--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You gotta choose what battles you can win." description: "\"You gotta choose what battles you can win.\" — Joe Scarborough" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c97/joe-scarborough-14789_battle_you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-wi_1985155.png" --- # You gotta choose what battles you can win. ![“You gotta choose what battles you can win.” quote by Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c97/joe-scarborough-14789_battle_you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-wi_1985155.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c97/joe-scarborough-14789_battle_you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-wi_1985155.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c97/joe-scarborough-14789_battle_you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-wi_1985155.png) > “You gotta choose what battles you can win.” [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One must be selective about which conflicts to engage in, focusing on those that can be won. **In simple terms:** Choose battles you can actually win. Key Takeaway Prioritize achievable conflicts. Themes strategy conflict resolution decision making Mood strategic determined Type analytical practical When to use this quote - political campaigns - legal disputes - personal relationships Key Concepts game theory risk assessment personal boundaries Questions to Reflect On - How do you decide which battles are worth fighting? - What criteria help you assess a battle’s winnability? A Different Perspective May ignore important issues that seem unwinnable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Battles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battles/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [You can win](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you-can-win/) ## Related quotes > [Choose battles that you can win without losing your heart and your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/choose-battles-that-you-can-win-without-losing-your-heart-and-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is not fair. And you have to choose your battles, because there are some that you cannot win. If you're passionate about something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/life-is-not-fair-and-you-have-to-choose-your-battles-because-there/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [You hold the ones you love close and fight the battles you can win, and that, Kitten, is how it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/you-hold-the-ones-you-love-close-and-fight-the-battles-you-can-win/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Girl Or The World, You See Someone Gotta Lose, I thought I Could Have It All, Do I Really Gotta Choose, Wat Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/the-girl-or-the-world-you-see-someone-gotta-lose-i-thought-i-could/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [“It's better to lose a few battles, so that you can win the war…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-s-smith/it-s-better-to-lose-a-few-battles-so-that-you-can-win-the-war/) G.S. Smith > [Unfortunately, we don't live in a society where you can say whatever you want, and there will be no repercussions. Pick and choose your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iliza-shlesinger/unfortunately-we-don-t-live-in-a-society-where-you-can-say-whatever/) [Iliza Shlesinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iliza-shlesinger/) > [You know, you pick and choose your battles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lochte/you-know-you-pick-and-choose-your-battles/) [Ryan Lochte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lochte/) > [As a property developer, I learned a long time ago to choose your battles wisely and that, unfortunately, compromise is a given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccloud/as-a-property-developer-i-learned-a-long-time-ago-to-choose-your/) [Kevin McCloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccloud/) > [As a football player, you have to learn to pick and choose your battles and what to gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micah-parsons/as-a-football-player-you-have-to-learn-to-pick-and-choose-your/) [Micah Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micah-parsons/) > [Choose your battles, but don't choose very many.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/choose-your-battles-but-don-t-choose-very-many/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [If you know both yourself and your enemy, you can win a hundred battles without a single loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/if-you-know-both-yourself-and-your-enemy-you-can-win-a-hundred/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [With a good heart, you can win many battles!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/with-a-good-heart-you-can-win-many-battles/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The girl or the world, you see someone gotta lose. I thought I could have it all, do I really gotta choose?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/the-girl-or-the-world-you-see-someone-gotta-lose-i-thought-i-could-2/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [You Love Him And Me But Gotta Choose! The Way I See It You Cant Have Both , One Of Us You Gotta Lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul/you-love-him-and-me-but-gotta-choose-the-way-i-see-it-you-cant-have/) [Abdul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul/) ## More by Joe Scarborough > [Ronald Reagan knew who he was. Barack Obama is still working through that equation politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/ronald-reagan-knew-who-he-was-barack-obama-is-still-working-through/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [I love the Upper West Side. I walk down the street all the time and am stopped by Democrats. I don't think they've ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/i-love-the-upper-west-side-i-walk-down-the-street-all-the-time-and-am/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [I'm not a car guy. The subway gets me where I need to go efficiently and cheaply, and I don't worry about traffic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/i-m-not-a-car-guy-the-subway-gets-me-where-i-need-to-go-efficiently/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [As a Republican, I have listened to Democrats talk about the only two times we won the White House in like 200 years that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/as-a-republican-i-have-listened-to-democrats-talk-about-the-only-two/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [In Washington, I found myself as a 31-year-old in a room with the president, vice president, and secretaries of state and defense, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/in-washington-i-found-myself-as-a-31-year-old-in-a-room-with-the/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [Just because everybody else is engaged in a group hug with Barack Obama doesn't mean that somebody doesn't have to tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/just-because-everybody-else-is-engaged-in-a-group-hug-with-barack/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [The fact is, there are a couple of years he may not have paid any taxes. Maybe he's concerned about that. But if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/the-fact-is-there-are-a-couple-of-years-he-may-not-have-paid-any/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [You have all these people in the press who are ringing their hands over fake news stories. That actually became the narratives for critics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/you-have-all-these-people-in-the-press-who-are-ringing-their-hands/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [I was always fascinated by politics, and I did not like the direction the country was going under Bill Clinton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/i-was-always-fascinated-by-politics-and-i-did-not-like-the-direction/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [“A distinguished historian has said that one of the most valuable things about history is that it teaches us how things do not happen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/a-distinguished-historian-has-said-that-one-of-the-most-valuable/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [When Im in town on Sundays, I sometimes go down to the Central Bar in the East Village to watch English football. But my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/when-im-in-town-on-sundays-i-sometimes-go-down-to-the-central-bar-in/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [My wife always tells people, 'He's not going to be able run to for anything because I'm not going to let him start a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/my-wife-always-tells-people-he-s-not-going-to-be-able-run-to-for/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [Unfortunately, I've gotten so conditioned, it's hard to sleep past 4 a.m.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/unfortunately-i-ve-gotten-so-conditioned-it-s-hard-to-sleep-past-4-a-m/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [With my hours, I don't hang out with anybody. I work and come home to my Upper West Side apartment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/with-my-hours-i-don-t-hang-out-with-anybody-i-work-and-come-home-to/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) > [If Washington continues to fumble issues like taking care of the debt, getting the troops home, and rebuilding our economy, my wife and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/if-washington-continues-to-fumble-issues-like-taking-care-of-the-debt/) [Joe Scarborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) [Explore all 45 Joe Scarborough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You gotta choose what battles you can win.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Scarborough" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-win/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Battle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-win/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c97/joe-scarborough-14789_battle_you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-wi_1985155.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c97/joe-scarborough-14789_battle_you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-wi_1985155.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c97/joe-scarborough-14789_battle_you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-wi_1985155.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You gotta choose what battles you can win.” — Joe Scarborough", "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": "Joe Scarborough", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-scarborough/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You gotta choose what battles you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-win/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-scarborough/you-gotta-choose-what-battles-you-can-win/#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 } } ] } ```