--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I'd succeeded right away at acting I…" description: "\"If I'd succeeded right away at acting I wouldn't have sought out writing.\" — Sylvester Stallone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/sylvester-stallone-966_acting_if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i_2110105.jpg" --- # If I'd succeeded right away at acting I wouldn't have… ![“If I'd succeeded right away at acting I wouldn't have sought out writing.” quote by Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/sylvester-stallone-966_acting_if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i_2110105.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/sylvester-stallone-966_acting_if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i_2110105.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/sylvester-stallone-966_acting_if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i_2110105.jpg) > “If I'd succeeded right away at acting I wouldn't have sought out writing.” [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success in one field can limit exploration of other talents, so early achievement may prevent later growth. **In simple terms:** Early success can block later learning. Key Takeaway Embrace early setbacks to discover new paths. Themes growth creativity career risk selfdiscovery Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - acting career - writing pursuits - career transitions - personal development Key Concepts versatility skilldevelopment identity motivation Questions to Reflect On - What talents might you have missed without early failure? - How can you turn early success into curiosity? A Different Perspective Success may create complacency, limiting future potential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [With acting, it wouldn't be about money: it would be about taking my life experiences and using them to create art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ren/with-acting-it-wouldn-t-be-about-money-it-would-be-about-taking-my/) [Alexis Ren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ren/) > [You shouldn't have to give things up for someone. If you love them someone, you should love them for everything they do and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-lohan/you-shouldn-t-have-to-give-things-up-for-someone-if-you-love-them/) [Lindsay Lohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-lohan/) > [I know that if I'd had to go and take an exam for acting, I wouldn't have got anywhere. You don't take exams for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-evans/i-know-that-if-i-d-had-to-go-and-take-an-exam-for-acting-i-wouldn-t/) [Edith Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-evans/) > [If I didn't get joy from acting, I wouldn't do it. My passion for acting is growing and I love telling good stories and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annasophia-robb/if-i-didn-t-get-joy-from-acting-i-wouldn-t-do-it-my-passion-for/) [AnnaSophia Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annasophia-robb/) > [My day job is acting - I wouldn't direct something if I didn't feel passionate about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-m-johnson/my-day-job-is-acting-i-wouldn-t-direct-something-if-i-didn-t-feel/) [Jake M. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-m-johnson/) > [I do a little bit of acting, but I wouldn't call myself an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-higa/i-do-a-little-bit-of-acting-but-i-wouldn-t-call-myself-an-actor/) [Ryan Higa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-higa/) > [I used to read a lot about myself and the projects I was doing. When I was only acting, I wouldn't read any reviews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-franco/i-used-to-read-a-lot-about-myself-and-the-projects-i-was-doing-when-i/) [James Franco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-franco/) > [If I tried acting,I wouldn't act broke cause it's never going to happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-kassim/if-i-tried-acting-i-wouldn-t-act-broke-cause-it-s-never-going-to/) Hussein Kassim > [I was lucky, and once I moved to L.A., I didn't have to get another job besides acting. But I wouldn't trade my previous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-was-lucky-and-once-i-moved-to-l-a-i-didn-t-have-to-get-another-job/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [I could act normal, but it would be acting and it wouldn't be normal!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-could-act-normal-but-it-would-be-acting-and-it-wouldn-t-be-normal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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 am not the richest, smartest or most talented person in the world, but I succeed because I keep going and going and going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-am-not-the-richest-smartest-or-most-talented-person-in-the-world/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Writing is the life blood of everything in Hollywood. Without writers, there are no scripts, no acting work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/writing-is-the-life-blood-of-everything-in-hollywood-without-writers/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Sylvester Stallone > [I think kids growing up, if they were picked on and feeling inferior at 12, they're going to feel that way at 72. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-kids-growing-up-if-they-were-picked-on-and-feeling-inferior/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I just like stories about redemption about getting a second chance at life, I think everyone in the world has a few major mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-just-like-stories-about-redemption-about-getting-a-second-chance-at/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I am not the richest, smartest or most talented person in the world, but I succeed because I keep going and going and going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-am-not-the-richest-smartest-or-most-talented-person-in-the-world/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/every-champion-was-once-a-contender-that-refused-to-give-up/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Plan B. You've always got to have a Plan B.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/plan-b-you-ve-always-got-to-have-a-plan-b/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [“It ain't over till its over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/it-ain-t-over-till-its-over/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [On the sequel, you've lost the element of surprise. Usually, on the first one you may not go very, very deep into character; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/on-the-sequel-you-ve-lost-the-element-of-surprise-usually-on-the/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [In this day and age, if you're aspiring to be an actor, and you're putting all your eggs in one basket, you could be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/in-this-day-and-age-if-you-re-aspiring-to-be-an-actor-and-you-re/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [People asked if I could have played the Terminator. Are you kidding? Not a chance, I never could have played the Terminator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/people-asked-if-i-could-have-played-the-terminator-are-you-kidding/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Sometimes worst enemies like a Mohammed Ali and Joe Frazier that's what makes you fight so hard. Without them they never would have achieved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/sometimes-worst-enemies-like-a-mohammed-ali-and-joe-frazier-that-s/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [A lot of guys have muscles. A lot of strong men in this world. I think it's important to show that even under all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/a-lot-of-guys-have-muscles-a-lot-of-strong-men-in-this-world-i-think/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [That's the hardest thing about doing sequels - you've lost the element of surprise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/that-s-the-hardest-thing-about-doing-sequels-you-ve-lost-the-element/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I tend to think of action movies as exuberant morality plays in which good triumphs over evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-tend-to-think-of-action-movies-as-exuberant-morality-plays-in-which/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [Adrian: It was Thanksgiving. Rocky: Yeah, to you, but to me it's Thursday, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/adrian-it-was-thanksgiving-rocky-yeah-to-you-but-to-me-it-s-thursday/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [I think everyone has questions in their mind. Did they do their very best?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/i-think-everyone-has-questions-in-their-mind-did-they-do-their-very/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) [Explore all 318 Sylvester Stallone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) ## 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": "If I'd succeeded right away at acting I wouldn't have sought out writing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvester Stallone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i-wouldn-t-have-sought-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i-wouldn-t-have-sought-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/sylvester-stallone-966_acting_if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i_2110105.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/sylvester-stallone-966_acting_if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i_2110105.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e12/sylvester-stallone-966_acting_if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i_2110105.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I'd succeeded right away at acting I wouldn't have sought out writing.” — Sylvester Stallone", "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": "Sylvester Stallone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I'd succeeded right away at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i-wouldn-t-have-sought-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/if-i-d-succeeded-right-away-at-acting-i-wouldn-t-have-sought-out/#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 } } ] } ```