--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a coward, basically, but one of the…" description: "\"I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through yet another test.\" — Samuel West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/samuel-west-21198_acting_i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-t_2009129.jpg" --- # I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about… ![“I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through yet another test.” quote by Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/samuel-west-21198_acting_i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-t_2009129.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/samuel-west-21198_acting_i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-t_2009129.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/samuel-west-21198_acting_i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-t_2009129.jpg) > “I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through yet another test.” [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting forces continual self‑testing, revealing both fear and growth. **In simple terms:** Acting is constant self‑challenge. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges to grow. Themes courage self‑discovery performance Mood introspective motivational Type dramatic inspirational When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - public speaking - career auditions Key Concepts risk personal development Questions to Reflect On - What personal fear does your work expose? - How can you turn anxiety into improvement? A Different Perspective Fear may limit risk‑taking; not all tests are constructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) ## Related quotes > [I had to know if I could make it somewhere else. I did not want to go through the rest of my life wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-dalglish/i-had-to-know-if-i-could-make-it-somewhere-else-i-did-not-want-to-go/) [Kenny Dalglish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-dalglish/) > [I love disappearing. That's what acting is. For me it's about putting on a persona, stepping into a pair of shoes. It's my face,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-hawkins/i-love-disappearing-that-s-what-acting-is-for-me-it-s-about-putting/) [Sally Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-hawkins/) > [I wanted to be an actor. Maybe a comic actor, but an actor. That's what got me into acting was putting on an act,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-wilder/i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-maybe-a-comic-actor-but-an-actor-that-s-what/) [Gene Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-wilder/) > [How comes it to pass, then, that we appear such cowards in reasoning, and are so afraid to stand the test of ridicule? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ashley-cooper-1st-earl-of-shaftesbury/how-comes-it-to-pass-then-that-we-appear-such-cowards-in-reasoning/) Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [People who keep dogs are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/people-who-keep-dogs-are-cowards-who-haven-t-got-the-guts-to-bite/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [My advice to you, if you should ever be in a hold up, is to line up with the cowards and save your bravery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-henry/my-advice-to-you-if-you-should-ever-be-in-a-hold-up-is-to-line-up/) [O. Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-henry/) > [“To stand at the very moment when all seems lost is the point of insanity for the coward, but it is the home of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/to-stand-at-the-very-moment-when-all-seems-lost-is-the-point-of/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Where is the coward that would not dare to fight for such a land as Scotland?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/where-is-the-coward-that-would-not-dare-to-fight-for-such-a-land-as/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [If you're a generous person, when you get money and fame, you're going to be more generous. If you're a sharer, you're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/if-you-re-a-generous-person-when-you-get-money-and-fame-you-re-going/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [“It is true that only a coward can be brave, as a man who feels no fear has conquered nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-david-iggulden/it-is-true-that-only-a-coward-can-be-brave-as-a-man-who-feels-no-fear/) Conn & David Iggulden > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) Suad Amiry > [“The Coward will run away from danger, only to strike in the dark. The Heroine will run through the dark, even though she knows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-cleinman/the-coward-will-run-away-from-danger-only-to-strike-in-the-dark-the/) David A. Cleinman > [Only a coward will use a gun to protect and get respect for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuel-jal/only-a-coward-will-use-a-gun-to-protect-and-get-respect-for-themselves/) [Emmanuel Jal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuel-jal/) ## More by Samuel West > [At heart, this job is about continuing to make great theatre for the people of Sheffield - a city I've known and loved since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/at-heart-this-job-is-about-continuing-to-make-great-theatre-for-the/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [When you are in a bad production there are two things you can do. You can do your best or you can leave. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/when-you-are-in-a-bad-production-there-are-two-things-you-can-do-you/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [I mean I think children love the idea that there are different viewpoints and different words for things and different worlds. And the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-mean-i-think-children-love-the-idea-that-there-are-different/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [When people say, 'If I had my life over again I wouldn't do anything different,' well, I'd do everything differently just for the variety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/when-people-say-if-i-had-my-life-over-again-i-wouldn-t-do-anything/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [It is our duty to endeavor always to promote the general good; to do to all as we would be willing to be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/it-is-our-duty-to-endeavor-always-to-promote-the-general-good-to-do/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [I'm not very good at relaxing. Reading's the main thing. On the bus, on the tube, on the loo. Literally all the time. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-m-not-very-good-at-relaxing-reading-s-the-main-thing-on-the-bus-on/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [I did start reading quite young but I was always read to by my parents, who are both actors. Bedtime stories from when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-did-start-reading-quite-young-but-i-was-always-read-to-by-my/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [I really do think the things that make our society what it is are under threat. It should be about everyone having the potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-really-do-think-the-things-that-make-our-society-what-it-is-are/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [The idea that if you are very clever you shouldn't be an actor would be laughable in Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/the-idea-that-if-you-are-very-clever-you-shouldn-t-be-an-actor-would/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [Im lucky enough to work with, I think, the greatest writer theres ever been, Shakespeare. Whose collected works would always be under my pillow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/im-lucky-enough-to-work-with-i-think-the-greatest-writer-theres-ever/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [Books don't exist unless you read them. And it's a two way process - you write the book as you read it and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/books-don-t-exist-unless-you-read-them-and-it-s-a-two-way-process-you/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [Most good art is left wing. It's a moot point whether there is any good right-wing art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/most-good-art-is-left-wing-it-s-a-moot-point-whether-there-is-any/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [We'll be back. I promise you that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/we-ll-be-back-i-promise-you-that/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [Stamps from Afghanistan are hilarious. You can tell when the revolutions are because suddenly they stop having pictures of the mullahs and the independence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/stamps-from-afghanistan-are-hilarious-you-can-tell-when-the/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [What did my parents say when I told them I wanted to be an actor? 'Be a plumber.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/what-did-my-parents-say-when-i-told-them-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-be-a/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) [Explore all 29 Samuel West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through yet another test.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-things-about-acting-is-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-things-about-acting-is-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/samuel-west-21198_acting_i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-t_2009129.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/samuel-west-21198_acting_i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-t_2009129.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/samuel-west-21198_acting_i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-t_2009129.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am a coward, basically, but one of the things about acting is that you are always putting yourself through…” — Samuel West", "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": "Samuel West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am a coward, basically, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-things-about-acting-is-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/i-am-a-coward-basically-but-one-of-the-things-about-acting-is-that/#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 } } ] } ```