--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I could, and thought I would…" description: "\"I thought I could, and thought I would, swim a lot quicker - much quicker.\" — Ian Thorpe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ian-thorpe-20569_swim_i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-sw_2239392.jpg" --- # I thought I could, and thought I would, swim a lot quicker… ![“I thought I could, and thought I would, swim a lot quicker - much quicker.” quote by Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ian-thorpe-20569_swim_i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-sw_2239392.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ian-thorpe-20569_swim_i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-sw_2239392.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ian-thorpe-20569_swim_i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-sw_2239392.jpg) > “I thought I could, and thought I would, swim a lot quicker - much quicker.” [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He believed his confidence would translate into faster swimming, but reality fell short. **In simple terms:** Confidence alone didn’t make him faster. Key Takeaway Align confidence with realistic training. Themes confidence performance expectations Mood reflective determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - training sessions - competition prep - personal goals Key Concepts self-efficacy overconfidence Questions to Reflect On - Do you trust your abilities without evidence? - How can you balance confidence with humility? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind one to necessary effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Perhaps swimming was dancing in the water, he thought. To swim under lily pads seeing their green slender stalks wavering as you passed, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harrison/perhaps-swimming-was-dancing-in-the-water-he-thought-to-swim-under/) [Jim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harrison/) > [Everything on mobile seems a lot quicker. You have direct access to each individual fan, and they can respond to you just as quickly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-higa/everything-on-mobile-seems-a-lot-quicker-you-have-direct-access-to/) [Ryan Higa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-higa/) > [Time goes a lot quicker when the work is a lot more enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-baker/time-goes-a-lot-quicker-when-the-work-is-a-lot-more-enjoyable/) [Simon Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-baker/) > [If someone a lot quicker than me was running past, I might have pulled his shirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parker/if-someone-a-lot-quicker-than-me-was-running-past-i-might-have-pulled/) [Scott Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parker/) > [I'm sure there are players a lot quicker than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-james/i-m-sure-there-are-players-a-lot-quicker-than-me/) [Daniel James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-james/) > [I can definitely take more off my world record - a lot more. I have no doubt about that. I'm by no means putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hackett/i-can-definitely-take-more-off-my-world-record-a-lot-more-i-have-no/) Grant Hackett > [I swam the race like I trained to swim it. It is not mathematical. I just let my body do it. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-swam-the-race-like-i-trained-to-swim-it-it-is-not-mathematical-i/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [If you've ever hauled a 28-pound two-year-old around New York, you'll find that men fold at the knees a lot quicker than women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/if-you-ve-ever-hauled-a-28-pound-two-year-old-around-new-york-you-ll/) [Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/) > [Fame came at me a lot quicker and stronger than I imagined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-holzhauer/fame-came-at-me-a-lot-quicker-and-stronger-than-i-imagined/) [James Holzhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-holzhauer/) > [Punt returns will kill you quicker than a minnow can swim a dipper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darrell-royal/punt-returns-will-kill-you-quicker-than-a-minnow-can-swim-a-dipper/) [Darrell Royal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darrell-royal/) > [I had a lot of ear infections when I was younger, so I didn't learn to swim until I was about 14.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/i-had-a-lot-of-ear-infections-when-i-was-younger-so-i-didn-t-learn-to/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [My dad was my swim coach growing up, and I tried to get kicked out of practice every day. I was a little devil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lochte/my-dad-was-my-swim-coach-growing-up-and-i-tried-to-get-kicked-out-of/) [Ryan Lochte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lochte/) > [My mother had been adamant that I learn how to swim properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/my-mother-had-been-adamant-that-i-learn-how-to-swim-properly/) [Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/) > [Outdoors, I have a pool, so I usually swim and stuff. It's usually superhot in California, so we swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsai-martin/outdoors-i-have-a-pool-so-i-usually-swim-and-stuff-it-s-usually/) [Marsai Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsai-martin/) > [Today, let us swim wildly, joyously in gratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/today-let-us-swim-wildly-joyously-in-gratitude/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) ## More by Ian Thorpe > [I'm disappointed that I really haven't been able to race in a way that is reflective of the amount of work that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-m-disappointed-that-i-really-haven-t-been-able-to-race-in-a-way/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [The only thing is I am a little bit ashamed of is I didn't come out earlier, that I didn't have the strength to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/the-only-thing-is-i-am-a-little-bit-ashamed-of-is-i-didn-t-come-out/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [I think now I'll probably take a few days off and enjoy the competition and then sit down with a few people and work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-think-now-i-ll-probably-take-a-few-days-off-and-enjoy-the/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [For myself, losing is not coming second. It's getting out of the water knowing you could have done better. For myself, I have won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/for-myself-losing-is-not-coming-second-it-s-getting-out-of-the-water/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [I swam the race like I trained to swim it. It is not mathematical. I just let my body do it. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-swam-the-race-like-i-trained-to-swim-it-it-is-not-mathematical-i/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [I am not going to allow myself not to perform well just because I don't feel well. I am bulletproof to the extent that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-am-not-going-to-allow-myself-not-to-perform-well-just-because-i-don/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [I'll go for broke. Swim faster. It's not going to be easy - this whole thing was never going to be easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-ll-go-for-broke-swim-faster-it-s-not-going-to-be-easy-this-whole/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [This is why relays are so important, because you can find more in yourself for someone else, than what you can ever find for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/this-is-why-relays-are-so-important-because-you-can-find-more-in/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [Compared to how I have raced before and how I have competed, the success that I have had, this does look like doom compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/compared-to-how-i-have-raced-before-and-how-i-have-competed-the/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [I'm not worried about the pressure that comes with it, a little concerned, but not worried,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-m-not-worried-about-the-pressure-that-comes-with-it-a-little/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [When I started this I wanted to get back in the pool, I wanted to race and I wanted to go to the Olympics.