---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm…"
description: "\"The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm scared to fail. That is the thing that makes me the most afraid, to fail. Just to think that I can do a mista..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/francis-ngannou-29060_afraid_the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m_161750.jpg"
---

#  The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm scared to fail…

![“The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm scared to fail. That is the thing that makes me the most afraid, to fail. Just to think that I can do a mistake and lose the fight scares me, so that is why I work out a lot: to bring more chance to my size and less chance to my opponent.” quote by Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/francis-ngannou-29060_afraid_the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m_161750.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/francis-ngannou-29060_afraid_the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m_161750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/francis-ngannou-29060_afraid_the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m_161750.jpg)

> “The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm scared to fail. That is the thing that makes me the most afraid, to fail. Just to think that I can do a mistake and lose the fight scares me, so that is why I work out a lot: to bring more chance to my size and less chance to my opponent.”

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Self‑intimidation stems from fear of failure; training boosts confidence and odds of success against inner doubts.

**In simple terms:** Fear of failure fuels self‑intimidation; training helps.

Key Takeaway

Train to increase confidence and reduce fear.

Themes

fear self‑discipline confidence competition

Mood

determined anxious

Type

motivational reflective

When to use this quote

- sports training
- public speaking
- career challenges
- personal development

Key Concepts

psychology of performance risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- What specific fears hold you back?
- How can you balance preparation with self‑compassion?

A Different Perspective

Over‑training may cause burnout or neglect other areas.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [At least I failed on my own. You niggas so scared to fail, your music never left your home. Don't be trying to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/360/at-least-i-failed-on-my-own-you-niggas-so-scared-to-fail-your-music/)

 360

> [Somebody is going to win &amp; somebody is not, and that's fine... But we will never refuse to participate because we're scared to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/somebody-is-going-to-win-somebody-is-not-and-that-s-fine-but-we-will/)

[Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/)

> [Never be scared to fail, be scared not to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-be-scared-to-fail-be-scared-not-to-try/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm not scared to fail, I'm not scared to lose, I'm not scared to die, for that matter... It's going to work out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-couture/i-m-not-scared-to-fail-i-m-not-scared-to-lose-i-m-not-scared-to-die/)

[Randy Couture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-couture/)

> [Anyone can lose a fight. That doesn't bother me. But the shame that comes afterwards is unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bellew/anyone-can-lose-a-fight-that-doesn-t-bother-me-but-the-shame-that/)

[Tony Bellew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bellew/)

> [The bottom line is, you can't be afraid to fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-colangelo/the-bottom-line-is-you-can-t-be-afraid-to-fail/)

Jerry Colangelo

> [I'm not afraid to fail...I'm scared to death of dying and having the Lord say to me, 'Angelica, this is what you might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-angelica/i-m-not-afraid-to-fail-i-m-scared-to-death-of-dying-and-having-the/)

[Mother Angelica](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-angelica/)

> [People who are afraid to fail can never experience the joys of success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/people-who-are-afraid-to-fail-can-never-experience-the-joys-of-success/)

[Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/)

> [Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-afraid-to-fail-be-afraid-not-to-try/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When food becomes the enemy, every time we lose the fight we not only gain weight, but lose our self-esteem as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/when-food-becomes-the-enemy-every-time-we-lose-the-fight-we-not-only/)

[Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/)

> [When you're walking out to the cage and fighting a guy like Vitor Belfort and you've got the crowd going crazy, most people would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-johnson/when-you-re-walking-out-to-the-cage-and-fighting-a-guy-like-vitor/)

[Anthony Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-johnson/)

> [• The key to fighting is never to fight unless the cause is so great that you couldn’t bear not to defend it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-crusie/the-key-to-fighting-is-never-to-fight-unless-the-cause-is-so-great/)

[Jennifer Crusie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-crusie/)

> [If you lose your last fight in the UFC, people don't want to give you the good money. They don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabricio-werdum/if-you-lose-your-last-fight-in-the-ufc-people-don-t-want-to-give-you/)

[Fabricio Werdum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabricio-werdum/)

