---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Are you so scared of what others think?"
description: "\"“Are you so scared of what others think?”\" — André Aciman"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/andre-aciman-459_insecurity_are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think-3_3083182.png"
---

#  Are you so scared of what others think?

![“Are you so scared of what others think?” quote by André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/andre-aciman-459_insecurity_are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think-3_3083182.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/andre-aciman-459_insecurity_are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think-3_3083182.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/andre-aciman-459_insecurity_are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think-3_3083182.png)

> ““Are you so scared of what others think?””

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote challenges the fear of external judgment, urging personal authenticity.

**In simple terms:** Don’t let others’ opinions control you.

Key Takeaway

Embrace your true self.

Themes

self‑acceptance confidence individuality

Mood

anxious determined

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal decisions
- creative work
- public speaking

Key Concepts

social pressure identity authenticity

Questions to Reflect On

- What would you do if you weren’t afraid of judgment?
- How does caring about others’ opinions limit you?

A Different Perspective

Fear of judgment can hinder growth.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Insecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insecurity/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared/) [Scared Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared-think-434588/) [Self confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-confidence/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/)

## Related quotes

> [If you like tattoos, perfect. But I'm scared. I think: 'At 60, I'm going to have this?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodri/if-you-like-tattoos-perfect-but-i-m-scared-i-think-at-60-i-m-going-to/)

[Rodri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodri/)

> [I get scared when I think I'm going to miss my flight. I get obsessed when I actually miss a flight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boman-irani/i-get-scared-when-i-think-i-m-going-to-miss-my-flight-i-get-obsessed/)

[Boman Irani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boman-irani/)

> [When we first started growing our employees, I was scared. I would often think, 'If we had more people, what would they do? Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-schaaf/when-we-first-started-growing-our-employees-i-was-scared-i-would/)

[Alan Schaaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-schaaf/)

> [I don't go to scary movies. I don't like the experience of being scared. I think it's very weird that some people do. Obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/i-don-t-go-to-scary-movies-i-don-t-like-the-experience-of-being/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [I'm little. I'm pale. I'm not strong. But bad things are scared of me. I think it's because my dad was a preacher growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-mcbryde/i-m-little-i-m-pale-i-m-not-strong-but-bad-things-are-scared-of-me-i/)

[Ashley McBryde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-mcbryde/)

> [I'm scared of myself. I think I'd be a bad driver. I'm scared of cars, period. I've had too many friends killed now, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-m-scared-of-myself-i-think-i-d-be-a-bad-driver-i-m-scared-of-cars/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“I forced words out: There are some things about myself I can't explain to anyone. There are some things I don't understand at all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-forced-words-out-there-are-some-things-about-myself-i-can-t-explain/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [I think people like to be scared. I think people like tension and suspense in a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/i-think-people-like-to-be-scared-i-think-people-like-tension-and/)

[Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/)

> [“But there's nothing wrong with being scared. I think everyone's a little scared. Even the government.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-patneaude/but-there-s-nothing-wrong-with-being-scared-i-think-everyone-s-a/)

[David Patneaude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-patneaude/)

> [“Maybe some people don't feel scared when they think about comets and supernovas. Maybe they think it is wonderful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-netzer/maybe-some-people-don-t-feel-scared-when-they-think-about-comets-and/)

[Lydia Netzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-netzer/)

> [I've never YouTubed myself, and I'm actually scared to do it. I think I may just let sleeping dogs lie on this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-handley/i-ve-never-youtubed-myself-and-i-m-actually-scared-to-do-it-i-think-i/)

[Taylor Handley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-handley/)

> [It's a process and it's a matter of understanding the horse and through any of these little projects you have a beginning, a middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/it-s-a-process-and-it-s-a-matter-of-understanding-the-horse-and/)

[Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/)

> [I worried coming in for my freshman year what my teammates would think of me. I was a little scared they would think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-manning/i-worried-coming-in-for-my-freshman-year-what-my-teammates-would/)

[Eli Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-manning/)

> [“I feel fuzzy, like there's something slowing my thinking. It's horrifying, this fuzziness, because right now is when I have to be sharp, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-schlozman/i-feel-fuzzy-like-there-s-something-slowing-my-thinking-it-s/)

[Steven C. Schlozman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-schlozman/)

> [“But I can't help feeling scared when I think how I will miss you- more than you will ever know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/but-i-can-t-help-feeling-scared-when-i-think-how-i-will-miss-you-more/)

[Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/)

