--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can control your own destiny a little…" description: "\"You can control your own destiny a little bit better in college. It's hard to control all the variables, especially with the salary cap and things like..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/nick-saban-2879_control_you-can-control-your-own-destiny-a-littl_328929.jpg" --- # You can control your own destiny a little bit better in… ![“You can control your own destiny a little bit better in college. It's hard to control all the variables, especially with the salary cap and things like that, in pro football. You can't keep your team together, and you are going to have more changes all the time. Personnel decisions aren't always…” quote by Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/nick-saban-2879_control_you-can-control-your-own-destiny-a-littl_328929.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/nick-saban-2879_control_you-can-control-your-own-destiny-a-littl_328929.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e81/nick-saban-2879_control_you-can-control-your-own-destiny-a-littl_328929.jpg) > “You can control your own destiny a little bit better in college. It's hard to control all the variables, especially with the salary cap and things like that, in pro football. You can't keep your team together, and you are going to have more changes all the time. Personnel decisions aren't always made by you, especially who you bring to your team.” [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. College offers limited agency over future compared to professional sports where many factors are beyond personal control. **In simple terms:** College gives some control, pro football less. Key Takeaway Accept what you can influence, adapt to what you cannot. Themes career development control uncertainty team dynamics decision making Mood reflective pragmatic determined Type advice motivational realistic When to use this quote - college planning - pro sports career - team management - salary negotiations - personal branding Key Concepts agency structural constraints organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - How can you maximize influence within limited control? - What strategies help you adapt to frequent changes? A Different Perspective Professional sports involve complex external constraints that can outweigh personal effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Team Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/team-together/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [There is no business in America that would be prevented from taking results into account when making personnel decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/there-is-no-business-in-america-that-would-be-prevented-from-taking/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [As coaches, whether we're making personnel decisions or not, we're all critical of ourselves. We always want to get better. We push our players…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-budenholzer/as-coaches-whether-we-re-making-personnel-decisions-or-not-we-re-all/) [Mike Budenholzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-budenholzer/) > [I think a lot of personnel decisions come down to who's the best player today, like if we had to throw 'em in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-nurse/i-think-a-lot-of-personnel-decisions-come-down-to-who-s-the-best/) [Nick Nurse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-nurse/) > [“I've written things about that, about how life's really big decisions aren't right or wrong, it's just that one lives different lives. No, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernhard-schlink/i-ve-written-things-about-that-about-how-life-s-really-big-decisions/) [Bernhard Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernhard-schlink/) > [“But in the end, financial decisions aren’t about getting rich. They’re about getting what you want—getting happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-richards/but-in-the-end-financial-decisions-aren-t-about-getting-rich-they-re/) Carl Richards > [You are going to make choices and decisions that sometimes aren't going to always work in your favor and they are going to upset…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gordon/you-are-going-to-make-choices-and-decisions-that-sometimes-aren-t/) [Jeff Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gordon/) > [The best decisions aren't made with your mind, but with your Instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-messi/the-best-decisions-aren-t-made-with-your-mind-but-with-your-instinct/) [Lionel Messi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-messi/) > [Life is simple. Living is hard. Feelings are complicated. Decisions aren't easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-is-simple-living-is-hard-feelings-are-complicated-decisions-aren/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [We can live a more relaxed life. We can accept that our decisions aren't rational, that we are always conditioned by society; that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renata-salecl/we-can-live-a-more-relaxed-life-we-can-accept-that-our-decisions-aren/) [Renata Salecl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renata-salecl/) > [I can bring my drive, I can get behind centre-halves, get on the other side of midfield players, score goals. That's what I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-jenas/i-can-bring-my-drive-i-can-get-behind-centre-halves-get-on-the-other/) [Jermaine Jenas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-jenas/) > [Most corporate decisions aren't going to meet the test of high validity. But they're going to be way above the low-validity situations that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-a-klein/most-corporate-decisions-aren-t-going-to-meet-the-test-of-high/) [Gary A. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-a-klein/) > [“The greatest benefit I bring my team is not my talents, gifts, experience, or education. It’s my energy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-scroggins/the-greatest-benefit-i-bring-my-team-is-not-my-talents-gifts/) [Clay Scroggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-scroggins/) > [I have to make a lot of decisions that aren't in the best interests of individuals, whether they be owners, club executives, players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-goodell/i-have-to-make-a-lot-of-decisions-that-aren-t-in-the-best-interests/) [Roger Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-goodell/) > [Everyone should know my quality and what I bring to the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xabi-alonso/everyone-should-know-my-quality-and-what-i-bring-to-the-team/) [Xabi Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xabi-alonso/) > [Our decisions aren’t just isolated choices. Our decisions point our lives in the directions we’re about to head. Show me a decision and I’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/our-decisions-aren-t-just-isolated-choices-our-decisions-point-our/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) ## More by Nick Saban > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [We create a standard for how we want to do things and everybody's got to buy into that standard or you really can't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/we-create-a-standard-for-how-we-want-to-do-things-and-everybody-s-got/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [What makes Freddy Krueger such a horrible character? What makes him scare you to death? You can't get rid of the guy. He never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/what-makes-freddy-krueger-such-a-horrible-character-what-makes-him/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I said as soon as we had a playoff, we were going to minimize the importance of all the other bowl games. