--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There have been competitions where I got…" description: "\"There have been competitions where I got on the line and psyched myself out before I even let myself compete. I was thinking about the other competitor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/tori-bowie-13951_chance_there-have-been-competitions-where-i-got_3008848.jpg" --- # There have been competitions where I got on the line and… ![“There have been competitions where I got on the line and psyched myself out before I even let myself compete. I was thinking about the other competitors and not giving myself a fair chance. I had to shift to thinking, 'Just focus on yourself and doing what your coach has taught you to do.'” quote by Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/tori-bowie-13951_chance_there-have-been-competitions-where-i-got_3008848.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/tori-bowie-13951_chance_there-have-been-competitions-where-i-got_3008848.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6d/tori-bowie-13951_chance_there-have-been-competitions-where-i-got_3008848.jpg) > “There have been competitions where I got on the line and psyched myself out before I even let myself compete. I was thinking about the other competitors and not giving myself a fair chance. I had to shift to thinking, 'Just focus on yourself and doing what your coach has taught you to do.'” [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑doubt can sabotage performance before it starts; refocusing on personal preparation restores confidence. **In simple terms:** Self‑doubt hurts; focus on your own training. Key Takeaway Shift attention to your own preparation. Themes confidence focus self‑talk Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - competition - training sessions - pre‑race routine - coach feedback Key Concepts psychology performance anxiety mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you train your mind to stay present? - What routines help you stay focused on your own goals? A Different Perspective If you keep comparing yourself, you may never perform at your best. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete/) [Compete Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete-thinking-4813592/) [Competitors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitors/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Focus on yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus-on-yourself/) [Let Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/let-compete-4813593/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thinking Competitors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking-competitors-403310/) ## Related quotes > [“The use of “war games” is a powerful antidote to the lack of thinking about competitors’ reactions to proposed moves. 11.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvard-business-school-press/the-use-of-war-games-is-a-powerful-antidote-to-the-lack-of-thinking/) [Harvard Business School Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvard-business-school-press/) > [Let's take our fight to our opponents with better ideas. Let's get on the offensive and let's stay there. Let's compete in every part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/let-s-take-our-fight-to-our-opponents-with-better-ideas-let-s-get-on/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [“The roots of the word “compete” are the Latin con petire, which meant “to seek together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/the-roots-of-the-word-compete-are-the-latin-con-petire-which-meant-to/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [I looked at my competitors and I thought that, If they could do it, I could do it. And if, they are popular and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-hilfiger/i-looked-at-my-competitors-and-i-thought-that-if-they-could-do-it-i/) [Tommy Hilfiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-hilfiger/) > [I am someone that is very competitive. When I'm on the field, I compete. When I'm practicing, when I'm in meetings. I'm a competitor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-tebow/i-am-someone-that-is-very-competitive-when-i-m-on-the-field-i-compete/) [Tim Tebow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-tebow/) > [All of our competitors around the world, every country is investing more in infrastructure as a percentage of their GDP than we are. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-r-oberhelman/all-of-our-competitors-around-the-world-every-country-is-investing/) [Douglas R. Oberhelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-r-oberhelman/) > [Starting my own business was kind of a wakeup call in a number of different ways. I had to meet a payroll every week,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/starting-my-own-business-was-kind-of-a-wakeup-call-in-a-number-of/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [It's easy to be a tough competitor and still be the kind of person with whom people love to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-thompson/it-s-easy-to-be-a-tough-competitor-and-still-be-the-kind-of-person/) [Chuck Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-thompson/) > [There is nothing wrong with dedication and goals, but if you focus on yourself, all the lights fade away and you become a fleeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-maravich/there-is-nothing-wrong-with-dedication-and-goals-but-if-you-focus-on/) [Pete Maravich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-maravich/) > [Being single isn't all that bad, as you can be selfish and focus on yourself and your career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aditya-roy-kapur/being-single-isn-t-all-that-bad-as-you-can-be-selfish-and-focus-on/) [Aditya Roy Kapur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aditya-roy-kapur/) > [Some stuff happened outside of tennis, and it made me realize that you just have to think about yourself, just focus on yourself, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-garcia/some-stuff-happened-outside-of-tennis-and-it-made-me-realize-that-you/) [Caroline Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-garcia/) > [Photoshop your life. Touch up the edges, adjust the tones, blur out the background, focus on yourself, and crop people out!