--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think nervousness - a heightened sense…" description: "\"I think nervousness - a heightened sense of nerves and attention is a very healthy thing for a performer. It is an artificial environment that you are ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/thomas-hampson-32583_anxiety_i-think-nervousness-a-heightened-sense-o_1730196.jpg" --- # I think nervousness - a heightened sense of nerves and… ![“I think nervousness - a heightened sense of nerves and attention is a very healthy thing for a performer. It is an artificial environment that you are going into whether it's concert or recital, or stage. When I know something so well, I've done it so often, and you kind of walk out for Tuesday…” quote by Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/thomas-hampson-32583_anxiety_i-think-nervousness-a-heightened-sense-o_1730196.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/thomas-hampson-32583_anxiety_i-think-nervousness-a-heightened-sense-o_1730196.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/thomas-hampson-32583_anxiety_i-think-nervousness-a-heightened-sense-o_1730196.jpg) > “I think nervousness - a heightened sense of nerves and attention is a very healthy thing for a performer. It is an artificial environment that you are going into whether it's concert or recital, or stage. When I know something so well, I've done it so often, and you kind of walk out for Tuesday night's performance, or you feel like that, that makes me more nervous then being geared up. A little bit like race horses. In the same way that the horses are always difficult to get into that lineup, the worst time of my life is the 10 or 15 minutes before I go on stage.” [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nervousness heightens focus and can improve performance when channeled correctly. **In simple terms:** Anxiety can sharpen a performer. Key Takeaway Use nerves as energy. Themes performance psychology focus Mood anxious determined Type motivational practical When to use this quote - concerts - recitals - public speaking - sports competitions Key Concepts arousal theory flow state Questions to Reflect On - What rituals help you transform nerves into focus? - When does anxiety become detrimental? A Different Perspective Too much anxiety can impair execution. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Nervous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous/) [Nervousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervousness/) [Race horses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-horses/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time of my life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-of-my-life/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's the nervousness and the worry that it won't last forever that keeps us working so hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-think-it-s-the-nervousness-and-the-worry-that-it-won-t-last-forever/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [When the audience enjoys your performance, you feel like a magician who is doing magic. It's a great feeling!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/when-the-audience-enjoys-your-performance-you-feel-like-a-magician/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [With a live performance, you feel nervous because there's a sense it could do well or badly based on how well you are performing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ayoade/with-a-live-performance-you-feel-nervous-because-there-s-a-sense-it/) [Richard Ayoade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ayoade/) > [Any actor can be glamorous, but not everybody can be a performer. That's why I'm focusing more on the performance side. I feel that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-rajesh/any-actor-can-be-glamorous-but-not-everybody-can-be-a-performer-that/) [Aishwarya Rajesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-rajesh/) > [Before every performance I feel nervous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-boneta/before-every-performance-i-feel-nervous/) [Diego Boneta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-boneta/) > [People expect that I'll be just perfect on ice, and that's not the case. I make mistakes, too. When I review my performance, sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuna-kim/people-expect-that-i-ll-be-just-perfect-on-ice-and-that-s-not-the/) [Yuna Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuna-kim/) > [Some nights you might go through an entire performance and not feel a thing, and the audience may have a much better time, 'cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hopkins/some-nights-you-might-go-through-an-entire-performance-and-not-feel-a/) [Anthony Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hopkins/) > [At that elusive moment when we transcend our ordinary performance and feel in harmony with something else-whether it's a glorious sunset, inspiring music or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-childre/at-that-elusive-moment-when-we-transcend-our-ordinary-performance-and/) [Doc Childre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-childre/) > [Really successful players that are developing can get really stuck in themselves and only thinking about their performance, when I feel like it's bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/really-successful-players-that-are-developing-can-get-really-stuck-in/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [I rode Sea Pigeon in all his work - that's why my arms are so long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-birch/i-rode-sea-pigeon-in-all-his-work-that-s-why-my-arms-are-so-long/) Mark Birch > [A loose horse is any horse sensible enough to get rid of its rider at an early stage and carry on unencumbered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-james/a-loose-horse-is-any-horse-sensible-enough-to-get-rid-of-its-rider-at/) [Clive James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-james/) > [“The earth. Smog, murder, the poisoned air, the poisoned water, the poisoned food, the hatred, the hopelessness, everything. The only beautiful thing about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-earth-smog-murder-the-poisoned-air-the-poisoned-water-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Politics is like a race horse. A good jockey must know how to fall with the least possible damage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edouard-herriot/politics-is-like-a-race-horse-a-good-jockey-must-know-how-to-fall/) Edouard Herriot > [Lochsong - she's like Linford Christie ... without the lunchbox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-dettori/lochsong-she-s-like-linford-christie-without-the-lunchbox/) Frankie Dettori > [I was at the pinnacle of my career one day and the next day I was put out to pasture. I felt like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-klugman/i-was-at-the-pinnacle-of-my-career-one-day-and-the-next-day-i-was-put/) [Jack Klugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-klugman/) ## More by Thomas Hampson > [The issues of poetry, and music, and dialogue with one another is the essential thrust of any song. The breakdown becomes the epoch, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/the-issues-of-poetry-and-music-and-dialogue-with-one-another-is-the/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [When I hear music I want to engage in it. Even if I engage in it very quickly and turn it off in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/when-i-hear-music-i-want-to-engage-in-it-even-if-i-engage-in-it-very/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [I grew up in an extremely musical atmosphere. There was a lot of music and singing around. I never really thought about one not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/i-grew-up-in-an-extremely-musical-atmosphere-there-was-a-lot-of-music/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [Every opera, because every opera is a unique slice of a particular perspective, historical perspective and psychological perspective if not musical style, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/every-opera-because-every-opera-is-a-unique-slice-of-a-particular/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [I love to sleep because I need the rest, but I hate to miss something. I would love to be able to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/i-love-to-sleep-because-i-need-the-rest-but-i-hate-to-miss-something/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [You would be surprised how many people that are very passionate about classical music are deeply involved in Hip Hop. You would think Jazz…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/you-would-be-surprised-how-many-people-that-are-very-passionate-about/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [We don't present our voices to the audience, we resonate our souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/we-don-t-present-our-voices-to-the-audience-we-resonate-our-souls/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [I think one of the great things behind game theory, or game development, especially in education now, apropos, digital and new media, is finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/i-think-one-of-the-great-things-behind-game-theory-or-game/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [Singing is not about timbres or category labels, singing is about fascinating acoustical properties like the colors of the human voice which derive from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/singing-is-not-about-timbres-or-category-labels-singing-is-about/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [When we look at the arts and letters in America, especially if we look at poetry, and poetry set to music, this dialogue, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/when-we-look-at-the-arts-and-letters-in-america-especially-if-we-look/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [My only advice as an experience older singer is about singing, it isn't about music. To have a career in music is a completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/my-only-advice-as-an-experience-older-singer-is-about-singing-it-isn/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [I have every iPod that's been made ˘ that's how sick I am. I carry anything and everything I possibly would want to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/i-have-every-ipod-that-s-been-made-that-s-how-sick-i-am-i-carry/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [Being a classical musician I'm fascinated with how my colleagues, not just singers, but every musician finds ways to express something else or something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/being-a-classical-musician-i-m-fascinated-with-how-my-colleagues-not/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) > [Once you go on stage you're essentially creating the world that people want to participate in. The worst thing you can do is go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hampson/once-you-go-on-stage-you-re-essentially-creating-the-world-that/) [Thomas Hampson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) [Explore all 15 Thomas Hampson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hampson/) ## 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 > [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. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think nervousness - a heightened sense of nerves and attention is a very healthy thing for a performer. 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