John Lithgow Quotes

You have to be very brave and very entrepreneurial - you have to dare to create your own brand.

You have to create your own stuff. It's really exciting to create something, sell it, and feel like I'm not just a pawn waiting to be cast.

As a performer, you can't just sit around waiting for the phone to ring. You have to write and develop projects for yourself, because casting people aren't always going to see you the way you want to be seen. Write a one-person show, shoot a short film, do plays, whatever - activity breeds activity. No one's interested in a stay-at-home actress.

Be a creator, not just sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone to call you into the game or call our number.

I just really love being the first to do something and that drives me to think, 'What are people not doing right now, and how can I be the best at it?'

If you have an idea that's going to make a big difference to people's lives, and other people are not doing it, you know, just say "screw it," do it and get on with it, and give it a go.

Everyone has ideas. They may be too busy or lack the confidence or technical ability to carry them out. But I want to carry them out. It is a matter of getting up and doing it.

I think a lot of young people have incredible ideas and incredible insights, but sometimes they wait before they go give their life to something. What I did was just to start a little earlier.

Before the work comes to you, you have to invent work.

I'm a great believer in not sitting around waiting for the right part to come around, but jumping in and building it for yourself.

I think when you take the big swings - and I've done plenty of big swings that I was told were never going to work - those are always the things that break through.

I definitely feel like I'm at that point where it's nice to not have to sit at home and wait to be invited to the party, but to be creating work for yourself.

Being an entrepreneur means being a creative businessperson.

Entrepreneurship is in my nature.

I told myself the next time I had a good idea, I would bring it to market.

I don't know if there's a genetic marker for entrepreneurship. But if there is, it's most likely not a genius for planning. It's a propensity for action - and the ability to put failure behind you quickly. To stop being precious about your ideas.

An enterprising person is one who sees opportunity in all areas of life.

Why I'm so stimulated by [producing] is it becomes more proactive. Instead of waiting around for a script to come in, or some movie trying to go. You're waiting around always for that opportunity, which is great, but I like to be a little bit more proactive. I'm a very action-oriented guy - I'm a doer. The company really became this spearhead for that sort of attitude, and so that, to me, was the most exciting part of it.

Be a creator, not a reactor.

Rather than wait to be discovered, discover yourself. Whatever it is that you intend to do later, start doing it now, get good at it, and show people what you've done. Actions speak louder than words.

My job is to have new ideas and take risks every day, so I'm always looking forward to the next thing being done or making the next thing that I haven't yet gotten to. That's sort of the constant in my life.

A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

At a young age I always had an entrepreneurial spirit. So I'm trying to develop things on my own, too, and there are a couple things that have absolutely nothing to do with the entertainment business that I'm trying to tackle. We'll just sort of see.

It is the creative and enterprising spirit of people that is indispensable. Everything else is supplemental.

Waiting to be hired, as an actor, especially, is soul-destroying... There is always something you can do... Create something, a play reading... Anything. But don't rely on other people to come to you. Put yourself out there.