--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an adolescent, I was painfully shy…" description: "\"As an adolescent, I was painfully shy, withdrawn. I didn't really have the nerve to sing my songs on stage, and nobody else was doing them. I decided t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/david-bowie-508_being-myself_as-an-adolescent-i-was-painfully-shy-wit_3079106.jpg" --- # As an adolescent, I was painfully shy, withdrawn. I didn't… ![“As an adolescent, I was painfully shy, withdrawn. I didn't really have the nerve to sing my songs on stage, and nobody else was doing them. I decided to do them in disguise so that I didn't have to actually go through the humiliation of going on stage and being myself.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/david-bowie-508_being-myself_as-an-adolescent-i-was-painfully-shy-wit_3079106.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/david-bowie-508_being-myself_as-an-adolescent-i-was-painfully-shy-wit_3079106.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a1/david-bowie-508_being-myself_as-an-adolescent-i-was-painfully-shy-wit_3079106.jpg) > “As an adolescent, I was painfully shy, withdrawn. I didn't really have the nerve to sing my songs on stage, and nobody else was doing them. I decided to do them in disguise so that I didn't have to actually go through the humiliation of going on stage and being myself.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He avoided direct exposure by disguising himself, fearing humiliation and judgment when sharing personal art publicly. **In simple terms:** He hid his true self to avoid embarrassment. Key Takeaway Embrace authenticity despite fear. Themes self‑esteem performance authenticity fear creativity Mood anxious reflective Type advice motivational When to use this quote - stage performance - public speaking - creative expression - personal branding Key Concepts psychology social anxiety self‑presentation Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if you performed without a mask? - How does fear shape your creative choices? A Different Perspective Disguising may still attract scrutiny and limit personal growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humiliation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humiliation/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [Going on stage and doing ballet, for the first time, was even more verification of, "This is what I'm meant to do. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-copeland/going-on-stage-and-doing-ballet-for-the-first-time-was-even-more/) [Misty Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-copeland/) > [I was very shy and withdrawn as a child, but people know me as these assertive women. They are not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bea-arthur/i-was-very-shy-and-withdrawn-as-a-child-but-people-know-me-as-these/) [Bea Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bea-arthur/) > [Which of my feelings are real? Which of the me's is me? The wild, impulsive, chaotic, energetic, and crazy one? Or the shy, withdrawn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/which-of-my-feelings-are-real-which-of-the-me-s-is-me-the-wild/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [I think I was a late developer because I'd been stuck in the country and was a little bit shy and withdrawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-parker/i-think-i-was-a-late-developer-because-i-d-been-stuck-in-the-country/) [Cornelia Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-parker/) > [Michael Jordan on the court is a completely different guy. If the play requires him to leap out all the way and grab the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/michael-jordan-on-the-court-is-a-completely-different-guy-if-the-play/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [You know, I am kind of a bi-polarish schitzerphrenic. 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I remember the first time I was on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-stan/you-have-to-pay-attention-to-the-moments-when-you-ve-felt-on-top-on/) [Sebastian Stan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-stan/) > [Most of my comedy writing happens through improvisation on stage; doing it in the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-maron/most-of-my-comedy-writing-happens-through-improvisation-on-stage/) [Marc Maron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-maron/) > [There's so much control of the audience's experience when you're on stage doing a play, whereas when working on camera, there's a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jackson-harper/there-s-so-much-control-of-the-audience-s-experience-when-you-re-on/) [William Jackson Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jackson-harper/) > [It's the only time that I'm ever nervous on stage, is when we're doing live TV. Especially an awards show, because I know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-aldean/it-s-the-only-time-that-i-m-ever-nervous-on-stage-is-when-we-re-doing/) [Jason Aldean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-aldean/) > [Never go dead for a second on stage. Even if you are doing nothing, do it actively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-allam/never-go-dead-for-a-second-on-stage-even-if-you-are-doing-nothing-do/) [Roger Allam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-allam/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. 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That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Being myself quotes > [I don't claim 2 be perfect, but whatever I do is more then it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-claim-2-be-perfect-but-whatever-i-do-is-more-then-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) > [I am me and thats it... And he loves me this way!(:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade/i-am-me-and-thats-it-and-he-loves-me-this-way/) [Jade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade/) > [I m Single , Eligible But Not Available .. Limited Edition :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faisal-khan-neal/i-m-single-eligible-but-not-available-limited-edition-d/) Faisal Khan Neal > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Why is it that anyone can pretend to be someone there not and never be someone they are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akeem/why-is-it-that-anyone-can-pretend-to-be-someone-there-not-and-never/) Akeem > [My baby boo<3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-baby-boo-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm might not be the best , I might not be strongest or the fastest or the smart ,but I'm sure as hades ain't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/i-m-might-not-be-the-best-i-might-not-be-strongest-or-the-fastest-or/) MrAwesome > [I'd rather be despised for my character than be liked for my lack of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-be-despised-for-my-character-than-be-liked-for-my-lack-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't lie. Even if they think I'm wrong. Even if they don't understand. Even if they think I'm crazy. I'm me. They're supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-lie-even-if-they-think-i-m-wrong-even-if-they-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always had difficulty as a model just being myself. I can be very shy, and I used to have a lot of anxiety…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-seymour/i-always-had-difficulty-as-a-model-just-being-myself-i-can-be-very/) [Stephanie Seymour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-seymour/) > [I am not the best in the world nor the worst, I am me and that's enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-not-the-best-in-the-world-nor-the-worst-i-am-me-and-that-s-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't mid if people look at me like I'm crazy. 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