--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But the question that everyone wanted…" description: "\"But the question that everyone wanted answered was whether I would have the nerve and the strength to start the whole process from scratch. I said yes;..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/werner-herzog-964_dream_but-the-question-that-everyone-wanted-an_1339552.jpg" --- # But the question that everyone wanted answered was whether… ![“But the question that everyone wanted answered was whether I would have the nerve and the strength to start the whole process from scratch. I said yes; otherwise I would be someone who had no dream left, and without dreams I would not want to live.” quote by Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/werner-herzog-964_dream_but-the-question-that-everyone-wanted-an_1339552.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/werner-herzog-964_dream_but-the-question-that-everyone-wanted-an_1339552.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/werner-herzog-964_dream_but-the-question-that-everyone-wanted-an_1339552.jpg) > “But the question that everyone wanted answered was whether I would have the nerve and the strength to start the whole process from scratch. I said yes; otherwise I would be someone who had no dream left, and without dreams I would not want to live.” [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He asserts that daring to start from nothing, driven by dreams, is essential to a meaningful life. **In simple terms:** Starting from scratch requires courage and dreams. Key Takeaway Pursue dreams despite fear. Themes courage dreams existential purpose creativity Mood reflective determined serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career change - artistic projects - personal goals - starting a business Key Concepts risk-taking self-determination meaning purpose Questions to Reflect On - What dream fuels your actions? - How do you balance risk and hope? A Different Perspective Dreams may be unrealistic without planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question/) [Question Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/question-wanted-2486876/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Yes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-yes/) [Scratches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scratches/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Answered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-answered-4521583/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Yes Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yes-dream-4366870/) ## Related quotes > [“There was a question I wanted answered more than I wanted anything else, and it could take my life to answer it. This question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/there-was-a-question-i-wanted-answered-more-than-i-wanted-anything/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [Yes, you can do it. You can dream about being on the cover of magazines; you can dream about being in a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yalitza-aparicio/yes-you-can-do-it-you-can-dream-about-being-on-the-cover-of-magazines/) [Yalitza Aparicio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yalitza-aparicio/) > [“There came a time, however, when death ceased to be the enforcer of finitude and began to look, instead, like the last opportunity for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/there-came-a-time-however-when-death-ceased-to-be-the-enforcer-of/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [I want to be a star; yes, that's everyone's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-rajesh/i-want-to-be-a-star-yes-that-s-everyone-s-dream/) [Aishwarya Rajesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-rajesh/) > [The question is what I wanted to do with the new life God has given me. This is the mission I want to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-tauzin/the-question-is-what-i-wanted-to-do-with-the-new-life-god-has-given/) [Billy Tauzin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-tauzin/) > [I think the question that nobody wanted to deal with is the question they're posing: did my kid die in vain? Because the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/i-think-the-question-that-nobody-wanted-to-deal-with-is-the-question/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [So much of the way a singer physically damages their voice could be caused by stress or nerves. I would never be so brazen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-carlile/so-much-of-the-way-a-singer-physically-damages-their-voice-could-be/) [Brandi Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-carlile/) > [I think if Roman Polanski had asked me to do the phone book, I would have said, 'Yes.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/i-think-if-roman-polanski-had-asked-me-to-do-the-phone-book-i-would/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [And then she finally said yes. And we have been married, I want you to know, for 51 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/and-then-she-finally-said-yes-and-we-have-been-married-i-want-you-to/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [You hear a lot of horror stories about proposing and things going horribly wrong - it went really, really well and I was really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-william/you-hear-a-lot-of-horror-stories-about-proposing-and-things-going/) [Prince William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-william/) > [The biggest mistake of my life is that I said yes, when I had to say no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-biggest-mistake-of-my-life-is-that-i-said-yes-when-i-had-to-say-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Him! Him! Captain Eliot Rosewater–Silver Star, Bronze Star, Soldier's