"You have to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons"
About this Quote
The intent is practical, almost paternal: before you sign on, audition, move cities, or accept the role that looks like a “step up,” interrogate what’s actually driving you. The subtext is that your reasons will leak into your work. If you’re chasing applause, your choices get louder. If you’re chasing status, you become risk-averse. If you’re chasing approval, you become pliable - and in Hollywood, pliable is another word for replaceable.
Context matters because Wilson sits in a particular lane: respected, durable, rarely confused for a hype machine. He’s not selling a hustle fantasy; he’s modeling career longevity. The line reads like a boundary disguised as encouragement: keep your motives clean, or the machine will happily supply you with dirt.
Quote Details
| Topic | Ethics & Morality |
|---|---|
| Source | Interview with Patrick Wilson, Backstage (date unknown; career advice interview) |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Wilson, Patrick. (2026, January 30). You have to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-have-to-make-sure-youre-doing-it-for-the-184713/
Chicago Style
Wilson, Patrick. "You have to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons." FixQuotes. January 30, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-have-to-make-sure-youre-doing-it-for-the-184713/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"You have to make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons." FixQuotes, 30 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/you-have-to-make-sure-youre-doing-it-for-the-184713/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.