> [Lose your temper and you lose the fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/lose-your-temper-and-you-lose-the-fight/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [I'm crazy enough to believe that maybe I'll never lose a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-m-crazy-enough-to-believe-that-maybe-i-ll-never-lose-a-fight/)

[Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/)

## More by Francis Ngannou

> [People easily quit their dream because it's not easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/people-easily-quit-their-dream-because-it-s-not-easy/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [Just do what you do. Sometimes you do well, and sometimes you do wrong, but you have to just be able to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/just-do-what-you-do-sometimes-you-do-well-and-sometimes-you-do-wrong/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [I've been in this sport only four years, and I know that I'll keep learning and improving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-ve-been-in-this-sport-only-four-years-and-i-know-that-i-ll-keep/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [I keep my head straight toward my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-keep-my-head-straight-toward-my-goal/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [Listen to what I'm saying: I'm back. Junior Dos Santos, Alexander Volkov, or revenge against Stipe Miocic. That fight, I didn't do well, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/listen-to-what-i-m-saying-i-m-back-junior-dos-santos-alexander-volkov/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [I am building a foundation in Cameroon, and it's not just about the sport. The goal of the foundation is not to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-am-building-a-foundation-in-cameroon-and-it-s-not-just-about-the/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [When you're used to having nothing, the first time you have something, you get really focused. You know if you lose it, it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/when-you-re-used-to-having-nothing-the-first-time-you-have-something/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [Watching some heavyweights like Mike Tyson, he inspired me to work with my speed because he beat people with power, but most of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/watching-some-heavyweights-like-mike-tyson-he-inspired-me-to-work/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [At the beginning, my dream was to become a world-class boxer, but then I stepped into MMA. And when I stepped into MMA, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/at-the-beginning-my-dream-was-to-become-a-world-class-boxer-but-then/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [Speed is something that, in the heavyweight division, we don't have a lot of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/speed-is-something-that-in-the-heavyweight-division-we-don-t-have-a/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [There are a lot of people out there who want to fight me. I saw Mark Hunt; he would be a great one. By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/there-are-a-lot-of-people-out-there-who-want-to-fight-me-i-saw-mark/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [As a challenger, I need and want to fight some people because that would give me the opportunity to get to the title shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/as-a-challenger-i-need-and-want-to-fight-some-people-because-that/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [The most important thing for me is to win the fight and not what people are going to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-most-important-thing-for-me-is-to-win-the-fight-and-not-what/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [The biggest win of my career is coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-biggest-win-of-my-career-is-coming/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

> [I'm going to make my own heaven. I'm going to struggle for it. I'm going to fight to earn everything I dream about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/i-m-going-to-make-my-own-heaven-i-m-going-to-struggle-for-it-i-m/)

[Francis Ngannou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

[Explore all 18 Francis Ngannou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/)

## More Afraid quotes

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/)

[Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/)

> [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/)

[Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/)

[Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/)

> [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/)

Darlene Senger

> [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/)

[Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/)

> [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/)

[James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/)

> [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/)

[Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/)

> [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/)

[Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/)

> [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/)

[Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/)

> [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/)

[Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/)

> [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/)

[Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/)

Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm scared to fail. That is the thing that makes me the most afraid, to fail. Just to think that I can do a mistake and lose the fight scares me, so that is why I work out a lot: to bring more chance to my size and less chance to my opponent.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Francis Ngannou"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m-scared-to-fail-that-is-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Afraid"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m-scared-to-fail-that-is-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/francis-ngannou-29060_afraid_the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m_161750.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/francis-ngannou-29060_afraid_the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m_161750.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c3/francis-ngannou-29060_afraid_the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m_161750.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The one who intimidates me is myself. I'm scared to fail. That is the thing that makes me the most afraid…” — Francis Ngannou",
                "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": "Francis Ngannou",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-ngannou/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The one who intimidates me is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m-scared-to-fail-that-is-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-ngannou/the-one-who-intimidates-me-is-myself-i-m-scared-to-fail-that-is-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
