---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The bigger your head, the easier to fill…"
description: "\"The bigger your head, the easier to fill your shoes.\" — Phil Jackson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/phil-jackson-4484_bigger_the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill_1216042.png"
---

#  The bigger your head, the easier to fill your shoes.

![“The bigger your head, the easier to fill your shoes.” quote by Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/phil-jackson-4484_bigger_the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill_1216042.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/phil-jackson-4484_bigger_the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill_1216042.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/phil-jackson-4484_bigger_the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill_1216042.png)

> “The bigger your head, the easier to fill your shoes.”

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Having a big ego makes it hard to find roles that truly suit you, as you overestimate your abilities and underestimate the need for humility.

**In simple terms:** Big ego blocks fitting into roles.

Key Takeaway

Check your ego, seek realistic fit.

Themes

humility self-awareness fit ego career growth

Mood

reflective critical

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- job interviews
- team sports
- leadership positions
- creative projects

Key Concepts

psychology identity role suitability

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you overestimate your abilities?
- How can humility improve your fit?

A Different Perspective

Ego can blind you to better opportunities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [My dad always had this little sign on his desk: 'The bigger your head is, the easier your shoes are to fill'. He really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-dad-always-had-this-little-sign-on-his-desk-the-bigger-your-head/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [The easier you can make it inside your head, the easier it will make things outside your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bandler/the-easier-you-can-make-it-inside-your-head-the-easier-it-will-make/)

[Richard Bandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bandler/)

> [The only time most of us ever learn anything is when we get hit over the back of the head. Why? Because it's easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-time-most-of-us-ever-learn-anything-is-when-we-get-hit-over/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Wildflower; pick up your pretty little head, It will get easier, your dreams are not dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/wildflower-pick-up-your-pretty-little-head-it-will-get-easier-your/)

[Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/)

> [Always make sure your heart is bigger than your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-oller/always-make-sure-your-heart-is-bigger-than-your-head/)

[Tony Oller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-oller/)

> [I just had a son and had to take him to the paediatrician and he measured his head and apparently he's in a group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-black/i-just-had-a-son-and-had-to-take-him-to-the-paediatrician-and-he/)

[Jack Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-black/)

> [If I had to describe myself to an alien I'd say I was bigger than the average human, enjoy a drink or two with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/if-i-had-to-describe-myself-to-an-alien-i-d-say-i-was-bigger-than-the/)

[Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/)

> [When your arms are bigger than your head, something is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-reeves/when-your-arms-are-bigger-than-your-head-something-is-wrong/)

Steve Reeves

> [“Don't eat anything bigger than your head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-augustus-dunn/don-t-eat-anything-bigger-than-your-head/)

Maria Augustus-Dunn

> [When I sat down with Under Armour, one of the first things we talked about was how this can be bigger than just shoes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/when-i-sat-down-with-under-armour-one-of-the-first-things-we-talked/)

[Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/)

> [Old friends, like old shoes, are comfortable. But old shoes, unlike old friends, tend not to be supportive: it is easier to stumble and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-friends-like-old-shoes-are-comfortable-but-old-shoes-unlike-old/)

[Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/)

> [Dawn Steel was the person who told me I could never wear shoes like this! She and Nora Ephron told me 'you can't wear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-pascal/dawn-steel-was-the-person-who-told-me-i-could-never-wear-shoes-like/)

[Amy Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-pascal/)

> [I know my hair is out of the '60's, my clothes are '50's and the shoes I wear are from the '40's. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-know-my-hair-is-out-of-the-60-s-my-clothes-are-50-s-and-the-shoes-i/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/)

[Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/)

> [No one knows whom the shoe pinches - no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholom-aleichem/no-one-knows-whom-the-shoe-pinches-no-one/)

[Sholom Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholom-aleichem/)

