--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we're going to win the pennant, we've…" description: "\"If we're going to win the pennant, we've got to start thinking we're not as good as we think we are.\" — Casey Stengel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/casey-stengel-2534_thinking_if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve_1546736.jpg" --- # If we're going to win the pennant, we've got to start… ![“If we're going to win the pennant, we've got to start thinking we're not as good as we think we are.” quote by Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/casey-stengel-2534_thinking_if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve_1546736.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/casey-stengel-2534_thinking_if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve_1546736.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/casey-stengel-2534_thinking_if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve_1546736.jpg) > “If we're going to win the pennant, we've got to start thinking we're not as good as we think we are.” [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suggests that overconfidence hampers performance; humility is needed to improve and win **In simple terms:** Recognize limits to avoid complacency Key Takeaway Stay humble and realistic about abilities Themes humility self‑assessment confidence competition growth Mood motivational cautious Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - sports coaching - business strategy - personal development - leadership training Key Concepts psychology of overconfidence team dynamics performance improvement Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure true ability without bias? - When is confidence beneficial versus harmful? A Different Perspective May ignore genuine skill levels, leading to under‑confidence ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Son, we'd like to keep you around this season but we're going to try and win a pennant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/son-we-d-like-to-keep-you-around-this-season-but-we-re-going-to-try/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [It's hard to win a pennant, but it's harder to lose one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-tanner/it-s-hard-to-win-a-pennant-but-it-s-harder-to-lose-one/) [Chuck Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-tanner/) > [Initially, it (winning the 1967 American League Pennant) was what you would dream about in Little League. The winning pitcher, being on the mound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lonborg/initially-it-winning-the-1967-american-league-pennant-was-what-you/) Jim Lonborg > [I'd rather win a pennant than an Academy Award.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laraine-day/i-d-rather-win-a-pennant-than-an-academy-award/) [Laraine Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laraine-day/) > [It's hard to win a pennant, but it's harder losing one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-tanner/it-s-hard-to-win-a-pennant-but-it-s-harder-losing-one/) [Chuck Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-tanner/) > [No. 1, these guys out here on this field. They keep my energy level up. They try hard, they don't complain about things -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-robinson/no-1-these-guys-out-here-on-this-field-they-keep-my-energy-level-up/) [Frank Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-robinson/) > [Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts; I'll win a pennant every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sparky-anderson/just-give-me-25-guys-on-the-last-year-of-their-contracts-i-ll-win-a/) [Sparky Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sparky-anderson/) > [I don’t want to start thinking again. Not like I have this last week. I can’t think again. Not ever again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/i-don-t-want-to-start-thinking-again-not-like-i-have-this-last-week-i/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [Simply by performing good actions and thinking good thoughts you will not attain enlightenment. It takes something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/simply-by-performing-good-actions-and-thinking-good-thoughts-you-will/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I've achieved a certain amount of success and now I'm thinking about the good things I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-greiner/i-ve-achieved-a-certain-amount-of-success-and-now-i-m-thinking-about/) [Lori Greiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-greiner/) > [Every minute you are thinking of evil, you might have been thinking of good instead. Refuse to pander to a morbid interest in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/every-minute-you-are-thinking-of-evil-you-might-have-been-thinking-of/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [The Grammys to me, well, that's my peers. That's the industry thinking what I do is good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsea-ballerini/the-grammys-to-me-well-that-s-my-peers-that-s-the-industry-thinking/) [Kelsea Ballerini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsea-ballerini/) > [“We already have everything we need. There is nothing to improve. Thinking we are good or bad, fair or unfair, all that is nonsense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-already-have-everything-we-need-there-is-nothing-to-improve/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [A lot of what keeps me going is wanting to be better, thinking I'm not good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-jane-grace/a-lot-of-what-keeps-me-going-is-wanting-to-be-better-thinking-i-m-not/) [Laura Jane Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-jane-grace/) > [“Thinking of the good our work can do for others, beyond our daily to-do list, helps us change how we do what we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sturt/thinking-of-the-good-our-work-can-do-for-others-beyond-our-daily-to/) [David Sturt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sturt/) ## More by Casey Stengel > [We're in such a slump that even the ones that are drinkin' aren't hittin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/we-re-in-such-a-slump-that-even-the-ones-that-are-drinkin-aren-t/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [ They say he's \[Yogi Berra\] funny. Well, he has a lovely wife and family, a beautiful home, money in the bank, and he plays… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/they-say-he-s-yogi-berra-funny-well-he-has-a-lovely-wife-and-family-a/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [Everybody line up alphabetically according to your height.