Medal, and Purple Heart with Cluster! Sailing champion! Ski champion! Him! Him! My God–the number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut-jr/him-him-captain-eliot-rosewater-silver-star-bronze-star-soldier-s/) [Kurt Vonnegut Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut-jr/) > [“He stares at me steadily, for a long moment before looking away, but I read his eyes clearly. He wants me tonight. And from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-towle/he-stares-at-me-steadily-for-a-long-moment-before-looking-away-but-i/) [Samantha Towle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-towle/) > [“She loved everything around, turquoise blue sky and calm sea, and the holy mountain, and fragrant woods on it, and monasteries and hermitages, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osyp-nazaruk/she-loved-everything-around-turquoise-blue-sky-and-calm-sea-and-the/) [Osyp Nazaruk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osyp-nazaruk/) > [“You’re American, yes?” Daniela said. “Yes.” “New York?” “Oregon.” “Dónde?” Where? “It’s a state on the West Coast.” “Near Los Angeles?” Brigitte asked. “North…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-cach/you-re-american-yes-daniela-said-yes-new-york-oregon-d-nde-where-it-s/) [Lisa Cach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-cach/) ## More by Werner Herzog > [If your project has real substance, ultimately the money will follow you like a common cur in the street with its tail between its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/if-your-project-has-real-substance-ultimately-the-money-will-follow/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Every man should pull a boat over a mountain once in his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/every-man-should-pull-a-boat-over-a-mountain-once-in-his-life/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I know whenever it comes to be really dysfunctional and vile and base and hostile on screen, I'm good at that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-know-whenever-it-comes-to-be-really-dysfunctional-and-vile-and-base/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [When we speak about trespassing, we speak about artistic trespassing. You have to be prudent and have common sense and a sense of responsibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/when-we-speak-about-trespassing-we-speak-about-artistic-trespassing/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [If you want to propose marriage to your girlfriend and you live in England and she is in Sicily, do the decent thing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/if-you-want-to-propose-marriage-to-your-girlfriend-and-you-live-in/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I'm a very circumspect and prudent person, and I eliminate danger as far as it can be done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-m-a-very-circumspect-and-prudent-person-and-i-eliminate-danger-as/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [It is not only my dreams, my belief is that all these dreams are yours as well. The only distinction between me and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/it-is-not-only-my-dreams-my-belief-is-that-all-these-dreams-are-yours/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [My non-fiction films are pretty much fiction, or at least close... It's all "movies" for me. I never have searched for a subject. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/my-non-fiction-films-are-pretty-much-fiction-or-at-least-close-it-s/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [If an actor knows how to milk a cow, I always know it will not be difficult to be in business with him,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/if-an-actor-knows-how-to-milk-a-cow-i-always-know-it-will-not-be/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [ِِِِِِِِِِArt house theaters are vanishing. They have almost disappeared completely, and that means there's a shift in what audiences want to see. And they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/art-house-theaters-are-vanishing-they-have-almost-disappeared/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I always had a feeling, for example, that there should be something from Verdi's "Requiem" in the film. You hear it when you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-always-had-a-feeling-for-example-that-there-should-be-something/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Along with this rapid growth of forms of communication at our disposal - be it fax, phone, email, Internet or whatever - human solitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/along-with-this-rapid-growth-of-forms-of-communication-at-our/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [ I had complete freedom. They \[Netflix\] knew roughly what I was doing. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-had-complete-freedom-they-netflix-knew-roughly-what-i-was-doing/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [For example, the face of Nicole Kidman in Queen of the Desert and she is the most beautiful goddess on screen that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/for-example-the-face-of-nicole-kidman-in-queen-of-the-desert-and-she/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [I have always postulated that we have to find a new way to deal with reality. It's not so much facts that interest me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-have-always-postulated-that-we-have-to-find-a-new-way-to-deal-with/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) [Explore all 318 Werner Herzog quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But the question that everyone wanted answered was whether I would have the nerve and the strength to start the whole process from scratch. 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