It's about getting in position and taking a swing. I don't care if you're taking steroids or not; if you don't do those two things, it's not going to matter anyway.
Interpretation
Success comes from being prepared and taking action, regardless of external factors.
In this quote, Tony Gwynn emphasizes the importance of being ready to take chances in order to achieve success. He suggests that it is crucial to put oneself in a position to act and to take decisive action, as merely relying on advantages such as performance-enhancing substances will not lead to success without effort and initiative.
In practice
In a motivational speech to young athletes.
I think the ability to hit - some guys have it and some guys don't - but I think how dedicated you are to trying to get the most out of yourself, I think kind of determines how good you are and for how long. I was born with the ability to hit, but my work ethic has taken it to the next level.
I'm coaching 'swing at this, don't swing at that,' and in the middle of it, a kid looks at me and says, 'Coach, I think I'm going to fail history.' Or maybe their girlfriend just dumped them. These are kids, and once I embraced that, this became a lot more fun.
Ability is a poor man's wealth.
Ever since I was younger I wanted to be on stage, singing my songs in a glittering costume. And that happened and is still happening. I have to remember that this is what I wished for and be grateful because there are 500 other girls right behind me that are ready to snatch it up.
You'll hear a lot of applause in your life, but none will mean more to you than that applause from your peers. I hope each of you hears that at the end.
I'm always thinking about losing money as opposed to making money. Don't focus on making money, focus on protecting what you have
Great industries are never made from single companies. There is room in space for a lot of winners.
Don’t just climb the ladder of success - a ladder that leads, after all, to higher and higher levels of stress and burnout - but chart a new path to success, remaking it in a way that includes not just the conventional metrics of money and power, but a third metric that includes well-being, wisdom, wonder and giving, so that the goal is not just to succeed but to thrive.
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