--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I ignore my fear,” he says. “When I make…" description: "\"I ignore my fear,” he says. “When I make decisions, I pretend it doesn’t exist.” I stare at him for a second. I can’t help it. To me there’s a differen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/veronica-roth-66_acting_i-ignore-my-fear-he-says-when-i-make-dec_2655628.png" --- # I ignore my fear,” he says. “When I make decisions, I… ![“I ignore my fear,” he says. “When I make decisions, I pretend it doesn’t exist.” I stare at him for a second. I can’t help it. To me there’s a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite of fear, as he does.” quote by Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/veronica-roth-66_acting_i-ignore-my-fear-he-says-when-i-make-dec_2655628.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/veronica-roth-66_acting_i-ignore-my-fear-he-says-when-i-make-dec_2655628.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f4/veronica-roth-66_acting_i-ignore-my-fear-he-says-when-i-make-dec_2655628.png) > “I ignore my fear,” he says. “When I make decisions, I pretend it doesn’t exist.” I stare at him for a second. I can’t help it. To me there’s a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite of fear, as he does.” [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He pretends fear doesn’t exist, acting despite it, showing a distinction between fearlessness and deliberate action. **In simple terms:** Acting despite fear, not being fearless. Key Takeaway Act despite fear, not ignore it. Themes courage decision‑making fear Mood reflective inspirational Type personal philosophical When to use this quote - career moves - personal challenges - risk taking Key Concepts psychology fiction Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance fear and action? - When is acting in spite of fear wise? A Different Perspective Ignoring fear can be reckless. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Being afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-afraid/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Spite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spite/) [Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring/) ## Related quotes > [“You're afraid of heights," I say. "How do you survive in the Dauntless compound?" "I ignore my fear," he says. "When I make decisions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-re-afraid-of-heights-i-say-how-do-you-survive-in-the-dauntless/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“To me there's a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite of fear, as he does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/to-me-there-s-a-difference-between-not-being-afraid-and-acting-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I stare at him for a second. I can't help it. 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'When I make decisions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-re-afraid-of-heights-i-say-how-do-you-survive-in-the-dauntless-2/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Being fearless doesn't mean having an absence of fear. It means you press on in spite of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-parrish/being-fearless-doesn-t-mean-having-an-absence-of-fear-it-means-you/) [Robin Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-parrish/) > [Courage, after all, is not being unafraid, but doing what needs to be done in spite of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-l-farmer-jr/courage-after-all-is-not-being-unafraid-but-doing-what-needs-to-be/) [James L. Farmer, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-l-farmer-jr/) > [Courage is acting in spite of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-w-hunter/courage-is-acting-in-spite-of-fear/) [Howard W. 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But once you are on that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/when-you-find-your-path-you-must-ignore-fear-you-need-to-have-the/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [“Writers live with fear. Some writers cannot deal with the fear, and so they quit or refuse to publish. In order to write, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-mcmanus/writers-live-with-fear-some-writers-cannot-deal-with-the-fear-and-so/) Patrick Mcmanus ## More by Veronica Roth > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“I was beginning to feel that I had finally found a place to stay, a place that was not so unstable or corrupt or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/i-was-beginning-to-feel-that-i-had-finally-found-a-place-to-stay-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“He acts so tough that he’s probably afraid of marshmallows and really bright sunrises or something. Overcompensating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-acts-so-tough-that-he-s-probably-afraid-of-marshmallows-and-really/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [And is it selfish of me to crave victory, or is it brave?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/and-is-it-selfish-of-me-to-crave-victory-or-is-it-brave/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [You always look like someone's sucked the life right out of you when something fascinates you. -Tris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/you-always-look-like-someone-s-sucked-the-life-right-out-of-you-when/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“We can be mended. We mend each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/we-can-be-mended-we-mend-each-other/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Don’t worry about me handling the pain," I say. 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I feel like it should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/am-aware-of-how-little-space-there-is-between-us-six-inches-at-most/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Oh, good,” I say, a sour taste in my mouth. “Heroism is what I was focused on. Not, you know, trying not to die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/oh-good-i-say-a-sour-taste-in-my-mouth-heroism-is-what-i-was-focused/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Caleb frowns at him. "How old are you, anyway?" "Eighteen." "And you don't think you're too old to be with my little sister?" Tobias…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/caleb-frowns-at-him-how-old-are-you-anyway-eighteen-and-you-don-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [What do you think they're going to do to us when they find us guilty?" she says after a few minutes of silence have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-do-you-think-they-re-going-to-do-to-us-when-they-find-us-guilty/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“La paz está restringida, eso es libertad”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/la-paz-est-restringida-eso-es-libertad/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [In some parts of the ancient world, the hawk symbolized the sun. Back when I got this, I figured if I always had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/in-some-parts-of-the-ancient-world-the-hawk-symbolized-the-sun-back/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) [Explore all 1,589 Veronica Roth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. 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Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. 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Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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