What counts in sports is not the victory, but the magnificence of the struggle.
My thing was play as hard as you can, don't be stupid, pay attention to details, and have enough guts in the clutch that you're not afraid to make a play. Some things I thought were important for a young man to know.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of hard work, attention to detail, and courage in critical moments.
Joe Paterno's quote highlights essential qualities for success, particularly for young individuals. He advocates for a strong work ethic ('play as hard as you can'), being mindful and careful ('don't be stupid, pay attention to details'), and possessing the courage to take decisive action when it matters most ('have enough guts in the clutch'). This advice encourages young people to balance diligence with wise decision-making and bravery.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational talk to students, one might use this quote to inspire them to strive for excellence in their studies.
More from Joe Paterno
All quotes →I don't think it's fair to 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds to say 'Show us you're a winner right now!' Winning isn't everything. I'll never buy that thing that if a boy loses a football game, he's a loser in life.
They ask me what I'd like written about me when I'm gone. I hope they write I made Penn State a better place, not just that I was a good football coach.
What is a coach? We are teachers. Educators. We have the same obligations as all teachers, except we probably have more influence over young people than anybody but their families. And, in a lot of cases, more than their families.
The name on the front of the jersey is what really matters, not the name on the back.
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Bring into play the almighty power within you, so that on the stage of life you can fulfill your high destined role.
You have no choices about how you lose, but you do have a choice about how you come back and prepare to win again.
As a species, we're not only wired to choose today over tomorrow, but we hate to feel like we're losing out on something. The bottom line is, if we feel like we're losing something we avoid it, we won't do it. That's why so many people don't save and invest. Saving sounds like you're giving something up, you're losing something today. But you're not.