--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't compete with other discus…" description: "\"I don't compete with other discus throwers. I compete with my own history.\" — Al Oerter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/al-oerter-44876_football_i-don-t-compete-with-other-discus-throwe_951324.png" --- # I don't compete with other discus throwers. I compete with… ![“I don't compete with other discus throwers. I compete with my own history.” quote by Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/al-oerter-44876_football_i-don-t-compete-with-other-discus-throwe_951324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/al-oerter-44876_football_i-don-t-compete-with-other-discus-throwe_951324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/727/al-oerter-44876_football_i-don-t-compete-with-other-discus-throwe_951324.png) > “I don't compete with other discus throwers. I compete with my own history.” [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The athlete frames competition as a personal battle against one's own past performances. **In simple terms:** Competes with himself, not others. Key Takeaway Measure progress by personal standards, not external rivals. