--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Stand-up life is really hard. At one…" description: "\"Stand-up life is really hard. At one point, I got so paralyzed I could write five screenplays before I could write three jokes for stand-up. Later, I'v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/steve-martin-593_anxiety_stand-up-life-is-really-hard-at-one-poin_1737229.jpg" --- # Stand-up life is really hard. At one point, I got so… ![“Stand-up life is really hard. At one point, I got so paralyzed I could write five screenplays before I could write three jokes for stand-up. Later, I've finally allowed myself to relax quite a bit, to think I can do it because I've done it in the past. The pressure to come up with the material is…” quote by Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/steve-martin-593_anxiety_stand-up-life-is-really-hard-at-one-poin_1737229.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/steve-martin-593_anxiety_stand-up-life-is-really-hard-at-one-poin_1737229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/352/steve-martin-593_anxiety_stand-up-life-is-really-hard-at-one-poin_1737229.jpg) > “Stand-up life is really hard. At one point, I got so paralyzed I could write five screenplays before I could write three jokes for stand-up. Later, I've finally allowed myself to relax quite a bit, to think I can do it because I've done it in the past. The pressure to come up with the material is the same but the anxiety about whether I can do it is gone.” [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stand‑up comedy can become paralyzing, but recalling past successes reduces anxiety, allowing creative flow to return. **In simple terms:** Past success eases current pressure. Key Takeaway Recall achievements to combat creative block. Themes confidence creative block performance pressure Mood motivational optimistic Type inspirational self‑help When to use this quote - stand‑up gigs - writing sessions - public speaking Key Concepts self‑efficacy habit formation mental rehearsal Questions to Reflect On - What past successes can you draw on now? - How does confidence change your creative process? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Bits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Come up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-up/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Got Paralyzed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-paralyzed-1486437/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [I can do it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can-do-it/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Paralyzed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paralyzed/) [Paralyzed Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paralyzed-write-1486436/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Relax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relax/) [Screenplays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplays/) [Screenplays Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/screenplays-write-342556/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Write Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-jokes/) [Write Screenplays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-screenplays-1067794/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I did write a couple of original screenplays, but I'd rather write plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-henley/i-did-write-a-couple-of-original-screenplays-but-i-d-rather-write/) [Beth Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-henley/) > [There are a lot of bad screenplays so if you write a good screenplay people are going to respond to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/there-are-a-lot-of-bad-screenplays-so-if-you-write-a-good-screenplay/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [When I was four or five, I had an older brother who got paralyzed from the neck down in junior high school. 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So it's all sort of made up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-carruth/i-don-t-read-books-on-how-to-write-screenplays-just-because-i-m/) [Shane Carruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-carruth/) > [Although I write screenplays, I don't think I'm a very good writer. I'm very interested in studying cultures and social issues, but as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/although-i-write-screenplays-i-don-t-think-i-m-a-very-good-writer-i-m/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [My songs aren't built around choruses or hooks or anything like that. That's kind of how I write screenplays too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/my-songs-aren-t-built-around-choruses-or-hooks-or-anything-like-that/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [When authors who write literary fiction begin to write screenplays, everybody assumes that's the end. Here's another who's never going to write well again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/when-authors-who-write-literary-fiction-begin-to-write-screenplays/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [I actually think I'm probably more interested in structure than most people who write screenplays, because I think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/i-actually-think-i-m-probably-more-interested-in-structure-than-most/) [Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/) > [It's really hard to write a screenplay, it's nauseating. All those great writers that tried to write screenplays, they couldn't do it, most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hampton-fancher/it-s-really-hard-to-write-a-screenplay-it-s-nauseating-all-those/) [Hampton Fancher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hampton-fancher/) > [I don't assume, because I can write screenplays, that I know how to write a novel. It's a very different world. 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Fear, fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-have-no-fear-no-fear-at-all-i-wake-up-and-i-have-no-fear-i-go-to/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“Be undeniably good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/be-undeniably-good/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [When I finally retire, I just want to go away so no one has to listen to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/when-i-finally-retire-i-just-want-to-go-away-so-no-one-has-to-listen/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Only then does he realize what he has done to Mirabelle, how wanting a square inch of her and not all of her has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/only-then-does-he-realize-what-he-has-done-to-mirabelle-how-wanting-a/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [“Lacey was just as happy alone as with company. 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A singer, an actor, a dancer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/what-i-mean-is-that-none-of-my-talents-had-a-what-s-that-great-word/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) [Explore all 453 Steve Martin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. 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