If you’re not nervous, you’re not paying attention.

The line treats nervousness not as a flaw but as evidence of alertness and stakes. In performance and creative work—especially improvisational jazz—being “nervous” can signal that you recognize the risk of the moment and are fully engaged with what is happening around you. The quote reframes anxiety as a kind of heightened attention: if you feel nothing, you may be coasting, disengaged, or unaware of what matters. Read this way, it becomes advice about professionalism and presence: channel the edge of nerves into focus, listening, and responsiveness rather than trying to eliminate it entirely.