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/photoshop-your-life-touch-up-the-edges-adjust-the-tones-blur-out-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Worrying about other people gives you less time to focus on yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/worrying-about-other-people-gives-you-less-time-to-focus-on-yourself/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The more you focus on yourself, the more distracted you will be from the proper path. The more you know Him and commune with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-more-you-focus-on-yourself-the-more-distracted-you-will-be-from/) [John Macarthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [Just focus on yourself and don't let anybody put you down cause in the end you'll be the one who is accomplished after they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-focus-on-yourself-and-don-t-let-anybody-put-you-down-cause-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Tori Bowie > [The 200 is tragic! It's my favorite race, but it takes so much out of the body - and it's too much time to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/the-200-is-tragic-it-s-my-favorite-race-but-it-takes-so-much-out-of/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [My entire life, my grandmother told me I could do whatever I set my mind to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/my-entire-life-my-grandmother-told-me-i-could-do-whatever-i-set-my/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [It's like a dream come true, coming to the Olympic trails and leaving being the champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/it-s-like-a-dream-come-true-coming-to-the-olympic-trails-and-leaving/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [Your body can't get stronger or more powerful unless you're balanced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/your-body-can-t-get-stronger-or-more-powerful-unless-you-re-balanced/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [I enjoy where I'm from. That's me. And my family never let me get far away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/i-enjoy-where-i-m-from-that-s-me-and-my-family-never-let-me-get-far/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [I'm really blessed to have so many people supporting me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/i-m-really-blessed-to-have-so-many-people-supporting-me/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [I never wanted my grandmother to leave my side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/i-never-wanted-my-grandmother-to-leave-my-side/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [I am going to branch out to acting and do more modeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/i-am-going-to-branch-out-to-acting-and-do-more-modeling/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [My mother dropped us off at a foster care centre when I was just two. But my grandmother ended up fighting for us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/my-mother-dropped-us-off-at-a-foster-care-centre-when-i-was-just-two/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [You have to bury nerves, because they can either destroy you or give you that extra boost. You have to use your nerves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/you-have-to-bury-nerves-because-they-can-either-destroy-you-or-give/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [Making the Olympic team was the biggest thing I've ever accomplished. That was something I had to wait four years to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/making-the-olympic-team-was-the-biggest-thing-i-ve-ever-accomplished/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [The first thing I pack for meets is my makeup bag!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/the-first-thing-i-pack-for-meets-is-my-makeup-bag/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [I'm a simple, country, small-town girl at heart. I try and stick to the values that I learned as a child, and I lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/i-m-a-simple-country-small-town-girl-at-heart-i-try-and-stick-to-the/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [One day, I would love to learn how to play piano and guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/one-day-i-would-love-to-learn-how-to-play-piano-and-guitar/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) > [I'm extremely content with my silver and bronze medals. But once I won the gold, I fell in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-bowie/i-m-extremely-content-with-my-silver-and-bronze-medals-but-once-i-won/) [Tori Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) [Explore all 48 Tori Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-bowie/) ## More Chance quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [I understand it's promotion, but no one ever gave me a chance. No one ever thought I'd be the champ, and look where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stipe-miocic/i-understand-it-s-promotion-but-no-one-ever-gave-me-a-chance-no-one/) [Stipe Miocic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stipe-miocic/) > [I might, by chance, write something just as shoddy; But then I wouldn't show it to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/i-might-by-chance-write-something-just-as-shoddy-but-then-i-wouldn-t/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I have heard that if you pull a bent breath through the second hole of a harmonica tuned to the key of Georgia while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddy-wakefield/i-have-heard-that-if-you-pull-a-bent-breath-through-the-second-hole/) [Buddy Wakefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddy-wakefield/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [Love changes people, for better or for worse. You could look at it as a chance for you to change. The best kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-changes-people-for-better-or-for-worse-you-could-look-at-it-as-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's not who, it's when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-taubas/it-s-not-who-it-s-when/) [Alejandro Taubas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-taubas/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I thought my first few jobs would just be off, off, off, off, off broadway. And by chance and how the world works, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-dorfman/i-thought-my-first-few-jobs-would-just-be-off-off-off-off-off/) [Tommy Dorfman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-dorfman/) > [If you’re worrying about the past, you’ve got a good chance of screwing up the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-a-tullman/if-you-re-worrying-about-the-past-you-ve-got-a-good-chance-of/) [Howard A. Tullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-a-tullman/) > [To be successful, one must take chances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-stargell/to-be-successful-one-must-take-chances/) [Willie Stargell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-stargell/) [Browse all 12,460 Chance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There have been competitions where I got on the line and psyched myself out before I even let myself compete. 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