--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Growing up, if I had been given any…" description: "\"Growing up, if I had been given any advice - bad or good - I probably wouldn't have been able to act on it regardless. I wasn't shy, but I'd get nervou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/paul-rudd-3187_advice_growing-up-if-i-had-been-given-any-advic_1882608.jpg" --- # Growing up, if I had been given any advice - bad or good… ![“Growing up, if I had been given any advice - bad or good - I probably wouldn't have been able to act on it regardless. I wasn't shy, but I'd get nervous. I got a little more confident later in high school when I realized I could get girls to pay attention to me by making them laugh.” quote by Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/paul-rudd-3187_advice_growing-up-if-i-had-been-given-any-advic_1882608.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/paul-rudd-3187_advice_growing-up-if-i-had-been-given-any-advic_1882608.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ba/paul-rudd-3187_advice_growing-up-if-i-had-been-given-any-advic_1882608.jpg) > “Growing up, if I had been given any advice - bad or good - I probably wouldn't have been able to act on it regardless. I wasn't shy, but I'd get nervous. I got a little more confident later in high school when I realized I could get girls to pay attention to me by making them laugh.” [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confidence can be built through humor; early advice often feels unusable. **In simple terms:** Humor boosts confidence with girls. Key Takeaway Use humor to connect. Themes confidence humor social anxiety growth Mood lighthearted encouraging Type personal motivational When to use this quote - school life - public speaking - dating - networking Key Concepts psychology self‑development communication Questions to Reflect On - When has humor helped you? - What other ways build confidence? A Different Perspective Humor may not work in all contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [Maybe it has something to do with turning 30. I don't feel as shy or nervous or self-conscious. I have more confidence that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-williams/maybe-it-has-something-to-do-with-turning-30-i-don-t-feel-as-shy-or/) [Michelle Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-williams/) > [“They really do have nothing in common on paper, these people and him. But yet there are so many common reference points; even some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-thomas/they-really-do-have-nothing-in-common-on-paper-these-people-and-him/) [Scarlett Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-thomas/) > [I’m just a real loner kind of person, and yeah, kinda dark. But I’m happy. Not sad. I’m just shy and nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clea-duvall/i-m-just-a-real-loner-kind-of-person-and-yeah-kinda-dark-but-i-m/) [Clea DuVall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clea-duvall/) > [I guess I'm just very shy and nervous about putting myself on the line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-meisner/i-guess-i-m-just-very-shy-and-nervous-about-putting-myself-on-the-line/) [Randy Meisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-meisner/) > [I was never given this advice, people aren't given this advice, focus on growing and maintaining relationships for your network, and that's key. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/i-was-never-given-this-advice-people-aren-t-given-this-advice-focus/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [In general, I'm pretty shy and nervous about a lot of things. For me to get on stage for the first time took so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/in-general-i-m-pretty-shy-and-nervous-about-a-lot-of-things-for-me-to/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [Stand up for what you believe. Follow your gut, which most of the time is your heart talking. This has been my hardest lesson.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hill/stand-up-for-what-you-believe-follow-your-gut-which-most-of-the-time/) [Faith Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hill/) > [I was given advice early in the quarantine: Don't focus on what you don't have. Focus on what you do have and will have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-shriver/i-was-given-advice-early-in-the-quarantine-don-t-focus-on-what-you/) [Pam Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-shriver/) > [Once you've given advice to someone, you're obligated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/once-you-ve-given-advice-to-someone-you-re-obligated/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [Actually, I was more unsure of myself growing up, shy. I was nervous as a kid. I grew into this person, the better I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-woodgate/actually-i-was-more-unsure-of-myself-growing-up-shy-i-was-nervous-as/) [Jonathan Woodgate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-woodgate/) > [Marat is a huge help to me. He has given some advice and said some things, but he does it not in a soft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/marat-is-a-huge-help-to-me-he-has-given-some-advice-and-said-some/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [By luck of the draw or a roll of the dice. It's best to think twice about any given advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-luck-of-the-draw-or-a-roll-of-the-dice-it-s-best-to-think-twice/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It was a hard adjustment my freshman year in college, I was so shy and nervous and had always been around only adults, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-spiranac/it-was-a-hard-adjustment-my-freshman-year-in-college-i-was-so-shy-and/) [Paige Spiranac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-spiranac/) > [“Put your trust in God, and pray for guidance. And when in doubt, eat.” A Franciscan monk had once given me that advice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/put-your-trust-in-god-and-pray-for-guidance-and-when-in-doubt-eat-a/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [If you've got somebody in harm's way, you want the president being -- making advice, not -- be given advice by the military, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/if-you-ve-got-somebody-in-harm-s-way-you-want-the-president-being/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More by Paul Rudd > [I don't really think in terms of genre, I think in terms of story and character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-don-t-really-think-in-terms-of-genre-i-think-in-terms-of-story-and/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [Puberty hit me pretty hard. All of a sudden, I woke up, and I had really curly hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/puberty-hit-me-pretty-hard-all-of-a-sudden-i-woke-up-and-i-had-really/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [On the very first day of shooting, we did a scene in which Michelle and I are in our underwear, and I'm straddling her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/on-the-very-first-day-of-shooting-we-did-a-scene-in-which-michelle/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I'm not that nice - it's one of those things that reveals itself over time. You could talk to people who know me well;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-m-not-that-nice-it-s-one-of-those-things-that-reveals-itself-over/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [My bar mitzvah, I went to my nan's, and she made kugel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/my-bar-mitzvah-i-went-to-my-nan-s-and-she-made-kugel/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [There are many great writers out there and, actually, great scripts. The problem is - and this is what I've always felt, even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/there-are-many-great-writers-out-there-and-actually-great-scripts-the/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I'm surprised that I get to be in the same room with half the people that I'm working with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-m-surprised-that-i-get-to-be-in-the-same-room-with-half-the-people/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I was at a dinner party with a group of people, and we were talking about fake names. You know, how its difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-was-at-a-dinner-party-with-a-group-of-people-and-we-were-talking/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I really prided myself on my fashionable dress. I had a very independent streak and thought, Im going to dress super cool and different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-really-prided-myself-on-my-fashionable-dress-i-had-a-very/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I grew up in a lot of different places, mostly in Kansas, I really started thinking seriously about acting in high school; I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-grew-up-in-a-lot-of-different-places-mostly-in-kansas-i-really/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [At my core, I'm a Midwesterner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/at-my-core-i-m-a-midwesterner/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I went through a phase where I thought it was really funny to make pratfalls in very crowded places. I jumped out of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-went-through-a-phase-where-i-thought-it-was-really-funny-to-make/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [Awkwardness is such a gold mine for comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/awkwardness-is-such-a-gold-mine-for-comedy/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I was always in new schools and had British parents, which was not the norm, and I think there was also... I'm not particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-was-always-in-new-schools-and-had-british-parents-which-was-not-the/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [It's insane but it's a great insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/it-s-insane-but-it-s-a-great-insane/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) [Explore all 137 Paul Rudd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Growing up, if I had been given any advice - bad or good - I probably wouldn't have been able to act on it regardless. I wasn't shy, but I'd get nervous. 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