David Sedaris Quotes

I try to keep myself on an even keel by trying to be as critical of myself as I am of other people. I try to separate my performance from myself.

A lot of times, women complain about men around them. It's not always someone else's fault. If you're the common denominator in 57 different relationships that didn't work out, then maybe, just maybe... it's you!

Every spoken word arouses our self-will.

My toughest criticism usually comes from myself. As my editor can attest to, I'm never done tweaking a book until the production department has to rip it from my hands!

Not all stories translate well when read out loud.

I got more used to my own voice, but still it's hard for me to listen to my own voice, or hear the recordings.

Once the film is done, then I like to watch myself. I know some actors say that they get very self-conscious watching themselves on screen especially if they have to cry in the scenes, they don't like the way their face contorts, but I have no such issues.

As an actor, you're not kind of thinking about your own work or watching the movie for the first time.

People need to know that when I was interviewed when I played, I would really pat myself on the back when I did well and tell you how good I was playing, but I'd also tell you when I choked or I was playing terrible. I told it like it was.

A strange thing happens when Spielberg discusses his own work. His degree of self-criticism seems a direct reflection of each film's box-office performance. You will not catch him complaining that the audience 'didn't get' a film; if it didn't do well, it generally didn't deserve to.

If I play a bad game, I know I played a bad game. If I play a good game, I know I played a good game. So I don't need anyone to tell me if I did good or bad - because I know it.

When I heard my voice, like listen to myself playing it back-to-back, I just want to always perfect it.

I always consider myself as good as my last film. I tend to analyse my work very critically.

As a player, when you get beaten, you can comfort yourself by saying you did reasonably well. As a manager, when you get beaten, you think it's all your fault, but 70,000 people and all those watching on television know it's your fault.

You know, I don't ever - I don't really compare myself to receivers.

Everyone's disappointed when they don't feel like they play well or they make a mistake. I'm the first one to hold my hand up and try and rectify that in training or the next game.

After seeing some of my emotional scenes, I end up thinking I could've done it better.

I've realized my best and worst critic is my director.

I often talk too much and don't listen enough.

During my playing days, when I used to see the repeat telecast of my matches, I used to feel bad on hearing criticism of my game by the commentators.

After every game I analyse my performance with the goalkeeping coach in a very critical manner. There is certain criticism you will take on board and other things that do not affect you. You cannot look too far into that because it can destruct you in a certain way.

At the end of the day, I write down an 'L' or a 'W,' whether or not the day was a 'Loss' or if it was a 'Win.' It really bothers you to have to write down an 'L.' An 'L' looks like a day I ate a lot of junk food, or I didn't work out when I was supposed to or train when I was supposed to train, or if I felt that I had a bad performance in the ring.

I am very self-critical and always will be. I think this makes me want to improve, always. But just because I'm self-critical and say what I thought of my performance in a game, it doesn't mean I will bring myself down, ever.

I think I'm a harder critic on myself than anybody is. I think I judge myself harder than any of the coaches do.

I just want my films to work. The hit or flop verdict really affects me. I seriously analyse what went wrong if a film turns out to be a dud!