--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only children believe they're capable of…" description: "\"Only children believe they're capable of everything.\" — Paulo Coelho" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/paulo-coelho-10_believe_only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of_590563.jpg" --- # Only children believe they're capable of everything. ![“Only children believe they're capable of everything.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/paulo-coelho-10_believe_only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of_590563.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/paulo-coelho-10_believe_only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of_590563.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/paulo-coelho-10_believe_only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of_590563.jpg) > “Only children believe they're capable of everything.” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Children often overestimate their abilities, believing they can achieve anything without limits. **In simple terms:** Kids think they can do anything. Key Takeaway Recognize realistic limits while staying ambitious. Themes confidence overconfidence growth humility Mood optimistic reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - school projects - career planning - team leadership - personal goals Key Concepts psychology developmental stages self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance confidence with realistic self‑assessment? - When does confidence become overconfidence? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can lead to reckless decisions and disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Only child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only-child/) ## Related quotes > [Only children believe they're capable of everything. They're trusting and fearless; they believe in their own power and get exactly what they want. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of-everything-they-re-trusting/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Believe in yourself, because you are capable of doing amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/believe-in-yourself-because-you-are-capable-of-doing-amazing-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They looked like two children," she told me. And that thought frightened her, because she'd always felt that only children are capable of everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/they-looked-like-two-children-she-told-me-and-that-thought-frightened/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [Inner strength make you believe you are capable of much more than you thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/inner-strength-make-you-believe-you-are-capable-of-much-more-than-you/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [I certainly believe I am capable of being a head coach or running a team. The bottom line is surrounding yourself with people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-certainly-believe-i-am-capable-of-being-a-head-coach-or-running-a/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [“Be about ten times more magnanimous than you believe yourself capable of being. Your life will be a hundred times better for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/be-about-ten-times-more-magnanimous-than-you-believe-yourself-capable/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [You don't need anyone to believe that you can do it, as long as you believe in yourself and what you're capable of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-need-anyone-to-believe-that-you-can-do-it-as-long-as-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That you honestly believe I am capable of hurting innocent people for no reason.” “You’re not?” I asked, hope softening my voice. “Oh, no,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darynda-jones/that-you-honestly-believe-i-am-capable-of-hurting-innocent-people-for/) [Darynda Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darynda-jones/) > [“You have everything you need within you to become the best possible version of yourself. Believe that you CAN. Believe that you’re capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-angel-affect/you-have-everything-you-need-within-you-to-become-the-best-possible/) The Angel Affect > [“It has always been easier to believe himself capable of evil than to accept evil in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-guest/it-has-always-been-easier-to-believe-himself-capable-of-evil-than-to/) [Judith Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-guest/) > [If there is a believe that is capable to move mountains it is the believe in our own strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/if-there-is-a-believe-that-is-capable-to-move-mountains-it-is-the/) [Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-von-ebner-eschenbach/) > [It is necessary that... we should believe that we are as capable of producing great art as we believe we are capable of doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lismer/it-is-necessary-that-we-should-believe-that-we-are-as-capable-of/) [Arthur Lismer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lismer/) > [“Believe that you are capable of achieving your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/believe-that-you-are-capable-of-achieving-your-dreams/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I do, have done and always will believe that I am very capable of performing and thriving at any level of the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-wilkinson/i-do-have-done-and-always-will-believe-that-i-am-very-capable-of/) [Jonny Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-wilkinson/) > [“If you believe you are capable, you find the courage to get it done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-you-believe-you-are-capable-you-find-the-courage-to-get-it-done/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## More by Paulo Coelho > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [To love is to be in communion with the other and to discover in that other the spark of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-love-is-to-be-in-communion-with-the-other-and-to-discover-in-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [It is not enough to dream of the Impossible Love - it is necessary to conquer it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/it-is-not-enough-to-dream-of-the-impossible-love-it-is-necessary-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Eat when it is time to eat. And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-someone-leaves-it-s-because-someone-else-is-about-to-arrive/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [She didn't need to understand the meaning of life; it was enough to find someone who did, and then fall asleep in his arms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/she-didn-t-need-to-understand-the-meaning-of-life-it-was-enough-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The simpler the pose, the better; the more sober, the more beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-simpler-the-pose-the-better-the-more-sober-the-more-beautiful/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) [Explore all 3,665 Paulo Coelho quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only children believe they're capable of everything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paulo Coelho" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of-everything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of-everything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/paulo-coelho-10_believe_only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of_590563.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/paulo-coelho-10_believe_only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of_590563.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e06/paulo-coelho-10_believe_only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of_590563.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only children believe they're capable of everything.” — Paulo Coelho", "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": "Paulo Coelho", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only children believe they're capable of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of-everything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/only-children-believe-they-re-capable-of-everything/#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 } } ] } ```