You don't get this opportunity many times in life to compete against the best in the world every night. I certainly didn't expect to have 10 or 11 years of chances at it, so I don't want to take that for granted.
John StocktonRead
I was always the kid dribbling the ball on the sidelines, hoping someone would pick me. I'd go with my older brother to the gym or park, and when I went out there, I'd pass the ball so I could get picked again.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the journey of perseverance and the desire for acceptance in sports and life.
John Stockton's quote captures the essence of persistence and the yearning for inclusion. It illustrates a childhood experience where the author, while feeling sidelined, actively sought opportunities to engage and prove himself, highlighting the importance of determination and camaraderie in achieving success.
In practice
This quote is perfect for a motivational speech aimed at young athletes.
You don't get this opportunity many times in life to compete against the best in the world every night. I certainly didn't expect to have 10 or 11 years of chances at it, so I don't want to take that for granted.
You can't afford to hop around and act like a kid when you have to get back on defense and worry about the other parts of the game. But at the end, when the buzzer sounds, you have the luxury of hopping around and looking foolish for a while.
Why was I able to be able to pass? What did I do right that allowed me to make a pass - any given pass? There's balance; there's vision.
I never thought I'd make it in the NBA, so everything else is gravy.
I don't think about the record, because winning games has to be our focus, and if we lost focus thinking about that record, I would really regret it. How will I feel later on? People tell me it will mean a lot after I retire, for the kids and me. But to me, it's just a stat. It's something people enjoy talking about. Me? I just enjoy playing.
There is no secret to success except hard work and getting something indefinable which we call 'the breaks.' In order for a writer to succeed, I suggest three things - read and write - and wait.
With Heaven's aid I have conquered for you a huge empire. But my life was too short to achieve the conquest of the world. That task is left for you
After hard work, the biggest determinant is being in the right place at the right time.
The attempt and not the deed confounds us.
The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem you had last year.
Success comes to a writer as a rule, so gradually that it is always something of a shock to him to look back and realize the heights to which he has climbed.
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