--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You're really playing against yourself…" description: "\"You're really playing against yourself. You have to learn what you can control and what you can't, and not let what you can't control affect your confi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/mike-richter-59519_confidence_you-re-really-playing-against-yourself-y_1540085.jpg" --- # You're really playing against yourself. You have to learn… ![“You're really playing against yourself. You have to learn what you can control and what you can't, and not let what you can't control affect your confidence.” quote by Mike Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/mike-richter-59519_confidence_you-re-really-playing-against-yourself-y_1540085.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/mike-richter-59519_confidence_you-re-really-playing-against-yourself-y_1540085.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/694/mike-richter-59519_confidence_you-re-really-playing-against-yourself-y_1540085.jpg) > “You're really playing against yourself. You have to learn what you can control and what you can't, and not let what you can't control affect your confidence.” [Mike Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-richter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑competition reveals what you can control; focus on controllables to protect confidence. **In simple terms:** Play against yourself, control what you can. Key Takeaway Focus on controllable aspects. Themes self‑discipline confidence control competition Mood motivational pragmatic Type inspirational self‑help When to use this quote - sports training - personal development - stress management Key Concepts psychology performance mindset Questions to Reflect On - What can you control now? - How do you respond to uncontrollable setbacks? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on control can cause rigidity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [If I don't look the way I wanna look, I don't feel confident. 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They're playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-wozniacki/i-like-to-watch-the-men-play-i-like-the-way-that-they-re-playing-and/) [Caroline Wozniacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-wozniacki/) > [“We cannot control others; however, we can control how they affect us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-watterson/we-cannot-control-others-however-we-can-control-how-they-affect-us/) Eric Watterson > [“You cannot control anything yet you can affect on everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maliheh-sadat-razavi/you-cannot-control-anything-yet-you-can-affect-on-everything/) [Maliheh Sadat Razavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maliheh-sadat-razavi/) > [I did my best, but football is not like maths: often, a lot of things out of our control affect the way we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-di-maria/i-did-my-best-but-football-is-not-like-maths-often-a-lot-of-things/) [Angel Di Maria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-di-maria/) > [I would just like to learn to control my limbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-riley/i-would-just-like-to-learn-to-control-my-limbs/) [Rachel Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-riley/) > [The mind is such a powerful thing, and when you learn how to control that it really turns a lot of things around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-marchand/the-mind-is-such-a-powerful-thing-and-when-you-learn-how-to-control/) [Brad Marchand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-marchand/) > [“anger, in and of itself, is a good thing, within reason, but it will be your greatest enemy if you don't learn to control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-vali/anger-in-and-of-itself-is-a-good-thing-within-reason-but-it-will-be/) [Ali Vali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-vali/) > [“Unless you learn to control your thoughts, you will never be able to control your actions; and if you can’t control your actions, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bohdi-sanders/unless-you-learn-to-control-your-thoughts-you-will-never-be-able-to/) [Bohdi Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bohdi-sanders/) > [“You must learn that nobody can control everything in the flow of life,” said Dart. “Control is something we all strive for—but you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-grace-martin/you-must-learn-that-nobody-can-control-everything-in-the-flow-of-life/) A. Grace Martin > [.. the whole idea is that if you turn your amp up to 10, you should still be able to play at a whisper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bloomfield/the-whole-idea-is-that-if-you-turn-your-amp-up-to-10-you-should-still/) Mike Bloomfield > [Life is like a ride but you need to learn how to control it so you don't make big mistakes in your life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-ride-but-you-need-to-learn-how-to-control-it-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you have a temper, now is the time to learn to control it. The more you do so while you are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/if-you-have-a-temper-now-is-the-time-to-learn-to-control-it-the-more/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) ## More by Mike Richter > [I remember what Ron Greschner said when he retired. 'The thing I'm going to miss most is showering with 23 guys.' And that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-richter/i-remember-what-ron-greschner-said-when-he-retired-the-thing-i-m/) [Mike Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-richter/) > [We all love to see excellence as a fan, and I am a fan now watching excellence in the Rangers net.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-richter/we-all-love-to-see-excellence-as-a-fan-and-i-am-a-fan-now-watching/) [Mike Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-richter/) > [Most fans go wild when they see a goalie make what looks like a great save, but the chances are what they are seeing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-richter/most-fans-go-wild-when-they-see-a-goalie-make-what-looks-like-a-great/) [Mike Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-richter/) > [Look at it this way: if winning wasn't so hard, it wouldn't feel so good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-richter/look-at-it-this-way-if-winning-wasn-t-so-hard-it-wouldn-t-feel-so-good/) [Mike Richter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-richter/) [Explore all 5 Mike Richter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-richter/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) Senoraroy > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You're really playing against yourself. 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