Joaquin Phoenix Quotes

There is always a point when one senses one's lack of skill, the doubt.

I knew I wasn't a baseball writer. I was scared to death. I really was afraid to talk to players, and I didn't want to go into the press box because I thought I was faking it.

When you go through life, when you go through different things, you take risks, you question yourself. I think everybody does, at some point in their life, question themselves.

Anything you can suck at should make you nervous.

I had no idea who I was when I started. I was frightened to death and had no natural performing skills.

When you take on new roles that you don't feel comfortable with, that require you having skills you don't have, it's terrifying.

I'm just propelled by insecurity; that's what really leads me to want to do better.

I was scared of failing, and I was scared of succeeding. I just wanted to be in a safe space and not grow too big or be too little.

There is always that thing when you step up a level and you worry, am I going to be good enough? There's always doubt in my mind.

Any motivation starts with some type of doubt.

Every time I make a movie I think that it's going to be my last one, I think that no one is going to show up. I always have this sense that they're all going to fail. I am scared to death.

I get a little scared of words like maturity.

I don't feel secure at all. I don't know what actor would feel they've made it. I feel like I'm just starting.

There was a time when I just felt like a superwoman. I was like, 'I got Jesus! I ain't afraid!' But, the truth is, I want to do things right, and sometimes I am afraid that I'm not good enough or that I'm not going to handle something right.

I find myself going to places where I really have no business, speaking to these people in a whole other field that I have no extensive knowledge of. But I do it very often because it scares me.

I was kind of scared of failing at acting.

I grew up doubting myself. It was a very spotty, frustrating, worrying time.

Not everybody's confident their whole life.

As a younger player, you always kind of play with that fear of failure.

In a way, I'm always trying to do something I'm not qualified to do. So I feel that lack of qualification. And I'm scared. And I have a tendency to think things may not/probably won't work out. That's my basic mindset.

You aren't sure if you're making the right decision - about anything, ever.

To tell her that I joined the parachute club was too hard for me. I didn't want to trouble her; besides, I was not completely sure about the success of my new adventure.

Am I about to feel really, really stupid?

Sometimes I find myself in this super-raw place onstage where I'm like, 'Maybe that's not the best thing. Maybe I need to shut down a little.'

I've always been a bit of a self-doubter. I think a lot of actors are.