--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To me, the most important thing in life…" description: "\"To me, the most important thing in life is to be a human being. Second is acting.\" — Peter Stormare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/peter-stormare-15713_acting_to-me-the-most-important-thing-in-life-i_52777.jpg" --- # To me, the most important thing in life is to be a human… ![“To me, the most important thing in life is to be a human being. Second is acting.” quote by Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/peter-stormare-15713_acting_to-me-the-most-important-thing-in-life-i_52777.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/peter-stormare-15713_acting_to-me-the-most-important-thing-in-life-i_52777.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77c/peter-stormare-15713_acting_to-me-the-most-important-thing-in-life-i_52777.jpg) > “To me, the most important thing in life is to be a human being. Second is acting.” [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The core of existence is authentic humanity; purposeful action follows as a secondary, but essential, expression of that humanity. **In simple terms:** Humanity first, action second. Key Takeaway Be genuine before you act. Themes authenticity purpose human nature action values existentialism Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership decisions - ethical dilemmas - creative projects - team collaboration Key Concepts identity agency moral philosophy Practical Applications - self‑development workshops - leadership training Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be truly human? - How can actions reflect authentic values? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [The most important thing you do in your life is to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/the-most-important-thing-you-do-in-your-life-is-to-die/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [Being a father is my the most important thing in my life. I'm human, and I make plenty of mistakes, but being a positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/being-a-father-is-my-the-most-important-thing-in-my-life-i-m-human/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [I have the luxury of being a little boy... To me, the most important thing in life is to be a human being. Second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-have-the-luxury-of-being-a-little-boy-to-me-the-most-important/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [The most important thing in life..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-copperfield/the-most-important-thing-in-life/) [David Copperfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-copperfield/) > [My son is the most important thing in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-lamela/my-son-is-the-most-important-thing-in-my-life/) [Erik Lamela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-lamela/) > [The most important thing in life is what to do to how to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/the-most-important-thing-in-life-is-what-to-do-to-how-to-live/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [“Family is the most important thing in this life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-m-mullen/family-is-the-most-important-thing-in-this-life/) [Shannon M Mullen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-m-mullen/) > [Most important thing in life is learning how to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/most-important-thing-in-life-is-learning-how-to-fall/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Enthusiasm is the most important thing in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/enthusiasm-is-the-most-important-thing-in-life/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [The right to life is the first human right. Abortion is killing someone that cannot defend him or herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-right-to-life-is-the-first-human-right-abortion-is-killing/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The most important thing in life is human affection. Without it one cannot achieve genuine happiness. And if we want a happier life, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-most-important-thing-in-life-is-human-affection-without-it-one/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Every day, people settle for less than they deserve. They are only partially living or at best living a partial life. Every human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-bennett/every-day-people-settle-for-less-than-they-deserve-they-are-only/) [Bo Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-bennett/) > [My life as a human was over, but I never felt so alive. i was born to be a vampire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephaine-meyer/my-life-as-a-human-was-over-but-i-never-felt-so-alive-i-was-born-to/) Stephaine Meyer > [If one wants to lead a good life, A HUMAN LIFE, one must work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/if-one-wants-to-lead-a-good-life-a-human-life-one-must-work/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [The life of an entrepreneur is the life of a human. Some days are amazing. Some days are a struggle. A lot are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-dunn/the-life-of-an-entrepreneur-is-the-life-of-a-human-some-days-are/) [Andy Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-dunn/) ## More by Peter Stormare > [In my career, I've been lucky to do the bad guys that are more interesting, where the audience wants to spend more time with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/in-my-career-i-ve-been-lucky-to-do-the-bad-guys-that-are-more/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [With my characters, I prefer to not say too much, and in fact, I tend to cut down some of the lines in most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/with-my-characters-i-prefer-to-not-say-too-much-and-in-fact-i-tend-to/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I drive one car. I own one house. That's enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-drive-one-car-i-own-one-house-that-s-enough-for-me/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I started as a director very young and fell into acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-started-as-a-director-very-young-and-fell-into-acting/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I don't personally like slasher movies that make you scream in the movie theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-don-t-personally-like-slasher-movies-that-make-you-scream-in-the/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [There are some movies that I remember a couple of seconds and I want to carry those couple of seconds in my heart forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/there-are-some-movies-that-i-remember-a-couple-of-seconds-and-i-want/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [The best paycheck you can get as a producer and creator is when people are happy to be on the show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/the-best-paycheck-you-can-get-as-a-producer-and-creator-is-when/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I like the clowns from the circus that have more paint on their face. They were all funny and made me laugh. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-like-the-clowns-from-the-circus-that-have-more-paint-on-their-face/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [People who are registered to vote should vote. I vote all the time. If I'm not in the country, I do it over mail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/people-who-are-registered-to-vote-should-vote-i-vote-all-the-time-if/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I started as a director, but I was too bored with actors. I preferred to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-started-as-a-director-but-i-was-too-bored-with-actors-i-preferred/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [I've been very lucky and fortunate to meet people that are very inspirational in their spirits, too, and not just as filmmakers - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/i-ve-been-very-lucky-and-fortunate-to-meet-people-that-are-very/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [If I had the money, I would love to open up a movie theater that just played images and colors and beautiful music. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/if-i-had-the-money-i-would-love-to-open-up-a-movie-theater-that-just/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [Sometimes you have to trust your guts and your instinct and improvise a little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/sometimes-you-have-to-trust-your-guts-and-your-instinct-and-improvise/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [Since I started, like, 200 years ago, I've always wanted to direct and write. But I've been so busy - and fortunate and lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/since-i-started-like-200-years-ago-i-ve-always-wanted-to-direct-and/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) > [Steve Buscemi, in between takes, becomes like a clam. It's hard to get a word out of him. It's very funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-stormare/steve-buscemi-in-between-takes-becomes-like-a-clam-it-s-hard-to-get-a/) [Peter Stormare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) [Explore all 42 Peter Stormare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-stormare/) ## 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": "To me, the most important thing in life is to be a human being. 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