Kurt Vile Quotes

I am always in self-doubt... every moment of my filmmaking. I am supremely confident when the story is being written and everything is in our head. But the moment we get into the filmmaking, I start doubting myself - from the camera angle to the re-recording to getting the actors to do their shots.

I'm not one for sitting around listening to my own music, because I tend to cringe and think that I could have done better. I also suffer from red light syndrome quite a lot. I tend to narrow my thinking when the red light goes on to record. Instead of just relaxing and playing and emoting, I think of time being wasted so I won't take a chance on something. Consequently, when I hear it back, I think, "Why the hell did I play it so safe on that piece of music when I could have really opened up?" Well, it's because of not wanting to make a mistake.

Every single time I step into the studio, I say, 'Can I still do this? Do I still have it? Have I ever had it?' I suppose there's a good amount of self-loathing that goes into any form of artisanship.

I second-guess and overthink and rethink every single thing that I do.

I don't write well when I'm sitting there sweating about every single phrase.

All artists have insecurity.

I know when I am on stage and I'm kind of on the right track - hopefully most of the time. But a lot of time I'm not.

When I'm in the studio, I like to be in there by myself because if I'm in the mike room, and I look out and see people talking, or they're not nodding their head or rocking to the music, it makes me feel like it don't sound good, or I'll be scared to really open up vocally because I might mess up, and they might be in there laughing.

At every premiere, I stand in the back, I never sit, worrying. And then maybe I hear them laugh or whatever, and the muscles unclench a little. But always, I feel like it's a fluke, that I'll never be able to do it again.

If you're a writer, you're constantly doubting yourself.

I get nervous before every shoot. I'm really jealous of the people that can just rest on their laurels and say, 'I'm good; this is it.'

Anxiety and doubt are among my biggest struggles as a writer.

That's why I've never made a live album - I can't bear listening to myself!

For a long time I managed to think two things simultaneously, that I am actually a good playwright, and that the next time I write a play I will be revealed as someone who is no good at all.

Every single time I start to do a picture, without fail, I feel as if I don't know what I'm doing.

I sometimes have a horrible fear of turning up a canvas of mine. I'm always afraid of finding a monster in place of the precious jewels I thought I had put there!

I'm always thinking 'Don't mess this up.'

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

I second-guess myself all the time. I make a decision and then wonder if I made the wrong choice.

As an actor, you're constantly riddled with self-doubt. You are your own worst critic.

No one leaves the edit room thinking, 'Yeah, I nailed that one!' Everyone I know goes into their first premiere or their first screening thinking, 'I screwed up so bad. I'm sorry, I messed up.' It's just a real common feeling.

I realise few people get to live the life they always wanted, but I'm so neurotic, I don't really think about it. I'm too busy thinking, 'I hope I don't screw up my next scene.'

If I make a wrong decision, I worry what might have been. I stress out over very insignificant things.

I think if you start to think too much about things that are completely out of control, it will just drive you crazy as an actor.

I mean, sometimes I hate interviews because I always feel like I sound stupid.