularly Spain, which I like very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/i-ve-worked-a-lot-in-europe-particularly-spain-which-i-like-very-much/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [I wanted to work strictly as a freelance actor, and that's the way it turned out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/i-wanted-to-work-strictly-as-a-freelance-actor-and-that-s-the-way-it/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [When I finish a movie, I get in my camper and drive around the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/when-i-finish-a-movie-i-get-in-my-camper-and-drive-around-the-country/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [As you decline in years, you decline in the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/as-you-decline-in-years-you-decline-in-the-marketplace/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [I am living with my limitations and have no intention of becoming a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/i-am-living-with-my-limitations-and-have-no-intention-of-becoming-a/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [I was so unhappy during the last months on 'Bonanza' I was really neurotic. I was anti-social.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/i-was-so-unhappy-during-the-last-months-on-bonanza-i-was-really/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [As we get older, we become more political in terms of survival. We realize a certain amount of cunning is necessary and that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/as-we-get-older-we-become-more-political-in-terms-of-survival-we/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [How much does one person need to live? I've never needed or wanted that much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/how-much-does-one-person-need-to-live-i-ve-never-needed-or-wanted/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [Materialism isn't the panacea that so many people think it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/materialism-isn-t-the-panacea-that-so-many-people-think-it-is/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [I stay out of typecasting ruts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/i-stay-out-of-typecasting-ruts/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) > [Money Isn't that important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pernell-roberts/money-isn-t-that-important-to-me/) [Pernell Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) [Explore all 27 Pernell Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pernell-roberts/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [There are so many things you can do with your life, you can go to school and study toward your career, you can become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/there-are-so-many-things-you-can-do-with-your-life-you-can-go-to/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [I always knew I wanted to have a good career, so I made it happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-have-a-good-career-so-i-made-it-happen/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I am a very big fan of Brian Eno, of his work as an artist and making his music, and as a producer. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-doubleday/growing-up-i-did-commercials-and-things-like-that-but-nothing-serious/) [Portia Doubleday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-doubleday/) > [You can have a career and kids who love you. But you have to nurture yourself and find a way to be fulfilled so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-reitman/you-can-have-a-career-and-kids-who-love-you-but-you-have-to-nurture/) [Catherine Reitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-reitman/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Even though I'm already successful and have a career, it is always good to have your eggs in more than one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farrah-abraham/even-though-i-m-already-successful-and-have-a-career-it-is-always/) [Farrah Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farrah-abraham/) [Browse all 11,387 Career quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never been career-oriented. Did I ever want to be a star? What's a star? Is that something in the heavens? That's the only definition that comes to my mind. 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