--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can always do more than you think you…" description: "\"You can always do more than you think you can.\" — John Wooden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/john-wooden-420_born-to-run_you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-yo_2068562.png" --- # You can always do more than you think you can. ![“You can always do more than you think you can.” quote by John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/john-wooden-420_born-to-run_you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-yo_2068562.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/john-wooden-420_born-to-run_you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-yo_2068562.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/john-wooden-420_born-to-run_you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-yo_2068562.png) > “You can always do more than you think you can.” [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief in exceeding self‑imposed limits fuels growth and achievement. **In simple terms:** You can surpass your own expectations. Key Takeaway Push beyond perceived limits. Themes motivation self‑belief growth Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - Sports training - career advancement - personal development Key Concepts Psychology of self‑efficacy goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What limits are you setting for yourself? - How can you test your true capacity? A Different Perspective Overconfidence may lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Born to run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-to-run/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [We were born to run; we were born because we run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-were-born-to-run-we-were-born-because-we-run/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [In the day we sweat it out on the streets on a runaway American dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/in-the-day-we-sweat-it-out-on-the-streets-on-a-runaway-american-dream/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Someday girl, I don't know when, were gonna get to the place where we really want to go, and we'll walk in the sun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/someday-girl-i-don-t-know-when-were-gonna-get-to-the-place-where-we/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Not everyone is born to run a $4 billion company. There is no magic formula. I've learned, and I've grown by learning. That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/not-everyone-is-born-to-run-a-4-billion-company-there-is-no-magic/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [“Every day in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-gubegna/every-day-in-africa-a-gazelle-wakes-up-it-knows-it-must-run-faster/) [Abe Gubegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-gubegna/) > [“As he ran next to Noriko, a thought suddenly occurred to him. The screaming, their hasty footsteps, and the officer warning them to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koushun-takami/as-he-ran-next-to-noriko-a-thought-suddenly-occurred-to-him-the/) [Koushun Takami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koushun-takami/) > [I'd like my life to be like a Bruce Springsteen song. Just once. I know I'm not born to run, I know that Seven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-d-like-my-life-to-be-like-a-bruce-springsteen-song-just-once-i-know/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [Wendy, let me in, I wanna be your friend. I wanna guard your dreams and visions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/wendy-let-me-in-i-wanna-be-your-friend-i-wanna-guard-your-dreams-and/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [We're still buzzin' about Bruce Springsteen at halftime, but I'll tell you if there was one guy we weren't thinking was 'Born To Run'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/we-re-still-buzzin-about-bruce-springsteen-at-halftime-but-i-ll-tell/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [“A man is not born to run away." Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1921).\*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-maxwell-brown/a-man-is-not-born-to-run-away-justice-oliver-wendell-holmes-1921/) [Richard Maxwell Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-maxwell-brown/) > [“There are two goddesses in your heard. The Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of Wealth. Everyone thinks they need to get wealth first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-vigil/there-are-two-goddesses-in-your-heard-the-goddess-of-wisdom-and-the/) [Joe Vigil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-vigil/) > [“The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other, he understood, but to be with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/the-reason-we-race-isn-t-so-much-to-beat-each-other-he-understood-but/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [Anytime you spend six months on a song (Born to Run), there's something not exactly going right. A song should take about three hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/anytime-you-spend-six-months-on-a-song-born-to-run-there-s-something/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-highway-s-jammed-with-broken-heroes-on-a-last-chance-power-drive/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [After 'Born to Run,' I had a reaction to my good fortune. With success, it felt like a lot of people who'd come before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/after-born-to-run-i-had-a-reaction-to-my-good-fortune-with-success-it/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More by John Wooden > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Defense is a definite part of the game, and a great part of defense is learning to play it without fouling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/defense-is-a-definite-part-of-the-game-and-a-great-part-of-defense-is/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it. -John wooden”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-so-important-who-starts-the-game-but-who-finishes-it-john/) [John wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [“I remain convinced to this day that compassion like that—sincerely caring for your players and maintaining an active interest in their lives, concerns, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-remain-convinced-to-this-day-that-compassion-like-that-sincerely/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I'm not going to say I was opposed to the Vietnam War. I'm going to say I'm opposed to war. But I'm also opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/i-m-not-going-to-say-i-was-opposed-to-the-vietnam-war-i-m-going-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating...too often fathers neglect it because they get so caught up in making a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/being-a-role-model-is-the-most-powerful-form-of-educating-too-often/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Approval is a greater motivator than disapproval, but we have to disapprove on occasion when we correct. It’s necessary. I make corrections only after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/approval-is-a-greater-motivator-than-disapproval-but-we-have-to/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Each