--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no such thing as defeat except…" description: "\"There is no such thing as defeat except when it comes from within. As long as a person doesn't admit he is defeated, he is not defeated-he's just a lit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/darrell-royal-9744_behinds_there-is-no-such-thing-as-defeat-except_3154537.png" --- # There is no such thing as defeat except when it comes from… ![“There is no such thing as defeat except when it comes from within. As long as a person doesn't admit he is defeated, he is not defeated-he's just a little behind and isn't through fighting.” quote by Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/darrell-royal-9744_behinds_there-is-no-such-thing-as-defeat-except_3154537.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/darrell-royal-9744_behinds_there-is-no-such-thing-as-defeat-except_3154537.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a4/darrell-royal-9744_behinds_there-is-no-such-thing-as-defeat-except_3154537.png) > “There is no such thing as defeat except when it comes from within. As long as a person doesn't admit he is defeated, he is not defeated-he's just a little behind and isn't through fighting.” [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defeat only truly occurs when one accepts it internally; perseverance can overcome apparent setbacks. **In simple terms:** Defeat is internal, not external. Key Takeaway Keep fighting despite setbacks. Themes perseverance mindset resilience Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports competition - personal challenges - career obstacles - health recovery Key Concepts psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - Do you equate internal acceptance with defeat? - How can you reframe setbacks as temporary delays? A Different Perspective Even when you persist, external circumstances may still limit success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admit Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admit-defeated-5677904/) [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated/) [Defeated Defeated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeated-defeated-1978103/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Thing Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-defeat-1335037/) ## Related quotes > [A man able to think isn't defeated - even when he is defeated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/a-man-able-to-think-isn-t-defeated-even-when-he-is-defeated/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [There is no such thing as defeat in non-violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/there-is-no-such-thing-as-defeat-in-non-violence/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [There was no such thing as defeat if you didn't accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/there-was-no-such-thing-as-defeat-if-you-didn-t-accept-it/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [No man is defeated without until he has first been defeated within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/no-man-is-defeated-without-until-he-has-first-been-defeated-within/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“The champions of today were once or twice defeated, to be defeated once does not mean that you are a failure. You only become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osunsakin-adewale/the-champions-of-today-were-once-or-twice-defeated-to-be-defeated/) [Osunsakin Adewale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osunsakin-adewale/) > [“XXIX You have set me among those who are defeated. I know it is not for me to win, nor to leave the game.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/xxix-you-have-set-me-among-those-who-are-defeated-i-know-it-is-not/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“Never stop just because you feel defeated. The journey to the other side is attainable only after great suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santosh-kalwar/never-stop-just-because-you-feel-defeated-the-journey-to-the-other/) [Santosh Kalwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santosh-kalwar/) > [She died on a windy gray day in March when the sky was full of darting crows and the world lay prostrate and defeated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/she-died-on-a-windy-gray-day-in-march-when-the-sky-was-full-of/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [The general of a large army may be defeated, but you cannot defeat the determined mind of a peasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-general-of-a-large-army-may-be-defeated-but-you-cannot-defeat-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A man is not a failure when he is defeated. He fails when he give up and quit trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/a-man-is-not-a-failure-when-he-is-defeated-he-fails-when-he-give-up/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Never admit defeat and ask for a quick death! Die first, then admit defeat! If you are defeated but didn't die, it just means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/never-admit-defeat-and-ask-for-a-quick-death-die-first-then-admit/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [“You're not defeated when you lose a battle. You are defeated when you give up the struggle”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/you-re-not-defeated-when-you-lose-a-battle-you-are-defeated-when-you/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) > [For a Hero cannot triumph all the time. Sometimes he will be defeated, and how he faces that defeat is a test of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cressida-cowell/for-a-hero-cannot-triumph-all-the-time-sometimes-he-will-be-defeated/) [Cressida Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cressida-cowell/) > [“Cathy, don't look so defeated. She was only trying to put us down again. Maybe nothing did work out right for her, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-c-andrews/cathy-don-t-look-so-defeated-she-was-only-trying-to-put-us-down-again/) [V.C. Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-c-andrews/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) ## More by Darrell Royal > [He looks like he needs worming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/he-looks-like-he-needs-worming/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [Sometimes you have to suck it up and call a number.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/sometimes-you-have-to-suck-it-up-and-call-a-number/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [When I was a freshman at Oklahoma in 1946, the game was sold out - and it's been sold out ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/when-i-was-a-freshman-at-oklahoma-in-1946-the-game-was-sold-out-and/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [Once you cross the 50 you feel like an unsaddled horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/once-you-cross-the-50-you-feel-like-an-unsaddled-horse/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [You never lose a game if the opponent doesn't score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/you-never-lose-a-game-if-the-opponent-doesn-t-score/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [I learned this about coaching: You don't have to explain victory and you can't explain defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/i-learned-this-about-coaching-you-don-t-have-to-explain-victory-and/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [Coaching at Texas and playing at the University of Oklahoma, I had the opportunity to see a lot of guys in Texas - Texas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/coaching-at-texas-and-playing-at-the-university-of-oklahoma-i-had-the/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [We live one day at a time and scratch where it itches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/we-live-one-day-at-a-time-and-scratch-where-it-itches/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [I try not to play two days in succession. I usually try to space it so I have a day in between.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/i-try-not-to-play-two-days-in-succession-i-usually-try-to-space-it-so/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [Don't matter what they throw at us. Only angry people win football games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/don-t-matter-what-they-throw-at-us-only-angry-people-win-football/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [The only thing that would change would be the year, the names. It just got to be a repetitious life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/the-only-thing-that-would-change-would-be-the-year-the-names-it-just/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [I really don't have a favorite course. I usually ask where there are the least players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/i-really-don-t-have-a-favorite-course-i-usually-ask-where-there-are/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [I move around and play different golf courses. I just enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/i-move-around-and-play-different-golf-courses-i-just-enjoy-it/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [We don't want any candy stripes on our uniforms. These are work clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/we-don-t-want-any-candy-stripes-on-our-uniforms-these-are-work-clothes/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [We're as average as everyday's wash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/we-re-as-average-as-everyday-s-wash/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) [Explore all 69 Darrell Royal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is no such thing as defeat except when it comes from within. 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