--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are not the best, then pretend you…" description: "\"If you are not the best, then pretend you are\" — Muhammad Ali" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/muhammad-ali-386_funny_if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you_1367814.jpg" --- # If you are not the best, then pretend you are ![“If you are not the best, then pretend you are” quote by Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/muhammad-ali-386_funny_if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you_1367814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/muhammad-ali-386_funny_if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you_1367814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/muhammad-ali-386_funny_if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you_1367814.jpg) > “If you are not the best, then pretend you are” [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If you’re not the best, adopt confidence as a strategy to compete. **In simple terms:** Pretend to be the best to boost performance. Key Takeaway Use confidence to improve performance. Themes confidence competition mindset Mood determined energetic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - sports - public speaking - career advancement - leadership Key Concepts sports psychology self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - When does confidence become arrogance? - How can you balance humility and ambition? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can backfire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-pretend-297530/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Pretend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretend/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/to-be-a-great-champion-you-must-believe-you-are-the-best-if-you-re/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Don't be ashamed if you don't like what others pretend to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/don-t-be-ashamed-if-you-don-t-like-what-others-pretend-to-love/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [Wear flats. You're short. It's much cooler not to pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alber-elbaz/wear-flats-you-re-short-it-s-much-cooler-not-to-pretend/) [Alber Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alber-elbaz/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Better to try something and fail than to try nothing and succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/better-to-try-something-and-fail-than-to-try-nothing-and-succeed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best we can do is lean towards the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-best-we-can-do-is-lean-towards-the-light/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Winning or not winning an award doesn't affect me. I just like to do my work in the best possible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kk/winning-or-not-winning-an-award-doesn-t-affect-me-i-just-like-to-do/) [KK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kk/) > [To me success would be to be able to do your very best in everything you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-cummings/to-me-success-would-be-to-be-able-to-do-your-very-best-in-everything/) [Paul Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-cummings/) > [When you feel your best, everybody else can feel it, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariana-grande/when-you-feel-your-best-everybody-else-can-feel-it-too/) [Ariana Grande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariana-grande/) > [The best revenge in the world is success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suge-knight/the-best-revenge-in-the-world-is-success/) [Suge Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suge-knight/) > [In all honesty, once you become a professional, number one, you're no longer a fan. I don't root for the Dodgers, really. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-scully/in-all-honesty-once-you-become-a-professional-number-one-you-re-no/) [Vin Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-scully/) > [Love of books is the best of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/love-of-books-is-the-best-of-all/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [I don't try to be something I'm not, I don't try to pretend that I'm something I'm not, I don't try to present myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-capuano/i-don-t-try-to-be-something-i-m-not-i-don-t-try-to-pretend-that-i-m/) [Michael Capuano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-capuano/) ## More by Muhammad Ali > [There are more pleasant things to do than beat up people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-are-more-pleasant-things-to-do-than-beat-up-people/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I've never let anyone talk me into not believing in myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-ve-never-let-anyone-talk-me-into-not-believing-in-myself/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm too fast. I'm too smart. I'm too pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-too-fast-i-m-too-smart-i-m-too-pretty/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I don't count my sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting. 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And I start with the Honorable Elijah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/many-people-are-quick-to-say-that-we-are-not-recognized-by-muslims-in/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I have been so great in boxing they had to create an image like Rocky, a white image on the screen, to counteract my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-have-been-so-great-in-boxing-they-had-to-create-an-image-like-rocky/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Money and riches don't mean nothing to me. I don't care nothing about being no rich individual. I'm not living for glory or for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/money-and-riches-don-t-mean-nothing-to-me-i-don-t-care-nothing-about/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Allah is the Greatest. I'm just the greatest boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/allah-is-the-greatest-i-m-just-the-greatest-boxer/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [My wealth is in my knowledge of self, love, and spirituality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/my-wealth-is-in-my-knowledge-of-self-love-and-spirituality/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We followed the Honorable Elijah Mohammed, who is the boss. And we don't waste a lot of time arguin' about a dead black man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/we-followed-the-honorable-elijah-mohammed-who-is-the-boss-and-we-don/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I'm gonna have to be killed before I lose, and I ain't going to die easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/i-m-gonna-have-to-be-killed-before-i-lose-and-i-ain-t-going-to-die/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If some black man go out and start something, a riot or something or, I'm not going to jump in it and get killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-some-black-man-go-out-and-start-something-a-riot-or-something-or-i/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If you want to be equal with me, you can get your own Rolls-Royce, your own house and your own million dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-want-to-be-equal-with-me-you-can-get-your-own-rolls-royce-your/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) [Explore all 609 Muhammad Ali quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. 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A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) [Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/) > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. 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I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) [Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are not the best, then pretend you are", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Muhammad Ali" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/muhammad-ali-386_funny_if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you_1367814.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/muhammad-ali-386_funny_if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you_1367814.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/782/muhammad-ali-386_funny_if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you_1367814.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you are not the best, then pretend you are” — Muhammad Ali", "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": "Muhammad Ali", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you are not the best,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-are-not-the-best-then-pretend-you-are/#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 } } ] } ```