---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I tested for Billy Budd, I had that…"
description: "\"When I tested for Billy Budd, I had that kind of confidence that comes with the certainty that you're not going to get something. I was very rough arou..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/terence-stamp-20465_certainty_when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that_2085508.jpg"
---

#  When I tested for Billy Budd, I had that kind of…

![“When I tested for Billy Budd, I had that kind of confidence that comes with the certainty that you're not going to get something. I was very rough around the edges.” quote by Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/terence-stamp-20465_certainty_when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that_2085508.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/terence-stamp-20465_certainty_when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that_2085508.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/terence-stamp-20465_certainty_when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that_2085508.jpg)

> “When I tested for Billy Budd, I had that kind of confidence that comes with the certainty that you're not going to get something. I was very rough around the edges.”

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Describes confidence derived from certainty of not receiving something, acknowledging rough edges.

**In simple terms:** Confidence can stem from certainty.

Key Takeaway

Embrace certainty, accept imperfections.

Themes

confidence certainty self-awareness

Mood

thoughtful introspective

Type

reflective motivational

When to use this quote

- acting auditions
- career decisions
- personal development

Key Concepts

psychology performance anxiety

Questions to Reflect On

- How does certainty affect your performance?
- When should you seek feedback?

A Different Perspective

Overconfidence may blind one to needed preparation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Confidence Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-comes/) [Edges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edges/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-confidence-2790537/) [Rough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rough/) [Rough edges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rough-edges/) [Tested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tested/) [Tested Billy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tested-billy-4095656/)

## Related quotes

> [“With the palms zipping past and the big sun burning down on the road ahead, I had a flash of something I hadn’t felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/with-the-palms-zipping-past-and-the-big-sun-burning-down-on-the-road/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [There's a certain kind of confidence that comes with being older that you can't fake when you're young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-popper/there-s-a-certain-kind-of-confidence-that-comes-with-being-older-that/)

[John Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-popper/)

> [A thankful outlook smoothes the rough edges off life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/a-thankful-outlook-smoothes-the-rough-edges-off-life/)

[Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/)

> [Meditation without selfless giving is not enough. You may go into very high states of consciousness but the rough edges will still be there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/meditation-without-selfless-giving-is-not-enough-you-may-go-into-very/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [With horror movies, a bigger budget is actually your enemy. You want to feel the rough edges, the handmade quality to good horror films.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-goddard/with-horror-movies-a-bigger-budget-is-actually-your-enemy-you-want-to/)

[Drew Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-goddard/)

> [When you go through difficult times...recognize that God is refining you, knocking off some of your rough edges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/when-you-go-through-difficult-times-recognize-that-god-is-refining/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [Discussion without asperity, sympathy with fusion, gayety unracked by too abundant jests, mental ease in approaching one another; these are the things which give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/discussion-without-asperity-sympathy-with-fusion-gayety-unracked-by/)

[Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/)

> [I am passionate about keeping the human dimension in things. You have to keep the rough edges and the inconsistencies, that's what makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarvis-cocker/i-am-passionate-about-keeping-the-human-dimension-in-things-you-have/)

[Jarvis Cocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarvis-cocker/)

> [By myself, I'm a hard pill. My wife makes me look real good, because she smoothes my rough edges. That's why I say, "Take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/by-myself-i-m-a-hard-pill-my-wife-makes-me-look-real-good-because-she/)

[Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/)

> ['They fell in love.' Such a rare and special event cannot be done justice by one statement; it involves so much more than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-fell-in-love-such-a-rare-and-special-event-cannot-be-done/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Be it two-wheelers following you on the road, stalkers pelting stones at your balcony in the middle of the night, or knocking at your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shalini-maiti/be-it-two-wheelers-following-you-on-the-road-stalkers-pelting-stones/)

[Shalini Maiti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shalini-maiti/)

> [After that first knockout of McKenzie, I realized I could put people down if I hit them in the right spot. It's kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/after-that-first-knockout-of-mckenzie-i-realized-i-could-put-people/)

[Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/)

> [I think it seems to be when I'm trusted, and someone just lets me have free rein - 'Do what you want, man' -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gilgun/i-think-it-seems-to-be-when-i-m-trusted-and-someone-just-lets-me-have/)

[Joe Gilgun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gilgun/)

> [I'm a bit obsessed with women that are so incredibly solid in their shoes that they don't care what other people think of them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-mccarthy/i-m-a-bit-obsessed-with-women-that-are-so-incredibly-solid-in-their/)

[Melissa McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-mccarthy/)

> [Everything I do, I build a kind of confidence net - 'I'm able to execute this; it's fine.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dev-hynes/everything-i-do-i-build-a-kind-of-confidence-net-i-m-able-to-execute/)

