--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't go into the ring and be a nice…" description: "\"You can't go into the ring and be a nice guy. I would go a month, two months, without having sex. It worked for me because it made me a vicious animal...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/jake-lamotta-8672_abstinence_you-can-t-go-into-the-ring-and-be-a-nice_2241341.jpg" --- # You can't go into the ring and be a nice guy. I would go a… ![“You can't go into the ring and be a nice guy. I would go a month, two months, without having sex. It worked for me because it made me a vicious animal. You can't fight if you have any compassion or anything like that.” quote by Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/jake-lamotta-8672_abstinence_you-can-t-go-into-the-ring-and-be-a-nice_2241341.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/jake-lamotta-8672_abstinence_you-can-t-go-into-the-ring-and-be-a-nice_2241341.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/jake-lamotta-8672_abstinence_you-can-t-go-into-the-ring-and-be-a-nice_2241341.jpg) > “You can't go into the ring and be a nice guy. I would go a month, two months, without having sex. It worked for me because it made me a vicious animal. You can't fight if you have any compassion or anything like that.” [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adopting a ruthless mindset is presented as necessary for success in violent competition, suggesting compassion hinders aggression. **In simple terms:** Being cruel is portrayed as essential for winning fights. Key Takeaway Embrace aggression, suppress empathy in combat. Themes competition aggression masculinity survival ethics Mood intense conflicted raw Type motivational cautionary philosophical When to use this quote - boxing training - military combat - high‑stakes negotiations - sports rivalries Key Concepts psychology of violence masculine identity moral compromise Questions to Reflect On - Is cruelty truly required for success? - What are the costs of abandoning compassion? A Different Perspective Such a stance can erode personal relationships and long‑term mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abstinence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstinence/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Guy Month](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy-month-5082591/) [Having sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-sex/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Months Having](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months-having-5082592/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Nice guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-guy/) [Rings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rings/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) [Sex Worked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex-worked-5082593/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-months/) [Vicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vicious/) [Virginity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virginity/) ## Related quotes > [“Perhaps it’s true that in our sex-saturated culture it does take a certain amount of self-discipline to resist having sex, but restraint does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/perhaps-it-s-true-that-in-our-sex-saturated-culture-it-does-take-a/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Nothing is so much to be shunned as sex relations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/nothing-is-so-much-to-be-shunned-as-sex-relations/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [“If being premenstrual is “innocence,” does that make those of us with periods guilty? And this really gets to the heart of the matter:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/if-being-premenstrual-is-innocence-does-that-make-those-of-us-with/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [Why ruin a young girl's life when you can make an older women SO very happy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/why-ruin-a-young-girl-s-life-when-you-can-make-an-older-women-so-very/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [If you want to preserve your virginity, it's about not wanting to belong to the human species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-breillat/if-you-want-to-preserve-your-virginity-it-s-about-not-wanting-to/) [Catherine Breillat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-breillat/) > [I would like to outlaw contraception... contraception is disgusting - people using each other for pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-scheidler/i-would-like-to-outlaw-contraception-contraception-is-disgusting/) [Joseph Scheidler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-scheidler/) > [Did you ever notice that everyone in favour of birth control has already been born ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hill/did-you-ever-notice-that-everyone-in-favour-of-birth-control-has/) [Benny Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hill/) > [“It is better to lock up your heart with a merciless padlock, than to fall in love with someone who doesn't know what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-better-to-lock-up-your-heart-with-a-merciless-padlock-than-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/taking-the-pledge-will-not-make-bad-liquor-good-but-it-will-improve-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Look, choosing to wait until marriage makes me feel empowered. But if the same choice cripples you, then it wasn't the right one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-allen/look-choosing-to-wait-until-marriage-makes-me-feel-empowered-but-if/) [Rachael Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-allen/) > [When a married person uses pornography, or is unfaithful, it compromises not just his (or her) purity, but also compromises the spouse's purity. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/when-a-married-person-uses-pornography-or-is-unfaithful-it/) [Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/) > [Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/atheism-is-a-religion-like-abstinence-is-a-sex-position/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Male masturbation is not a release, it is a squandering. Anyone who begins to no-fap will soon discover this. Like most things, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-freestone/male-masturbation-is-not-a-release-it-is-a-squandering-anyone-who/) [Jack Freestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-freestone/) > [Used with due abstinence, hope acts as a healthful tonic; intemperately indulged, as an enervating opiate. The visions of future triumph, which at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/used-with-due-abstinence-hope-acts-as-a-healthful-tonic-intemperately/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [Sexual activity, and the thoughts and fantasies of sex, use up a great portion of our vital force. When that force is conserved through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/sexual-activity-and-the-thoughts-and-fantasies-of-sex-use-up-a-great/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) ## More by Jake LaMotta > [Even when I was hurt, I was always the aggressor, no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/even-when-i-was-hurt-i-was-always-the-aggressor-no-matter-what/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I'm the Godfather of Boxing. Everything is out in the open with me. What you see is what you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-m-the-godfather-of-boxing-everything-is-out-in-the-open-with-me/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I had such a crazy life. How I got away with it, I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-had-such-a-crazy-life-how-i-got-away-with-it-i-don-t-know/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I