--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am…" description: "\"When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am going slowly. And when I look slow, I am smooth and going fast.\" — Alain Prost" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/alain-prost-18287_auto-racing_when-i-look-fast-i-m-not-smooth-and-i-am_418556.jpg" --- # When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am going slowly… ![“When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am going slowly. And when I look slow, I am smooth and going fast.” quote by Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/alain-prost-18287_auto-racing_when-i-look-fast-i-m-not-smooth-and-i-am_418556.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/alain-prost-18287_auto-racing_when-i-look-fast-i-m-not-smooth-and-i-am_418556.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/alain-prost-18287_auto-racing_when-i-look-fast-i-m-not-smooth-and-i-am_418556.jpg) > “When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am going slowly. And when I look slow, I am smooth and going fast.” [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Contrast between perception and reality in speed, highlighting that smoothness and speed are inversely perceived. **In simple terms:** Fast looks rough, slow looks smooth. Key Takeaway Adjust perception to improve performance. Themes perception speed performance Mood reflective analytical Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - racing - public speaking - learning new skills - exercise Key Concepts psychology of perception motor control Questions to Reflect On - How does perception affect your speed? - Can you find smoothness in fast tasks? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Auto racing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auto-racing/) [Car racing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/car-racing/) [Funny car racing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-car-racing/) [Going Slowly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-slowly-837972/) [Look Fast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-fast-521371/) [Look Slow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look-slow-1390830/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Motor racing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motor-racing/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racing/) [Slow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow/) [Slowly Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slowly-look-3715788/) [Slowness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slowness/) [Smooth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smooth/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) ## Related quotes > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [When you win a race your on top that day, so take it for what its worth, have a good time and party, cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-allison/when-you-win-a-race-your-on-top-that-day-so-take-it-for-what-its/) [Bobby Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-allison/) > [Once you've raced, you never forget it...and you never get over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-childress/once-you-ve-raced-you-never-forget-it-and-you-never-get-over-it/) [Richard Childress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-childress/) > [If you're in control, you're not going fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parnelli-jones/if-you-re-in-control-you-re-not-going-fast-enough/) [Parnelli Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parnelli-jones/) > [It's basically the same, just darker. (on racing Saturday nights as opposed to Sunday afternoons, 1991](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/it-s-basically-the-same-just-darker-on-racing-saturday-nights-as/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [Auto racing began 5 minutes after the second car was built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/auto-racing-began-5-minutes-after-the-second-car-was-built/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [The best way to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a big one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-johnson/the-best-way-to-make-a-small-fortune-in-racing-is-to-start-with-a-big/) [Junior Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-johnson/) > [To achieve anything in this game you must be prepare to dabble in the boundary of disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stirling-moss/to-achieve-anything-in-this-game-you-must-be-prepare-to-dabble-in-the/) [Stirling Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stirling-moss/) > [What's behind you doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enzo-ferrari/what-s-behind-you-doesn-t-matter/) [Enzo Ferrari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enzo-ferrari/) > [The winner ain't the one with the fastest car. It's the one who refuses to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt-jr-2/the-winner-ain-t-the-one-with-the-fastest-car-it-s-the-one-who/) [Dale Earnhardt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt-jr-2/) > [Race cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enzo-ferrari/race-cars-are-neither-beautiful-nor-ugly-they-become-beautiful-when/) [Enzo Ferrari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enzo-ferrari/) > [It's basically the same, just darker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/it-s-basically-the-same-just-darker/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [Each driver has its limit. My limit is a little bit further than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayrton-senna/each-driver-has-its-limit-my-limit-is-a-little-bit-further-than-others/) [Ayrton Senna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayrton-senna/) > [People started saying, 'Oh you know, he's quicker than he looks', and I'm like, 'What does that mean? Do I look slow, or I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/people-started-saying-oh-you-know-he-s-quicker-than-he-looks-and-i-m/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [Ignoring platforms that have gained critical mass is a great way to look slow and out-of-touch. Do not cling to nostalgia. Do not put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/ignoring-platforms-that-have-gained-critical-mass-is-a-great-way-to/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) ## More by Alain Prost > [You were not in control You had no visibility: maybe there was a car in front of you, maybe not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/you-were-not-in-control-you-had-no-visibility-maybe-there-was-a-car/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [When I drove for British teams... they called me The Tadpole because I was too small to be a frog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/when-i-drove-for-british-teams-they-called-me-the-tadpole-because-i/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [So in fact the only thing you can judge in this sport its the longterm. You can judge a career or a season, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/so-in-fact-the-only-thing-you-can-judge-in-this-sport-its-the/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [The people who criticise you will not be the ones taking care of your legs when you are in your