--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am basically the sort of person who has…" description: "\"I am basically the sort of person who has stage-fright teaching. I kind of creep into a classroom. I'm not an anecdote-teller, either, although I often..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/lydia-davis-3244_anecdotes_i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-ha_2228283.png" --- # I am basically the sort of person who has stage-fright… ![“I am basically the sort of person who has stage-fright teaching. I kind of creep into a classroom. I'm not an anecdote-teller, either, although I often wish I were.” quote by Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/lydia-davis-3244_anecdotes_i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-ha_2228283.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/lydia-davis-3244_anecdotes_i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-ha_2228283.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/lydia-davis-3244_anecdotes_i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-ha_2228283.png) > “I am basically the sort of person who has stage-fright teaching. I kind of creep into a classroom. I'm not an anecdote-teller, either, although I often wish I were.” [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels anxiety and invisibility when teaching, lacking confidence and storytelling ability. **In simple terms:** Stage fright and self‑doubt in teaching. Key Takeaway Embrace practice to build confidence. Themes anxiety teaching self‑esteem Mood nervous reflective Type advice personal When to use this quote - classroom teaching - workshop facilitation - public speaking courses Key Concepts public speaking identity vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - How can you develop a personal narrative style? - What small steps can reduce classroom anxiety? A Different Perspective Confidence may not fully replace innate talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anecdotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotes/) [Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom/) [Classroom Anecdote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom-anecdote-5002817/) [Creep Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creep-classroom-5002818/) [Creeps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeps/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Fright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fright/) [Fright Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fright-teaching-5002816/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage fright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-fright/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Teaching Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching-kind-304494/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [The teaching which is written on paper is not the true teaching. Written teaching is a kind of food for your brain. Of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shunryu-suzuki/the-teaching-which-is-written-on-paper-is-not-the-true-teaching/) [Shunryu Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shunryu-suzuki/) > [I am teaching...It's kind of like having a love affair with a rhinoceros.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-sexton/i-am-teaching-it-s-kind-of-like-having-a-love-affair-with-a-rhinoceros/) [Anne Sexton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-sexton/) > [Business students are very oriented to playing a role in the real world and accomplishing something, not training themselves to be scholars and contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/business-students-are-very-oriented-to-playing-a-role-in-the-real/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [Actually, I failed drama in high school because of nerves. I wasnt able to memorize the words. I had complete stage fright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-marie/actually-i-failed-drama-in-high-school-because-of-nerves-i-wasnt-able/) [Constance Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-marie/) > [Stage fright is a real thing. It's debilitating to some people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shaffir/stage-fright-is-a-real-thing-it-s-debilitating-to-some-people/) [Ari Shaffir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shaffir/) > [I used to suffer from stage fright, which at times was an ordeal. I won't perform live again. I'm going to do some TV…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnetha-faltskog/i-used-to-suffer-from-stage-fright-which-at-times-was-an-ordeal-i-won/) [Agnetha Faltskog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnetha-faltskog/) > [My dad was listening to me noodle around on the guitar in the house and sing, and he was like, 'Man, you're funny, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/my-dad-was-listening-to-me-noodle-around-on-the-guitar-in-the-house/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) > [I get stage fright with short stories. For me it feels like standup comedy: kill or die. I'm more confident when I begin a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/i-get-stage-fright-with-short-stories-for-me-it-feels-like-standup/) [Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/) > [I know a lot of screen actors who think they left it too long to go back on stage and now they have really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-know-a-lot-of-screen-actors-who-think-they-left-it-too-long-to-go/) [Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/) > [I don't get stage fright, I actually love the energy, I love the spontaneity, I love the adrenaline you get in front of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-burke/i-don-t-get-stage-fright-i-actually-love-the-energy-i-love-the/) [Brooke Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-burke/) > [Stage fright and acting blocks are just unfocused or misplaced energy. Everything is possible if you know how and where to focus to invite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjo-riikka-makela/stage-fright-and-acting-blocks-are-just-unfocused-or-misplaced-energy/) [Marjo-Riikka Makela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjo-riikka-makela/) > [Actually, I failed drama in high school because of nerves. I wasn't able to memorize the words. I had complete stage fright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-marie/actually-i-failed-drama-in-high-school-because-of-nerves-i-wasn-t/) [Constance Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-marie/) > [At first, I had such stage fright, and it was always comforting to look over and see my big brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-spielberg/at-first-i-had-such-stage-fright-and-it-was-always-comforting-to-look/) [Sasha Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-spielberg/) > [Of course it does on opening night, but I've never had that devastating stage fright that some people get, but apparently, you can develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-collins/of-course-it-does-on-opening-night-but-i-ve-never-had-that/) [Joan Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-collins/) > [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/) ## More by Lydia Davis > [Heart weeps. Head tries to help heart. Head tells heart how it is, again: You will lose the ones you love. They will all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/heart-weeps-head-tries-to-help-heart-head-tells-heart-how-it-is-again/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“But on that particular day I did not even begin to feel interested in this chore, and was suddenly more deeply bored than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/but-on-that-particular-day-i-did-not-even-begin-to-feel-interested-in/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [If a translation doesn't have obvious writing problems, it may seem quite all right at first glance. We readers, after all, quickly adapt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/if-a-translation-doesn-t-have-obvious-writing-problems-it-may-seem/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [I always interrupt work with other work, either in a small way or big way, so that's normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-always-interrupt-work-with-other-work-either-in-a-small-way-or-big/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [ I worked more intensively hour after hour when I was starting out \[writing\]. More laboriously. I'd say quantity is important as well as quality,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-worked-more-intensively-hour-after-hour-when-i-was-starting-out/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [I don't feel I have to struggle against allegory. I let the readers do the