--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At first, you can play into the naivete…" description: "\"At first, you can play into the naivete that people think you have because you don't dress well. They almost give you the benefit of the doubt. But whe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/385/jeff-van-gundy-4113_animal_at-first-you-can-play-into-the-naivete-t_1232078.jpg" --- # At first, you can play into the naivete that people think… ![“At first, you can play into the naivete that people think you have because you don't dress well. They almost give you the benefit of the doubt. But when success comes, that's no longer a good angle, so now you're 'a political animal.'” quote by Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/385/jeff-van-gundy-4113_animal_at-first-you-can-play-into-the-naivete-t_1232078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/385/jeff-van-gundy-4113_animal_at-first-you-can-play-into-the-naivete-t_1232078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/385/jeff-van-gundy-4113_animal_at-first-you-can-play-into-the-naivete-t_1232078.jpg) > “At first, you can play into the naivete that people think you have because you don't dress well. They almost give you the benefit of the doubt. But when success comes, that's no longer a good angle, so now you're 'a political animal.'” [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Initial modest appearance can grant leniency, but success removes that advantage, turning one into a political figure. **In simple terms:** Being low‑key helps at first, but success changes perception. Key Takeaway Stay humble and aware of shifting expectations. Themes image politics success Mood critical reflective Type analytical cautionary When to use this quote - career advancement - public speaking - leadership roles Key Concepts perception power dynamics social strategy Questions to Reflect On - How does image affect leadership effectiveness? - When does humility become a disadvantage? A Different Perspective Success can attract scrutiny and rivalry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Benefit of the doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit-of-the-doubt/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubt Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt-success-3814309/) [Dress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dress/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Naivete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naivete/) [Naivete People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naivete-people-3814308/) [Play Naïveté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-na-vet-1572042/) [Political Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-animal-250381/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I don't want to live in a world where I just kind of play on my naïveté - well if I don't know it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-don-t-want-to-live-in-a-world-where-i-just-kind-of-play-on-my-na/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [Man is naturally a political animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/man-is-naturally-a-political-animal/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Politics is still crucially important. Our choices are vital, and we've got to make them and not just say, 'Oh they're all the same.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-potter/politics-is-still-crucially-important-our-choices-are-vital-and-we-ve/) [Dennis Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-potter/) > [I'm not a politician or political animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-brosnan/i-m-not-a-politician-or-political-animal/) [Pierce Brosnan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-brosnan/) > [People close to me personally, politically, have expressed frustration that I'm not the political animal that they wish that I were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayanna-pressley/people-close-to-me-personally-politically-have-expressed-frustration/) [Ayanna Pressley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayanna-pressley/) > [I'm not a political animal, I'm a curious animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-fairchild/i-m-not-a-political-animal-i-m-a-curious-animal/) [Morgan Fairchild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-fairchild/) > [The human being is in the most literal sense a political animal, not merely a gregarious animal, but an animal which can individuate itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/the-human-being-is-in-the-most-literal-sense-a-political-animal-not/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [I'm very concerned with what's going on the news, but I would not call myself a political animal, per se. I pay more attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/i-m-very-concerned-with-what-s-going-on-the-news-but-i-would-not-call/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) > [But man is above all a social and political animal; his relations with his fellow human beings form his most absorbing and important interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-pearsall-smith/but-man-is-above-all-a-social-and-political-animal-his-relations-with/) [Logan Pearsall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-pearsall-smith/) > [I am a political animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-nielsen/i-am-a-political-animal/) [Connie Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-nielsen/) > [Man is by nature a political animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/man-is-by-nature-a-political-animal/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [My father was not a political animal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-kaus/my-father-was-not-a-political-animal/) [Mickey Kaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-kaus/) > [Nature, as we say, does nothing without some purpose; and for thepurpose of making mana political animal she has endowed him alone among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/nature-as-we-say-does-nothing-without-some-purpose-and-for-thepurpose/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [I was not a political animal; I could not toady up to the committee men, pour drinks down their necks at the bar, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-boycott/i-was-not-a-political-animal-i-could-not-toady-up-to-the-committee/) [Geoffrey Boycott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-boycott/) > [I am a political animal, because for God's sakes I think "We The People" is a job. I think experienced self government demands on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/i-am-a-political-animal-because-for-god-s-sakes-i-think-we-the-people/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) ## More by Jeff Van Gundy > [Often, organizations don't know how good they have it with a player or coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/often-organizations-don-t-know-how-good-they-have-it-with-a-player-or/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Dwight Howard is a Hall of Fame player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/dwight-howard-is-a-hall-of-fame-player/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [You start comparing people, and ultimately, somebody feels diminished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/you-start-comparing-people-and-ultimately-somebody-feels-diminished/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I miss coaching - certain elements of coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/i-miss-coaching-certain-elements-of-coaching/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [To be successful in anything, you have to have a passion for it, and that leads to being enthusiastic and demanding. I didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/to-be-successful-in-anything-you-have-to-have-a-passion-for-it-and/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [If your best offensive players go down, all you can do is hang on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/if-your-best-offensive-players-go-down-all-you-can-do-is-hang-on/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [The beauty of growing up in a coaching family, particularly one that isn't at the very highest level, is that you get to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/the-beauty-of-growing-up-in-a-coaching-family-particularly-one-that/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Goaltending was brought in because of Mikan and Chamberlain. 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He will try things that will drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/manu-ginobili-i-like-to-watch-him-i-would-pay-to-watch-him-play-the/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Shooting percentage is just as much about decision making as it is about technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/shooting-percentage-is-just-as-much-about-decision-making-as-it-is/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [When you know better and you don't do better, you're no better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/when-you-know-better-and-you-don-t-do-better-you-re-no-better/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [In one era, it's hard enough to compare people. But comparing people of different eras... that's next to impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/in-one-era-it-s-hard-enough-to-compare-people-but-comparing-people-of/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Systems are overrated; players are underrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/systems-are-overrated-players-are-underrated/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Just concentrate on what you're supposed to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/just-concentrate-on-what-you-re-supposed-to-do/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I love listening to Coach Belichick's press conferences: even though they may not be what the media wants, they're great coaching, teaching tools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/i-love-listening-to-coach-belichick-s-press-conferences-even-though/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) [Explore all 116 Jeff Van Gundy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At first, you can play into the naivete that people think you have because you don't dress well. They almost give you the benefit of the doubt. 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