wheelchair. People who never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/the-people-who-criticise-you-will-not-be-the-ones-taking-care-of-your/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [It's not too good to have this attitude in F1. It could be a disadvantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/it-s-not-too-good-to-have-this-attitude-in-f1-it-could-be-a/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [I like the mentality of the Americans. It's like when you talk about money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/i-like-the-mentality-of-the-americans-it-s-like-when-you-talk-about/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [I was very interested in that. It is very important to have confidence as well as to build up experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/i-was-very-interested-in-that-it-is-very-important-to-have-confidence/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [I remember in the first part of the race I was sixth and I could have gone quicker, but I had to go slow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/i-remember-in-the-first-part-of-the-race-i-was-sixth-and-i-could-have/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [In 1980 I finished three or four times in seventh place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/in-1980-i-finished-three-or-four-times-in-seventh-place/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [I don't like to go over curbs, because I don't want to be hard on the car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/i-don-t-like-to-go-over-curbs-because-i-don-t-want-to-be-hard-on-the/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [I was looking at the history of the sport and I couldn't understand why there have been so many good South American drivers, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/i-was-looking-at-the-history-of-the-sport-and-i-couldn-t-understand/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [I think maybe the English don't want to try something and look stupid, because they are a bit reserved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/i-think-maybe-the-english-don-t-want-to-try-something-and-look-stupid/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [One of my biggest problems this season was with the clutch at the start of the race. I hate to risk the car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/one-of-my-biggest-problems-this-season-was-with-the-clutch-at-the/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [People don't understand that it was maybe my biggest pleasure to drive an F1 car when it's wet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/people-don-t-understand-that-it-was-maybe-my-biggest-pleasure-to/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) > [Sometimes I think I could have got some better results if I had a different mentality; if I could have pushed hard and attacked.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-prost/sometimes-i-think-i-could-have-got-some-better-results-if-i-had-a/) [Alain Prost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) [Explore all 35 Alain Prost quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-prost/) ## More Auto racing quotes > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [When you're in the back of the pack, you can gamble a little bit more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-andretti/when-you-re-in-the-back-of-the-pack-you-can-gamble-a-little-bit-more/) [Michael Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-andretti/) > [It's basically the same, just darker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kulwicki/it-s-basically-the-same-just-darker/) [Alan Kulwicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kulwicki/) > [Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/auto-racing-bull-fighting-and-mountain-climbing-are-the-only-real/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Auto racing is boring except when a car is going at least 172 miles per hour upside down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/auto-racing-is-boring-except-when-a-car-is-going-at-least-172-miles/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [You are going in one second the length of a football field. That means you brain is receiving information from your body what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emerson-fittipaldi/you-are-going-in-one-second-the-length-of-a-football-field-that-means/) [Emerson Fittipaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emerson-fittipaldi/) > [When I started racing my father told me, 'Cristiano, nobody has three balls but some people have two very good ones.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-da-matta/when-i-started-racing-my-father-told-me-cristiano-nobody-has-three/) [Cristiano da Matta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-da-matta/) > [It's like flying jet fighters in a gymnasium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-trickle/it-s-like-flying-jet-fighters-in-a-gymnasium/) [Dick Trickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-trickle/) > [Race cars are neither beautiful nor ugly. They become beautiful when they win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enzo-ferrari/race-cars-are-neither-beautiful-nor-ugly-they-become-beautiful-when/) [Enzo Ferrari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enzo-ferrari/) > [The winner ain't the one with the fastest car. It's the one who refuses to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt-jr-2/the-winner-ain-t-the-one-with-the-fastest-car-it-s-the-one-who/) [Dale Earnhardt, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt-jr-2/) > [What's behind you doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enzo-ferrari/what-s-behind-you-doesn-t-matter/) [Enzo Ferrari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enzo-ferrari/) > [To achieve anything in this game you must be prepare to dabble in the boundary of disaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stirling-moss/to-achieve-anything-in-this-game-you-must-be-prepare-to-dabble-in-the/) [Stirling Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stirling-moss/) > [Someone I talked to who covered auto racing for a lot of years said she believed there was a 60 percent chance that Junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kornheiser/someone-i-talked-to-who-covered-auto-racing-for-a-lot-of-years-said/) [Tony Kornheiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kornheiser/) > [There was a day when you could identify a NASCAR Ford, Chevrolet, or Dodge and they actually looked like "stock cars." Now they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brock-yates/there-was-a-day-when-you-could-identify-a-nascar-ford-chevrolet-or/) [Brock Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brock-yates/) > [The best way to make a small fortune in racing is to start with a big one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-johnson/the-best-way-to-make-a-small-fortune-in-racing-is-to-start-with-a-big/) [Junior Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junior-johnson/) [Browse all 38 Auto racing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auto-racing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I look fast, I'm not smooth and I am going slowly. 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