--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always challenge myself. I get out in…" description: "\"I always challenge myself. I get out in deep water and I always try to get back. But I get hung up. The audience never knows, but that's when I smile t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/earl-hines-61667_audience_i-always-challenge-myself-i-get-out-in-d_2390972.jpg" --- # I always challenge myself. I get out in deep water and I… ![“I always challenge myself. I get out in deep water and I always try to get back. But I get hung up. The audience never knows, but that's when I smile the most, when I show the most ivory.” quote by Earl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/earl-hines-61667_audience_i-always-challenge-myself-i-get-out-in-d_2390972.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/earl-hines-61667_audience_i-always-challenge-myself-i-get-out-in-d_2390972.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/493/earl-hines-61667_audience_i-always-challenge-myself-i-get-out-in-d_2390972.jpg) > “I always challenge myself. I get out in deep water and I always try to get back. But I get hung up. The audience never knows, but that's when I smile the most, when I show the most ivory.” [Earl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-hines/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Describes challenging oneself, feeling tension, and finding joy in showing vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Challenges self, feels tension, smiles when showing vulnerability. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges and vulnerability. Themes self‑challenge vulnerability performance Mood introspective hopeful Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - sports - public speaking - creative work Key Concepts resilience emotional expression Questions to Reflect On - What does “showing the most ivory” mean to you? - How do you balance tension and joy? A Different Perspective May romanticize struggle. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Challenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge/) [Challenge Deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenge-deep-5955939/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep/) [Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hung/) [I smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-smile/) [Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ivory/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile/) [Smile Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-ivory-5955940/) [Try Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-hung-5955941/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Water Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water-try-3916618/) ## Related quotes > [I drink a lot of water and always try to stay hydrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christie-rampone/i-drink-a-lot-of-water-and-always-try-to-stay-hydrated/) [Christie Rampone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christie-rampone/) > [Study water. Try to grab a hold of water, and it will always elude you. You just have to let yourself be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/study-water-try-to-grab-a-hold-of-water-and-it-will-always-elude-you/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [The chattering bloody classes, or what I call the liberal Guardian readers, they're all buying SUVs to drive around London. I smile at these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-chattering-bloody-classes-or-what-i-call-the-liberal-guardian-2/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [Amy sat back and grinned. "You just smiled." That was definitely something else she could get used to. Of course, he frowned immediately. "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/amy-sat-back-and-grinned-you-just-smiled-that-was-definitely/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [The chattering bloody classes, or what I call the liberal Guardian readers, they're all buying SUVs to drive around London. I smile at these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-o-leary/the-chattering-bloody-classes-or-what-i-call-the-liberal-guardian/) [Michael O'Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-o-leary/) > [When she smiles niggers ask her for her hand in marriage; when I smile folks check their wallets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/when-she-smiles-niggers-ask-her-for-her-hand-in-marriage-when-i-smile/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [I walk up a dune to a beach and look out to sea, but it's 100km away. The ships lie askew in their dry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-gill/i-walk-up-a-dune-to-a-beach-and-look-out-to-sea-but-it-s-100km-away/) [A. A. Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-gill/) > [You ask me why I dwell in the green mountain; I smile and make no reply for my heart is free of care. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-bai/you-ask-me-why-i-dwell-in-the-green-mountain-i-smile-and-make-no/) [Li Bai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-bai/) > [I have loved this life. I smile because I have tiny dreams that play hopscotch at the corners of my mouth. And every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-koyczan/i-have-loved-this-life-i-smile-because-i-have-tiny-dreams-that-play/) [Shane Koyczan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-koyczan/) > [To the casual observer it looks like I have moved on since I go around wearing my little happy mask all day. I smile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-carlson/to-the-casual-observer-it-looks-like-i-have-moved-on-since-i-go/) [Melody Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-carlson/) > [You ask why I make my home n the mountain forest, and I smile, and am silent, and even my soul remains quiet: it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ask-why-i-make-my-home-n-the-mountain-forest-and-i-smile-and-am/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Happiness is the choice I make today. It does not rest on my circumstances, but on my frame of mind...In cultivating the habits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/happiness-is-the-choice-i-make-today-it-does-not-rest-on-my/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“No matter how grouchy you're feeling, you'll find the smile more or less healing. It grows in a wreath all around the teeth thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-euwer/no-matter-how-grouchy-you-re-feeling-you-ll-find-the-smile-more-or/) [Anthony Euwer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-euwer/) > [I am doing what I am supposed to be doing right now. I smile knowing that I have the most wonderful husband, family, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-oz/i-am-doing-what-i-am-supposed-to-be-doing-right-now-i-smile-knowing/) [Daphne Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-oz/) > [I look down from the branch I'm perched on. The Careers look murderous. Now I smile.'How have things been with you?' I ask sweetly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-look-down-from-the-branch-i-m-perched-on-the-careers-look-murderous/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More by Earl Hines > [You may have holes in your shoes, but don't let the people out front know it. Shine the tops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-hines/you-may-have-holes-in-your-shoes-but-don-t-let-the-people-out-front/) [Earl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-hines/) > [If you see me up there on the stand smiling, I'm lost!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-hines/if-you-see-me-up-there-on-the-stand-smiling-i-m-lost/) [Earl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-hines/) > [I always thought jazz was like the trunk of a tree. After the tree has grown, many branches have spread out. They're all with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-hines/i-always-thought-jazz-was-like-the-trunk-of-a-tree-after-the-tree-has/) [Earl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-hines/) > [I don't think I think when I play. I have a photographic memory for chords, and when I'm playing, the right chords appear in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-hines/i-don-t-think-i-think-when-i-play-i-have-a-photographic-memory-for/) [Earl Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-hines/) [Explore all 5 Earl Hines quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-hines/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. 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My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always challenge myself. I get out in deep water and I always try to get back. But I get hung up. 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