--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a long time, I didn't give anything…" description: "\"For a long time, I didn't give anything my all. I was so afraid that I'd be crap, so I held myself back.\" — Rufus Sewell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/rufus-sewell-10540_afraid_for-a-long-time-i-didn-t-give-anything-m_3105100.png" --- # For a long time, I didn't give anything my all. I was so… ![“For a long time, I didn't give anything my all. I was so afraid that I'd be crap, so I held myself back.” quote by Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/rufus-sewell-10540_afraid_for-a-long-time-i-didn-t-give-anything-m_3105100.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/rufus-sewell-10540_afraid_for-a-long-time-i-didn-t-give-anything-m_3105100.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/rufus-sewell-10540_afraid_for-a-long-time-i-didn-t-give-anything-m_3105100.png) > “For a long time, I didn't give anything my all. I was so afraid that I'd be crap, so I held myself back.” [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fear of mediocrity can paralyze effort; confronting that fear unlocks commitment and authentic performance. **In simple terms:** Fear stops you from trying fully. Key Takeaway Push past fear to give your best. Themes self‑doubt effort authenticity growth Mood motivational encouraging Type self‑help inspirational When to use this quote - career development - personal goals - artistic pursuits - sports training Key Concepts Courage self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What would you attempt if fear vanished? - How can you measure genuine effort? A Different Perspective Fear may cause burnout if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“They were still standing too close. Turner tipped his head against the wall and looked up at Lawrence with lazy indifference. Most unsecretarial. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-sebastian/they-were-still-standing-too-close-turner-tipped-his-head-against-the/) [Cat Sebastian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-sebastian/) > [I don't ever want something that I didn't do because I was afraid of it or I didn't think I'd be good at it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/i-don-t-ever-want-something-that-i-didn-t-do-because-i-was-afraid-of/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [“With him, I didn't have to be afraid, not of what I could do intentionally or by mistake. I din't have to throw up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/with-him-i-didn-t-have-to-be-afraid-not-of-what-i-could-do/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [Of course, I want to look good, as that helped me get jobs. But it didn't get me the jobs I wanted and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/of-course-i-want-to-look-good-as-that-helped-me-get-jobs-but-it-didn/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [“Like that box held the last little piece of what was normal, and I wasn't ready to give it up just yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/like-that-box-held-the-last-little-piece-of-what-was-normal-and-i/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“The very things that held you down are gonna carry you up and up and up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-mouse/the-very-things-that-held-you-down-are-gonna-carry-you-up-and-up-and/) Timothy Mouse > [I was held in the Mazra Tora Prison for my role as leader of the pan-Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir in Alexandria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/i-was-held-in-the-mazra-tora-prison-for-my-role-as-leader-of-the-pan/) [Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/) > [As many of the riders before me had been held up and robbed of their packages, mail and money that they carried, for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calamity-jane/as-many-of-the-riders-before-me-had-been-held-up-and-robbed-of-their/) [Calamity Jane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calamity-jane/) > [I had always held everything in before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-diamond/i-had-always-held-everything-in-before/) [Neil Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-diamond/) > [We have held forums here at the White House on workplace flexibility, and the first major bill signed into law by President Obama was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/we-have-held-forums-here-at-the-white-house-on-workplace-flexibility/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [I almost gave up on you today... but then I remembered why I held on so long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/i-almost-gave-up-on-you-today-but-then-i-remembered-why-i-held-on-so/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [Being shy has never held me back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-firmino/being-shy-has-never-held-me-back/) [Roberto Firmino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-firmino/) > [I've never held out. I'm a first-class guy in any relationship. 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But it didn't get me the jobs I wanted and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/of-course-i-want-to-look-good-as-that-helped-me-get-jobs-but-it-didn/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [As a person I'm perfectly vain, I'm just vainer as an actor about my ability. My acting vanity trumps my human vanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/as-a-person-i-m-perfectly-vain-i-m-just-vainer-as-an-actor-about-my/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [I don't know if the money I've earned is going to need to last me for the next few weeks or the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-don-t-know-if-the-money-i-ve-earned-is-going-to-need-to-last-me-for/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [People talk about opportunity knocking, but the gate was always swinging in the breeze before I got to the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/people-talk-about-opportunity-knocking-but-the-gate-was-always/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [I'm not fussy about the medium I work in. I'll do television radio, you know. 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I hadn't experienced that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-was-a-very-undisciplined-person-but-acting-was-something-that/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [I've discovered that I've never had much respect for money, and that has meant that money has ended up ruling me a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-ve-discovered-that-i-ve-never-had-much-respect-for-money-and-that/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [I wasn't a model schoolboy. Of course, I was forced to sit through Shakespeare and I really got into some of it, though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-wasn-t-a-model-schoolboy-of-course-i-was-forced-to-sit-through/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [My career has suddenly started to be the one that I'd always wanted, not in terms of level of success, but in terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/my-career-has-suddenly-started-to-be-the-one-that-i-d-always-wanted/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) > [Im hoping that a lifetime of compromise and disappointment will read as extra depth and layers in my work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/im-hoping-that-a-lifetime-of-compromise-and-disappointment-will-read/) [Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) [Explore all 65 Rufus Sewell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a long time, I didn't give anything my all. 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