--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take…" description: "\"“Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take yourself as seriously as death itself. Don’t worry. Worry your ass off. Have iron-clad confidence, but doubt. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/bruce-springsteen-546_confidence_don-t-take-yourself-too-seriously-take-y_894625.jpg" --- # Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take yourself as… ![“Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take yourself as seriously as death itself. Don’t worry. Worry your ass off. Have iron-clad confidence, but doubt. It keeps you alive and alert! Believe you are the baddest ass in town – and [that] you suck! It keeps you honest. Be able to keep two completely…” quote by Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/bruce-springsteen-546_confidence_don-t-take-yourself-too-seriously-take-y_894625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/bruce-springsteen-546_confidence_don-t-take-yourself-too-seriously-take-y_894625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c1/bruce-springsteen-546_confidence_don-t-take-yourself-too-seriously-take-y_894625.jpg) > ““Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take yourself as seriously as death itself. Don’t worry. Worry your ass off. Have iron-clad confidence, but doubt. It keeps you alive and alert! Believe you are the baddest ass in town – and \[that\] you suck! It keeps you honest. Be able to keep two completely contradictory ideas alive and well inside of your heart and head at all times. If it doesn’t drive you crazy, it will make you strong. And when you walk on stage tonight to bring the noise, treat it like it’s all we have – and then remember it’s only rock’ n’ roll.”” [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing confidence with humility and doubt fuels growth and resilience. **In simple terms:** Confidence plus doubt drives strength. Key Takeaway Embrace both confidence and doubt. Themes confidence humility resilience contradiction self-awareness Mood energetic defiant inspirational Type motivational philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - performing on stage - creative work - leadership - decision making - stress management Key Concepts psychology personal development paradox Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance confidence and doubt? - When does doubt become harmful? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind you; too much doubt can paralyze. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive And Well](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive-and-well/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Like Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-remember/) [Poetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetic/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-rock-1183322/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Worry Ass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry-ass-1183321/) ## Related quotes > [You've always got to remember, rock and roll's never been about giving up. For me, for a lot of kids, it was a totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/you-ve-always-got-to-remember-rock-and-roll-s-never-been-about-giving/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Remember, rock stars become rock stars because they are inveterate insecure attention-seeking babies and you may have written a couple of half-decent couplets and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-haines/remember-rock-stars-become-rock-stars-because-they-are-inveterate/) [Luke Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-haines/) > [I'm so old, I can remember before rock 'n' roll come along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-cale/i-m-so-old-i-can-remember-before-rock-n-roll-come-along/) [J. J. Cale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-cale/) > [YOU can fuk off if you dont like me; remember its mind over matter.I dont mind and you dont matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/you-can-fuk-off-if-you-dont-like-me-remember-its-mind-over-matter-i/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [Occasionally, I have to think like myself to remember where I put something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-l-taylor/occasionally-i-have-to-think-like-myself-to-remember-where-i-put/) [Susan L. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-l-taylor/) > [It's like, remember who you always were, where you came from, who your parents were, how they raised you. Because that authentic self is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-like-remember-who-you-always-were-where-you-came-from-who-your/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [“Memories, especially when they are of someone we love, are an unblemished version of the things we'd like to remember”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-wallace/memories-especially-when-they-are-of-someone-we-love-are-an/) [Becky Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-wallace/) > [“I like how you remember things,’ I say. She looks at me. ‘Well, we have to. We have to remember everything. If we don’t,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-marion/i-like-how-you-remember-things-i-say-she-looks-at-me-well-we-have-to/) [Isaac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-marion/) > [Make me remember you like you remember me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/make-me-remember-you-like-you-remember-me/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [I like to remember things my own way. How I remembered them, not necessarily the way they happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-like-to-remember-things-my-own-way-how-i-remembered-them-not/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [But if you wanna leave, you can. I'll remember you though, just like I remember everyone that leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilo-stitch/but-if-you-wanna-leave-you-can-i-ll-remember-you-though-just-like-i/) [Lilo & Stitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilo-stitch/) > [“Someone once told me people write down stories because they would like to forget, and those who read are those who would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zelazny/someone-once-told-me-people-write-down-stories-because-they-would/) [John Zelazny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zelazny/) > [Sometimes when I'm with you, I remember things I lost when I was your age. Like I remember the sound of the rain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/sometimes-when-i-m-with-you-i-remember-things-i-lost-when-i-was-your/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I do have a really good memory. I mean, like, I can remember all the phone numbers of everybody on the street I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-karr/i-do-have-a-really-good-memory-i-mean-like-i-can-remember-all-the/) [Mary Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-karr/) > [When a boy tells a girl something she doesn't like she will remember it forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/when-a-boy-tells-a-girl-something-she-doesn-t-like-she-will-remember/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) ## More by Bruce Springsteen > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When I die throw my body in the back and drive me to the junk yard in my Cadillac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-i-die-throw-my-body-in-the-back-and-drive-me-to-the-junk-yard-in/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I got Mary pregnant and man that's all she wrote. And for my 19th birthday, I got a union card and a factory coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-got-mary-pregnant-and-man-that-s-all-she-wrote-and-for-my-19th/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ I don't know if I know anyone, with the exception of the early inventors of rock music \[who wasn't influenced by something\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-don-t-know-if-i-know-anyone-with-the-exception-of-the-early/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy.I want to be that guy myself very often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/people-see-you-onstage-and-yeah-i-d-want-to-be-that-guy-i-want-to-be/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [You know, my music utilizes things from the past, because that's what the past is for. It's to learn from. It's not to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/you-know-my-music-utilizes-things-from-the-past-because-that-s-what/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap, through the Badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/from-the-town-of-lincoln-nebraska-with-a-sawed-off-410-on-my-lap/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I want a thousand guitars . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-want-a-thousand-guitars/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [In America everything's about who's number one today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/in-america-everything-s-about-who-s-number-one-today/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [A pop song is a condensed version of a life in three minutes, whereas, when you go to write your prose, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/a-pop-song-is-a-condensed-version-of-a-life-in-three-minutes-whereas/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I walked a thousand miles just to slip this skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-walked-a-thousand-miles-just-to-slip-this-skin/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The moment you begin to depend on audience reaction, you're doing the wrong thing. You're doin' it wrong, it's a mistake, it's not right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-moment-you-begin-to-depend-on-audience-reaction-you-re-doing-the/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The name 'Boss' started with people that worked for me... It was not meant like Boss, capital B, it was meant like 'Boss, where's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-name-boss-started-with-people-that-worked-for-me-it-was-not-meant/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-country-we-carry-in-our-hearts-is-waiting/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) [Explore all 484 Bruce Springsteen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Don’t take yourself too seriously. Take yourself as seriously as death itself. Don’t worry. Worry your ass off. Have iron-clad confidence, but doubt. It keeps you alive and alert! Believe you are the baddest ass in town – and [that] you suck! It keeps you honest. Be able to keep two completely contradictory ideas alive and well inside of your heart and head at all times. If it doesn’t drive you crazy, it will make you strong. 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