--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My thing I liked was to challenge guys…" description: "\"My thing I liked was to challenge guys that were smaller, guys that were supposed to be quicker. Because I think self-consciously I was trying to prove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/wilt-chamberlain-14895_athlete_my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-t_2302457.jpg" --- # My thing I liked was to challenge guys that were smaller… ![“My thing I liked was to challenge guys that were smaller, guys that were supposed to be quicker. Because I think self-consciously I was trying to prove to people it wasn't just my height that was getting me across in these various sports. It was some other intrinsic things that I had that made me…” quote by Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/wilt-chamberlain-14895_athlete_my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-t_2302457.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/wilt-chamberlain-14895_athlete_my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-t_2302457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/wilt-chamberlain-14895_athlete_my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-t_2302457.jpg) > “My thing I liked was to challenge guys that were smaller, guys that were supposed to be quicker. Because I think self-consciously I was trying to prove to people it wasn't just my height that was getting me across in these various sports. It was some other intrinsic things that I had that made me a good athlete.” [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sought to prove his athletic worth beyond height, focusing on intrinsic qualities like skill and determination. **In simple terms:** Prove yourself through ability, not physical traits. Key Takeaway Develop inner strengths to excel. Themes self‑belief determination skill Mood determined confident Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - Sports coaching - personal development - team leadership Key Concepts Athletic performance self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How can we shift focus from physical traits to skill? - What internal qualities matter most in competition? A Different Perspective Physical attributes still influence perception; societal bias persists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Good athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-athlete/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not afraid to challenge guys. I'm not afraid to put guys in positions to help the team. And I'm not beyond accepting criticism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-conley-jr/i-m-not-afraid-to-challenge-guys-i-m-not-afraid-to-put-guys-in/) [Mike Conley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-conley-jr/) > [The guy who says, 'I love the challenge of managing,' is one step from being out of a job. I don't welcome any challenge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-weaver/the-guy-who-says-i-love-the-challenge-of-managing-is-one-step-from/) [Earl Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-weaver/) > [I like to challenge myself. There are not many guys on tour who can give me a challenge in Ping-Pong. So I'll throw some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-kuchar/i-like-to-challenge-myself-there-are-not-many-guys-on-tour-who-can/) [Matt Kuchar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-kuchar/) > [When you're young, you might not be ready to deal with the frustration of playing the big guys and dealing with their power. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-goffin/when-you-re-young-you-might-not-be-ready-to-deal-with-the-frustration/) [David Goffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-goffin/) > [I don't think smaller guys usually bother me on my shot too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khris-middleton/i-don-t-think-smaller-guys-usually-bother-me-on-my-shot-too-much/) [Khris Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khris-middleton/) > [I'm a lot smaller than most guys, so I have to make up with grittiness and show I can work the hardest, show I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-marchand/i-m-a-lot-smaller-than-most-guys-so-i-have-to-make-up-with-grittiness/) [Brad Marchand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-marchand/) > [I've never been bullied, but I've seen kids get bullied. I've seen guys who want to be tough and pick on smaller guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-chung/i-ve-never-been-bullied-but-i-ve-seen-kids-get-bullied-i-ve-seen-guys/) [Patrick Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-chung/) > [It's gone on my whole life, this David and Goliath syndrome that a lot of these smaller guys always have. They think the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-nash/it-s-gone-on-my-whole-life-this-david-and-goliath-syndrome-that-a-lot/) [Kevin Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-nash/) > [I'm a big fan of seeing smaller guys vs. big men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-balor/i-m-a-big-fan-of-seeing-smaller-guys-vs-big-men/) [Finn Balor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-balor/) > [People think that just because you're a center, you're not as smart as the guards or the smaller guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/people-think-that-just-because-you-re-a-center-you-re-not-as-smart-as/) [Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/) > [I feel like big men don't like it when they're getting fronted by smaller guys and they just staying real, real aggressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javale-mcgee/i-feel-like-big-men-don-t-like-it-when-they-re-getting-fronted-by/) [JaVale McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javale-mcgee/) > [Seeing bigger guys doesn't scare me at all. It just makes me want to compete against those guys. Bigger or smaller guys - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-ingram/seeing-bigger-guys-doesn-t-scare-me-at-all-it-just-makes-me-want-to/) [Brandon Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-ingram/) > [I'm not the fastest player, but you can't really play up on me because my handles are good enough where I can get