## More by Phil Jackson

> [My parents were, had a marriage of passion, and the passion was about their religious beliefs. They were both immigrant families that - well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-parents-were-had-a-marriage-of-passion-and-the-passion-was-about/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“The unconscious mind is a terrific solver of complex problems when the conscious mind is busy elsewhere or, perhaps better yet, not overtaxed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-unconscious-mind-is-a-terrific-solver-of-complex-problems-when/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [There's a term, agape, you hear used a lot with charismatic religious groups, that it's this more pure love of caring, of sharing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/there-s-a-term-agape-you-hear-used-a-lot-with-charismatic-religious/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“My confidence grew out of knowing that when the spirit was right and the players were attuned to one another, the game was likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-confidence-grew-out-of-knowing-that-when-the-spirit-was-right-and/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [I don't believe in curfews, because you can't treat men like they were boys without forfeiting a certain level of trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/i-don-t-believe-in-curfews-because-you-can-t-treat-men-like-they-were/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [My philosophy is that you can't motivate players with speeches, you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-philosophy-is-that-you-can-t-motivate-players-with-speeches-you/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [My philosophy is that you don't motivate players with speeches; you have motivated players that you draft. That's where they come in, and those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-philosophy-is-that-you-don-t-motivate-players-with-speeches-you/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [Leadership is not about forcing your will on others. It's about mastering the art of letting go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/leadership-is-not-about-forcing-your-will-on-others-it-s-about/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“As a leader your job is to do everything in your power to create the perfect conditions for success by benching your ego and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/as-a-leader-your-job-is-to-do-everything-in-your-power-to-create-the/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [If we can accept whatever hand we've been dealt - no matter how unwelcome - the way to proceed eventually becomes clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/if-we-can-accept-whatever-hand-we-ve-been-dealt-no-matter-how/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [A coach's main job is to reawaken a spirit in which the players can blend together effortlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/a-coach-s-main-job-is-to-reawaken-a-spirit-in-which-the-players-can/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [“Zen teacher Lewis Richmond tells the story of hearing Shunryu Suzuki sum up Buddhism in two words. Suzuki had just finished giving a talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/zen-teacher-lewis-richmond-tells-the-story-of-hearing-shunryu-suzuki/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [My mother's families were Mennonites or Anabaptists that came to Minnesota from Russia. They were actually moving around Europe doing diking and lowland reclamation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/my-mother-s-families-were-mennonites-or-anabaptists-that-came-to/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [The real value in everything you do is in the details. I just like that quote. A very similar way to say the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-real-value-in-everything-you-do-is-in-the-details-i-just-like/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

> [Coaching is about, "How do I get people to play at their peak level?" It is a spiritual quest. And if it's not that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/coaching-is-about-how-do-i-get-people-to-play-at-their-peak-level-it/)

[Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

[Explore all 110 Phil Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/)

## More Bigger quotes

> [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

> [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/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [In China, people are moving from bigger cars to small hatches, and interestingly, the Indian market is graduating to bigger cars and sedans. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfried-vahland/in-china-people-are-moving-from-bigger-cars-to-small-hatches-and/)

[Winfried Vahland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfried-vahland/)

> [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/)

[Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/)

> [I just think structure can make a book feel so much bigger. It's the architecture. You could use flimsy materials if you wanted to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-just-think-structure-can-make-a-book-feel-so-much-bigger-it-s-the/)

[Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/)

> [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/)

[Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/)

> [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/)

[James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/)

> [Sometimes people can write really great scenes and even a great episode, but they can't see the bigger picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-night-shyamalan/sometimes-people-can-write-really-great-scenes-and-even-a-great/)

[M. Night Shyamalan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-night-shyamalan/)

> [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/)

[Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/)

> [If you consider yourself a part of the culture, then finances can't allow you to be bigger than the actual art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/if-you-consider-yourself-a-part-of-the-culture-then-finances-can-t/)

[Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/)

> [If we get better our customers will demand we get bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-truett-cathy/if-we-get-better-our-customers-will-demand-we-get-bigger/)

[S. Truett Cathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-truett-cathy/)

> [ Their \[the U.S.’s\] defense budget in absolute figures is almost 25 times bigger than Russia’s. This is what in defense is referred to as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/their-the-u-s-s-defense-budget-in-absolute-figures-is-almost-25-times/)

[Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/)

> [I think everyone has been annoyed at school or in their life, that's a type of bullying. So, you can take those feelings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kodi-smit-mcphee/i-think-everyone-has-been-annoyed-at-school-or-in-their-life-that-s-a/)

[Kodi Smit-McPhee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kodi-smit-mcphee/)

> [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/)

[Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/)

Browse all 3,614 Bigger quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The bigger your head, the easier to fill your shoes.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Phil Jackson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill-your-shoes/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Bigger"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill-your-shoes/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/phil-jackson-4484_bigger_the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill_1216042.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/phil-jackson-4484_bigger_the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill_1216042.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/253/phil-jackson-4484_bigger_the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill_1216042.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The bigger your head, the easier to fill your shoes.” — Phil Jackson",
                "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": "Phil Jackson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The bigger your head, the easier...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill-your-shoes/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/the-bigger-your-head-the-easier-to-fill-your-shoes/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