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-said-as-soon-as-we-had-a-playoff-we-were-going-to-minimize-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Our goal is to work against things we have not seen that we will see in the near future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/our-goal-is-to-work-against-things-we-have-not-seen-that-we-will-see/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I've always been able to stay focused on trying to recruit good players and trying to develop those players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-ve-always-been-able-to-stay-focused-on-trying-to-recruit-good/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I think people always assume that every team has great intangibles, and that's not necessarily right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-think-people-always-assume-that-every-team-has-great-intangibles/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I think there's a certain pride people have in competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-think-there-s-a-certain-pride-people-have-in-competition/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Soccer is a continuous game, rugby is a continuous game, but for the physical elements that are involved in playing a football game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/soccer-is-a-continuous-game-rugby-is-a-continuous-game-but-for-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [You can't allow yourself to be vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/you-can-t-allow-yourself-to-be-vulnerable/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/there-are-two-pains-in-life-there-is-the-pain-of-discipline-and-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [As a coach, when it comes to football players, we're trying to change their behavior and make them better. As people, we're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/as-a-coach-when-it-comes-to-football-players-we-re-trying-to-change/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [We're not going to talk about what we're going to accomplish, we're going to talk about how we're going to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/we-re-not-going-to-talk-about-what-we-re-going-to-accomplish-we-re/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I want what's best for people who want to improve the quality of their life. I hope whoever our leader is will do all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-want-what-s-best-for-people-who-want-to-improve-the-quality-of/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [The thing that concerns me the most is when I hear that people are making a lot of money a lot of ways except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/the-thing-that-concerns-me-the-most-is-when-i-hear-that-people-are/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) [Explore all 147 Nick Saban quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) ## More Control quotes > [We have to get control of our borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/we-have-to-get-control-of-our-borders/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“You can't control who loves you...you can't let someone love you anymore than you can make someone love you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/you-can-t-control-who-loves-you-you-can-t-let-someone-love-you/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I thought I fought a really good Orlando Salido. I never let him get into his fight. I knew what I needed to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-thought-i-fought-a-really-good-orlando-salido-i-never-let-him-get/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [Don't think you can...know you can! You human body is the most impressive tool you'll ever own. Even if you can't control everything, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/don-t-think-you-can-know-you-can-you-human-body-is-the-most/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [If you have everything under control, you're not moving fast enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/if-you-have-everything-under-control-you-re-not-moving-fast-enough/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. You lose control and become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-miller/without-time-management-you-lose-control-of-your-life-and-do-what/) Thomas Miller > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Many of us rely on our own illusion of control. But when God makes it known to you that you're not the one steering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/many-of-us-rely-on-our-own-illusion-of-control-but-when-god-makes-it/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying or getting overly angry or to maintain control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/sometimes-you-have-to-laugh-to-keep-from-crying-or-getting-overly/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Some nights I'm funny with the between-song commentary, some nights I'm not. I have no control over this. I pace the stage a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berman/some-nights-i-m-funny-with-the-between-song-commentary-some-nights-i/) [David Berman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berman/) > [“Control never be a means to any practical end. It can never be a means to anything but more control… Like punk.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/control-never-be-a-means-to-any-practical-end-it-can-never-be-a-means/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 6,032 Control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can control your own destiny a little bit better in college. It's hard to control all the variables, especially with the salary cap and things like that, in pro football. You can't keep your team together, and you are going to have more changes all the time. 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