fought Sugar Ray Robinson so many times, it's a wonder I don't have diabetes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-fought-sugar-ray-robinson-so-many-times-it-s-a-wonder-i-don-t-have/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [Boxing never hurt me at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/boxing-never-hurt-me-at-all/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [You punch like you take it up the ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/you-punch-like-you-take-it-up-the-ass/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [Whenever I did have a lot of money, I got in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/whenever-i-did-have-a-lot-of-money-i-got-in-trouble/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [Besides Bob Satterfield, the only ones who ever hurt me were my ex-wives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/besides-bob-satterfield-the-only-ones-who-ever-hurt-me-were-my-ex/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I fought Sugar Ray so often, I almost got diabetes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-fought-sugar-ray-so-often-i-almost-got-diabetes/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [God's been pretty good to me. He made me duck all those punches that were supposed to land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/god-s-been-pretty-good-to-me-he-made-me-duck-all-those-punches-that/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I ask for personal appearance fees because I've earned them. I deserve them. My presence at events is what they need, so they ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-ask-for-personal-appearance-fees-because-i-ve-earned-them-i-deserve/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I was able to convince my body that I could take it and nobody could hurt me. I might've gotten cut, stitches over my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-was-able-to-convince-my-body-that-i-could-take-it-and-nobody-could/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [I wasn't born to be a fighter. My hands are too small, and look at these short arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/i-wasn-t-born-to-be-a-fighter-my-hands-are-too-small-and-look-at/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [You don't compare a guy with 30 or 40 fights with a guy who had 200 fights and fought over 25 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/you-don-t-compare-a-guy-with-30-or-40-fights-with-a-guy-who-had-200/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) > [People get in auto accidents, they're paralyzed for life. I got hurt worse getting married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-lamotta/people-get-in-auto-accidents-they-re-paralyzed-for-life-i-got-hurt/) [Jake LaMotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) [Explore all 79 Jake LaMotta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-lamotta/) ## More Abstinence quotes > [Sexual activity, and the thoughts and fantasies of sex, use up a great portion of our vital force. When that force is conserved through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patanjali/sexual-activity-and-the-thoughts-and-fantasies-of-sex-use-up-a-great/) [Patanjali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patanjali/) > [Used with due abstinence, hope acts as a healthful tonic; intemperately indulged, as an enervating opiate. The visions of future triumph, which at first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fitzjames-stephen/used-with-due-abstinence-hope-acts-as-a-healthful-tonic-intemperately/) [James Fitzjames Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fitzjames-stephen/) > [“Male masturbation is not a release, it is a squandering. Anyone who begins to no-fap will soon discover this. Like most things, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-freestone/male-masturbation-is-not-a-release-it-is-a-squandering-anyone-who/) [Jack Freestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-freestone/) > [Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/atheism-is-a-religion-like-abstinence-is-a-sex-position/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [When a married person uses pornography, or is unfaithful, it compromises not just his (or her) purity, but also compromises the spouse's purity. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-o-donnell/when-a-married-person-uses-pornography-or-is-unfaithful-it/) [Christine O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-o-donnell/) > [“Look, choosing to wait until marriage makes me feel empowered. But if the same choice cripples you, then it wasn't the right one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-allen/look-choosing-to-wait-until-marriage-makes-me-feel-empowered-but-if/) [Rachael Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-allen/) > [Taking the pledge will not make bad liquor good, but it will improve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/taking-the-pledge-will-not-make-bad-liquor-good-but-it-will-improve-it/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It is better to lock up your heart with a merciless padlock, than to fall in love with someone who doesn't know what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/it-is-better-to-lock-up-your-heart-with-a-merciless-padlock-than-to/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [There is a great deal of political pressure to only talk about abstinence, and to deny support for condoms and education on using them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/there-is-a-great-deal-of-political-pressure-to-only-talk-about/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Abstinence-only education - the best STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) and pregnancy delivery system that politicians have ever devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/abstinence-only-education-the-best-std-sexually-transmitted-disease/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [While one may lose much because of avarice, nothing was ever accomplished by abstinence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isuna-hasekura/while-one-may-lose-much-because-of-avarice-nothing-was-ever/) [Isuna Hasekura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isuna-hasekura/) > [“The secular, for all its goodness, does not defend itself very well against mindless and perpetual consumption. It cries out to be offered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-secular-for-all-its-goodness-does-not-defend-itself-very-well/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [I went to an all-girls Catholic school. And all the nuns just breathed down our necks "abstinence." And that's not the right thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-mccarthy/i-went-to-an-all-girls-catholic-school-and-all-the-nuns-just-breathed/) [Jenny McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-mccarthy/) > [How do we want our air? Pure. How do we want our water? Pure. How do we want sex on our wedding night? Pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-kelly/how-do-we-want-our-air-pure-how-do-we-want-our-water-pure-how-do-we/) [Molly Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-kelly/) > [“There’s gratification in abstaining from the easy choice. Instant gratification can bring more suffering than pleasure. If I do the hard thing, the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-wang/there-s-gratification-in-abstaining-from-the-easy-choice-instant/) [Cecily Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-wang/) [Browse all 233 Abstinence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abstinence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't go into the ring and be a nice guy. I would go a month, two months, without having sex. It worked for me because it made me a vicious animal. 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