--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Really it comes down to your philosophy…" description: "\"Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a chance and be great?\" — Jimmie Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/jimmie-johnson-14439_philosophy_really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy_890885.png" --- # Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to… ![“Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a chance and be great?” quote by Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/jimmie-johnson-14439_philosophy_really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy_890885.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/jimmie-johnson-14439_philosophy_really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy_890885.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/jimmie-johnson-14439_philosophy_really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy_890885.png) > “Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a chance and be great?” [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He frames life choices as a binary: playing it safe and being merely good, or risking more to achieve greatness. **In simple terms:** Safe vs. risky choices. Key Takeaway Choose risk for greatness. Themes risk‑taking ambition self‑belief Mood motivational determined Type inspirational advice When to use this quote - career decisions - entrepreneurship - personal development Key Concepts growth mindset courage Questions to Reflect On - What does “great” mean to you? - When is playing safe the wiser option? A Different Perspective Risk can lead to failure and loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [Do you want to be safe and good, or do you want to take a chance and be great?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-johnson/do-you-want-to-be-safe-and-good-or-do-you-want-to-take-a-chance-and/) [Jimmy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-johnson/) > [“When she doesn’t want to think about something sad or hurtful, she does what she instructed her own children and those she taught to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-mccorkle/when-she-doesn-t-want-to-think-about-something-sad-or-hurtful-she/) [Jill McCorkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-mccorkle/) > [The important things for a mom is that her kids are watched, and are safe and it's a good care environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-myers/the-important-things-for-a-mom-is-that-her-kids-are-watched-and-are/) [Gary Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-myers/) > [“If you can't test it, it's not theorics -- it's metatheorics. A branch of philosophy. So, if you want to think of it this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/if-you-can-t-test-it-it-s-not-theorics-it-s-metatheorics-a-branch-of/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [“Here we are fighting with philosophy We all want to be unloved, betrayed; secretly Because men love tragedy there is no sense of danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yarro-rai/here-we-are-fighting-with-philosophy-we-all-want-to-be-unloved/) [Yarro Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yarro-rai/) > [For myself, I am interested in science and in philosophy only because I want to learn something about the riddle of the world in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-myself-i-am-interested-in-science-and-in-philosophy-only-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the 17 years since I graduated from this great College of Law, I have seen that, for many of us, it becomes increasingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/in-the-17-years-since-i-graduated-from-this-great-college-of-law-i/) [Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/) > [My philosophy is that I want to play from the back and if everyone is on board, you will see, we will do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-ten-hag/my-philosophy-is-that-i-want-to-play-from-the-back-and-if-everyone-is/) [Erik ten Hag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-ten-hag/) > [He's not safe, but he's good (referring to Aslan, the Lion, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/he-s-not-safe-but-he-s-good-referring-to-aslan-the-lion-in-the-lion/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ah, on what little things does happiness depend! I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/ah-on-what-little-things-does-happiness-depend-i-have-read-all-that/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Safe? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/safe-who-said-anything-about-safe-course-he-isn-t-safe-but-he-s-good/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [I study a lot of philosophy. I want to be an example of how to enjoy this success, and that's exactly what I've done.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flip-wilson/i-study-a-lot-of-philosophy-i-want-to-be-an-example-of-how-to-enjoy/) [Flip Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flip-wilson/) > [My philosophy: find what it is you want to say, walk in the room, say it, and get the hell out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-michael-straczynski/my-philosophy-find-what-it-is-you-want-to-say-walk-in-the-room-say-it/) [J. Michael Straczynski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-michael-straczynski/) > [“The Christian publishing world has embraced the safe over the good”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-mark-bertrand/the-christian-publishing-world-has-embraced-the-safe-over-the-good/) [J. Mark Bertrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-mark-bertrand/) > [Safe is good for sidewalks and swimming pools, but life requires risk if we are to get anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/safe-is-good-for-sidewalks-and-swimming-pools-but-life-requires-risk/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) ## More by Jimmie Johnson > [I was able to get through the field and get this Lowe's ProServices Chevy up front. Those last few restarts I was able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-was-able-to-get-through-the-field-and-get-this-lowe-s-proservices/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I’d love to have an opportunity to tie the greats in Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-d-love-to-have-an-opportunity-to-tie-the-greats-in-richard-petty/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [Experience