The Guts and the Glory

I'm just interested to know where all of you out there who have made theatre your passion got the guts to go for it. I'm sure there are lots of people sitting behind desks all along St George's Terrace - or flipping McDonald's burgers for that matter - wishing that maybe they had given it a try. Acting is a dream that everybody keeps to themselves. No matter who you are I think it takes guts to say "I want to act" or "I want to write".
Am I the only chicken out there?