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/when-i-started-this-i-wanted-to-get-back-in-the-pool-i-wanted-to-race/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [Training in that cold pool of a morning really tests you, whether you really want to do it or not,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/training-in-that-cold-pool-of-a-morning-really-tests-you-whether-you/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [There is water in every lane, so it is OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/there-is-water-in-every-lane-so-it-is-ok/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [Part of me didn't know if Australia wanted its champion to be gay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/part-of-me-didn-t-know-if-australia-wanted-its-champion-to-be-gay/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) > [Im pleased to say that in telling them, and especially my parents, they told me that they love me and they support me. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/im-pleased-to-say-that-in-telling-them-and-especially-my-parents-they/) [Ian Thorpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) [Explore all 30 Ian Thorpe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/) ## More Quicker quotes > [Things don't go on forever, and the quicker you accept that change is inevitable, the happier you're gonna be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-anastasio/things-don-t-go-on-forever-and-the-quicker-you-accept-that-change-is/) [Trey Anastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-anastasio/) > [ Few years ago I did 30m in 3.7 seconds. Whether that makes me quicker than \[Usain\] Bolt, I don't know! We all know Usain… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/few-years-ago-i-did-30m-in-3-7-seconds-whether-that-makes-me-quicker/) [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-emerick-aubameyang/) > [Television is like speed chess, as you have no time and no money. It is like trying to play Grandmaster chess with a 20…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-devlin/television-is-like-speed-chess-as-you-have-no-time-and-no-money-it-is/) [Dean Devlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-devlin/) > [“If you walk 100 miles into the life you don't want. Often, you must walk those same 100 miles to get out of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/if-you-walk-100-miles-into-the-life-you-don-t-want-often-you-must/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [I wish we could have acted quicker on Detroit or other failing schools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-engler/i-wish-we-could-have-acted-quicker-on-detroit-or-other-failing-schools/) [John Engler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-engler/) > [The dumber half of the audience - whether they're male or female, and a lot of them are male - for some reason responds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-black/the-dumber-half-of-the-audience-whether-they-re-male-or-female-and-a/) [Frank Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-black/) > [I always used to miss you when you were not with me, but now since we don't see each other everyday I got over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-used-to-miss-you-when-you-were-not-with-me-but-now-since-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The digital medium gives you the license to talk about many things as compared to movies. It is quicker than shooting for a film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-raj-bhasin/the-digital-medium-gives-you-the-license-to-talk-about-many-things-as/) [Tahir Raj Bhasin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-raj-bhasin/) > [I'm sure there are players a lot quicker than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-james/i-m-sure-there-are-players-a-lot-quicker-than-me/) [Daniel James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-james/) > [Working with the same people is so much quicker and frees up your energy for other things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrice-leconte/working-with-the-same-people-is-so-much-quicker-and-frees-up-your/) [Patrice Leconte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrice-leconte/) > [I don't think that there is anyone quicker than me in the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adama-traore/i-don-t-think-that-there-is-anyone-quicker-than-me-in-the-premier/) [Adama Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adama-traore/) > [Tantra is quicker; but for some people it can be spiritually disastrous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/tantra-is-quicker-but-for-some-people-it-can-be-spiritually-disastrous/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We love in a world where people rush quicker to get to a party, than to go to church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carniel-dunlop/we-love-in-a-world-where-people-rush-quicker-to-get-to-a-party-than/) [Carniel Dunlop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carniel-dunlop/) > [I can do lightning mathematics quicker than somebody can do them on a calculator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/i-can-do-lightning-mathematics-quicker-than-somebody-can-do-them-on-a/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [I just have an ability to heal quicker than others I guess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-beverley/i-just-have-an-ability-to-heal-quicker-than-others-i-guess/) [Patrick Beverley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-beverley/) Browse all 162 Quicker quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I thought I could, and thought I would, swim a lot quicker - much quicker.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian Thorpe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-swim-a-lot-quicker-much-quicker/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Quicker" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-swim-a-lot-quicker-much-quicker/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ian-thorpe-20569_swim_i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-sw_2239392.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ian-thorpe-20569_swim_i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-sw_2239392.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/ian-thorpe-20569_swim_i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-sw_2239392.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I thought I could, and thought I would, swim a lot quicker - much quicker.” — Ian Thorpe", "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": "Ian Thorpe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-thorpe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I thought I could, and thought...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-swim-a-lot-quicker-much-quicker/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-thorpe/i-thought-i-could-and-thought-i-would-swim-a-lot-quicker-much-quicker/#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 } } ] } ```