WWE's Randy Orton Opens Up About Lack Of Confidence Early In His Career

It's rather unfathomable that a wrestler with the career of Randy Orton suffered from a lack of confidence at one point in his career. But during his recent appearance on the "Impaulsive" podcast, Orton explained why he doubted his abilities when he was first starting out and did not truly believe he was going to turn pro wrestling into a career.

Orton, who worked at a gas station as a 19-year-old teenager, admitted that he initially had no intention of becoming a wrestler despite his family's lineage in the industry. "Even now, when I walk through the curtain, there's a certain part of me that changes and switches," Orton said. "I've had thousands of matches and I've gotten to, over time, just hone the skill of being able to turn into that character — by going into the ring. I'm not walking around all confident [otherwise]. I did have a chip on my shoulder in my 20s when I thought my sh*t didn't stink, but that confidence was just like armor." 

"I get just as nervous when I go out there as anybody," Orton added. In the 2011 documentary, "Randy Orton: The Evolution of a Predator," Orton revealed he used to get extremely nervous before media appearances as a youngster, but he no longer feels those jitters. "That doc was 10 years ago ... a lot has changed. That's like a lifetime ago," Orton said.

As "The Viper" enters the home stretch of his wrestling career, fans and analysts alike are excited about the possibilities that await, especially some of the fresh match-ups that he could have against up-and-coming superstars. The likes of Kevin Nash have also floated the possibility of Orton chasing John Cena and Ric Flair's 16 world title reigns, a record that Orton could foreseeably break over the course of the next few years.