"If I stay alert, then I can challenge myself, and by challenging myself, that helps me to stay alive and to hopefully take something away from the experience"
About this Quote
The subtext is how precarious acting can feel even when you're successful. Jane isn't selling inspiration as much as describing maintenance. Challenge becomes a kind of moral hygiene, a way to prove you're still responsive, still learning, still susceptible to surprise. There's also an implicit jab at the industry's assembly-line logic, where repetition gets rewarded and risk gets punished. By framing "alive" as an outcome of difficulty, he flips the usual Hollywood script: ease isn't the goal; engagement is.
That last clause - "hopefully take something away" - undercuts any macho bravado. It's an admission that not every stretch will pay off cleanly. The intent isn't to sound heroic; it's to normalize uncertainty as the price of staying present. In that sense, the quote doubles as a survival strategy: keep reaching for the edge, because that's where you can still feel.
Quote Details
| Topic | Motivational |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite | Cite this Quote |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Jane, Thomas. (n.d.). If I stay alert, then I can challenge myself, and by challenging myself, that helps me to stay alive and to hopefully take something away from the experience. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-stay-alert-then-i-can-challenge-myself-and-119263/
Chicago Style
Jane, Thomas. "If I stay alert, then I can challenge myself, and by challenging myself, that helps me to stay alive and to hopefully take something away from the experience." FixQuotes. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-stay-alert-then-i-can-challenge-myself-and-119263/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"If I stay alert, then I can challenge myself, and by challenging myself, that helps me to stay alive and to hopefully take something away from the experience." FixQuotes, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-stay-alert-then-i-can-challenge-myself-and-119263/. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

