--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What comes first, the chicken or the egg?…" description: "\"What comes first, the chicken or the egg? You start out bad, you don't really feel right, you don't have the same explosion, then you start to lose con..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lance-berkman-22442_ability_what-comes-first-the-chicken-or-the-egg_322623.jpg" --- # What comes first, the chicken or the egg? You start out… ![“What comes first, the chicken or the egg? You start out bad, you don't really feel right, you don't have the same explosion, then you start to lose confidence, you start to doubt your ability. It's a snowball effect.” quote by Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lance-berkman-22442_ability_what-comes-first-the-chicken-or-the-egg_322623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lance-berkman-22442_ability_what-comes-first-the-chicken-or-the-egg_322623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/018/lance-berkman-22442_ability_what-comes-first-the-chicken-or-the-egg_322623.jpg) > “What comes first, the chicken or the egg? You start out bad, you don't really feel right, you don't have the same explosion, then you start to lose confidence, you start to doubt your ability. It's a snowball effect.” [Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes a negative feedback loop where early setbacks erode confidence, leading to a snowballing decline in performance and self‑belief. **In simple terms:** Early failures can trigger a cascade of doubt and loss of confidence. Key Takeaway Recognize and interrupt the cycle early. Themes confidence self‑esteem psychology growth resilience Mood anxious determined reflective Type advice psychological motivational When to use this quote - sports competition - public speaking - new job - personal projects - relationship conflicts Key Concepts feedback loop self‑fulfilling prophecy cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What early signs indicate a snowball effect? - How can you rebuild confidence after a setback? A Different Perspective It may overlook external factors that contribute to setbacks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Explosions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explosions/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Snowball effect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snowball-effect/) ## Related quotes > [I look at how we got beat and I thought the hustle points and the energy points were all gauged through offensive rebounds. 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Once you've cooked pasta properly for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/in-order-to-create-a-little-bit-of-confidence-start-cooking-with/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [“When i start to doubt you, change and rectify your ways while you have the chance. Coz if you don't ill start not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-gabriel/when-i-start-to-doubt-you-change-and-rectify-your-ways-while-you-have/) G.A.Gabriel > [I need to stop over-thinking because when I over-think I start to doubt myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-need-to-stop-over-thinking-because-when-i-over-think-i-start-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As we get older, our world gets smaller and we start to doubt and question. We are really suspicious of difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-piccinini/as-we-get-older-our-world-gets-smaller-and-we-start-to-doubt-and/) [Patricia Piccinini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-piccinini/) ## More by Lance Berkman > [I've always enjoyed baseball, but even when I was a kid I can remember viewing it with a businesslike approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-berkman/i-ve-always-enjoyed-baseball-but-even-when-i-was-a-kid-i-can-remember/) [Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) > [When I started to play consistently and produce consistently, that's when I knew that I could compete and do well in the big leagues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-berkman/when-i-started-to-play-consistently-and-produce-consistently-that-s/) [Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) > [My father always told me that to be successful at anything, whether it was baseball or tiddlywinks, you have to be willing to pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-berkman/my-father-always-told-me-that-to-be-successful-at-anything-whether-it/) [Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) > [The key to dealing with people in general is that they have to know that you care about them. 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But I didn't really have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-berkman/i-was-raised-in-church-by-christian-parents-and-i-was-baptized-when-i/) [Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) > [One-run games can go either way, and most of the time they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-berkman/one-run-games-can-go-either-way-and-most-of-the-time-they-do/) [Lance Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) [Explore all 27 Lance Berkman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-berkman/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [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/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. 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