Appropriate Quote by Lauren Bacall
“I was this kid, and I was scared to death of all these pros around me... My head would shake, and my hands would shake, and I discovered if I kept my head down and looked up, my head would not shake, so I started to do that when I could, when it was appropriate in a scene.”
About This Quote
Source Film: The Big Sleep, 1946
When feeling intimidated, focusing upward steadies nerves and enables performance.
In simple terms: Looking up calms fear and improves action.
Key Takeaway
Look up to steady yourself.
Themes
confidence
performance
anxiety
Mood
determined
calm
Type
motivational
practical
When to use this quote
- stage acting
- public speaking
- interviews
- high‑pressure tasks
Key Concepts
self-regulation
presence
mindset
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you physically anchor yourself in anxiety?
- When is looking up inappropriate?
A Different Perspective
May not work if the environment is unsafe or hostile.
![“When I was younger, I would mess about and have a laugh with everyone. I was doing Atonement when I was about 12, and as we went to do this very serious scene, the director Joe [Wright] came up to me ... I'd been giggling right up to the beginning of the take. And he came up to me and said, "Okay…” quote by Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/348/saoirse-ronan-7939_atonement_when-i-was-younger-i-would-mess-about-an_573836.jpg)
![“[T]he appropriate form of address between man and man ought to be, not monsieur, sir, but fellow sufferer, compagnon de miseres.” quote by Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/be6/arthur-schopenhauer-226_addresses_t-he-appropriate-form-of-address-between_32897.jpg)
