--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because I could do things on the snooker…" description: "\"Because I could do things on the snooker table that no other player could do, I just had this sort of self-destruct button in me.\" — Jimmy White" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/jimmy-white-6900_could_because-i-could-do-things-on-the-snooker_1568454.jpg" --- # Because I could do things on the snooker table that no… ![“Because I could do things on the snooker table that no other player could do, I just had this sort of self-destruct button in me.” quote by Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/jimmy-white-6900_could_because-i-could-do-things-on-the-snooker_1568454.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/jimmy-white-6900_could_because-i-could-do-things-on-the-snooker_1568454.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/035/jimmy-white-6900_could_because-i-could-do-things-on-the-snooker_1568454.jpg) > “Because I could do things on the snooker table that no other player could do, I just had this sort of self-destruct button in me.” [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He felt a self‑destruct impulse when performing uniquely on the snooker table, highlighting pressure of exceptional skill. **In simple terms:** Unique skill can trigger self‑sabotage. Key Takeaway Manage confidence and pressure. Themes confidence pressure performance self‑sabotage Mood determined intense Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - high‑stakes matches - career milestones - public scrutiny Key Concepts exceptional ability psychology competition Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle pressure when you stand out? - What strategies prevent self‑sabotage? A Different Perspective Self‑destruct impulses can be mitigated with mental training. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Destruct Button](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruct-button-1712156/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Self destruct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-destruct/) [Snooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snooker/) [Snooker Table](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snooker-table-5898610/) [Table](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/table/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [Things Snooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-snooker-5898609/) ## Related quotes > [In cartoons, why does the evil guy always put a self destruct button on the machine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-cartoons-why-does-the-evil-guy-always-put-a-self-destruct-button/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know why, but there's always the part of you, the part that hides in the shadows protecting the self-destruct button, that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-why-but-there-s-always-the-part-of-you-the-part-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I hit the self-destruct button hard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-lane/i-hit-the-self-destruct-button-hard/) [Nina Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-lane/) > [I'll never understand how a man can live his life With his finger on the self-destruct button, Holding it there day after day, Blinded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/i-ll-never-understand-how-a-man-can-live-his-life-with-his-finger-on/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [Snooker's only popular in China now. Well China's OK to go to once or twice a year but to go and play six or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/snooker-s-only-popular-in-china-now-well-china-s-ok-to-go-to-once-or/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Believe me, I feel the same way now about snooker as I did when I was 13.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/believe-me-i-feel-the-same-way-now-about-snooker-as-i-did-when-i-was/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Ronnie O'Sullivan, the greatest snooker player ever, will tell you that he doesn't practise. I'm not having that. I call him Roger, after Federer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/ronnie-o-sullivan-the-greatest-snooker-player-ever-will-tell-you-that/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [It is like any sport. You practise thousands of times and you miss the simplest ball and you don't understand why. But that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/it-is-like-any-sport-you-practise-thousands-of-times-and-you-miss-the/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [That period in the late Eighties and early Nineties was when I was playing my best snooker. My trouble was that I had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/that-period-in-the-late-eighties-and-early-nineties-was-when-i-was/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I love Belfast, because of the way that people here love their snooker. And I won my first professional tournament here in 1981. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-love-belfast-because-of-the-way-that-people-here-love-their-snooker/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Golf and snooker are similar. They are ball games that you don't have to be super fit for. It's not like boxing or football…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/golf-and-snooker-are-similar-they-are-ball-games-that-you-don-t-have/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Snooker still fascinates me and I still get a buzz from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/snooker-still-fascinates-me-and-i-still-get-a-buzz-from-it/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I mean what's the point of them becoming professional snooker players? If there's not much money in the game, if there's no guarantee of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-mean-what-s-the-point-of-them-becoming-professional-snooker-players/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Northern Ireland as a whole is a great snooker country because of Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor and now of course there is Mark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/northern-ireland-as-a-whole-is-a-great-snooker-country-because-of/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I have always loved playing snooker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-have-always-loved-playing-snooker/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) ## More by Jimmy White > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I love playing in Ireland and I've had great support here, like I get everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-love-playing-in-ireland-and-i-ve-had-great-support-here-like-i-get/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I did abuse the game a bit because I didn't give it the respect sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-did-abuse-the-game-a-bit-because-i-didn-t-give-it-the-respect/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I have always loved playing snooker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-have-always-loved-playing-snooker/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [In the past it sometimes took me two or three rounds to get the adrenaline rush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/in-the-past-it-sometimes-took-me-two-or-three-rounds-to-get-the/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Ronnie is a very clever winner. He will make sure that he does everything in his power to win the tournament. He is super-fit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/ronnie-is-a-very-clever-winner-he-will-make-sure-that-he-does/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I was a big fan of Naseem Hamed, and followed him. Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and I know him well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-was-a-big-fan-of-naseem-hamed-and-followed-him-ronnie-o-sullivan/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Golf and snooker are similar. They are ball games that you don't have to be super fit for. It's not like boxing or football…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/golf-and-snooker-are-similar-they-are-ball-games-that-you-don-t-have/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Snooker's only popular in China now. Well China's OK to go to once or twice a year but to go and play six or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/snooker-s-only-popular-in-china-now-well-china-s-ok-to-go-to-once-or/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I really enjoy working as a pundit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-really-enjoy-working-as-a-pundit/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Northern Ireland as a whole is a great snooker country because of Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor and now of course there is Mark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/northern-ireland-as-a-whole-is-a-great-snooker-country-because-of/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world-championship-i-would-go-and/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [In a way, sometimes I was quite pleased when I got beat, 'cos then I could do my antics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/in-a-way-sometimes-i-was-quite-pleased-when-i-got-beat-cos-then-i/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I think I should win every tournament I enter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-think-i-should-win-every-tournament-i-enter/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I have only prepared properly for the World Championship three or four times in my life. If I had gone about it professionally I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-have-only-prepared-properly-for-the-world-championship-three-or/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) [Explore all 96 Jimmy White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) ## More Could quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/) [Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/) [Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/) > [What a gift it would be if every child in the country could hear a professional orchestra at least once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/what-a-gift-it-would-be-if-every-child-in-the-country-could-hear-a/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [If my wisdom could get support from officials, I think society would move forward 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-guangbiao/if-my-wisdom-could-get-support-from-officials-i-think-society-would/) [Chen Guangbiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-guangbiao/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? 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