--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's no such thing as a handicap…" description: "\"There's no such thing as a handicap - it's all in your head\" — Bethany Hamilton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/bethany-hamilton-8577_disability_there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s_2268684.jpg" --- # There's no such thing as a handicap - it's all in your head ![“There's no such thing as a handicap - it's all in your head” quote by Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/bethany-hamilton-8577_disability_there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s_2268684.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/bethany-hamilton-8577_disability_there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s_2268684.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/bethany-hamilton-8577_disability_there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s_2268684.jpg) > “There's no such thing as a handicap - it's all in your head” [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A handicap is a mental construct; overcoming it requires changing mindset, not just physical ability. **In simple terms:** Limits are often mental, not physical. Key Takeaway Shift mindset to view challenges as opportunities. Themes resilience mindset self‑belief Mood determined inspirational Type motivational empowering When to use this quote - sports - rehabilitation - career change - personal growth Key Concepts psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - What mental barriers hold you back? - How can you reframe perceived limitations? A Different Perspective Physical constraints still exist and can’t be ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Handicap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handicap/) [Handicap Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handicap-head-5248350/) [Handicaps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handicaps/) [Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Thing Handicap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-handicap-5248351/) ## Related quotes > [Handicaps are mindsets. Whatever it is that stands in the way of achieving something, that's when it's a handicap. I prefer to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-cox/handicaps-are-mindsets-whatever-it-is-that-stands-in-the-way-of/) [Jessica Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-cox/) > [A polo handicap is a persons ticket to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/a-polo-handicap-is-a-persons-ticket-to-the-world/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You had some unexpected help. You had help from God! Essentially, it became a handicap match! Me vs you and God!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-mcmahon/you-had-some-unexpected-help-you-had-help-from-god-essentially-it/) [Vince McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-mcmahon/) > [You are the handicap you must face. You are the one who must choose your place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lane-allen/you-are-the-handicap-you-must-face-you-are-the-one-who-must-choose/) [James Lane Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lane-allen/) > [I have an insane desire to shave a stroke or two off my handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-cooke/i-have-an-insane-desire-to-shave-a-stroke-or-two-off-my-handicap/) [Alistair Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-cooke/) > [ “\[Mouse is\] with us. The dog is a handicap-assist animal." The kid lifted his eyebrows. "My mouth is partially paralyzed," I said. "It makes… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/mouse-is-with-us-the-dog-is-a-handicap-assist-animal-the-kid-lifted/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Well, I'm a 14 handicap. Anyone who golfs knows what that means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-romano/well-i-m-a-14-handicap-anyone-who-golfs-knows-what-that-means/) [Ray Romano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-romano/) > [Many a fine style has evolved from a decent handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/many-a-fine-style-has-evolved-from-a-decent-handicap/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [Handicap: an allocation of strokes on one or more holes that permits two golfers of very different ability to do equally poorly on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-beard/handicap-an-allocation-of-strokes-on-one-or-more-holes-that-permits/) [Henry Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-beard/) > [A lot of people, when they say 'forgive and forget,' they think you completely wash your brain out and forget everything. That is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-beah/a-lot-of-people-when-they-say-forgive-and-forget-they-think-you/) [Ishmael Beah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-beah/) > [The handicap of deafness is not in the ear; it is in the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/the-handicap-of-deafness-is-not-in-the-ear-it-is-in-the-mind/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [The laboratory routine, which involves a great deal of measurement, filing, and tabulation, is either my lifeline or my chief handicap, I hardly know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-francis-richter/the-laboratory-routine-which-involves-a-great-deal-of-measurement/) [Charles Francis Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-francis-richter/) > [Nothing goes down slower than a golf handicap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-nichols/nothing-goes-down-slower-than-a-golf-handicap/) [Bobby Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-nichols/) > [The truth is that we were born to have it all. And part of our handicap as adults is that we no longer understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-berg/the-truth-is-that-we-were-born-to-have-it-all-and-part-of-our/) [Yehuda Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-berg/) > [ I began \[blogging\] because I have this handicap - I can't figure out my life or see God clearly unless I untangle my life… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/i-began-blogging-because-i-have-this-handicap-i-can-t-figure-out-my/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) ## More by Bethany Hamilton > [To lose your everyday life of surfing and being creative on waves, enjoying the ocean - that's scary to me. It was essential to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/to-lose-your-everyday-life-of-surfing-and-being-creative-on-waves/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [Whatever your situation might be, set your mind to whatever you want to do and put a good attitude in it, and I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/whatever-your-situation-might-be-set-your-mind-to-whatever-you-want/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [Learning how to deal with people and their reactions to my life is one of the most challenging things... people staring at me, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/learning-how-to-deal-with-people-and-their-reactions-to-my-life-is/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [I love the ocean, and I love surfing. It's something so special and unique, and surfing is unlike any other sport. Skateboarding is amazing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/i-love-the-ocean-and-i-love-surfing-it-s-something-so-special-and/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [God will give us the strength to be able to handle things. I mean, you can try to do it on your own, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/god-will-give-us-the-strength-to-be-able-to-handle-things-i-mean-you/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [Losing an arm is kinda lame at one point, but at the same time, so much good has come out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/losing-an-arm-is-kinda-lame-at-one-point-but-at-the-same-time-so-much/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [I guess I just like to challenge myself and push myself harder to do things that I don't think I