--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I have things my way, over the next…" description: "\"If I have things my way, over the next few years, I'm going to be doing a lot more directing and a lot less acting. That will be fun for a while.\" — Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/thomas-jane-16169_acting_if-i-have-things-my-way-over-the-next-fe_1738211.jpg" --- # If I have things my way, over the next few years, I'm… ![“If I have things my way, over the next few years, I'm going to be doing a lot more directing and a lot less acting. That will be fun for a while.” quote by Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/thomas-jane-16169_acting_if-i-have-things-my-way-over-the-next-fe_1738211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/thomas-jane-16169_acting_if-i-have-things-my-way-over-the-next-fe_1738211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b23/thomas-jane-16169_acting_if-i-have-things-my-way-over-the-next-fe_1738211.jpg) > “If I have things my way, over the next few years, I'm going to be doing a lot more directing and a lot less acting. That will be fun for a while.” [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He plans to shift focus from acting to directing, seeking new creative challenges and personal growth. **In simple terms:** He wants to direct more, act less. Key Takeaway Embrace new creative roles. Themes career change creative control growth Mood determined optimistic Type career creative When to use this quote - directing - screenwriting - production - career planning Key Concepts film direction personal development Questions to Reflect On - What skills transfer from acting to directing? - How will this affect his artistic voice? A Different Perspective Risk of losing acting opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-fun/) [Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing/) [Directing Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directing-lot-1028336/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lot Directing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lot-directing-1495781/) [My way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-way/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Directing is a lot of fun, but you have to be on your toes every minute. If you zone out for even a second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-collins/directing-is-a-lot-of-fun-but-you-have-to-be-on-your-toes-every/) [Misha Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-collins/) > [I feel like a lot of directing is casting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-chazelle/i-feel-like-a-lot-of-directing-is-casting/) [Damien Chazelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-chazelle/) > [I think people forget that a lot of directing is just real management of the size of a production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavid-hood/i-think-people-forget-that-a-lot-of-directing-is-just-real-management/) [Gavid Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavid-hood/) > [I don't like directing a lot of people. So trying to keep things really simple and elegant is my preferred way of working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-mae-weems/i-don-t-like-directing-a-lot-of-people-so-trying-to-keep-things/) [Carrie Mae Weems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-mae-weems/) > [There's a lot of directing within the stunt coordinator's job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-leitch/there-s-a-lot-of-directing-within-the-stunt-coordinator-s-job/) [David Leitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-leitch/) > [It's really fun to go back and forth from acting projects to directing projects. You don't have as much responsibility when you're acting, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-aselton/it-s-really-fun-to-go-back-and-forth-from-acting-projects-to/) [Katie Aselton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-aselton/) > [I enjoy writing and directing a lot. For a long time, I was dabbling in many different things. I've been thinking of an analogy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-chalamet/i-enjoy-writing-and-directing-a-lot-for-a-long-time-i-was-dabbling-in/) [Pauline Chalamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-chalamet/) > [Well, I'm directing a lot of television these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-kerns/well-i-m-directing-a-lot-of-television-these-days/) [Joanna Kerns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-kerns/) > [Here is something no real celebrity will ever tell you: film acting is not very fun. Doing the same thing over and over again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/here-is-something-no-real-celebrity-will-ever-tell-you-film-acting-is/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > [Voice-acting, on the fun meter, is off the scale. You show up, you don't have to be all primped up, or dressed up. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-marsden/voice-acting-on-the-fun-meter-is-off-the-scale-you-show-up-you-don-t/) [Jason Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-marsden/) > [ Acting is fun; it's easier than writing, and if you get on a \[TV\] show, it draws people to your stand-up. That's ultimately what… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannibal-buress/acting-is-fun-it-s-easier-than-writing-and-if-you-get-on-a-tv-show-it/) [Hannibal Buress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannibal-buress/) > [The best directing style is the one that lets me do whatever I want. Seriously though, I like to be challenged and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-gilford/the-best-directing-style-is-the-one-that-lets-me-do-whatever-i-want/) [Zach Gilford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-gilford/) > [Acting is fun. I especially like the action sequences. That's what I do best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-van-dam/acting-is-fun-i-especially-like-the-action-sequences-that-s-what-i-do/) [Rob Van Dam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-van-dam/) > [Acting can be so much fun that it's easy to forget that what you're doing is a job. But if I've got my tie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashton-kutcher/acting-can-be-so-much-fun-that-it-s-easy-to-forget-that-what-you-re/) [Ashton Kutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashton-kutcher/) > [Acting was always something fun to do on the side growing up, but I never really took it seriously. I would do a commercial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-howard/acting-was-always-something-fun-to-do-on-the-side-growing-up-but-i/) [Jeremy Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-howard/) ## More by Thomas Jane > [It's kind of true that they just start making the same movie over and over again. It's also true that the times dictate what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/it-s-kind-of-true-that-they-just-start-making-the-same-movie-over-and/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [If I stay alert, then I can challenge myself, and by challenging myself, that helps me to stay alive and to hopefully take something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/if-i-stay-alert-then-i-can-challenge-myself-and-by-challenging-myself/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [I'm a really huge fan of the old romantic comedies from the '30s and '40s... Huge fan. I love all that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/i-m-a-really-huge-fan-of-the-old-romantic-comedies-from-the-30s-and/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [I think all good drama is funny. All the best drama is ultimately very funny. Life is funny. You can't have any honest treatise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/i-think-all-good-drama-is-funny-all-the-best-drama-is-ultimately-very/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [It's not that the film is violent, it's that people have an issue with violence right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/it-s-not-that-the-film-is-violent-it-s-that-people-have-an-issue-with/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [Some of the supporting roles that I've done as an actor, I took them because I knew that I would get to watch some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/some-of-the-supporting-roles-that-i-ve-done-as-an-actor-i-took-them/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [I can't stand to see myself act. It just makes me cringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/i-can-t-stand-to-see-myself-act-it-just-makes-me-cringe/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [Creating a world in a sci-fi show is almost the whole battle. If you have a great story and you can create a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/creating-a-world-in-a-sci-fi-show-is-almost-the-whole-battle-if-you/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [Anything that has to do with noir and space, I'm gonna love. When you've got a noir-ish, pulpy detective in a science fiction show,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/anything-that-has-to-do-with-noir-and-space-i-m-gonna-love-when-you/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [I still collect comics. I still have a great love and respect for the genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/i-still-collect-comics-i-still-have-a-great-love-and-respect-for-the/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [I don't like to stick to one formula. That gets boring. I get bored, so I want to try different ways of getting inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/i-don-t-like-to-stick-to-one-formula-that-gets-boring-i-get-bored-so/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [My dad was an entrepreneurial businessman, and maybe I got some of his ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/my-dad-was-an-entrepreneurial-businessman-and-maybe-i-got-some-of-his/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [To me, it's the kiss of death when you start winking at the audience as an actor. I just never liked it. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/to-me-it-s-the-kiss-of-death-when-you-start-winking-at-the-audience/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [I wanted to make a fan film for a character I've always loved and believed in - a love letter to Frank Castle &…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/i-wanted-to-make-a-fan-film-for-a-character-i-ve-always-loved-and/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) > [You just have to go with a good story and a script that you like and people that you like to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jane/you-just-have-to-go-with-a-good-story-and-a-script-that-you-like-and/) [Thomas Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) [Explore all 40 Thomas Jane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jane/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 have things my way, over the next few years, I'm going to be doing a lot more directing and a lot less acting. 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