[Dev Hynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dev-hynes/)

## More by Terence Stamp

> [With Fellini, the fear dropped out of my work because it was such a happy experience... hanging out with Fellini, having pasta on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/with-fellini-the-fear-dropped-out-of-my-work-because-it-was-such-a/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [It wasn't until I saw James Dean that I began to think that maybe I could actually do this. Movies didn't have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/it-wasn-t-until-i-saw-james-dean-that-i-began-to-think-that-maybe-i/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [My star was kind of fading towards the end of the '60s and suddenly I got this call from Fellini, who just appeared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/my-star-was-kind-of-fading-towards-the-end-of-the-60s-and-suddenly-i/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [It's such a performance to bring stuff into America. It's a great luxury when I am in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/it-s-such-a-performance-to-bring-stuff-into-america-it-s-a-great/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [Vancouver is the most wonderful place. I put it up there with San Francisco and Sydney as a kind of magic sort of harbor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/vancouver-is-the-most-wonderful-place-i-put-it-up-there-with-san/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [My favorite film is Gene Tierney and Tyrone Power in The Razor's Edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/my-favorite-film-is-gene-tierney-and-tyrone-power-in-the-razor-s-edge/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [As a boy I believed I could make myself invisible. I'm not sure that I ever could, but I certainly had the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/as-a-boy-i-believed-i-could-make-myself-invisible-i-m-not-sure-that-i/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [I'm still tap dancing. I'm still going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/i-m-still-tap-dancing-i-m-still-going/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [What I wanted more than anything was a long career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/what-i-wanted-more-than-anything-was-a-long-career/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [From the very first movie I ever made to the current time, there have been times between action and cut when I've sensed some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/from-the-very-first-movie-i-ever-made-to-the-current-time-there-have/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [Peter Ustinov was the first really positive influence in my career. He was real and he bore witness to it. The things he said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/peter-ustinov-was-the-first-really-positive-influence-in-my-career-he/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [In the case of Elektra I really wasn't sure I could pull it off. There were so many intellectual leaps. My character, Stick, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/in-the-case-of-elektra-i-really-wasn-t-sure-i-could-pull-it-off-there/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [A lot of people only see me as villains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/a-lot-of-people-only-see-me-as-villains/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [Although you have some films that are a real bummer, there's always a film that comes up where it's just heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/although-you-have-some-films-that-are-a-real-bummer-there-s-always-a/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

> [At this point, it's either for fun or it's for money. I don't take movies that I don't really like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/at-this-point-it-s-either-for-fun-or-it-s-for-money-i-don-t-take/)

[Terence Stamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

[Explore all 31 Terence Stamp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/)

## More Certainty quotes

> [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/)

[Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/)

> [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/)

[Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/)

> [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [In the mental disturbance and effort of writing, what sustains you is the certainty that on every page there is something left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/in-the-mental-disturbance-and-effort-of-writing-what-sustains-you-is/)

[Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/)

> [Of course I doubt. I do not practice a certainty. I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

> [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/)

[Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/)

> [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/)

[Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/)

> [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/)

[Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/)

> [Every single person who is a member of our party deserves to have certainty. They deserve to know that my attention and focus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamie-paul/every-single-person-who-is-a-member-of-our-party-deserves-to-have/)

[Annamie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamie-paul/)

> [The significance and volume of repairs that are needed across the country demand that we give state and local governments the long-term certainty they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/the-significance-and-volume-of-repairs-that-are-needed-across-the/)

[Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/)

> [“Death is the one great certainty in life. That’s what my dad used to say. Nothing else is certain. Not love. Not happiness. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-gray/death-is-the-one-great-certainty-in-life-that-s-what-my-dad-used-to/)

[Mila Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-gray/)

> [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/)

[Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/)

> [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/)

[Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/)

> [Finding someone that trusted my vision helped me find certainty in who I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/finding-someone-that-trusted-my-vision-helped-me-find-certainty-in/)

[Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/)

[Browse all 1,776 Certainty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "When I tested for Billy Budd, I had that kind of confidence that comes with the certainty that you're not going to get something. I was very rough around the edges.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Terence Stamp"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that-kind-of-confidence-that-comes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Certainty"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that-kind-of-confidence-that-comes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/terence-stamp-20465_certainty_when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that_2085508.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/terence-stamp-20465_certainty_when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that_2085508.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac2/terence-stamp-20465_certainty_when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that_2085508.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“When I tested for Billy Budd, I had that kind of confidence that comes with the certainty that you're not…” — Terence Stamp",
                "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": "Terence Stamp",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-stamp/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "When I tested for Billy Budd,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that-kind-of-confidence-that-comes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-stamp/when-i-tested-for-billy-budd-i-had-that-kind-of-confidence-that-comes/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
