--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before I signed with WWE, I thought my…" description: "\"Before I signed with WWE, I thought my athletic career was done. I was going into the finance industry and I just thought I couldn't compete any more. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/jake-hager-6320_finance_before-i-signed-with-wwe-i-thought-my-at_2446245.jpg" --- # Before I signed with WWE, I thought my athletic career was… ![“Before I signed with WWE, I thought my athletic career was done. I was going into the finance industry and I just thought I couldn't compete any more. But the mind is a really powerful thing and you can unlock your potential if you choose to ignore what your mind is telling you.” quote by Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/jake-hager-6320_finance_before-i-signed-with-wwe-i-thought-my-at_2446245.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/jake-hager-6320_finance_before-i-signed-with-wwe-i-thought-my-at_2446245.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/jake-hager-6320_finance_before-i-signed-with-wwe-i-thought-my-at_2446245.jpg) > “Before I signed with WWE, I thought my athletic career was done. I was going into the finance industry and I just thought I couldn't compete any more. But the mind is a really powerful thing and you can unlock your potential if you choose to ignore what your mind is telling you.” [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The mind can limit or expand perceived possibilities; choosing to ignore self‑doubt unlocks hidden potential. **In simple terms:** Mindset determines potential. Key Takeaway Choose belief over doubt. Themes mindset potential self‑belief Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career transition - sports injury recovery - entrepreneurship - personal development Key Concepts psychology motivation cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What belief holds you back? - How can you reframe limiting thoughts? A Different Perspective Self‑doubt can be persistent and hard to silence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [After giving up softball, I didn't know what I was going to do. I thought I would try bobsled, but I wasn't really sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elana-meyers/after-giving-up-softball-i-didn-t-know-what-i-was-going-to-do-i/) [Elana Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elana-meyers/) > [Fortunately for me, I discovered Ring of Honor. And I saw guys who were much smaller in stature but were putting on these amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/fortunately-for-me-i-discovered-ring-of-honor-and-i-saw-guys-who-were/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [In my case, I never really thought about what it would be like in the WWE. I never thought I could make it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-swann/in-my-case-i-never-really-thought-about-what-it-would-be-like-in-the/) [Rich Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-swann/) > [With the success of the TNA Knockouts, that's when they started having their girls wrestle a lot more in WWE. I thought, 'This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kim/with-the-success-of-the-tna-knockouts-that-s-when-they-started-having/) [Gail Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kim/) > [The Beatles changed everything . I knew I couldn't compete, couldn't be as cool, so I went completely the other way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-o-sullivan/the-beatles-changed-everything-i-knew-i-couldn-t-compete-couldn-t-be/) [Gilbert O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-o-sullivan/) > [I was always the funny-looking girl. I couldn't compete with the Brazilian girls. My nose is off, my ears are too big. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-doillon/i-was-always-the-funny-looking-girl-i-couldn-t-compete-with-the/) [Lou Doillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-doillon/) > [It is hard to think that a $2 billion company with 4,300-plus people couldn't compete with six people in blue jeans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/it-is-hard-to-think-that-a-2-billion-company-with-4-300-plus-people/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I didn't enjoy fighting. All I cared about was trying to beat the scale. 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I wasn't as cute as the leading man; I wasn't as brilliant as Robin Williams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hartman/as-an-actor-i-felt-i-couldn-t-compete-i-wasn-t-as-cute-as-the-leading/) [Phil Hartman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hartman/) > [I was very lucky in that my parents supported my racing so much - they just said 'whatever you want to achieve, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-wolff/i-was-very-lucky-in-that-my-parents-supported-my-racing-so-much-they/) [Susie Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-wolff/) > [If I were to tell you that my day was all pure wrestling, I wouldn't be honest with you. Because there were crooked promoters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-sammartino/if-i-were-to-tell-you-that-my-day-was-all-pure-wrestling-i-wouldn-t/) [Bruno Sammartino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-sammartino/) > [If I was to turn around now and say that motorsport should be segregated, then my whole career would have been for nothing. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-wolff/if-i-was-to-turn-around-now-and-say-that-motorsport-should-be/) [Susie Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-wolff/) > [I'm 47 years old. I couldn't compete with Beyonce. I'm not competing with anyone. I've already established myself as an artist. I've been in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/i-m-47-years-old-i-couldn-t-compete-with-beyonce-i-m-not-competing/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [I've never felt that I was less of an athlete or not accomplished athletically because I didn't win an Olympic medal. It's definitely something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-decker/i-ve-never-felt-that-i-was-less-of-an-athlete-or-not-accomplished/) [Mary Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-decker/) ## More by Jake Hager > [A long time ago I learned how to shut my mouth, listen to my coaches and put trust in my coaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/a-long-time-ago-i-learned-how-to-shut-my-mouth-listen-to-my-coaches/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I need to wrestle, I need to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-need-to-wrestle-i-need-to-compete/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [When I was leaving college, getting ready to graduate with a degree in finance, I had job interviews for months and months - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/when-i-was-leaving-college-getting-ready-to-graduate-with-a-degree-in/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [A lot of people want me to say negative things about WWE, but I'm very grateful for my career there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/a-lot-of-people-want-me-to-say-negative-things-about-wwe-but-i-m-very/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [Going through life is always scary doing something new, at the same time it is very exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/going-through-life-is-always-scary-doing-something-new-at-the-same/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I was never the best athlete, but I knew how to be coached and I knew how to work hard at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-was-never-the-best-athlete-but-i-knew-how-to-be-coached-and-i-knew/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [If you go back and look at WWE Magazine, they asked me when I was going to win my first world championship and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/if-you-go-back-and-look-at-wwe-magazine-they-asked-me-when-i-was/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I believe competition makes everyone better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-believe-competition-makes-everyone-better/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [As cool as Jack Swagger was, he felt choreographed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/as-cool-as-jack-swagger-was-he-felt-choreographed/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I'm a conservative. I voted for Donald Trump and back in 2016 everybody was talking about, 'Oh my God, here's another TV character trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-m-a-conservative-i-voted-for-donald-trump-and-back-in-2016/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [A lot of great fighters were amateur wrestlers first and you can study them on film to see how they adapted the techniques.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/a-lot-of-great-fighters-were-amateur-wrestlers-first-and-you-can/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [Wrestling for wrestling fans is an honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/wrestling-for-wrestling-fans-is-an-honor/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [Any time you can get Glenn Beck crying it's a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/any-time-you-can-get-glenn-beck-crying-it-s-a-good-thing/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [MMA fans and pro wrestling fans are similar in that they care about their sports very much. They want to see that you're serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/mma-fans-and-pro-wrestling-fans-are-similar-in-that-they-care-about/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [For me, the wins and losses in pro wrestling never mattered. The thing that matters is the time on television to tell that story.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/for-me-the-wins-and-losses-in-pro-wrestling-never-mattered-the-thing/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) [Explore all 99 Jake Hager quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) ## More Finance quotes > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I believe that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to the miraculous in all aspects of our daily lives, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/i-believe-that-simple-consistent-shifts-in-our-thinking-and-actions/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [“Time wasted can never be compensated”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/time-wasted-can-never-be-compensated/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [One of the things that's great about New York is that it is not a one-industry town. It has education, academia, the service industry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/one-of-the-things-that-s-great-about-new-york-is-that-it-is-not-a-one/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [If you consider yourself a part of the culture, then finances can't allow you to be bigger than the actual art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/if-you-consider-yourself-a-part-of-the-culture-then-finances-can-t/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [“Your calling multiplies you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/your-calling-multiplies-you/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [The reason that minorities and women don't have a better shot at getting elected to the Senate or to statewide office is because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/the-reason-that-minorities-and-women-don-t-have-a-better-shot-at/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [a TEN-YEAR-OLD lad in Indianapolis who was arrested for picking up coal along the side of railroad tracks is now in jail. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-jones/a-ten-year-old-lad-in-indianapolis-who-was-arrested-for-picking-up/) Mother Jones > [Ever since I stopped worrying about finances, I've made more money than I ever thought I'd make in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-cranston/ever-since-i-stopped-worrying-about-finances-i-ve-made-more-money/) [Bryan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-cranston/) > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My background is around economics and finance; yet, of course, in professional services, talent is key. And for many of our clients, whatever the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-nanterme/my-background-is-around-economics-and-finance-yet-of-course-in/) [Pierre Nanterme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-nanterme/) > [I don't really have any faith in anybody enjoying photographs in a large enough sense to matter. I think it's all about finances, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-really-have-any-faith-in-anybody-enjoying-photographs-in-a/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [“Time is the source of all things”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/time-is-the-source-of-all-things/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Time is a running factor; once it goes, it cannot be reclaimed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/time-is-a-running-factor-once-it-goes-it-cannot-be-reclaimed/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Money is created from time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/money-is-created-from-time/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) [Browse all 1,842 Finance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Before I signed with WWE, I thought my athletic career was done. 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