I know I didn't deserve this, but God has given me this baseball ability. So I've got to do whatever I can to honor him.
Clayton KershawRead
You can't control the talents He gives you, no doubt about that. But you can control the effort you put forth with those talents.
Interpretation
While you cannot choose the talents you possess, you do have the power to determine how much effort you put into using them.
This quote emphasizes the distinction between natural talents and the effort required to develop those talents fully. It suggests that although individuals may have varying abilities that they did not choose, the key to success lies in the dedication and effort they invest in honing and utilizing those abilities. In essence, while talents are given, success is earned through hard work.
In practice
This quote is perfect for a motivational speech at a sports event.
I know I didn't deserve this, but God has given me this baseball ability. So I've got to do whatever I can to honor him.
There's a responsibility to the coaches, to the organization, to the front office, to the owners, to everybody who believes in you enough to give you what you've gotten, to the fans that show up every day and pay to watch you play - all those things combined. It's not fair to take a day off.
People think that at the top there isn't much room. They tend to think of it as an Everest. My message is that there is tons of room at the top.
In 1919 I woke up famous. I'd never guessed it. If I'd known I was famous, I'd have stolen away and wept. I was stupid. I was supposed to be intelligent. I was sensitive and very dumb.
If you're going to play at all, you're out to win. Baseball, board games, playing Jeopardy, I hate to lose.
Anybody, and any company, can have a big run of success once, but if you're going to repeat that over time, you need to be aware that you need to keep learning.
The giants of the race have been men of concentration, who have struck sledge-hammer blows in one place until they have accomplished their purpose. The successful men of today are men of one overmastering idea, one unwavering aim, men of single and intense purpose.
There's a certain sense of ownership that the fans have over you....The thing is, it's all good. You just have to get used to it. If somebody comes up to you while you're eating dinner or something, it's kind of like, 'Well, I asked for it.' It's much better than the alternative-nobody caring and nobody buying your music. The point is to try to just realize that these people are really excited, and that's a good thing. You want them to be that way.
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