interpreting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-don-t-feel-i-have-to-struggle-against-allegory-i-let-the-readers-do/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“because she couldn’t write the name of what she was: a wa wam owm owamn womn”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/because-she-couldn-t-write-the-name-of-what-she-was-a-wa-wam-owm/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“Everything was sharper, clearer, and closer, as though, before, I had been seeing only little bits at a time, not all of it, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/everything-was-sharper-clearer-and-closer-as-though-before-i-had-been/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“He did not know exactly when to thank his hostess after attending a dinner or a weekend party. In his uncertainty, he would thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/he-did-not-know-exactly-when-to-thank-his-hostess-after-attending-a/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“There was no confusion of our bodies. I knew which arm was his and which mine, and which leg, and which shoulder. I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/there-was-no-confusion-of-our-bodies-i-knew-which-arm-was-his-and/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“So it’s not really $100 a shot because it goes on all day, from the start when you wake up and feel her body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/so-it-s-not-really-100-a-shot-because-it-goes-on-all-day-from-the/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“The people of the town, though, remained strangers: I could not realize that I must be seeing some of them over and over again,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/the-people-of-the-town-though-remained-strangers-i-could-not-realize/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [“He does not trust her: she will claim to be in a bad mood when she is not, and then require him to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/he-does-not-trust-her-she-will-claim-to-be-in-a-bad-mood-when-she-is/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [I would recommend, definitely, developing a 'day job' that you like - don't expect to make money writing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-would-recommend-definitely-developing-a-day-job-that-you-like-don-t/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [the translator, a lonely sort of acrobat, becomes confused in a labyrinth of paradox, or climbs a pyramid of dependent clauses and has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/the-translator-a-lonely-sort-of-acrobat-becomes-confused-in-a/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) [Explore all 135 Lydia Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) ## More Anecdotes quotes > [“There was a skill to organizing your life into neatly bundled anecdotes, and he lacked it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-sakey/there-was-a-skill-to-organizing-your-life-into-neatly-bundled/) [Marcus Sakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-sakey/) > [Art to me is an anecdote of the spirit,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-rothko/art-to-me-is-an-anecdote-of-the-spirit/) [Mark Rothko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-rothko/) > [There comes a point where certain things are becoming my Achilles heel; you know when you start repeating yourself and saying the same anecdotes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/there-comes-a-point-where-certain-things-are-becoming-my-achilles/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [Why should I ever get fed up talking about my father? He was a brilliant, colorful man who left us with thousands of memories.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-huston/why-should-i-ever-get-fed-up-talking-about-my-father-he-was-a/) [Danny Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-huston/) > [If you would stick to the concrete, and put your discoveries in the form of entertaining anecdotes about your adventures with women, your conversation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/if-you-would-stick-to-the-concrete-and-put-your-discoveries-in-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Painters were also attorneys, happy storytellers of anecdote, psychologists, botanists, zoologists, archaeologists, engineers, but there were no creative painters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazimir-malevich/painters-were-also-attorneys-happy-storytellers-of-anecdote/) [Kazimir Malevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazimir-malevich/) > [Art isn't anecdote. It's the consciousness we bring to bear in our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/art-isn-t-anecdote-it-s-the-consciousness-we-bring-to-bear-in-our/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [Something about the possession of a book - an object that can contain infinite fables, words of wisdom, chronicles of times gone by, humorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/something-about-the-possession-of-a-book-an-object-that-can-contain/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [Men grind and grind in the mill of a truism, and nothing comes out but what was put in. But the moment they desert…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/men-grind-and-grind-in-the-mill-of-a-truism-and-nothing-comes-out-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Anecdote: The extent of Michael Jackson's fame at its height, and his eagerness to exploit it is shown by an incident in 1984 when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/anecdote-the-extent-of-michael-jackson-s-fame-at-its-height-and-his/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I don't have a lot of thrilling anecdotes about my career or personal life. All the stuff that is interesting is private and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-merchant/i-don-t-have-a-lot-of-thrilling-anecdotes-about-my-career-or-personal/) [Natalie Merchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-merchant/) > [Life divides into amazing enjoyable times and appalling experiences that will make future amazing anecdotes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/life-divides-into-amazing-enjoyable-times-and-appalling-experiences/) [Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/) > [I write and write and write, and then I edit it down to the parts that I think are amusing, or that help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-yankovic/i-write-and-write-and-write-and-then-i-edit-it-down-to-the-parts-that/) [Al Yankovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-yankovic/) > [If you notice phrases, ideas, and anecdotes that closely resemble those that appear elsewhere in my writing, it's not a matter of sloppy editing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/if-you-notice-phrases-ideas-and-anecdotes-that-closely-resemble-those/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [At the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, Sanford Meisner said, 'When you go into the professional world, at a stock theatre somewhere, backstage, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/at-the-neighborhood-playhouse-school-of-theatre-sanford-meisner-said/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) [Browse all 180 Anecdotes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anecdotes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am basically the sort of person who has stage-fright teaching. I kind of creep into a classroom. I'm not an anecdote-teller, either, although I often wish I were.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lydia Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-has-stage-fright-teaching-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anecdotes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-has-stage-fright-teaching-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/lydia-davis-3244_anecdotes_i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-ha_2228283.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/lydia-davis-3244_anecdotes_i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-ha_2228283.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dc/lydia-davis-3244_anecdotes_i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-ha_2228283.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am basically the sort of person who has stage-fright teaching. I kind of creep into a classroom. I'm not…” — Lydia Davis", "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": "Lydia Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am basically the sort of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-has-stage-fright-teaching-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/i-am-basically-the-sort-of-person-who-has-stage-fright-teaching-i/#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 } } ] } ```