of us has a huge capacity to learn and to achieve. Being ever alert makes the task of becoming all we are capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/each-of-us-has-a-huge-capacity-to-learn-and-to-achieve-being-ever/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Stay the course. When thwarted try again; harder; smarter. Persevere relentlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/stay-the-course-when-thwarted-try-again-harder-smarter-persevere/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Love is the most powerful four letter word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/love-is-the-most-powerful-four-letter-word/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [It takes 10 hands to score a basket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-takes-10-hands-to-score-a-basket/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [The best competition I have is against myself to become better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/the-best-competition-i-have-is-against-myself-to-become-better/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Whether you know it or not, whether you like it or not, the habits you are developing now will be with you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/whether-you-know-it-or-not-whether-you-like-it-or-not-the-habits-you/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Intensity makes you stronger. Emotionalism makes you weaker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/intensity-makes-you-stronger-emotionalism-makes-you-weaker/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Reputation is what others perceive you as being, and their opinion may be right or wrong. Character, however, is what you really are, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/reputation-is-what-others-perceive-you-as-being-and-their-opinion-may/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) [Explore all 578 John Wooden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) ## More Born to run quotes > [We were born to run; we were born because we run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/we-were-born-to-run-we-were-born-because-we-run/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-highway-s-jammed-with-broken-heroes-on-a-last-chance-power-drive/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Anytime you spend six months on a song (Born to Run), there's something not exactly going right. A song should take about three hours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/anytime-you-spend-six-months-on-a-song-born-to-run-there-s-something/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [“The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other, he understood, but to be with each other.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/the-reason-we-race-isn-t-so-much-to-beat-each-other-he-understood-but/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [“There are two goddesses in your heard. The Goddess of Wisdom and the Goddess of Wealth. Everyone thinks they need to get wealth first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-vigil/there-are-two-goddesses-in-your-heard-the-goddess-of-wisdom-and-the/) [Joe Vigil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-vigil/) > [“A man is not born to run away." Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1921).\*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-maxwell-brown/a-man-is-not-born-to-run-away-justice-oliver-wendell-holmes-1921/) [Richard Maxwell Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-maxwell-brown/) > [We're still buzzin' about Bruce Springsteen at halftime, but I'll tell you if there was one guy we weren't thinking was 'Born To Run'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/we-re-still-buzzin-about-bruce-springsteen-at-halftime-but-i-ll-tell/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Wendy, let me in, I wanna be your friend. I wanna guard your dreams and visions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/wendy-let-me-in-i-wanna-be-your-friend-i-wanna-guard-your-dreams-and/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I'd like my life to be like a Bruce Springsteen song. Just once. I know I'm not born to run, I know that Seven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/i-d-like-my-life-to-be-like-a-bruce-springsteen-song-just-once-i-know/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) > [“As he ran next to Noriko, a thought suddenly occurred to him. The screaming, their hasty footsteps, and the officer warning them to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koushun-takami/as-he-ran-next-to-noriko-a-thought-suddenly-occurred-to-him-the/) [Koushun Takami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koushun-takami/) > [“Every day in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-gubegna/every-day-in-africa-a-gazelle-wakes-up-it-knows-it-must-run-faster/) [Abe Gubegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-gubegna/) > [Not everyone is born to run a $4 billion company. There is no magic formula. I've learned, and I've grown by learning. That's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/not-everyone-is-born-to-run-a-4-billion-company-there-is-no-magic/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [Someday girl, I don't know when, were gonna get to the place where we really want to go, and we'll walk in the sun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/someday-girl-i-don-t-know-when-were-gonna-get-to-the-place-where-we/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [In the day we sweat it out on the streets on a runaway American dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/in-the-day-we-sweat-it-out-on-the-streets-on-a-runaway-american-dream/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [After 'Born to Run,' I had a reaction to my good fortune. With success, it felt like a lot of people who'd come before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/after-born-to-run-i-had-a-reaction-to-my-good-fortune-with-success-it/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) [Browse all 37 Born to run quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/born-to-run/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can always do more than you think you can.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Wooden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-you-can/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Born to run" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-you-can/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/john-wooden-420_born-to-run_you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-yo_2068562.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/john-wooden-420_born-to-run_you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-yo_2068562.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a85/john-wooden-420_born-to-run_you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-yo_2068562.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can always do more than you think you can.” — John Wooden", "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": "John Wooden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can always do more than...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-you-can/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/you-can-always-do-more-than-you-think-you-can/#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 } } ] } ```