is invaluable. I can't express enough how much experience in this sport has helped me as a driver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/experience-is-invaluable-i-can-t-express-enough-how-much-experience/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [If the roles were reversed, I would be saying the same thing. As a competitor, you're tired of the same guy winning. I guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/if-the-roles-were-reversed-i-would-be-saying-the-same-thing-as-a/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [The thing I love about off-road racing is the pride in how abusive it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/the-thing-i-love-about-off-road-racing-is-the-pride-in-how-abusive-it/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I suck at golf and a variety of other things I go out and do with my friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-suck-at-golf-and-a-variety-of-other-things-i-go-out-and-do-with-my/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I lived in Wisconsin for a while, so I keep my eyes on the Packers. I grew up in San Diego, so there's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-lived-in-wisconsin-for-a-while-so-i-keep-my-eyes-on-the-packers-i/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [My fans are always extremely loyal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/my-fans-are-always-extremely-loyal/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I've been very fortunate to dodge a nickname throughout my entire career. I've never had one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-ve-been-very-fortunate-to-dodge-a-nickname-throughout-my-entire/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I just don't have words to express how proud I am of this race team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-just-don-t-have-words-to-express-how-proud-i-am-of-this-race-team/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [How do you say no when a little kid is asking you for ice cream? I know I can't say no to it myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/how-do-you-say-no-when-a-little-kid-is-asking-you-for-ice-cream-i/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [The No. 20 (Matt Kenseth) broke the pace car speed, which you aren't supposed to, but, they aren't calling guys on that so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/the-no-20-matt-kenseth-broke-the-pace-car-speed-which-you-aren-t/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I didn't get into racing to make friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-didn-t-get-into-racing-to-make-friends/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [NASCAR fans are very knowledgeable and very passionate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/nascar-fans-are-very-knowledgeable-and-very-passionate/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) > [I really enjoy the football season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/i-really-enjoy-the-football-season/) [Jimmie Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) [Explore all 46 Jimmie Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/) ## More Philosophy quotes > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [No philosophy, no religion, has ever brought so glad a message to the world as this good news of Atheism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-besant/no-philosophy-no-religion-has-ever-brought-so-glad-a-message-to-the/) [Annie Besant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-besant/) > [“This is what is called "honor among thieves," for the really dangerous people are those who do not recognize that they are thieves— the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/this-is-what-is-called-honor-among-thieves-for-the-really-dangerous/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [“If you start and persist you will succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/if-you-start-and-persist-you-will-succeed/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“I never knew any man who had once tasted the sweetness of experimental knowledge, that ever afterward fasted after ye Vapour garlick and onions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-zimmer/i-never-knew-any-man-who-had-once-tasted-the-sweetness-of/) [Carl Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-zimmer/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [Television's perfect. You turn a few knobs, a few of those mechanical adjustments at which the higher apes are so proficient, and lean back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/television-s-perfect-you-turn-a-few-knobs-a-few-of-those-mechanical/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [“He who is mindless is defenceless” RjS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/he-who-is-mindless-is-defenceless-rjs/) [rassool jibraeel snyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/) > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) [Browse all 17,414 Philosophy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a chance and be great?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimmie Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy-do-you-want-to-play-it-safe/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Philosophy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy-do-you-want-to-play-it-safe/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/jimmie-johnson-14439_philosophy_really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy_890885.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/jimmie-johnson-14439_philosophy_really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy_890885.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba8/jimmie-johnson-14439_philosophy_really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy_890885.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Really it comes down to your philosophy. Do you want to play it safe and be good or do you want to take a…” — Jimmie Johnson", "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": "Jimmie Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Really it comes down to your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy-do-you-want-to-play-it-safe/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-johnson/really-it-comes-down-to-your-philosophy-do-you-want-to-play-it-safe/#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 } } ] } ```