--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I didn't think I could win the World…" description: "\"If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.\" — Jimmy White" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/jimmy-white-6900_championship_if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world_489657.jpg" --- # If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I… ![“If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.” quote by Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/jimmy-white-6900_championship_if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world_489657.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/jimmy-white-6900_championship_if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world_489657.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/jimmy-white-6900_championship_if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world_489657.jpg) > “If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.” [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. If I doubted winning the championship, I'd settle for playing poorly in Spain. **In simple terms:** Doubt leads to low‑effort alternatives. Key Takeaway Believe in your ability. Themes confidence goal‑setting self‑doubt Mood motivational reflective Type sports personal growth When to use this quote - career planning - competitive sports - personal development Key Concepts Psychology of performance motivation Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your self‑doubt? - How can you turn doubt into motivation? A Different Perspective Self‑doubt can become a self‑fulfilling prophecy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) [Golf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spain/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-championship/) ## Related quotes > [I play golf but very badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-play-golf-but-very-badly/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [I play golf - badly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-jance-2/i-play-golf-badly/) [J. A. Jance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-jance-2/) > [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/) > [Billy Konchellah with his World Championship titles, Paul Ereng with his Olympic gold and Wilson Kipketer with his World records are my role models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/billy-konchellah-with-his-world-championship-titles-paul-ereng-with/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [When we hold a World Championship for a particular sport, we invite teams from other countries to play as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/when-we-hold-a-world-championship-for-a-particular-sport-we-invite/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Winning the world championship in '66 was really the pinnacle of the whole thing, because to win a championship with an Australian made engine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-brabham/winning-the-world-championship-in-66-was-really-the-pinnacle-of-the/) Jack Brabham > [One thing is, I never under-perform at the World Championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-van-gerwen/one-thing-is-i-never-under-perform-at-the-world-championship/) [Michael van Gerwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-van-gerwen/) > [On the other hand, chess is a mass sport now and for chess organisers shorter time control is obviously more attractive. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-spassky/on-the-other-hand-chess-is-a-mass-sport-now-and-for-chess-organisers/) [Boris Spassky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-spassky/) > [My only drive was to be the best dancer in the world, but I never won the world championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-du-beke/my-only-drive-was-to-be-the-best-dancer-in-the-world-but-i-never-won/) [Anton du Beke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-du-beke/) > [It is a much bigger thing to have a world championship with Chicago than this one in Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-kukoc/it-is-a-much-bigger-thing-to-have-a-world-championship-with-chicago/) [Toni Kukoc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-kukoc/) > [I'm of the opinion that a duck does not change styles every time it crosses a state line. I think they sound the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jase-robertson/i-m-of-the-opinion-that-a-duck-does-not-change-styles-every-time-it/) [Jase Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jase-robertson/) > [You always want to have good balance. Thats the key to winning a Super Bowl. You look at the teams who have won championships,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-elway/you-always-want-to-have-good-balance-thats-the-key-to-winning-a-super/) [John Elway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-elway/) > [It's unbelievable pressure. Not everybody will get to feel that sort of pressure, to have a dart to win a World Championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerwyn-price/it-s-unbelievable-pressure-not-everybody-will-get-to-feel-that-sort/) [Gerwyn Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerwyn-price/) > [I am pleased that in a match for the World Championship I was able to conduct a game in the style of Akiba Rubinstein,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-gelfand/i-am-pleased-that-in-a-match-for-the-world-championship-i-was-able-to/) [Boris Gelfand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-gelfand/) > [Ever since I was a kid, I'd imagine that I was making a break to win the world championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-d-imagine-that-i-was-making-a-break-to-win/) [Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [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/) [Explore all 96 Jimmy White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) ## More Championship quotes > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I have wrestled in almost every tournament in the world. I've won the Olympics, NCAAs, and World Championships, but none of those can truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-have-wrestled-in-almost-every-tournament-in-the-world-i-ve-won-the/) [Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Generally speaking, ROH championship matches are hard fought and grueling, and the fans are really into it. The ROH Championship means a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/generally-speaking-roh-championship-matches-are-hard-fought-and/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [My whole thing when I got in the NBA was I want to win a championship. The mindset hasn't changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bam-adebayo/my-whole-thing-when-i-got-in-the-nba-was-i-want-to-win-a-championship/) [Bam Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bam-adebayo/) > [In over 160 years of recorded baseball history, no team had ever won a championship this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thorn/in-over-160-years-of-recorded-baseball-history-no-team-had-ever-won-a/) [John Thorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thorn/) > [I probably should've listened to Michael a year ago when he said that Charles will never win a championship because he doesn't show any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-probably-should-ve-listened-to-michael-a-year-ago-when-he-said-that/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [One day we'll have championship boxing in Cleveland and people will support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/one-day-we-ll-have-championship-boxing-in-cleveland-and-people-will/) [Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/) > [My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to help give our fans a championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/my-biggest-regret-is-that-i-wasn-t-able-to-help-give-our-fans-a/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [Two beautiful women crashing and burning for the sake of the Women's Championship!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ross/two-beautiful-women-crashing-and-burning-for-the-sake-of-the-women-s/) [Jim Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ross/) > [I got everything I wanted out of Texas. Obviously, you'd love to win more. You'd love to win a national championship and compete at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-bamba/i-got-everything-i-wanted-out-of-texas-obviously-you-d-love-to-win/) [Mohamed Bamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-bamba/) > [When I wrestled Randy Orton, that was probably the biggest match of my career at that point, because that was when I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/when-i-wrestled-randy-orton-that-was-probably-the-biggest-match-of-my/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [The Russians have held my title for ten years and they're going to be in for it when I win the Championship. They're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/the-russians-have-held-my-title-for-ten-years-and-they-re-going-to-be/) [Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/) > [As you get older, every chance to win a championship is more crucial, because you are going to have less and less of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/as-you-get-older-every-chance-to-win-a-championship-is-more-crucial/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [It will be a hard game if you think about winning a championship. We need to think about our own game at the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-bergkamp/it-will-be-a-hard-game-if-you-think-about-winning-a-championship-we/) [Dennis Bergkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-bergkamp/) [Browse all 1,448 Championship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jimmy White" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world-championship-i-would-go-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Championship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world-championship-i-would-go-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/jimmy-white-6900_championship_if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world_489657.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/jimmy-white-6900_championship_if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world_489657.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d31/jimmy-white-6900_championship_if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world_489657.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I didn't think I could win the World Championship I would go and play golf badly in Spain.” — Jimmy White", "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": "Jimmy White", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I didn't think I could...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world-championship-i-would-go-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/if-i-didn-t-think-i-could-win-the-world-championship-i-would-go-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 } } ] } ```