--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd go onstage doing this thing, trying…" description: "\"I'd go onstage doing this thing, trying to fill this arena that I can't fill because I don't understand what this is. It's like you're given a job that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/thom-yorke-979_arena_i-d-go-onstage-doing-this-thing-trying-t_1861634.jpg" --- # I'd go onstage doing this thing, trying to fill this arena… ![“I'd go onstage doing this thing, trying to fill this arena that I can't fill because I don't understand what this is. It's like you're given a job that's beyond you. And it's taken me years to realize what works in those big situations.” quote by Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/thom-yorke-979_arena_i-d-go-onstage-doing-this-thing-trying-t_1861634.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/thom-yorke-979_arena_i-d-go-onstage-doing-this-thing-trying-t_1861634.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/992/thom-yorke-979_arena_i-d-go-onstage-doing-this-thing-trying-t_1861634.jpg) > “I'd go onstage doing this thing, trying to fill this arena that I can't fill because I don't understand what this is. It's like you're given a job that's beyond you. And it's taken me years to realize what works in those big situations.” [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels out of depth on stage, realizing the need to understand large‑scale contexts. **In simple terms:** Feeling unprepared for big tasks. Key Takeaway Seek deeper understanding before acting. Themes performance self‑doubt growth Mood introspective motivational Type personal development advice When to use this quote - public speaking - career advancement - project leadership Key Concepts confidence audience dynamics skill development Questions to Reflect On - What steps can help bridge skill gaps? - How to assess readiness for large responsibilities? A Different Perspective The speaker may underestimate their own abilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Situations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situations/) ## Related quotes > [I often get sent scripts about little men in big situations. There's a comic element to it, which is forces stacked against this little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/i-often-get-sent-scripts-about-little-men-in-big-situations-there-s-a/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [There is nothing that can be changed more completely than human nature when the job is taken in hand early enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/there-is-nothing-that-can-be-changed-more-completely-than-human/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“You’re at the age where the rush of the job has passed and the grind of the job is taken in stride, and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-ellis/you-re-at-the-age-where-the-rush-of-the-job-has-passed-and-the-grind/) [Warren Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-ellis/) > [The sport, my job, was taken from me so abruptly that it took me a long time to get my life back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mardy-fish/the-sport-my-job-was-taken-from-me-so-abruptly-that-it-took-me-a-long/) [Mardy Fish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mardy-fish/) > [Doctors are busy playing God when so few of us have the qualifications. And besides, the job is taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-siegel/doctors-are-busy-playing-god-when-so-few-of-us-have-the/) [Bernie Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-siegel/) > [Antiques Roadshow' was the first job I had taken since my children were born that took me away from them consistently over a period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-bruce/antiques-roadshow-was-the-first-job-i-had-taken-since-my-children/) [Fiona Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-bruce/) > [I wanted to be John Cleese. It took me some time to realise that the job was taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/i-wanted-to-be-john-cleese-it-took-me-some-time-to-realise-that-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Music is very similar to comedy: It's all about texture, timing, context, vocabulary, performance. When someone's onstage doing a solo, essentially it's the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/music-is-very-similar-to-comedy-it-s-all-about-texture-timing-context/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [I'm not trying to be romantic. I think you can tell when people are trying to be sexy onstage. When I was doing 'All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-connick-jr/i-m-not-trying-to-be-romantic-i-think-you-can-tell-when-people-are/) [Harry Connick, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-connick-jr/) > [I don't know if I change my act from century to century. Sometimes I'm onstage doing imitations and references to people who have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-gottfried/i-don-t-know-if-i-change-my-act-from-century-to-century-sometimes-i-m/) [Gilbert Gottfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-gottfried/) > [When I'm onstage doing standup, no one yells "Cut!" or tells me what to do. I'm DeRay, and I use my own words. With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deray-davis/when-i-m-onstage-doing-standup-no-one-yells-cut-or-tells-me-what-to/) [DeRay Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deray-davis/) > [It's always been about when I do theater, the audience is just a viewer, not taking part in what's onstage. Whereas if you're doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-glaser/it-s-always-been-about-when-i-do-theater-the-audience-is-just-a/) [Jon Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-glaser/) > [When you're onstage, it's important to try and feel some type of therapy in getting the material out, because