around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-billups/i-m-not-the-fastest-player-but-you-can-t-really-play-up-on-me-because/) [Chauncey Billups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-billups/) > [Rey never ran over anybody. Rey chopped everybody down a piece at a time and at the end of the night, you bought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/rey-never-ran-over-anybody-rey-chopped-everybody-down-a-piece-at-a/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [It's just using my size. On the defensive end, it's using my length to disturb the smaller guys. On the offensive end, if there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khris-middleton/it-s-just-using-my-size-on-the-defensive-end-it-s-using-my-length-to/) [Khris Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khris-middleton/) ## More by Wilt Chamberlain > [The man who won't loan money isn't going to have many friends - or need them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/the-man-who-won-t-loan-money-isn-t-going-to-have-many-friends-or-need/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [“Everyone roots for David, Nobody pulls for Goliath”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/everyone-roots-for-david-nobody-pulls-for-goliath/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [And I remember leaving my place in L.A. and - my father is a big fight fan - and I said, 'Dad, I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/and-i-remember-leaving-my-place-in-l-a-and-my-father-is-a-big-fight/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [Nobody roots for Goliath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/nobody-roots-for-goliath/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [I've prided myself on being in excellent condition-as good as any man in my profession. Now this doesn't come from sitting around on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/i-ve-prided-myself-on-being-in-excellent-condition-as-good-as-any-man/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [That's my tag, whether I like it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/that-s-my-tag-whether-i-like-it-or-not/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [You must understand as a kid of color in those days, the Harlem Globetrotters were like being movie stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/you-must-understand-as-a-kid-of-color-in-those-days-the-harlem/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [Everything is habit-forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/everything-is-habit-forming-so-make-sure-what-you-do-is-what-you-want/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [A big dog tends to be much more at ease with kids and gentle with them than a little one that's always yelping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/a-big-dog-tends-to-be-much-more-at-ease-with-kids-and-gentle-with/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [Bill Russell helped make my dream a better dream because when you play with the best, you know you have to play your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/bill-russell-helped-make-my-dream-a-better-dream-because-when-you/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [Monogamy is the true path to happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/monogamy-is-the-true-path-to-happiness/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [If you have ability in a certain area, why not capitalize on it and improve it and use it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/if-you-have-ability-in-a-certain-area-why-not-capitalize-on-it-and/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [I believe that good things come to those who work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/i-believe-that-good-things-come-to-those-who-work/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [He fouled out in the fourth quarter, and that's when I really started getting points. He was no more at fault than anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/he-fouled-out-in-the-fourth-quarter-and-that-s-when-i-really-started/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) > [But the point of using the number was to show that sex was a great part of my life as basketball was a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/but-the-point-of-using-the-number-was-to-show-that-sex-was-a-great/) [Wilt Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) [Explore all 45 Wilt Chamberlain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [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/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My thing I liked was to challenge guys that were smaller, guys that were supposed to be quicker. Because I think self-consciously I was trying to prove to people it wasn't just my height that was getting me across in these various sports. It was some other intrinsic things that I had that made me a good athlete.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wilt Chamberlain" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-that-were-smaller-guys-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-that-were-smaller-guys-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/wilt-chamberlain-14895_athlete_my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-t_2302457.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/wilt-chamberlain-14895_athlete_my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-t_2302457.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23c/wilt-chamberlain-14895_athlete_my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-t_2302457.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My thing I liked was to challenge guys that were smaller, guys that were supposed to be quicker. Because I…” — Wilt Chamberlain", "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": "Wilt Chamberlain", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilt-chamberlain/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My thing I liked was to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-that-were-smaller-guys-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilt-chamberlain/my-thing-i-liked-was-to-challenge-guys-that-were-smaller-guys-that/#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 } } ] } ```