--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would say the biggest risk I always…" description: "\"I would say the biggest risk I always take is going in front of a live audience. There's nothing more risky to do. You have to really leave yourself op..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/shirley-maclaine-1977_audience_i-would-say-the-biggest-risk-i-always-ta_2131373.jpg" --- # I would say the biggest risk I always take is going in… ![“I would say the biggest risk I always take is going in front of a live audience. There's nothing more risky to do. You have to really leave yourself open to your own authenticity, and you find that out pretty quick.” quote by Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/shirley-maclaine-1977_audience_i-would-say-the-biggest-risk-i-always-ta_2131373.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/shirley-maclaine-1977_audience_i-would-say-the-biggest-risk-i-always-ta_2131373.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f5/shirley-maclaine-1977_audience_i-would-say-the-biggest-risk-i-always-ta_2131373.jpg) > “I would say the biggest risk I always take is going in front of a live audience. There's nothing more risky to do. You have to really leave yourself open to your own authenticity, and you find that out pretty quick.” [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing a live audience is the ultimate risk, demanding vulnerability and authentic self‑expression. **In simple terms:** Live performance is a big risk. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability on stage. Themes courage authenticity performance risk Mood inspirational candid Type motivational personal growth When to use this quote - public speaking - stand‑up comedy - theater - teaching Key Concepts Psychology of Fear Self‑Disclosure Questions to Reflect On - How does vulnerability enhance authenticity? - What strategies help manage performance anxiety? A Different Perspective Audience reaction can be unpredictable and harsh. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Audience Risky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience-risky-4394347/) [Authenticity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authenticity/) [Biggest Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biggest-risk-287917/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Risk Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk-going-706189/) [Risky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risky/) [Risky Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risky-really-4394348/) ## Related quotes > [You don't get rewarded for taking risk; you get rewarded for buying cheap assets. And if the assets you bought got pushed up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/you-don-t-get-rewarded-for-taking-risk-you-get-rewarded-for-buying/) [Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/) > [An essential element of any art is risk. If you don't take a risk then how are you going to make something really beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ford-coppola/an-essential-element-of-any-art-is-risk-if-you-don-t-take-a-risk-then/) [Francis Ford Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ford-coppola/) > [To race Formula three is very high risk and I am not going to take a chance. Thank god I am not doing it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emerson-fittipaldi/to-race-formula-three-is-very-high-risk-and-i-am-not-going-to-take-a/) [Emerson Fittipaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emerson-fittipaldi/) > [“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. —T. S. Eliot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parazynski/only-those-who-risk-going-too-far-can-possibly-find-out-how-far-they-2/) [Scott Parazynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parazynski/) > [Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-those-who-risk-going-too-far-can-possibly-find-out-how-far-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything we do in general, there's gonna be a percentage of risk. Me, making my entrance to the ring, there's actually a percentage of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-omega/everything-we-do-in-general-there-s-gonna-be-a-percentage-of-risk-me/) [Kenny Omega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-omega/) > [There's always risk. But I'm going to come in and play hard. I want to come in and contribute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-lindros/there-s-always-risk-but-i-m-going-to-come-in-and-play-hard-i-want-to/) [Eric Lindros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-lindros/) > [As a player you can't be too worried if you take a risk and whether it's not going to come off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-barkley/as-a-player-you-can-t-be-too-worried-if-you-take-a-risk-and-whether/) [Ross Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-barkley/) > [You have to risk going too far to discover just how far you can really go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-to-risk-going-too-far-to-discover-just-how-far-you-can/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only those who risk going too far can find out how far one can go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/only-those-who-risk-going-too-far-can-find-out-how-far-one-can-go/) [Unkown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unkown/) > [In order to find the edge, you must risk going over the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-dugan/in-order-to-find-the-edge-you-must-risk-going-over-the-edge/) [Dennis Dugan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-dugan/) > [I had discovered long ago the first lesson of political courage: to think anew. I had then learned the second: to be prepared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-had-discovered-long-ago-the-first-lesson-of-political-courage-to/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [I realized - and I think I learned this at a young age - that anything that's worth anything, you're going to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-deville/i-realized-and-i-think-i-learned-this-at-a-young-age-that-anything/) [Sonya Deville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-deville/) > [Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-those-who-will-risk-going-too-far-can-possibly-find-out-how-far-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. —T. S. Eliot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-karnazes/only-those-who-will-risk-going-too-far-can-possibly-find-out-how-far/) [Dean Karnazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-karnazes/) ## More by Shirley MacLaine > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I'm too direct and too unsparingly impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-m-too-direct-and-too-unsparingly-impatient/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [The uninvestigated life is not worth living. I don't want to live that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/the-uninvestigated-life-is-not-worth-living-i-don-t-want-to-live-that/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [There's no journey worth taking except the journey through one's self. That's the most important journey you take. I found that out as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/there-s-no-journey-worth-taking-except-the-journey-through-one-s-self/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-the/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I had a video made of my recent knee operation. The doctor said it was the best movie I ever starred in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-had-a-video-made-of-my-recent-knee-operation-the-doctor-said-it-was/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Fear is concealed in smiles and flashing teeth. 'Please say you still love me,' the kings and queens are really saying. And, when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/fear-is-concealed-in-smiles-and-flashing-teeth-please-say-you-still/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Some people think I look like a sweet potato, I consider myself a spud with a heart of gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/some-people-think-i-look-like-a-sweet-potato-i-consider-myself-a-spud/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Crystals are amplifying minerals. You have a crystal in a radio - it amplifies the sound waves. You have a crystal in a television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/crystals-are-amplifying-minerals-you-have-a-crystal-in-a-radio-it/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [“It's useless to hold a person to anything he says wile he's in love, drunk, or running for office.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/it-s-useless-to-hold-a-person-to-anything-he-says-wile-he-s-in-love/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I'd like to introduce someone who has just come into my life. I've admired him for 35 years. He's someone who represents integrity, honesty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-d-like-to-introduce-someone-who-has-just-come-into-my-life-i-ve/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/the-more-i-traveled-the-more-i-realized-that-fear-makes-strangers-of/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [If we can genuinely honor our mother and father we are not only at peace with ourselves but we can then give birth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/if-we-can-genuinely-honor-our-mother-and-father-we-are-not-only-at/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I do miss the stage. There's nothing like it, nothing. When I did my one-woman show and played the Palace and played the Gershwin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-do-miss-the-stage-there-s-nothing-like-it-nothing-when-i-did-my-one/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [If anything interferes with my inner peace, I will walk away. Arguments with family members. All that stuff. None of it matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/if-anything-interferes-with-my-inner-peace-i-will-walk-away-arguments/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) [Explore all 193 Shirley MacLaine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would say the biggest risk I always take is going in front of a live audience. There's nothing more risky to do. 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