--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have to take total control myself. I…" description: "\"I have to take total control myself. I can't let anybody else do anything, for I find that I can do things better for me. I don't want to get other peo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/david-bowie-508_can-do_i-have-to-take-total-control-myself-i-ca_1010669.jpg" --- # I have to take total control myself. I can't let anybody… ![“I have to take total control myself. I can't let anybody else do anything, for I find that I can do things better for me. I don't want to get other people playing with what they think that I'm trying to do.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/david-bowie-508_can-do_i-have-to-take-total-control-myself-i-ca_1010669.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/david-bowie-508_can-do_i-have-to-take-total-control-myself-i-ca_1010669.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f76/david-bowie-508_can-do_i-have-to-take-total-control-myself-i-ca_1010669.jpg) > “I have to take total control myself. I can't let anybody else do anything, for I find that I can do things better for me. I don't want to get other people playing with what they think that I'm trying to do.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker insists on self‑control, believing personal effort yields better results than delegating. **In simple terms:** Insists on personal control for better outcomes. Key Takeaway Take charge of your own work. Themes control self‑reliance perfectionism autonomy Mood determined serious assertive Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - project management - entrepreneurship - creative production Key Concepts leadership efficiency self‑management Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to trust others? - How does perfectionism limit progress? A Different Perspective Over‑control can stifle collaboration and growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Control Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-let-318383/) [Control myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control-myself/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Think Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-trying/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Total Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/total-control-334702/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [I have total control over everything. I'm doing it all for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myleene-klass/i-have-total-control-over-everything-i-m-doing-it-all-for-me/) [Myleene Klass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myleene-klass/) > [I've been so lucky with the people I've worked with, but I'm such a fan girl. When I moved to London at 16, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-smith/i-ve-been-so-lucky-with-the-people-i-ve-worked-with-but-i-m-such-a/) [Sheridan Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-smith/) > [I can control myself not to see you, I can control myself not to hear you, but I can't control myself not to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-control-myself-not-to-see-you-i-can-control-myself-not-to-hear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In business, I think the most important thing is to position yourself for long-term and not be too impatient, which I am by nature,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-arnault/in-business-i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-position-yourself/) [Bernard Arnault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-arnault/) > [I'll be the end of her, I'm in her head and in control. She's let me in, now take a sip and let the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asking-alexandria/i-ll-be-the-end-of-her-i-m-in-her-head-and-in-control-she-s-let-me-in/) [Asking Alexandria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asking-alexandria/) > [I've learned since childhood that you control only the things that you can control. Everything else, let it take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovan-mcnabb/i-ve-learned-since-childhood-that-you-control-only-the-things-that/) [Donovan McNabb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovan-mcnabb/) > [The only thing I can't control is the spin in the press. And so if I know I can't control that, I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-only-thing-i-can-t-control-is-the-spin-in-the-press-and-so-if-i/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [In baseball, I was always in control of everything until I let the ball go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-schilling/in-baseball-i-was-always-in-control-of-everything-until-i-let-the/) [Curt Schilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-schilling/) > [Sometimes we let problems control us and sometimes we let ourselves to control them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/sometimes-we-let-problems-control-us-and-sometimes-we-let-ourselves/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You just have to be your best and no matter what, do what you can do and affect the things that you can control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-mariota/you-just-have-to-be-your-best-and-no-matter-what-do-what-you-can-do/) [Marcus Mariota](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-mariota/) > [Stop trying to control. Let go of fixed plans and concepts, and the world will govern itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/stop-trying-to-control-let-go-of-fixed-plans-and-concepts-and-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“When you need to lose control, to let go, to fall apart, I'll give you that. And I'll catch you afterwards. But if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-violet/when-you-need-to-lose-control-to-let-go-to-fall-apart-i-ll-give-you/) [Silvia Violet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-violet/) > [You are my lose control! I cant let you go!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-my-lose-control-i-cant-let-you-go/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just try to do what I can, control what I can, and let the rest handle itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gutt/i-just-try-to-do-what-i-can-control-what-i-can-and-let-the-rest/) [Jeff Gutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gutt/) > [“We all have limited time, energy and headspace, so devote these precious resources into dealing with things inside your control and let go of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hunt-davis/we-all-have-limited-time-energy-and-headspace-so-devote-these/) [Ben Hunt-Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hunt-davis/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have to take total control myself. 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