---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Were you really not frightened?\"…"
description: "\"“Were you really not frightened?\" \"Sometimes I was terrified, but that was the whole point.\" \"You wanted to be afraid?\" She couldn't imagine deliberate..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/lorraine-heath-2089_courage_were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes_1355778.jpg"
---

#  Were you really not frightened?" "Sometimes I was…

![“Were you really not frightened?&quot; &quot;Sometimes I was terrified, but that was the whole point.&quot; &quot;You wanted to be afraid?&quot; She couldn't imagine deliberately putting herself in a position of fear. “I wanted to test my courage, my determination. It was a journey of discovery, but it was more about what…” quote by Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/lorraine-heath-2089_courage_were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes_1355778.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/lorraine-heath-2089_courage_were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes_1355778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/lorraine-heath-2089_courage_were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes_1355778.jpg)

> ““Were you really not frightened?" "Sometimes I was terrified, but that was the whole point." "You wanted to be afraid?" She couldn't imagine deliberately putting herself in a position of fear. “I wanted to test my courage, my determination. It was a journey of discovery, but it was more about what I discovered within myself. What I discovered about the world was simply a bonus.” “And what did you discover—about yourself, I mean?” “That I’m not nearly as weak as I thought, nor nearly as strong as I’d hoped.””

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Facing fear deliberately reveals inner strength and uncovers personal limits and potentials.

**In simple terms:** Testing fear shows true courage and self‑knowledge.

Key Takeaway

Embrace fear to discover hidden resilience.

Themes

courage self‑discovery personal growth

Mood

determined reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career challenges
- adventure sports
- public speaking
- creative projects

Key Concepts

psychology resilience introspection

Questions to Reflect On

- What fear have you avoided?
- How might confronting it change your self‑view?

A Different Perspective

Fear can overwhelm and cause paralysis if not managed.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/)

## Related quotes

> [“I wanted to be afraid, especially when I saw the long,thin sword he carried in his hand, but I couldn't. The man was wearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-jayne/i-wanted-to-be-afraid-especially-when-i-saw-the-long-thin-sword-he/)

Hannah Jayne

> [Young women are now looking at me for cues. That's definitely been a responsibility. But I feel like I was ready to take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/young-women-are-now-looking-at-me-for-cues-that-s-definitely-been-a/)

[Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/)

> [Hodge had given up a long time ago trying to live a better life or a different one; all he wanted was not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/hodge-had-given-up-a-long-time-ago-trying-to-live-a-better-life-or-a/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [Something I've always wanted? someone to be afraid of losing me .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/something-i-ve-always-wanted-someone-to-be-afraid-of-losing-me/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Somethings in life are out of your control. you can make it a party or a tragedy. Or, you could refuse to take the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/somethings-in-life-are-out-of-your-control-you-can-make-it-a-party-or/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [“Some people refuse to take the next step. You could refuse to take what you wanted most, because you're afraid someday you might lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/some-people-refuse-to-take-the-next-step-you-could-refuse-to-take/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [Courage has nothing to do with our determination to be great. It has to do with what we decide in that moment when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/courage-has-nothing-to-do-with-our-determination-to-be-great-it-has/)

[Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/)

> [You can't test courage cautiously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously/)

[Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/)

> [“You can't test courage cautiously.” (Annie Dillard)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-quinn-noren/you-can-t-test-courage-cautiously-annie-dillard/)

Marcia Quinn Noren

> [“Therefore, your enemies are not the adversaries who were put there to test your courage. They are the cowards who were put there to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/therefore-your-enemies-are-not-the-adversaries-who-were-put-there-to/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [Difficulties may come to you in different guises, but their purpose remains the same: to test your courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/difficulties-may-come-to-you-in-different-guises-but-their-purpose/)

Mak\_786

> [To preserve one's mind intact through a modern college education is a test of courage and endurance, but the battle is worth it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/to-preserve-one-s-mind-intact-through-a-modern-college-education-is-a/)

[Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/)

> [The greatest test of courage is to bear defeat without losing heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-test-of-courage-is-to-bear-defeat-without-losing-heart/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-least-expect-it-life-sets-us-a-challenge-to-test-our-courage/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/all-of-us-have-moments-in-our-lives-that-test-our-courage-taking/)

[Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/)

## More by Lorraine Heath

> [“You know the legend, lady, but you don’t know the man. And damn if I’m not tempted to introduce you to the man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-know-the-legend-lady-but-you-don-t-know-the-man-and-damn-if-i-m/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do anything, believe anything in order to acquire it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/have-you-ever-wanted-something-so-badly-that-you-would-do-anything/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“She laid her palm against his bristled cheek. “You’re safe,” she whispered. “What the hell did you think you were doing?” he growled, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/she-laid-her-palm-against-his-bristled-cheek-you-re-safe-she/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“Her features were exquisite perfection, carved by nature with obvious care and never altered by the harshness of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/her-features-were-exquisite-perfection-carved-by-nature-with-obvious/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“He skidded to a dead halt and stared hard at Austin. The boy’s chin carried so many nicks from his first shave that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-skidded-to-a-dead-halt-and-stared-hard-at-austin-the-boy-s-chin/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [Choose well those with whom you travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/choose-well-those-with-whom-you-travel/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“You managed to do the same with my heart, didn’t you, Frannie? You stole it, and I didn’t even feel it happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-managed-to-do-the-same-with-my-heart-didn-t-you-frannie-you-stole/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“The one thing I learned in my youth as a grave robber was that everyone looks the same when they're dead. We're all equal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/the-one-thing-i-learned-in-my-youth-as-a-grave-robber-was-that/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“She wondered if any of them had truly understood the cost of what they were asking of each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/she-wondered-if-any-of-them-had-truly-understood-the-cost-of-what/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“He could not take what he could never keep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-could-not-take-what-he-could-never-keep/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“Within the shadows of honor, courage often walks in silence. -Engraved on the monument Clay built”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/within-the-shadows-of-honor-courage-often-walks-in-silence-engraved/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“Please," Meg whispered. "I don't want any trouble here." He released his hold on her. As though she might say something further, she parted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/please-meg-whispered-i-don-t-want-any-trouble-here-he-released-his/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“...at the end she’d be nothing more than a memory, if that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/at-the-end-she-d-be-nothing-more-than-a-memory-if-that/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“You think the only battles fought are done so with rifles, and the only wounds that kill draw blood. You think courage is loud,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/you-think-the-only-battles-fought-are-done-so-with-rifles-and-the/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

> [“Somewhere to take shelter from the elements but not the storms of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/somewhere-to-take-shelter-from-the-elements-but-not-the-storms-of-life/)

[Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

[Explore all 186 Lorraine Heath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/)

## More Courage quotes

> [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/)

[Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/)

> [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/)

[Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/)

> [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/)

[Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/)

> [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/)

James T. Conway

> [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/)

[Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/)

> [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/)

[Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/)

> [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/)

[Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/)

> [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/)

[Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/)

> [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/)

Kristen Armstrong

> [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/)

[Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/)

> [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/)

[Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/)

> [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/)

[Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/)

[Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Were you really not frightened?\" \"Sometimes I was terrified, but that was the whole point.\" \"You wanted to be afraid?\" She couldn't imagine deliberately putting herself in a position of fear. “I wanted to test my courage, my determination. It was a journey of discovery, but it was more about what I discovered within myself. What I discovered about the world was simply a bonus.” “And what did you discover—about yourself, I mean?” “That I’m not nearly as weak as I thought, nor nearly as strong as I’d hoped.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lorraine Heath"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes-i-was-terrified-but-that-was/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Courage"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes-i-was-terrified-but-that-was/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/lorraine-heath-2089_courage_were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes_1355778.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/lorraine-heath-2089_courage_were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes_1355778.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/574/lorraine-heath-2089_courage_were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes_1355778.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Were you really not frightened?\" \"Sometimes I was terrified, but that was the whole point.\" \"You wanted to…” — Lorraine Heath",
                "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": "Lorraine Heath",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Were you really not frightened?\" \"Sometimes...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes-i-was-terrified-but-that-was/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/were-you-really-not-frightened-sometimes-i-was-terrified-but-that-was/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
