--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a matter of will. If you know that…" description: "\"It's a matter of will. If you know that you can keep your head, and that you must keep your head, you probably will keep your head.\" — Jeff Cooper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/jeff-cooper-3700_ifs_it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-y_1330051.jpg" --- # It's a matter of will. If you know that you can keep your… ![“It's a matter of will. If you know that you can keep your head, and that you must keep your head, you probably will keep your head.” quote by Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/jeff-cooper-3700_ifs_it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-y_1330051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/jeff-cooper-3700_ifs_it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-y_1330051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/jeff-cooper-3700_ifs_it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-y_1330051.jpg) > “It's a matter of will. If you know that you can keep your head, and that you must keep your head, you probably will keep your head.” [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Willpower and self‑control enable you to stay composed under pressure. **In simple terms:** Willpower keeps you steady. Key Takeaway Strengthen mental discipline daily. Themes willpower self‑control resilience Mood determined steady Type motivational practical When to use this quote - stressful work - emergency response - sports competition Key Concepts psychology self‑help Questions to Reflect On - What triggers loss of composure? - How can you reinforce your resolve? A Different Perspective Fatigue can erode resolve. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) [Head Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-probably-356075/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Know Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-head-642513/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Probably](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probably/) [Probably Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/probably-head-4460602/) [Self defense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-defense/) ## Related quotes > [“I need some fresh air," I say. "Then by all means go outside. If it doesn't clear your head, it will probably kill you."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bethany-griffin/i-need-some-fresh-air-i-say-then-by-all-means-go-outside-if-it-doesn/) [Bethany Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bethany-griffin/) > [It's very hard to know who your readers are, but that's who I'm... if I have somebody in my head, that's probably who it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-menand/it-s-very-hard-to-know-who-your-readers-are-but-that-s-who-i-m-if-i/) [Louis Menand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-menand/) > [I just don't know where my head is sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabetha-s-boyajian/i-just-don-t-know-where-my-head-is-sometimes/) [Tabetha S. Boyajian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabetha-s-boyajian/) > [“You know where your head and your ass are? Well they're about to become well acquainted with each other”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/you-know-where-your-head-and-your-ass-are-well-they-re-about-to/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [Know it in your head, stow it in your heart, show it in your life, sow it in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/know-it-in-your-head-stow-it-in-your-heart-show-it-in-your-life-sow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best Paris I know now is in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-furst/the-best-paris-i-know-now-is-in-my-head/) [Alan Furst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-furst/) > [“What you know in your head and what you say out loud are not always the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-brubaker-bradley/what-you-know-in-your-head-and-what-you-say-out-loud-are-not-always/) [Kimberly Brubaker Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-brubaker-bradley/) > [Medical researchers don't know much about head lice because they don't much care. The reason that they don't much care is, paradoxically, that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/medical-researchers-don-t-know-much-about-head-lice-because-they-don/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Bible. Know it in your head. Stow it in your heart. Show it in your life. Sow it in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/the-bible-know-it-in-your-head-stow-it-in-your-heart-show-it-in-your/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [I'm better than Tupac and Biggie. I say that so now you know where my head at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodak-black/i-m-better-than-tupac-and-biggie-i-say-that-so-now-you-know-where-my/) [Kodak Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodak-black/) > [It is true that a victim who fights back may suffer for it, but one who does not almost certainly will suffer for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-is-true-that-a-victim-who-fights-back-may-suffer-for-it-but-one/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Any man who is a man may not, in honor, submit to threats or violence. But many men who are not cowards are simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/any-man-who-is-a-man-may-not-in-honor-submit-to-threats-or-violence/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it. The felon does not fear the police,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/if-violent-crime-is-to-be-curbed-it-is-only-the-intended-victim-who/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Therefore, if you are attacked, retaliate instantly. Be sudden. Be quick. Speed is your salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/therefore-if-you-are-attacked-retaliate-instantly-be-sudden-be-quick/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Don't try to be fancy. Shoot for the center of mass. The world is full of decent people. Criminals we can do without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/don-t-try-to-be-fancy-shoot-for-the-center-of-mass-the-world-is-full/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) ## More by Jeff Cooper > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [It appears that the murder rate inside prisons is ten times higher than that outside prisons. It must be due to all those Kalashnikov…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-appears-that-the-murder-rate-inside-prisons-is-ten-times-higher/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Don't try to be fancy. Shoot for the center of mass. The world is full of decent people. Criminals we can do without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/don-t-try-to-be-fancy-shoot-for-the-center-of-mass-the-world-is-full/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Therefore, if you are attacked, retaliate instantly. Be sudden. Be quick. Speed is your salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/therefore-if-you-are-attacked-retaliate-instantly-be-sudden-be-quick/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Political correctness is neither political nor is it correct. It amounts to social censorship, and the sooner we spit it