Los Angeles, Dec 11 (IANS)

Actor Nicolas Cage does not pay heed to either negative or positive remarks about him. He believes negative comments will hinder his progress, and positive ones are likely to make him complacent.

The 49-year-old believes that to achieve success, he needs to feel "uncomfortable".

"I don't take criticism seriously and I don't take praise seriously, both would be a mistake," Cage told Metro newspaper, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

"If you buy into the negative that is the internet today, or the cynical critic, it's not unlike listening to an abusive father that's trying to cave you in and you can't function.

"If you buy into praise, to people who adore you, you might get lazy and say, 'Well, I'll just keep doing that.' You have to stay uncomfortable," he added.

Cage says he picked this learning from music legend David Bowie, who insists the reinvention he has achieved throughout his career of six decades spanning career is down to never getting "comfortable".

"I knew those were words of wisdom from a great artist and I took those words seriously," said Cage.