--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So I had to change my mental outlook…" description: "\"So I had to change my mental outlook from, 'wow, this is Lee Haney, the icon we are all trying to aspire to,' to, 'this is the guy I am trying to beat...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/dorian-yates-7593_attitude_so-i-had-to-change-my-mental-outlook-fro_3037672.png" --- # So I had to change my mental outlook from, 'wow, this is… ![“So I had to change my mental outlook from, 'wow, this is Lee Haney, the icon we are all trying to aspire to,' to, 'this is the guy I am trying to beat.' I thought, 'I can't be in awe of this guy because, if that is your attitude then you're not going to have much chance of winning.'” quote by Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/dorian-yates-7593_attitude_so-i-had-to-change-my-mental-outlook-fro_3037672.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/dorian-yates-7593_attitude_so-i-had-to-change-my-mental-outlook-fro_3037672.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/dorian-yates-7593_attitude_so-i-had-to-change-my-mental-outlook-fro_3037672.png) > “So I had to change my mental outlook from, 'wow, this is Lee Haney, the icon we are all trying to aspire to,' to, 'this is the guy I am trying to beat.' I thought, 'I can't be in awe of this guy because, if that is your attitude then you're not going to have much chance of winning.'” [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shift from idolizing a champion to viewing him as a competitor to fuel personal drive and improve performance. **In simple terms:** Stop idolizing; treat rivals as benchmarks. Key Takeaway Compete with yourself, not just the idol. Themes motivation competition mindset Mood determined focused Type motivational practical When to use this quote - sports training - career advancement - personal development - overcoming complacency Key Concepts self‑efficacy goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn admiration into measurable goals? - What steps will you take to surpass your benchmark? A Different Perspective If you still admire the icon, you may not fully engage your own potential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I wanted to be part of a football team as a tough guy. That attitude just kind of always stuck with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-bortles/i-wanted-to-be-part-of-a-football-team-as-a-tough-guy-that-attitude/) [Blake Bortles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-bortles/) > [Mental outlook is such an important part of being a goalie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-price/mental-outlook-is-such-an-important-part-of-being-a-goalie/) [Carey Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-price/) > [Most people miss the great part mental outlook plays in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-martin/most-people-miss-the-great-part-mental-outlook-plays-in-this-game/) [Billy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-martin/) > [“Resistance to change in the mental health system comes disguised as protection of civil liberties and freedom of speech. As a result, many parents,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-hill-ms/resistance-to-change-in-the-mental-health-system-comes-disguised-as/) [Tamara Hill, MS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-hill-ms/) > [The real function of art is to change mental patterns ... making new thought possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/the-real-function-of-art-is-to-change-mental-patterns-making-new/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) > [We must take situations as they are. We must only change our mental attitudes towards them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/we-must-take-situations-as-they-are-we-must-only-change-our-mental/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [Change your mental imagery, and the feelings will take care of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/change-your-mental-imagery-and-the-feelings-will-take-care-of/) [Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/) > [The weight loss has been a secondary change to the mental changes I have made. Weight loss does not fix problems; how you view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-willett/the-weight-loss-has-been-a-secondary-change-to-the-mental-changes-i/) [Erin Willett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-willett/) > [“The fastest and quickest way to change is to take mental flight. Raise your spirit. Soar high.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-vishwanath/the-fastest-and-quickest-way-to-change-is-to-take-mental-flight-raise/) Sri Vishwanath > [Change your mental attitude, & the World around you will change accordingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/change-your-mental-attitude-the-world-around-you-will-change/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Every physical response, every psychological change and every mental transformation starts with the mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-amerland/every-physical-response-every-psychological-change-and-every-mental/) [David Amerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-amerland/) > [If you are not satisfied with what is coming to you, start to work and change your mental attitude and mental states, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-walker-atkinson/if-you-are-not-satisfied-with-what-is-coming-to-you-start-to-work-and/) [William Walker Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-walker-atkinson/) > [If someone doesn't like something, it's their prerogative not to like it. It's not possible to please everyone. That doesn't mean that I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ekta-kapoor/if-someone-doesn-t-like-something-it-s-their-prerogative-not-to-like/) [Ekta Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ekta-kapoor/) > [Healing of the physical without the change in the mental and spiritual aspects brings little real help to the individual in the end. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/healing-of-the-physical-without-the-change-in-the-mental-and/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [My most visible goal is to do something in nutrition to children in India, and pregnant mothers. Because that would change the mental and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ratan-tata/my-most-visible-goal-is-to-do-something-in-nutrition-to-children-in/) [Ratan Tata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ratan-tata/) ## More by Dorian Yates > [If I were to organize somebody's diet I would first of all ensure they were getting enough protein, make sure it is the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/if-i-were-to-organize-somebody-s-diet-i-would-first-of-all-ensure/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [I kind of stumbled into this. I used to do karate and then I started reading muscle magazines. Eventually, I began training and competing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/i-kind-of-stumbled-into-this-i-used-to-do-karate-and-then-i-started/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [I mean, does anyone seriously think there are no drugs in Olympic sports just because they do some kind of testing? They are highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/i-mean-does-anyone-seriously-think-there-are-no-drugs-in-olympic/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [My sole goal when getting ready for a contest was not building a lot of size, although when I was coming up pure muscle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/my-sole-goal-when-getting-ready-for-a-contest-was-not-building-a-lot/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [Try to eat more fat but choose polyunsaturated fatty acids as they help the body to burn fat so that's salmon, halibut, sardines, albacore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/try-to-eat-more-fat-but-choose-polyunsaturated-fatty-acids-as-they/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [One set at extreme intensity does the muscle-building job. It must be stressed that the one final, all-out set I do takes me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/one-set-at-extreme-intensity-does-the-muscle-building-job-it-must-be/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [I would like to get some points across about my sport and hopefully people can understand it a bit more and appreciate what goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/i-would-like-to-get-some-points-across-about-my-sport-and-hopefully/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [I never see bodybuilding on the sports page and it is not considered to be a sport because of the drug question, because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/i-never-see-bodybuilding-on-the-sports-page-and-it-is-not-considered/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [I didn't start out planning to be Mr. Olympia I just wanted to be the best that I could be, but my goals changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/i-didn-t-start-out-planning-to-be-mr-olympia-i-just-wanted-to-be-the/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [You are hungry all the time for the last two months before a competition. Every survival thing on your body is telling you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/you-are-hungry-all-the-time-for-the-last-two-months-before-a/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [Every single workout counted when I trained, I didn't miss any meals and made sure I got my sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/every-single-workout-counted-when-i-trained-i-didn-t-miss-any-meals/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [It took me nine years to get to the level of being Mr. Olympia, and it's pretty much a 24-hour-a-day job every day of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/it-took-me-nine-years-to-get-to-the-level-of-being-mr-olympia-and-it/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [I purposely kept covered up because I didn't like people looking at me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/i-purposely-kept-covered-up-because-i-didn-t-like-people-looking-at-me/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [I had only been training for a year and half when I did the World Games. Then the next year I did the British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/i-had-only-been-training-for-a-year-and-half-when-i-did-the-world/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) > [Back in the 80s we were very cautious about steroids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-yates/back-in-the-80s-we-were-very-cautious-about-steroids/) [Dorian Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) [Explore all 89 Dorian Yates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-yates/) ## More Attitude quotes > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [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/) > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [Don't judge me because I'm stupid. Don't judge me because I'm, mean. Don't judge me because I'm weird. Don't judge me for mistakes. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaiah-harden-me/don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-stupid-don-t-judge-me-because-i-m-mean-don/) Isaiah Harden (Me > [Your feelings (mood) dictate your thought, your thought determines your attitude (reactions) and your attitude describes your lifestyle, so: be careful how you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheye-hassan/your-feelings-mood-dictate-your-thought-your-thought-determines-your/) Sheye Hassan > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [One genuine reason to feel jealous of my parents:-) I will never ever have a kid as awesome as their's...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-genuine-reason-to-feel-jealous-of-my-parents-i-will-never-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [Transparency pertains to impartial behavior, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [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/) [Browse all 9,543 Attitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So I had to change my mental outlook from, 'wow, this is Lee Haney, the icon we are all trying to aspire to,' to, 'this is the guy I am trying to beat.' 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