Jake LaMotta Quotes

Sometimes I think I need to get crazy. Go to Vegas.

It's very real, the narrow line between a night danced away and the potential of death around the corner.

When I was 18, I was halfway up the Eiffel Tower with my friend, Tom, when we decided to stick our heads through the railings. The gap between the railings was exactly the right size to be able to put your head through and nearly get stuck. Which is exactly what happened.

I fare the best when I'm in dangerous situations.

The streets would have chewed me up and spit me out and I knew that, but I found my own ways and different knacks for getting in trouble and being reckless with my life. And I've overcome a lot of personal demons and to be alive is really my greatest achievement.

People struggle with moments of deep dread about life and moments of surety. Often within the course of the same day. Life is a roller coaster, especially if you take risks.

I certainly could've gone off track many, many times in my youth.

It's not a field, I think, for people who need to have success every day: if you can't live with a nightly sort of disaster, you should get out. I wouldn't describe myself as lacking in confidence, but I would just say that the ghosts you chase you never catch.

I lived for going down the rabbit hole of meeting weird people. Of course, come Monday I would be tallying up all the different situations, and each one was progressively more dangerous. I got lucky in that I didn't go to jail.

There are women who take it to the wire. That's what they are looking for, the ultimate confrontation. They want a smack.

I think there's something in the human psyche that we're titillated by the person who flies too close to the candle and their wings get singed.

I live to feel myself in danger.

I like to be wild, and I like to do wild, crazy things. I need excitement. At all times. Normal is not my type.

I have a very fun life. I don't recommend it for anybody else, but it sure has been fun for me.

I look back on being 17 and think, 'Oh my God, how did I not die?'

Life is all about the unexpected.

I was living a dangerous life before I started boxing.

My whole career's been kind of crazy, so you can't really surprise me.

I'd rather play with pressure than without.

I like to fly close to the edge. I like to play with fire.

I do like a bit of danger. Guns, cars, running, bullets. I'm up for it.

When I was young and didn't have money, I liked gambling because winning and losing was fun for the rush of it. The amount of money that I would have to put down now to get that rush, there is no f'ing way I'm going to do it. It's just stupid. I would rather get that rush some other way.

I'm willing to fly close to the flame.

If you're not getting hurt, you're not riding hard enough.

If people don't think the odds are against you, you're doing it wrong.