--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous." description: "\"I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous.\" — John Irving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/john-irving-337_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous-1684_1684290.png" --- # I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous. ![“I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous.” quote by John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/john-irving-337_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous-1684_1684290.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/john-irving-337_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous-1684_1684290.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/john-irving-337_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous-1684_1684290.png) > “I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous.” [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledgment of fear coupled with nervous excitement before a challenge **In simple terms:** Nervous but not fearful; excitement prevails Key Takeaway Embrace nervous energy as motivation Themes emotion courage anxiety Mood anxious hopeful Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - public speaking - first day at work - competition Key Concepts psychology performance risk taking Questions to Reflect On - How can nervousness be channeled positively? - What techniques calm pre‑event anxiety? A Different Perspective Nervousness may hinder performance if unchecked ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) [Afraid Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-nervous-989209/) [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Not afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-afraid/) ## Related quotes > [I wish he would just tell me hi, its like every time I like him more and more but I'm afraid to tell him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-he-would-just-tell-me-hi-its-like-every-time-i-like-him-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just rode cross-country and the thing I noticed is just how afraid everyone is, and how nervous and scared and angry people are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-beatty/i-just-rode-cross-country-and-the-thing-i-noticed-is-just-how-afraid/) [Paul Beatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-beatty/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You're not afraid I'll kill you tonight?" "Like I couldn't take you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/you-re-not-afraid-i-ll-kill-you-tonight-like-i-couldn-t-take-you/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Dont worry, Roza, I'm not afraid. I'll take whatever heat they give me over being with you. It's worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/dont-worry-roza-i-m-not-afraid-i-ll-take-whatever-heat-they-give-me/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [You can't win 'til you're not afraid to lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-win-til-you-re-not-afraid-to-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-here-we-are-not-afraid-to-follow-truth-wherever-it-may-lead/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/you-cannot-oppress-the-people-who-are-not-afraid-anymore/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [God is not afraid of new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-is-not-afraid-of-new-things/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I am not afraid of the word tension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-am-not-afraid-of-the-word-tension/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I'm not afraid of losing you anymore, because I've realised that I never had you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-leah/i-m-not-afraid-of-losing-you-anymore-because-i-ve-realised-that-i/) [Jamie-Leah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-leah/) > [I'm not afraid of anything other than spiritual annihilation. Where your soul is sucked into the void.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispian-mills/i-m-not-afraid-of-anything-other-than-spiritual-annihilation-where/) [Crispian Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispian-mills/) > [Fear is a habit; I am not afraid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/fear-is-a-habit-i-am-not-afraid/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [I'm not afraid of having an agenda. I do have an agenda. It's a positive agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-m-not-afraid-of-having-an-agenda-i-do-have-an-agenda-it-s-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I am not afraid of the truth, if any one could tell it me, but I am afraid of parts of it impertinently uttered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/i-am-not-afraid-of-the-truth-if-any-one-could-tell-it-me-but-i-am/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## More by John Irving > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean––make sure they know what they mean!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/watch-out-for-people-who-call-themselves-religious-make-sure-you-know/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [The desire to never leave your side, the desire to never see you again. The desire to see your face asleep on the pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/the-desire-to-never-leave-your-side-the-desire-to-never-see-you-again/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I had been a student in Vienna, and one of the neat little things I had found out was about that zoo. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-had-been-a-student-in-vienna-and-one-of-the-neat-little-things-i/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“God, I think I just hit a high E-flat - and I really held it!" Esmeralda said, after one of her more prolonged orgasms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/god-i-think-i-just-hit-a-high-e-flat-and-i-really-held-it-esmeralda/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Nostalgia!" Miss Frost cried. "You´re nostalgic!" She repeated. "Just how old are you, William?" She asked. "Seventeen, " I told her. "Seventeen!" Miss Frost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/nostalgia-miss-frost-cried-you-re-nostalgic-she-repeated-just-how-old/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [ “JUST BECAUSE A BUNCH OF ATHEISTS ARE BETTER WRITERS THAN THE GUYS WHO WROTE THE BIBLE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MAKE THEM RIGHT!" \[Owen Meany\] said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/just-because-a-bunch-of-atheists-are-better-writers-than-the-guys-who/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is much easier to be flexible about where a story begins than it ever was for me to change my mind about where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/it-is-much-easier-to-be-flexible-about-where-a-story-begins-than-it/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Only the chicken-lover will understand me. He will give me a kindly look, maybe mildly desirous. His eyes will tell me: You might look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/only-the-chicken-lover-will-understand-me-he-will-give-me-a-kindly/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [You're nice,' Cushie told him, squeezing his hand. 'And you're my oldest friend.' But they both must have known that you can know someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/you-re-nice-cushie-told-him-squeezing-his-hand-and-you-re-my-oldest/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Because of A Prayer for Owen Meany, many of my readers assume I am “religious.” I go to church only occasionally—like a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/because-of-a-prayer-for-owen-meany-many-of-my-readers-assume-i-am/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Did anyone who was in love and was unsatisfied with how he was loved in return ever feel saved?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/did-anyone-who-was-in-love-and-was-unsatisfied-with-how-he-was-loved/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“I TRUST THAT GOD WILL HELP ME, BECAUSE WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO LOOKS VERY HARD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-trust-that-god-will-help-me-because-what-i-m-supposed-to-do-looks/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Explore all 641 John Irving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) [Darlene Senger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-senger/) > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) [Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Irving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/john-irving-337_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous-1684_1684290.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/john-irving-337_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous-1684_1684290.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/420/john-irving-337_afraid_i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous-1684_1684290.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I’m not afraid, but I’m very nervous.” — John Irving", "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": "John Irving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I’m not afraid, but I’m very...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/i-m-not-afraid-but-i-m-very-nervous/#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 } } ] } ```