--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All the things that are negative in me as…" description: "\"All the things that are negative in me as a person - the incompetence and despair and weakness and pain - are like a gift from God in a performer. If y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ac/elizabeth-ashley-35556_actors_all-the-things-that-are-negative-in-me-a_1189462.png" --- # All the things that are negative in me as a person - the… ![“All the things that are negative in me as a person - the incompetence and despair and weakness and pain - are like a gift from God in a performer. If you don't hide them and if you stop lying to yourself about what you are and are not, there is a ring or a tent or a stage where you can take them…” quote by Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ac/elizabeth-ashley-35556_actors_all-the-things-that-are-negative-in-me-a_1189462.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ac/elizabeth-ashley-35556_actors_all-the-things-that-are-negative-in-me-a_1189462.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ac/elizabeth-ashley-35556_actors_all-the-things-that-are-negative-in-me-a_1189462.png) > “All the things that are negative in me as a person - the incompetence and despair and weakness and pain - are like a gift from God in a performer. If you don't hide them and if you stop lying to yourself about what you are and are not, there is a ring or a tent or a stage where you can take them and use them to make something beautiful.” [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal flaws can be transformed into creative strengths when embraced honestly. **In simple terms:** Turn pain into art. Key Takeaway Accept and use your wounds. Themes creativity self‑acceptance growth Mood hopeful introspective Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - therapy - writing - performance - design Key Concepts psychology artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel struggle constructively? - What boundaries protect mental health? A Different Perspective Not all pain is productive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Despair Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair-weakness-3524855/) [Gift from god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift-from-god/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Incompetence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetence/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Lying to yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying-to-yourself/) [Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative/) [Negative Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/negative-person-431700/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Performers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performers/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Rings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rings/) [Something beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-beautiful/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stop lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stop-lying/) [Tents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tents/) [Things Negative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-negative-1648879/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/) ## Related quotes > [“Stop lying to yourself. When we deny our own truth, we deny our own potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/stop-lying-to-yourself-when-we-deny-our-own-truth-we-deny-our-own/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“I'm trying to stop lying to myself about little things. I'm still working on the big ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcmillan/i-m-trying-to-stop-lying-to-myself-about-little-things-i-m-still/) [Terry McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcmillan/) > [You still love him. Stop lying to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-still-love-him-stop-lying-to-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Please stop lying to yourself cause every time you lie to yourself something dies in you..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mustapha-falalu-bello/please-stop-lying-to-yourself-cause-every-time-you-lie-to-yourself/) [Mustapha Falalu Bello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mustapha-falalu-bello/) > [Stop lying to yourself.-You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can't lie to yourself.Our lives improve only when we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian/stop-lying-to-yourself-you-can-lie-to-anyone-else-in-the-world-but/) [Damian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian/) > [“Just stop lying to yourself and pretend that time does not exist or seriously affect our actions. I'm here now, and time is here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-dunca/just-stop-lying-to-yourself-and-pretend-that-time-does-not-exist-or/) [Claudio Dunca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-dunca/) > [You hear certain things, negative things, all the time that aren't true, but you never hear about the positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mayweather-jr/you-hear-certain-things-negative-things-all-the-time-that-aren-t-true/) [Floyd Mayweather, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mayweather-jr/) > [I hate using the word 'dark' for things that are negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zawe-ashton/i-hate-using-the-word-dark-for-things-that-are-negative/) [Zawe Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zawe-ashton/) > [“See positive things in negative things”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mirthe-kruizenga/see-positive-things-in-negative-things/) [Mirthe Kruizenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mirthe-kruizenga/) > [Sometimes, people say certain things about me that are negative, but that's no problem. I try to take their negative and turn it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mayweather-jr/sometimes-people-say-certain-things-about-me-that-are-negative-but/) [Floyd Mayweather, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mayweather-jr/) > [Few things are more negative than thinking positive for no reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/few-things-are-more-negative-than-thinking-positive-for-no-reason/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [It just feels to me like the death throes of an America that had many great things about it, but had many negative things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-nixon/it-just-feels-to-me-like-the-death-throes-of-an-america-that-had-many/) [Cynthia Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-nixon/) > [“7 things negative people will do to you. They will... 1. Demean your value; 2. Destroy your image 3. Drive you crazily! 4. Dispose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/7-things-negative-people-will-do-to-you-they-will-1-demean-your-value/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I was 24 years old at the time. I had no real notion of what photography was about. I had no training. By accident,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-klein/i-was-24-years-old-at-the-time-i-had-no-real-notion-of-what/) [William Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-klein/) > [If there is a negative person in ur life who does nothing but bring u down and hurt u, then you should respect urself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-there-is-a-negative-person-in-ur-life-who-does-nothing-but-bring-u/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Elizabeth Ashley > [“Infection –Tea tree, Manuka, Kanuka, Cinnamon leaf, thyme”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/infection-tea-tree-manuka-kanuka-cinnamon-leaf-thyme/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [The only thing I like about being an actress is acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/the-only-thing-i-like-about-being-an-actress-is-acting/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [In a great romance, each person plays a part the other really likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/in-a-great-romance-each-person-plays-a-part-the-other-really-likes/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [Absence does not make the heart grow fonder, but it sure heats up the blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/absence-does-not-make-the-heart-grow-fonder-but-it-sure-heats-up-the/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [“In a great romance, each basically plays a part that the other really likes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/in-a-great-romance-each-basically-plays-a-part-that-the-other-really/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [the flip side of success is fear. And fear is the devil. And success is the devil's dope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/the-flip-side-of-success-is-fear-and-fear-is-the-devil-and-success-is/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [In a great romance, each person basically plays a part that the other really likes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/in-a-great-romance-each-person-basically-plays-a-part-that-the-other/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [drama is made up of what people most fear and deny in themselves. The taboos. The secrets. The devils and the demons. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/drama-is-made-up-of-what-people-most-fear-and-deny-in-themselves-the/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [People pay all that money to sit in a chair in the theater mainly because it is a respectable way to see and experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/people-pay-all-that-money-to-sit-in-a-chair-in-the-theater-mainly/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [Because I'm a performer I can justify and sometimes sell the things about me that offend and shock the conventional world. I need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/because-i-m-a-performer-i-can-justify-and-sometimes-sell-the-things/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [Sex is just another real good drug ... and it can make a junkie out of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/sex-is-just-another-real-good-drug-and-it-can-make-a-junkie-out-of-you/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) > [Art isn't something you do or are. It's where you aim, the target you shoot at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-ashley/art-isn-t-something-you-do-or-are-it-s-where-you-aim-the-target-you/) [Elizabeth Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) [Explore all 13 Elizabeth Ashley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-ashley/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All the things that are negative in me as a person - the incompetence and despair and weakness and pain - are like a gift from God in a performer. 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