"It was important to me to believe, because if I don't believe, how can I expect them to believe?"
About this Quote
The subtext is a confession of pressure. Thomas isn’t describing confidence as a personality trait; he’s describing it as a responsibility. “Important to me” signals discipline, not inspiration: belief is something he chooses because the alternative is corrosive. If the leader is secretly skeptical, the team senses it immediately - in body language, in late-game decisions, in how a player reacts after a bad run. Doubt is contagious; so is resolve.
The quote also reveals an athlete’s understanding of performance as theater with real consequences. You’re always being watched: teammates, coaches, opponents, fans. Belief becomes a kind of internal contract, because the moment you’re asking others to buy in - to play through pain, accept roles, trust a system - you’re selling a story about what’s possible. Thomas’s intent is pragmatic: conviction isn’t ego. It’s the price of asking other people to follow you into uncertainty.
Quote Details
| Topic | Leadership |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Thomas, Isaiah. (2026, January 17). It was important to me to believe, because if I don't believe, how can I expect them to believe? FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/it-was-important-to-me-to-believe-because-if-i-68358/
Chicago Style
Thomas, Isaiah. "It was important to me to believe, because if I don't believe, how can I expect them to believe?" FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/it-was-important-to-me-to-believe-because-if-i-68358/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"It was important to me to believe, because if I don't believe, how can I expect them to believe?" FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/it-was-important-to-me-to-believe-because-if-i-68358/. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.










