Whit Stillman Quotes

I found my first novel difficult. I don't want to make it sound like it's any more difficult than driving a cab or going to any other job, but there are so many opportunities for self-doubt, that you just kind of need to soldier on.

The biggest hurdle is rejection. Any business you start, be ready for it. The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is the successful people do all the things the unsuccessful people don't want to do. When 10 doors are slammed in your face, go to door number 11 enthusiastically, with a smile on your face.

You've just got to do the best that you can.

The future rewards those who press on. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't have time to complain. I'm going to press on.

I take rejection as someone blowing a bugle in my ear to wake me up and get going, rather than retreat.

It's human nature to gripe, but I'm going ahead and doing the best I can.

You just get up each day and put one foot in front of the other and go. You know, each day is different.

How do you come back? It's one step at a time. I'm optimistic because I don't know what else to be.

Unless you have a real passion for making movies, then don't bother. I had to carry energy and light into every meeting, only to be told, 'We don't want you.' I couldn't take it personally. You just have to wait, and live for those moments when the casting director likes you.

I'd faced a lot of rejection from labels and the industry, and it was getting hard to keep believing in myself. But something wouldn't let me - inside - I had this voice that was relentlessly hopeful, and honestly, I just loved performing and writing too much to ever really quit.

Qualities you need to get through medical school and residency: Discipline. Patience. Perseverance. A willingness to forgo sleep. A penchant for sadomasochism. Ability to weather crises of faith and self-confidence. Accept exhaustion as fact of life. Addiction to caffeine a definite plus. Unfailing optimism that the end is in sight.

There was a period where I stopped auditioning because I was like, 'I don't have the heart.' There's just so much rejection.

I was determined not to sit around and watch my life deteriorate. I kept reaching out in hope and honesty that someone would find me. I never gave up hope. I fell flat on my face and got up again.

When you have a bit of a down period and everything isn't going so well, you stay humble and you just want to prove everybody wrong, and I hope I can do that.

All I can do is keep going out there and playing hard, and whatever happens happens.

I always question myself, but I always say, 'Come on, we can do something good.'

I suffer from an enormous amount of self-doubt, so the fact that 'Pachinko' has been so kindly received has encouraged me not to give up, as I'm always telling myself that, 'Maybe this isn't a smart idea.'

You can find yourself doubting yourself. But that's when you need to keep faith and realise everything is going to be okay. You work hard in training and keep doing the things you're good at.

I'm not somebody who just accepts his situation. I don't give up easily.

A lot of things are going to happen that you can't necessarily control all the time, but you can control what you do after it happens. So that's what I try to do, keep my head up, keep moving forward, stay positive and just work hard.

One of the things I learned growing up, a rule that I go by, is just never give up. That's one thing that I had to keep telling myself.

You do it a day at a time. You just put your rejection slips in a shoebox and tell yourself one day you're going to autograph them and sell them at auction.

There is no excuse for not trying.

I find that hard to believe. Nothing comes free in this world. Ever. (Sin) Then get up and get dressed. There’s the door. I’m sure you know how to use it. It’s a really simple process. You put one foot in front of the other, turn the knob, and keep going. (Kat)

You just have to try before thinking that you can't.