--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think I gave a good enough…" description: "\"I don't think I gave a good enough performance to be nominated for it. I thought I gave a fine performance, but those things are supposed to be about g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/paul-giamatti-12727_enough_i-don-t-think-i-gave-a-good-enough-perfo_1531673.png" --- # I don't think I gave a good enough performance to be… ![“I don't think I gave a good enough performance to be nominated for it. I thought I gave a fine performance, but those things are supposed to be about giving an extraordinary performance.” quote by Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/paul-giamatti-12727_enough_i-don-t-think-i-gave-a-good-enough-perfo_1531673.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/paul-giamatti-12727_enough_i-don-t-think-i-gave-a-good-enough-perfo_1531673.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9eb/paul-giamatti-12727_enough_i-don-t-think-i-gave-a-good-enough-perfo_1531673.png) > “I don't think I gave a good enough performance to be nominated for it. I thought I gave a fine performance, but those things are supposed to be about giving an extraordinary performance.” [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He feels his performance fell short of the extraordinary standard required for nomination, despite believing it was fine. **In simple terms:** He thinks his work wasn't exceptional enough for an award. Key Takeaway Aim for excellence, not just adequacy. Themes self‑assessment performance recognition Mood reflective ambitious Type motivational career‑focused When to use this quote - audition preparation - career planning - seeking feedback Key Concepts confidence standards industry expectations Questions to Reflect On - What defines an "extraordinary" performance? - How can you elevate good work to great? A Different Perspective Awards often prioritize standout moments over consistent quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Extraordinary Performance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary-performance-5683547/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Nominated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nominated/) [Nominated Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nominated-thought-5683546/) [Performance Nominated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-nominated-473422/) [Performance Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-things-396287/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Supposed to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-to-be/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [When you're reinterpreting the same material eight shows a week, it's impossible to lock in the 'ideal' performance. Things that felt great in previews…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-keenan-bolger/when-you-re-reinterpreting-the-same-material-eight-shows-a-week-it-s/) [Andrew Keenan-Bolger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-keenan-bolger/) > [The bottom line is, when it comes to an actor and his performance, whether nominated or not, it simply has to do with whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/the-bottom-line-is-when-it-comes-to-an-actor-and-his-performance/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [My deal will always be one solo performance-nominated or not. Not some thrown together rock tribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/my-deal-will-always-be-one-solo-performance-nominated-or-not-not-some/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [It's not what you see on-screen that makes a performance. It's the things you should never know about - it's the secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/it-s-not-what-you-see-on-screen-that-makes-a-performance-it-s-the/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [Everyone says, 'It's just an honor to be nominated,' but that's so not true. You want to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirkpatrick/everyone-says-it-s-just-an-honor-to-be-nominated-but-that-s-so-not/) [Chris Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kirkpatrick/) > [A Grammy is a wonderful thing; all of a sudden you're given a new audience but, like anything, you have to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-manchester/a-grammy-is-a-wonderful-thing-all-of-a-sudden-you-re-given-a-new/) [Melissa Manchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-manchester/) > [Well, I have a CBE and I accepted it with glee because it's not bestowed on you by the royal family, it's not bestowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stewart/well-i-have-a-cbe-and-i-accepted-it-with-glee-because-it-s-not/) [Rod Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stewart/) > [I'm not going to lie: I'd love to win a Grammy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel/i-m-not-going-to-lie-i-d-love-to-win-a-grammy/) [Mabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mabel/) > [The night I won the Emmy, I probably cried for three hours on and off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-garrett/the-night-i-won-the-emmy-i-probably-cried-for-three-hours-on-and-off/) [Brad Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-garrett/) > [I've watched the Emmys for almost my whole life, so it was crazy to finally be there in the audience clapping and actually going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bobby-brown/i-ve-watched-the-emmys-for-almost-my-whole-life-so-it-was-crazy-to/) [Millie Bobby Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bobby-brown/) > [I didn't watch the Emmys because - well, for one, I have been to awards shows, and I understand how it works. For another,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-fuller/i-didn-t-watch-the-emmys-because-well-for-one-i-have-been-to-awards/) [Kurt Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-fuller/) > [The Grammys thing doesn't even touch my world at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robbins/the-grammys-thing-doesn-t-even-touch-my-world-at-all/) [J. Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robbins/) > [I don't think it's any fun, even if you are one of the most respected authors in the world like Margaret Atwood, to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-think-it-s-any-fun-even-if-you-are-one-of-the-most-respected/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [When I won the Emmy, the profound sense of gratitude when my name was said I cannot express enough. 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But I always have this weird fear that I'm not going to get any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/as-an-actor-to-have-achieved-financial-stability-is-amazing-but-i/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [Academia is a rarified culture, especially an Ivy League academic background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/academia-is-a-rarified-culture-especially-an-ivy-league-academic/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [Maybe it's because I have too much pride or self-respect, but I thought, 'Why does a guy who has thinning hair and who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/maybe-it-s-because-i-have-too-much-pride-or-self-respect-but-i/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [I've very critical of myself, and film has been an adjustment for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/i-ve-very-critical-of-myself-and-film-has-been-an-adjustment-for-me/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [I'd like to have permanent time off, really. The goal is financial security and permanent time off, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/i-d-like-to-have-permanent-time-off-really-the-goal-is-financial/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [ My definition of likeable may be different from other people's. That's not traditional likeable. Sympathy is a different thing \[to define it\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/my-definition-of-likeable-may-be-different-from-other-people-s-that-s/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [I don't mind being stereotyped in some way and playing certain kinds of guys, but if I can find something to occasionally get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/i-don-t-mind-being-stereotyped-in-some-way-and-playing-certain-kinds/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [I definitely have a tendency to only see the blemishes of things, and see lots of things about my acting that I don't like.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-giamatti/i-definitely-have-a-tendency-to-only-see-the-blemishes-of-things-and/) [Paul Giamatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-giamatti/) > [And I asked my mother 'can I touch the lady in the water? 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