--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What men do is shaped by what they…" description: "\"“What men do is shaped by what they believe they can do.”\" — J.M. Roberts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/j-m-roberts-96874_faith_what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-belie_1029276.jpg" --- # What men do is shaped by what they believe they can do. ![“What men do is shaped by what they believe they can do.” quote by J.M. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/j-m-roberts-96874_faith_what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-belie_1029276.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/j-m-roberts-96874_faith_what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-belie_1029276.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/j-m-roberts-96874_faith_what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-belie_1029276.jpg) > ““What men do is shaped by what they believe they can do.”” [J.M. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-roberts/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief shapes actions; people tend to act within perceived limits. **In simple terms:** What we think we can do guides our behavior. Key Takeaway Recognize and expand your self‑belief. Themes belief action potential self‑efficacy mindset Mood reflective motivational Type Believe:1 Faith:0 Greatness:0 Inspirational:1 Shaped:1 Shaped Believe:0 Men Shaped:0 When to use this quote - personal development - career planning - learning new skills - entrepreneurship - overcoming doubt Key Concepts self‑efficacy growth mindset confidence Questions to Reflect On - How do your beliefs limit you? - What evidence challenges your self‑limits? A Different Perspective Belief alone may not overcome structural barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Men Shaped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-shaped-2341786/) [Shaped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shaped/) [Shaped Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shaped-believe-1845333/) ## Related quotes > [What you do today is shaped by what you believe about tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/what-you-do-today-is-shaped-by-what-you-believe-about-tomorrow/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Do not mistake the rule of force for true power. Men are not shaped by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/do-not-mistake-the-rule-of-force-for-true-power-men-are-not-shaped-by/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [I was shaped by my mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-dickinson/i-was-shaped-by-my-mistakes/) [Janice Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-dickinson/) > [I believe BMX has shaped me into who I am today, so if this journey never would have begun, then who knows the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-robinson/i-believe-bmx-has-shaped-me-into-who-i-am-today-so-if-this-journey/) [Donny Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-robinson/) > [It is shaped like an L. At the right angle it has 345 or 6 legs to hold it stable, has arms that hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/it-is-shaped-like-an-l-at-the-right-angle-it-has-345-or-6-legs-to/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [Our life is shaped by our thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/our-life-is-shaped-by-our-thoughts/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“No matter how great you ‘think’ you are or how successful you've become. Never forget those who have lifted you up. Never forget life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/no-matter-how-great-you-think-you-are-or-how-successful-you-ve-become/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [A defining reality for me is what Scripture teaches in Hebrews 12, that God is our father, and that a sign that he loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/a-defining-reality-for-me-is-what-scripture-teaches-in-hebrews-12/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [I read Naomi Klein's 'No Logo' when I was 15. It's one of the things that's shaped my relationship to fame - to endorsements,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-garfield/i-read-naomi-klein-s-no-logo-when-i-was-15-it-s-one-of-the-things/) [Andrew Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-garfield/) > [Like their personal lives, women's history is fragmented, interrupted; a shadow history of human beings whose existence has been shaped by the efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-janeway/like-their-personal-lives-women-s-history-is-fragmented-interrupted-a/) [Elizabeth Janeway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-janeway/) > [“The present is shaped by the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amine-a-ayad/the-present-is-shaped-by-the-past/) [Amine A. Ayad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amine-a-ayad/) > [There are powdered salts, chunked salts, salts shaped in different ways with various additives to work perfectly with processed foods. All of them are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moss/there-are-powdered-salts-chunked-salts-salts-shaped-in-different-ways/) [Michael Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moss/) > [“You can be shaped, or you can be broken. There is not much in between. Try to learn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-can-be-shaped-or-you-can-be-broken-there-is-not-much-in-between/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [All my words are sort of shaped, all my words, my voice, my gestures, my imagination, are shaped by centuries, really. They are educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-rohrwacher/all-my-words-are-sort-of-shaped-all-my-words-my-voice-my-gestures-my/) [Alice Rohrwacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-rohrwacher/) > [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/) [Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/) ## More by J.M. Roberts > [“Europeans showed in 1900 much the same confidence in the continuing success of their culture as the Chinese elite had shown in theirs a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-roberts/europeans-showed-in-1900-much-the-same-confidence-in-the-continuing/) [J.M. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-roberts/) [Explore all 2 J.M. Roberts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-roberts/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [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/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) [Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“What men do is shaped by what they believe they can do.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.M. Roberts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-roberts/what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-believe-they-can-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-roberts/what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-believe-they-can-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/j-m-roberts-96874_faith_what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-belie_1029276.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/j-m-roberts-96874_faith_what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-belie_1029276.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d1/j-m-roberts-96874_faith_what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-belie_1029276.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What men do is shaped by what they believe they can do.” — J.M. Roberts", "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": "J.M. Roberts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-roberts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“What men do is shaped by...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-roberts/what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-believe-they-can-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-roberts/what-men-do-is-shaped-by-what-they-believe-they-can-do/#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 } } ] } ```