can, to do things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/i-guess-i-just-like-to-challenge-myself-and-push-myself-harder-to-do/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [I'm actually not star-struck... I like to give people their own space and admire them from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/i-m-actually-not-star-struck-i-like-to-give-people-their-own-space/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [Being out there in the ocean, God's creation, it's like a gift He has given us to enjoy,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/being-out-there-in-the-ocean-god-s-creation-it-s-like-a-gift-he-has/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [You don't need easy, you just need possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/you-don-t-need-easy-you-just-need-possible/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [We all need that extra friend outside of our immediate family to talk about that extra stuff you wouldn't normally talk to your parents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/we-all-need-that-extra-friend-outside-of-our-immediate-family-to-talk/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [Courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts. That's what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/courage-sacrifice-determination-commitment-toughness-heart-talent/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [It's sad to hear that 1 in 3 girls have an eating disorder, because they're trying to be something that they think they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/it-s-sad-to-hear-that-1-in-3-girls-have-an-eating-disorder-because/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [I think it doesn't matter if you are the best surfer in the world. I'm going to try to be the best surfer I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/i-think-it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-are-the-best-surfer-in-the-world-i-m/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) > [My faith in God is a huge part of my life, and yeah He has blessed me with an amazing family, and group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/my-faith-in-god-is-a-huge-part-of-my-life-and-yeah-he-has-blessed-me/) [Bethany Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) [Explore all 79 Bethany Hamilton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/) ## More Disability quotes > [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/) [Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/) > [“She would prove to everyone she could do everything. She wouldn’t let her disability be an excuse, wouldn’t give anyone reason to pity her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-grace-davis/she-would-prove-to-everyone-she-could-do-everything-she-wouldn-t-let/) [Liz Grace Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-grace-davis/) > [Because my graduate academic training at law school was not one that included most of the intellectual traditions I find useful for understanding the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-spade/because-my-graduate-academic-training-at-law-school-was-not-one-that/) [Dean Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-spade/) > [“Consider this: the US economy created 2.4 million jobs in the three years beginning in June 2009. In the same period, 3.3 million Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-ferguson/consider-this-the-us-economy-created-2-4-million-jobs-in-the-three/) [Niall Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-ferguson/) > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [I'm just a man on a mission, to prove my disability hasn't won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-hensel/i-m-just-a-man-on-a-mission-to-prove-my-disability-hasn-t-won/) [Robert M. Hensel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-hensel/) > [I love my disability. It is the best thing that ever happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-alcott/i-love-my-disability-it-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/) [Dylan Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-alcott/) > [“He took the teapot and poured two cups. She was grateful. And also frustrated. Not being able to walk was annoying, and that emotion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/he-took-the-teapot-and-poured-two-cups-she-was-grateful-and-also/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [When people say there are people who are faking it, if I had a choice I wouldn't want to have a disability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadeena-cox/when-people-say-there-are-people-who-are-faking-it-if-i-had-a-choice/) [Kadeena Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadeena-cox/) > [We think we know what it's all about; we think that disability is a really simple thing, and we don't expect to see disabled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-young/we-think-we-know-what-it-s-all-about-we-think-that-disability-is-a/) [Stella Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-young/) > [“I wanted to share the realities of living with a disability since birth. My book is my attempt to promote increased inclusion and greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-torreno/i-wanted-to-share-the-realities-of-living-with-a-disability-since/) [Stephanie Torreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-torreno/) > [Woman has so long been subject to the disabilities and restrictions with which her progress has been embarrassed that she has become enervated, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretia-mott/woman-has-so-long-been-subject-to-the-disabilities-and-restrictions/) [Lucretia Mott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretia-mott/) > [It feels amazing to be a role model for people with and without disabilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-potter/it-feels-amazing-to-be-a-role-model-for-people-with-and-without/) [Lauren Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-potter/) > [I didn't know anything was wrong with me when I was growing up. I thought everyone went to occupational and speech therapy, I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rj-mitte/i-didn-t-know-anything-was-wrong-with-me-when-i-was-growing-up-i/) [RJ Mitte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rj-mitte/) > [Not really what you can do, others can either. Not really what you can't do, neither can others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voeun-tivea/not-really-what-you-can-do-others-can-either-not-really-what-you-can/) [Voeun Tivea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voeun-tivea/) [Browse all 829 Disability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's no such thing as a handicap - it's all in your head", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bethany Hamilton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s-all-in-your-head/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Disability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s-all-in-your-head/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/bethany-hamilton-8577_disability_there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s_2268684.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/bethany-hamilton-8577_disability_there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s_2268684.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fdc/bethany-hamilton-8577_disability_there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s_2268684.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's no such thing as a handicap - it's all in your head” — Bethany Hamilton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bethany Hamilton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-hamilton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's no such thing as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s-all-in-your-head/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-hamilton/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-handicap-it-s-all-in-your-head/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```