--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't decide that I want to be an…" description: "\"I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan was to pursue dance as a career.\" — Shakti Mohan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/shakti-mohan-6546_actor_i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-act_82932.jpg" --- # I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan… ![“I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan was to pursue dance as a career.” quote by Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/shakti-mohan-6546_actor_i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-act_82932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/shakti-mohan-6546_actor_i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-act_82932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/shakti-mohan-6546_actor_i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-act_82932.jpg) > “I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan was to pursue dance as a career.” [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a path based on genuine passion rather than a pre‑planned career trajectory, emphasizing authenticity over external expectations. **In simple terms:** Follow true passion, not a plan. Key Takeaway Authenticity beats preset goals. Themes self‑discovery career choice passion vs. plan authenticity personal growth Mood inspired reflective Type personal insight motivational When to use this quote - career crossroads - artistic pursuit - life‑changing decision Key Concepts identity motivation creative expression Practical Applications - career counseling - motivational speaking Questions to Reflect On - What does authenticity mean to you? - How can you align actions with inner drive? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Has there ever been a dance career with more ups and downs than Twyla Tharp's? Or with more varied ambitions? Or larger ambition?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/has-there-ever-been-a-dance-career-with-more-ups-and-downs-than-twyla/) [Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/) > [I had to take a decision. Do I pursue dance, my passion, or help my mother out? The movies beckoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/i-had-to-take-a-decision-do-i-pursue-dance-my-passion-or-help-my/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [When I graduated from high school, I made the decision to pursue my dance training in London, England. I was so scared at first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/when-i-graduated-from-high-school-i-made-the-decision-to-pursue-my/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [I started dancing at the age of three in my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, and it really was my sister's dream to pursue dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-stoner/i-started-dancing-at-the-age-of-three-in-my-hometown-of-toledo-ohio/) [Alyson Stoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-stoner/) > [“How can people decide who they want to spend the rest of their life with at this age? I can’t even decide what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/how-can-people-decide-who-they-want-to-spend-the-rest-of-their-life/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) > [I didn't decide to become a musician until the age of 15, which is quite late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/i-didn-t-decide-to-become-a-musician-until-the-age-of-15-which-is/) [Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/) > [I can't hit on women in public any more. I didn't decide this; it just doesn't feel right at my age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-can-t-hit-on-women-in-public-any-more-i-didn-t-decide-this-it-just/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [I didn't decide to be a photographer; I just happened to fall into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-just-happened-to-fall-into-it/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [I didn't 'decide' to write YA, per se. But every time I thought of a story, it featured characters 15, 16, 17.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-didn-t-decide-to-write-ya-per-se-but-every-time-i-thought-of-a/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [A common question asked of writers is "When did you decide to become a writer?" The answer, of course, is that we didn't decide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-higgins-clark/a-common-question-asked-of-writers-is-when-did-you-decide-to-become-a/) [Mary Higgins Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-higgins-clark/) > [“There’s always been someone watching the borders. They didn’t decide to. It was decided for them. Someone has to care. Sometimes, they have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-s-always-been-someone-watching-the-borders-they-didn-t-decide/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I didn't decide on what college I was going to go to until the day I had to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-rogers/i-didn-t-decide-on-what-college-i-was-going-to-go-to-until-the-day-i/) [Maggie Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-rogers/) > [“Why didn’t I decide to drink a glass of juice? The thought never occurred to me. Am I free to do that which does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/why-didn-t-i-decide-to-drink-a-glass-of-juice-the-thought-never/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [I didn't decide to be a character actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-character-actress/) [Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/) > [“It was then that she cut him off in midsentence and said that it was over. She said it with a certainty and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/it-was-then-that-she-cut-him-off-in-midsentence-and-said-that-it-was/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) ## More by Shakti Mohan > [During my college days, I was known more for my dancing than for acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/during-my-college-days-i-was-known-more-for-my-dancing-than-for-acting/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I want to take this art form to a whole new level in India so that kids say that they want to become dancers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-want-to-take-this-art-form-to-a-whole-new-level-in-india-so-that/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [Always wear what makes you comfortable. And when you are out shopping, make sure your bargaining skills are on point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/always-wear-what-makes-you-comfortable-and-when-you-are-out-shopping/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I wanted to curate a cosmetics line for years, but it needed to be credible and a game-changer of sorts, something that women around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-wanted-to-curate-a-cosmetics-line-for-years-but-it-needed-to-be/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I love doing it and I am very proud to call myself a dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-love-doing-it-and-i-am-very-proud-to-call-myself-a-dancer/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I would love to pursue other things only if they are related to dance, as I have always been passionate about dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-would-love-to-pursue-other-things-only-if-they-are-related-to-dance/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I am very fulfilled just dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-am-very-fulfilled-just-dancing/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I feel every day is a blessing because as I never expected to be where I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-feel-every-day-is-a-blessing-because-as-i-never-expected-to-be/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I wanted to be an IAS officer. Everything has happened by the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-wanted-to-be-an-ias-officer-everything-has-happened-by-the-way/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I have done masters in Political Science but deep down in my heart I wanted to be a dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-have-done-masters-in-political-science-but-deep-down-in-my-heart-i/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [In fact, all the Mohan sisters are very inclined when it comes to cosmetics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/in-fact-all-the-mohan-sisters-are-very-inclined-when-it-comes-to/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I am a vegetarian and not a foodie at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-am-a-vegetarian-and-not-a-foodie-at-all/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [Make-up is such a huge fragment of my career and image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/make-up-is-such-a-huge-fragment-of-my-career-and-image/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [When you are a dancer your body speaks, my body can express itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/when-you-are-a-dancer-your-body-speaks-my-body-can-express-itself/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [I want dance to emerge as a field where people can feel proud of being a dancer and they shouldn't feel the need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-want-dance-to-emerge-as-a-field-where-people-can-feel-proud-of/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) [Explore all 98 Shakti Mohan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) ## More Actor 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/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [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/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [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/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan was to pursue dance as a career.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shakti Mohan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-actor-because-my-plan-was-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-actor-because-my-plan-was-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/shakti-mohan-6546_actor_i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-act_82932.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/shakti-mohan-6546_actor_i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-act_82932.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea8/shakti-mohan-6546_actor_i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-act_82932.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan was to pursue dance as a career.” — Shakti Mohan", "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": "Shakti Mohan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I didn't decide that I want...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-actor-because-my-plan-was-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-actor-because-my-plan-was-to/#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 } } ] } ```