then you don't leave the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/when-you-re-onstage-it-s-important-to-try-and-feel-some-type-of/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [When I was onstage doing the work, adrenaline killed the pain because I never hurt in front of an audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-lewis/when-i-was-onstage-doing-the-work-adrenaline-killed-the-pain-because/) [Jerry Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-lewis/) > [I began thinking I would do musical theater because in high school that was really the only sort of curriculum they had as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-mol/i-began-thinking-i-would-do-musical-theater-because-in-high-school/) [Gretchen Mol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-mol/) ## More by Thom Yorke > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Rock music is, is a necessary evil, like beating my children with penny loafers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/rock-music-is-is-a-necessary-evil-like-beating-my-children-with-penny/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [We're at a time when we are being presented with undeniable changes in the global climate and fundamental issues that affect every single one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/we-re-at-a-time-when-we-are-being-presented-with-undeniable-changes/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [When even your fans are writing to tell you to get a life, you know you need to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/when-even-your-fans-are-writing-to-tell-you-to-get-a-life-you-know/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Space Jam is my favorite movie. Don't ask me why, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/space-jam-is-my-favorite-movie-don-t-ask-me-why-it-just-is/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [My dad spent his whole life getting into fights for telling what he believed to be the truth. Basically it comes from my dad-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/my-dad-spent-his-whole-life-getting-into-fights-for-telling-what-he/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I got into the music business thinking it was really radical, that it wasn't really a business at all, that it was a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-it-was-really-radical-that-it/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [People sometimes say we take things too seriously, but it's the only way you'll get anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/people-sometimes-say-we-take-things-too-seriously-but-it-s-the-only/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I'm achingly aware of my own limitations as both part of the human race and as an individual. I'm just, casting this out that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-achingly-aware-of-my-own-limitations-as-both-part-of-the-human/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [One little leak becomes a lake, Says the tiny voice in my earpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/one-little-leak-becomes-a-lake-says-the-tiny-voice-in-my-earpiece/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I often fake my death and then just show up at people's houses. They say 'that's a good one Thom' but I know maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-often-fake-my-death-and-then-just-show-up-at-people-s-houses-they/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [There are a lot of things I cannot do, such as eat books and read chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/there-are-a-lot-of-things-i-cannot-do-such-as-eat-books-and-read/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I wanted to live with the \*\*\*\*ing manta rays, but they banned me from Sea World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-wanted-to-live-with-the-ing-manta-rays-but-they-banned-me-from-sea/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I often steal sandwiches, eat them, and put the container's back., with a signed autograph of my self in its place. It's my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-often-steal-sandwiches-eat-them-and-put-the-container-s-back-with-a/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) [Explore all 315 Thom Yorke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## More Arena quotes > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) Sheila Kamerman > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I've never liked talking about my personal life, ever. Ever since I was 20, I've lived in a kind of public arena; and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/i-ve-never-liked-talking-about-my-personal-life-ever-ever-since-i-was/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Most of my films I call arena films. I deal with a confined area -- an arena -- and I try to cover every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/most-of-my-films-i-call-arena-films-i-deal-with-a-confined-area-an/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [The rules of survival never change, whether you're in a desert or in an arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/the-rules-of-survival-never-change-whether-you-re-in-a-desert-or-in/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I just like playing music and doing it with people that I care about. It doesn't really matter where. It's like, 'Why don't we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-just-like-playing-music-and-doing-it-with-people-that-i-care-about/) [Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) Browse all 674 Arena quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd go onstage doing this thing, trying to fill this arena that I can't fill because I don't understand what this is. It's like you're given a job that's beyond you. 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