The big thing is, everybody says it's being in the right place at the right time. But it's more than that, it's being in the right place all the time. Because if I make 20 runs to the near post and each time I lose my defender, and 19 times the ball goes over my head or behind me - then one time I'm three yards out, the ball comes to the right place and I tap it in - then people say, right place, right time. And I was there *all* the time.
Interpretation
Success comes from consistent effort and being ready for opportunities at all times.
In this quote, Gary Lineker emphasizes that success is not merely about being lucky or opportunistic. Instead, it involves persistent preparation and the readiness to capitalize on opportunities when they arise. By consistently positioning oneself to succeed, even if most attempts seem fruitless, one can eventually seize the moment when it truly counts, thus redefining what it means to be 'in the right place at the right time.'
In practice
This quote can inspire athletes to train consistently, regardless of immediate results.
Fundamentally, footballers don't look around a dressing room and think, 'He's a black player... he's Japanese.' They don't think like that. They think, 'He's a good player; he can help. He's not very good.' I'm not trying to defend anyone's actions, but there are going to be isolated incidents because it's an emotive, passionate sport.
Playing football and presenting TV are totally different things, but there are similarities: it's exciting, it can go well, it can go badly... the difference is when presenting goes badly, it doesn't really affect anyone's life, whereas when you have a bad day on the pitch, it affects people's moods for a whole week.
Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.
I watched Leicester City lose in the 1969 FA Cup final with my dad and granddad when I was eight and cried all the way home. I have seen them get promoted and relegated. I played for them for eight years. I even got a group of like-minded fans and friends to stump up a few quid to salvage the club when they went into liquidation.
The key to success is emotional stability.
No matter how well you do in the regular season, it has to be capped off with a championship to really mark your legacy in the game.
It's not whether the glass is half empty or half full, it's who is pouring the water. The key in business and success at any endeavor is doing your best to control your destiny. You can't always do it, but you have to take every opportunity you can to be as prepared as-and ahead of-the competition as you possibly can be.
Success is not measured by what you do compared to what somebody else does. Success is measured by what you do compared to what you are capable of doing.
I don't think I have achieved anything that I can really be proud of.
In every failure lies the seeds of success.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.