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/everybody-line-up-alphabetically-according-to-your-height/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [Well, that's baseball. Rags to riches one day and riches to rags the next. But I've been in it 36 years and I'm used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/well-that-s-baseball-rags-to-riches-one-day-and-riches-to-rags-the/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [No baseball pitcher would be worth a darn without a catcher who could handle the hot fastball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/no-baseball-pitcher-would-be-worth-a-darn-without-a-catcher-who-could/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [I made up my mind, but I made it up both ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/i-made-up-my-mind-but-i-made-it-up-both-ways/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [They say some of my stars drink whiskey, but I have found that ones who drink milkshakes don't win many ball games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/they-say-some-of-my-stars-drink-whiskey-but-i-have-found-that-ones/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [If you walk backwards, you'll find out you can go forwards and people won't know if you're coming or going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/if-you-walk-backwards-you-ll-find-out-you-can-go-forwards-and-people/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [The secret of successful managing is to keep the five guys who hate you away from the four guys who haven't made up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/the-secret-of-successful-managing-is-to-keep-the-five-guys-who-hate/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [The trouble is not that players have sex the night before a game. It's that they stay out all night looking for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/the-trouble-is-not-that-players-have-sex-the-night-before-a-game-it-s/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [Two hundred million Americans, and there ain't two good catchers among 'em.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/two-hundred-million-americans-and-there-ain-t-two-good-catchers-among/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [Never make bad predictions, especially about the futture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/never-make-bad-predictions-especially-about-the-futture/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [I was once asked what it takes to be a great manager...my response? Great players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/i-was-once-asked-what-it-takes-to-be-a-great-manager-my-response/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [If you ran a delicatessen store, you would want to be the best delicatessen store, wouldn't you? Well, that's how I feel about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/if-you-ran-a-delicatessen-store-you-would-want-to-be-the-best/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [You can't go out to the mound, hobbling and take a pitcher out with a cane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/you-can-t-go-out-to-the-mound-hobbling-and-take-a-pitcher-out-with-a/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) [Explore all 162 Casey Stengel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) ## More Think quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [You can think about it, wonder what went wrong, over analyze the situation but the fact remains... it's the past, just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-think-about-it-wonder-what-went-wrong-over-analyze-the/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do-something-they-never-think/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Remember we all was born into this world through God hands,Why You think we all have a brain so we can think and know..Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frenchqueen/remember-we-all-was-born-into-this-world-through-god-hands-why-you/) FrenchQueen > [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers & think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [I think a person has to just be herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-nixon/i-think-a-person-has-to-just-be-herself/) [Pat Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-nixon/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) Browse all 36,456 Think quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we're going to win the pennant, we've got to start thinking we're not as good as we think we are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Casey Stengel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve-got-to-start-thinking-we-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Think" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve-got-to-start-thinking-we-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/casey-stengel-2534_thinking_if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve_1546736.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/casey-stengel-2534_thinking_if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve_1546736.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/casey-stengel-2534_thinking_if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve_1546736.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we're going to win the pennant, we've got to start thinking we're not as good as we think we are.” — Casey Stengel", "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": "Casey Stengel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we're going to win the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve-got-to-start-thinking-we-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/if-we-re-going-to-win-the-pennant-we-ve-got-to-start-thinking-we-re/#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 } } ] } ```