Mignon McLaughlin Quotes

I grew up craving the spotlight, and once it happened, I immediately recoiled.

As I got older and started moving up the ranking, the matches got more important, and my emotions ratcheted up. I guess I hid my real feelings behind the anger.

I am very insecure because that's how I have played cricket. Since Under-14, I was told, 'If you don't perform, you will be dropped.' I have started living with this system.

I cannot see a situation when I won't feel pressure to play well and win.

I just really, really, really hate to lose. Really.

During rehearsals I am confronted by things very mysterious. I have terrific fights with inner demons, and it's more painful than it ever was.

I can't deal with actors! I can't deal with myself. We're neurotic and miserable ... I love doing what I'm doing, but while I'm doing it, I'm miserable.

The one thing that scares me the most is failing. It scares me that one day I won't be at this level. But while I'm here and while I'm having success early, I'm trying to do everything to stay on this level.

I will be the focal point for however long I decide to play. Half of me likes that idea and half of me doesn't, but once the adrenaline kicks in, I'll probably really enjoy it.

I'm nervous when I play in the Masters or most other tournaments.

If you're not just a little bit nervous before a match, you probably don't have the expectations of yourself that you should have.

I'm sure acting is a deeply neurotic thing to do.

I get nervous for any competition. I also get really competitive.

If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.

Pretty much everything I've written is a mix of excitement and fear.

It's a pretty heavy thing that happens to me when I'm at competitions. I get so sucked in, I can't really turn it off.

I think watching multi-events is much worse than competing. Especially when you have vested interests because you go through the emotional ups and downs.

Actually, what I did, because I couldn't make sense of it, and I have to have lyrics that make sense, I decided the best way to sing 'I Have Confidence' was to go completely nuts with panic and fear.

I can't remember ever racing without any pressure.

Throughout a competitive career, you can certainly lose yourself trying to please the judges.

When I do something, I want to win. If I lose, I feel bad.

I am not thinking about World Cup and all those things. You can't play freely if you start thinking like that.

When you're in the second set and you start thinking I have to win this and get it over, the pressure to finish quickly can get to you.

Learning how to compete is one of the most important things that an athlete can do. You can train as well as you possibly can and go compete and completely choke.

Honestly, I'm so competitive that sometimes I don't understand what other people are going through.