Kevin Costner Quotes

We gauge risk literally hundreds of times per day, usually well and often subconsciously. We start assessing risk before the disaster even happens. We are doing is right now. We decide where to live and what kind of insurance to buy, just like we process all kinds of everyday risks: we wear bike helmets, or not. We buckle our seatbelts, smoke cigarettes, and let our kids stay out until midnight. Or not.

I always check my harness before I do a stunt; I test-drive the cars I have to race or explode; I'm present at all pyrotechnical rehearsals; and I walk through everything step-by-step. No man should put their life in someone else's hands unless they have covered their own safety from all angles.

Just taking risks for risk's sake, that doesn't do it for me. I'm willing to take risks that I think are worth it, and I've worked so hard to make sure that I survive.

Before I do a stunt, I have to make sure it is safe.

Death frames the high wire. But I don't see myself as taking risks. I do all of the preparations that a non-death seeker would do.

The bottom line is what we do might not be the safest so there is always some risk but we are ready to take that into account because we love racing and we love motor sports and it is dangerous.

I don't think I ever take huge risks, though I'm not scared of doing so.

Make decisions about the President's personal security. He can overrule you, but don't ask him to be the one to counsel caution.

Some people revel in taking risks, and some go through life taking no risks at all.

I always knew about the risks I was taking. Every year, someone you knew was killed racing. You had to ask yourself, do you enjoy driving these cars so much that you're prepared to take that risk?

It's so important for me to do my own stunts. The sense of achievement is so immense. But the studios don't want to take the risk.

I like to do my own stunts, but sometimes you need a little bit of help.

Risk taking in business is one thing. Risk taking in your personal safety is a different thing.

We try to reduce the danger to a minimum, of course. And then we prepare for accidents with alternate plans. For instance, if I'm turning over a stagecoach, I try to take into consideration what moves I have to make if it flips in the wrong direction. Without those emergency plans you get hurt.

The two great risks are risking too much but also risking too little. That's for each person to decide. For me, not risking anything is worse than death. By far.

Taking risks is not being suicidal. Otherwise, skydivers need serious help.

Whenever I throw caution to the wind I make sure I'm facing the right way so that it doesn't blow back and hit me in my face.

A risk is something that feels risky to the person who's taking it.

Life entails risk, and you have to draw some lines.

Everything is removed. You're actually doing something dangerous when you get in your car, when you're getting on an airplane, or having sex.

There are ways of doing stunts without me. I get no pleasure putting my life in jeopardy just to get the shot. Life is too short for that nonsense.

You need to put the fear of risk aside. Startups need leaders who are willing to persevere through the hard times. Failure is an option, and a real risk. Failure and risk are something entrepreneurs should understand well, and learn to manage. Don’t have a fear of talking about your failures. Don’t hide your mistakes.

Success tends to go not to the person who is error-free, because he also tends to be risk-averse. Rather it goes to the person who recognizes that life is pretty much a percentage business. It isn't making mistakes that's critical; it's correcting them and getting on with the principal task.

I don't look at me taking risks or if that's going to affect me politically.

maturity meant thinking about risk long before you pondered the reward, and that success and happiness in life were as much about avoiding mistakes as making your mark into the world.