out, the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/political-correctness-is-neither-political-nor-is-it-correct-it/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-rifle-itself-has-no-moral-stature-since-it-has-no-will-of-its-own/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [If violent crime is to be curbed, it is only the intended victim who can do it. The felon does not fear the police,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/if-violent-crime-is-to-be-curbed-it-is-only-the-intended-victim-who/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Any man who is a man may not, in honor, submit to threats or violence. But many men who are not cowards are simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/any-man-who-is-a-man-may-not-in-honor-submit-to-threats-or-violence/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Weapons compound man's power to achieve; they amplify the capabilities of both the good man and the bad, and to exactly the same degree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/weapons-compound-man-s-power-to-achieve-they-amplify-the-capabilities/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [It has long been my conviction that a masked man with a gun is a target. I see no reason to change that view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-has-long-been-my-conviction-that-a-masked-man-with-a-gun-is-a/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [A fine marksman is with a second rate rifle is far more effective than the reverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/a-fine-marksman-is-with-a-second-rate-rifle-is-far-more-effective/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [You better be looking for another pitcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/you-better-be-looking-for-another-pitcher/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [It is true that a victim who fights back may suffer for it, but one who does not almost certainly will suffer for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-is-true-that-a-victim-who-fights-back-may-suffer-for-it-but-one/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [If a felon attacks you and lives, he will reasonably conclude that he can do it again. By submitting to him, you not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/if-a-felon-attacks-you-and-lives-he-will-reasonably-conclude-that-he/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/an-unarmed-man-can-only-flee-from-evil-and-evil-is-not-overcome-by/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) [Explore all 124 Jeff Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) ## More Head quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I used a psychologist when I was playing, It's one of the most powerful things: how you can have a concrete head and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-parker/i-used-a-psychologist-when-i-was-playing-it-s-one-of-the-most/) [Scott Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-parker/) > [This is how McGregor is, waging mental warfare before the fights. There's no way that guy is going to get in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/this-is-how-mcgregor-is-waging-mental-warfare-before-the-fights-there/) [Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I try to listen to all music with an open head, a clear head, try not to say just because I don't know it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghostface-killah/i-try-to-listen-to-all-music-with-an-open-head-a-clear-head-try-not/) [Ghostface Killah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ghostface-killah/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Love is in the heart not the head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shadow/love-is-in-the-heart-not-the-head/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shadow/) > [Oh, I'm a great believer in the power of the pause. Radio is a bit brasher now. My style was slower. I just used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-wogan/oh-i-m-a-great-believer-in-the-power-of-the-pause-radio-is-a-bit/) [Terry Wogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-wogan/) > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [Growing up in Dallas, my first influences on the guitar were T-Bone Walker and Les Paul. T-Bone taught me how to play lead guitar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/growing-up-in-dallas-my-first-influences-on-the-guitar-were-t-bone/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) > [I chose a career in the kitchen because the thought of sitting and doing the same thing every day and being stationary was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-tosi/i-chose-a-career-in-the-kitchen-because-the-thought-of-sitting-and/) [Christina Tosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-tosi/) > [“All the tools, techniques and technology in the world are nothing without the head, heart and hands to use them wisely, kindly and mindfully”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/all-the-tools-techniques-and-technology-in-the-world-are-nothing/) [Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/) > [I'm just insane. So what usually drives me is pure joy for something stupid. I'm also very visual. I'll have an idea in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-roiland/i-m-just-insane-so-what-usually-drives-me-is-pure-joy-for-something/) [Justin Roiland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-roiland/) > [We did a 'Vanity Fair' spread for 'The Hunger Games,' and we were on set, and I saw a little head pop up from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ludwig/we-did-a-vanity-fair-spread-for-the-hunger-games-and-we-were-on-set/) [Alexander Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ludwig/) > [I say characters who are strong and wrong just have an assuredness about them that you can't even wrap your head around, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ego-nwodim/i-say-characters-who-are-strong-and-wrong-just-have-an-assuredness/) [Ego Nwodim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ego-nwodim/) [Browse all 3,145 Head quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's a matter of will. If you know that you can keep your head, and that you must keep your head, you probably will keep your head.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeff Cooper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-you-can-keep-your-head-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Head" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-you-can-keep-your-head-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/jeff-cooper-3700_ifs_it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-y_1330051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/jeff-cooper-3700_ifs_it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-y_1330051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c6/jeff-cooper-3700_ifs_it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-y_1330051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's a matter of will. If you know that you can keep your head, and that you must keep your head, you…” — Jeff Cooper", "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": "Jeff Cooper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's a matter of will. If...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-you-can-keep-your-head-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/it-s-a-matter-of-will-if-you-know-that-you-can-keep-your-head-and/#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 } } ] } ```