--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I began to discriminate between fear and…" description: "\"I began to discriminate between fear and excitement. The two, though very close, are completely different. Fear is negative excitement, choking your im..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/twyla-tharp-1069_apprehension_i-began-to-discriminate-between-fear-and_1229400.png" --- # I began to discriminate between fear and excitement. The… ![“I began to discriminate between fear and excitement. The two, though very close, are completely different. Fear is negative excitement, choking your imagination. Real excitement produces an energy that overcomes apprehension and makes you want to close in on your goal.” quote by Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/twyla-tharp-1069_apprehension_i-began-to-discriminate-between-fear-and_1229400.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/twyla-tharp-1069_apprehension_i-began-to-discriminate-between-fear-and_1229400.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f2/twyla-tharp-1069_apprehension_i-began-to-discriminate-between-fear-and_1229400.png) > “I began to discriminate between fear and excitement. The two, though very close, are completely different. Fear is negative excitement, choking your imagination. Real excitement produces an energy that overcomes apprehension and makes you want to close in on your goal.” [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Distinguishes fear as limiting negative excitement from productive excitement that fuels action. **In simple terms:** Fear blocks imagination; excitement drives goals. Key Takeaway Channel excitement, not fear. Themes motivation emotion performance Mood determined optimistic Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - Goal setting - creative work - public speaking Key Concepts Psychology energy dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you tell when excitement is constructive? - What practices keep fear from dominating? A Different Perspective Excitement can also lead to reckless risk without balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apprehension](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energy/) [Excitement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excitement/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) ## Related quotes > [The only difference between fear and excitement is what we label it. The two are pretty much the same physiological/emotional reaction. With fear, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/the-only-difference-between-fear-and-excitement-is-what-we-label-it-2/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Fear is not negative. We should overcome all our fears and this in turn would make us stronger. As soon as we overcome our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriela-isler/fear-is-not-negative-we-should-overcome-all-our-fears-and-this-in/) [Gabriela Isler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriela-isler/) > [“An important lesson can be learned from Robbins’ experience on the race track. If your focus is constantly on what you don’t want, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-simsek/an-important-lesson-can-be-learned-from-robbins-experience-on-the/) [Dennis Simsek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-simsek/) > [Fear is a negative thought in your mind. Supplant it with a constructive thought. Fear has killed millions. Confidence is greater than fear. Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/fear-is-a-negative-thought-in-your-mind-supplant-it-with-a/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Fear is negative; faith is positive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mbuko/fear-is-negative-faith-is-positive/) [Michael Mbuko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mbuko/) > [But it's also true that the person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing. All we know about the future is that it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-moggach/but-it-s-also-true-that-the-person-who-risks-nothing-does-nothing-has/) [Deborah Moggach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-moggach/) > [Worry is different from fear. If fear is like a raging fever, worry is a low-grade temperature. 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Fear that deep down inside I was a shallow fraud, that after the revolution or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-vonnegut/fear-that-i-was-very-different-from-everyone-else-fear-that-deep-down/) [Mark Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-vonnegut/) > [“The fear that we will lose is different from the fear of having lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misty-provencher/the-fear-that-we-will-lose-is-different-from-the-fear-of-having-lost/) [Misty Provencher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misty-provencher/) > [When we relax about imperfection, we no longer lose our life moments in the pursuit of being different and in the fear of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/when-we-relax-about-imperfection-we-no-longer-lose-our-life-moments/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [“One can only understand the power of the fear to be different, the fear to be only a few steps away from the herd,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/one-can-only-understand-the-power-of-the-fear-to-be-different-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Because people fear those who are different. And fear can make people do stupid things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-sorensen/because-people-fear-those-who-are-different-and-fear-can-make-people/) [Jessica Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-sorensen/) > [I live somewhere between hope and fear. Hope that this time things will be different... and fear that it'll turn out like it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-mayo/i-live-somewhere-between-hope-and-fear-hope-that-this-time-things/) Amanda Mayo > [It's okay to be scared, but fear is different. Fear is when we let being scared prevent us from doing what love requires of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mairead-corrigan/it-s-okay-to-be-scared-but-fear-is-different-fear-is-when-we-let/) [Mairead Corrigan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mairead-corrigan/) ## More by Twyla Tharp > [“A lot of habitually creative people have preparation rituals linked to the setting in which they choose to start their day. By putting themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/a-lot-of-habitually-creative-people-have-preparation-rituals-linked/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I have learned over the years that you should never save for two meetings what you can accomplish in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-have-learned-over-the-years-that-you-should-never-save-for-two/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I always find that the best collaborations are when you work with people that know what they're doing, and you leave them alone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-always-find-that-the-best-collaborations-are-when-you-work-with/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I don't mean this, but I'm going to say it anyway. I don't really think of pop art and serious art as being that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-don-t-mean-this-but-i-m-going-to-say-it-anyway-i-don-t-really-think/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [The art of these Fifties movies was in sustaining forever the moment before sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/the-art-of-these-fifties-movies-was-in-sustaining-forever-the-moment/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [This is not a pleasant route for many young people to consider. 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I think that structure is required for creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-don-t-think-that-scheduling-is-uncreative-i-think-that-structure-is/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [I have always felt one of the things dance should do - its business being so clearly physical - is challenge the culture's gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/i-have-always-felt-one-of-the-things-dance-should-do-its-business/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [There really is nothing I ever had access to that I didn't appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/there-really-is-nothing-i-ever-had-access-to-that-i-didn-t-appreciate/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Destiny, quite often, is a determined parent. Mozart was hardly some naive prodigy who sat down at the keyboard and, with God whispering in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/destiny-quite-often-is-a-determined-parent-mozart-was-hardly-some/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [When it all comes together, a creative life has the nourishing power we normally associate with food, love and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/when-it-all-comes-together-a-creative-life-has-the-nourishing-power/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [Things change all the time, so why do people make such a philosophical to-do that things are constantly in transition?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/things-change-all-the-time-so-why-do-people-make-such-a-philosophical/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) [Explore all 298 Twyla Tharp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) ## More Apprehension quotes > [Marriages are always moving from one season to another. 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I've always done my work with a gut feeling that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiku-sharda/the-apprehension-whether-people-will-like-it-or-not-also-doesn-t/) [Kiku Sharda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiku-sharda/) > [LIFE, n. A spiritual pickle preserving the body from decay. We live in daily apprehension of its loss; yet when lost it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/life-n-a-spiritual-pickle-preserving-the-body-from-decay-we-live-in/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Man may feel like a feeble and powerless pawn, at some moment in his life. This apprehension can come out of the blue, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/man-may-feel-like-a-feeble-and-powerless-pawn-at-some-moment-in-his/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [We stand for organized terror - this should be frankly admitted. Terror is an absolute necessity during times of revolution. Our aim is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dzerzhinsky/we-stand-for-organized-terror-this-should-be-frankly-admitted-terror/) Felix Dzerzhinsky > [The regulation of commerce, it is true, is a new power; but that seems to be an addition which few oppose and from which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-regulation-of-commerce-it-is-true-is-a-new-power-but-that-seems/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [As a father and grandfather, I have witnessed firsthand the joy of new life entering the world. I know the pain and apprehension that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/as-a-father-and-grandfather-i-have-witnessed-firsthand-the-joy-of-new/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [Lord, enlighten thou our enemies. 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Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) [Browse all 258 Apprehension quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apprehension/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I began to discriminate between fear and excitement. The two, though very close, are completely different. Fear is negative excitement, choking your imagination. 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