## More by André Aciman

> [Don't all writers have a hidden nerve, call it a secret chamber, something irreducibly theirs, which stirs their prose and makes it tick and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/don-t-all-writers-have-a-hidden-nerve-call-it-a-secret-chamber/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“I wanted him to remember the morning on Monet's berm when I'd kissed him not the first but the second time and given him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-wanted-him-to-remember-the-morning-on-monet-s-berm-when-i-d-kissed/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [Rituals are how we step into our private field of dreams, a small Elysium all our own. Rituals are made not just for us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/rituals-are-how-we-step-into-our-private-field-of-dreams-a-small/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“I desperately wanted to give him something. By contrast, taking seemed so bland, so facile, so mechanical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-desperately-wanted-to-give-him-something-by-contrast-taking-seemed/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“The man who'll lay the last stone here isn't even born yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/the-man-who-ll-lay-the-last-stone-here-isn-t-even-born-yet/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [Proust is interested in minutiae because life, as he sees it, is seldom ever about things but about our impression of things, not about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/proust-is-interested-in-minutiae-because-life-as-he-sees-it-is-seldom/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“Well, since you're not going to do anything with me—can you at least read me a story? I'd settle for that. I wanted him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/well-since-you-re-not-going-to-do-anything-with-me-can-you-at-least/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“This is heaven.” And I wouldn’t hear him say another word for at least an hour. There was nothing I loved more in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/this-is-heaven-and-i-wouldn-t-hear-him-say-another-word-for-at-least/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“He loved the sticky taste. What had I done? I told him and pointed to the bruised evidence sitting on my desk. “Let me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/he-loved-the-sticky-taste-what-had-i-done-i-told-him-and-pointed-to/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“When had they separated us, you and me, Oliver? And why did I know it, and why didn't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/when-had-they-separated-us-you-and-me-oliver-and-why-did-i-know-it/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“As we were swimming back, he asked as though it were an afterthought, “Are you going to hold last night against me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/as-we-were-swimming-back-he-asked-as-though-it-were-an-afterthought/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“To be with you. To be with you, Oliver. With or without my bathing suit. To be with you on my bed. In your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/to-be-with-you-to-be-with-you-oliver-with-or-without-my-bathing-suit/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“I thought I could ever want another living soul, gently, softly, and, with the kindness one Jew extends to another, work his way into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-thought-i-could-ever-want-another-living-soul-gently-softly-and/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [“Oliver: But there's the catch: you're still twenty years younger than those gathered around you, which is why I can be twenty-four in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/oliver-but-there-s-the-catch-you-re-still-twenty-years-younger-than/)

[André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

> [I cannot write if there is a sense of plenitude. I have to hypothesize that there is a loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/i-cannot-write-if-there-is-a-sense-of-plenitude-i-have-to-hypothesize/)

[Andre Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

[Explore all 527 André Aciman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/)

## More Insecurity quotes

> [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/)

[Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/)

> [I love playing ego and insecurity combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-love-playing-ego-and-insecurity-combined/)

[Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/)

> [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/)

[Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/)

> [I was beautiful the day we met, But now I'm not so sure. Awkward and alone, you don't make me feel sexy anymore. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-beautiful-the-day-we-met-but-now-i-m-not-so-sure-awkward-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“she still had that fundamental insecurity that one bout of poverty can inflict for a lifetime, and no amount of money remedy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-deighton/she-still-had-that-fundamental-insecurity-that-one-bout-of-poverty/)

[Len Deighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-deighton/)

> [Many times I've sat with a camera and another actor and seen all their fears and insecurities and struggles. You want to support them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-eccleston/many-times-i-ve-sat-with-a-camera-and-another-actor-and-seen-all/)

[Christopher Eccleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-eccleston/)

> [Singaporeans generally feel more secure these days. One of our tasks is to remind them that this, a result of a continuing act of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hsien-loong/singaporeans-generally-feel-more-secure-these-days-one-of-our-tasks/)

[Lee Hsien Loong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hsien-loong/)

> [Each one of us requires the spur of insecurity to force us to do our best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-w-dodds/each-one-of-us-requires-the-spur-of-insecurity-to-force-us-to-do-our/)

[Harold W. Dodds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-w-dodds/)

> [Marriage is going to disappear, should disappear. And now the point is coming in the history of humanity where it becomes possible that marriage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/marriage-is-going-to-disappear-should-disappear-and-now-the-point-is/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Fear. People are afraid of talking about their fears and insecurities. They're afraid of expressing emotion beyond anger, dominance, or power, and they're afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/fear-people-are-afraid-of-talking-about-their-fears-and-insecurities/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Conceit is a sure sign of insecurity; humility denotes awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivaya-subramuniyaswami/conceit-is-a-sure-sign-of-insecurity-humility-denotes-awareness/)

[Sivaya Subramuniyaswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivaya-subramuniyaswami/)

> [Growing up in that fashion is a breeding ground for insecurity and doubt; it also leaves you questioning motives. It took me a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-runyon/growing-up-in-that-fashion-is-a-breeding-ground-for-insecurity-and/)

[Damon Runyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-runyon/)

> [They always use the word 'insult' with me, but I don't hurt anybody. I wouldn't be sitting here if I did. I make fun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/they-always-use-the-word-insult-with-me-but-i-don-t-hurt-anybody-i/)

[Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/)

> [Life's too short to deal with other people's insecurities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/life-s-too-short-to-deal-with-other-people-s-insecurities/)

[Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/)

> [“He fidgets. Thinks. Observes his fellow passengers. Judges everyone, in the traditional Filipino sport of justifying both personal and shared insecurities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-syjuco/he-fidgets-thinks-observes-his-fellow-passengers-judges-everyone-in/)

[Miguel Syjuco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-syjuco/)

[Browse all 1,356 Insecurity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insecurity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Are you so scared of what others think?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "André Aciman"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Insecurity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/andre-aciman-459_insecurity_are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think-3_3083182.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/andre-aciman-459_insecurity_are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think-3_3083182.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/andre-aciman-459_insecurity_are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think-3_3083182.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Are you so scared of what others think?” — André Aciman",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "André Aciman",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Are you so scared of what...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/are-you-so-scared-of-what-others-think/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
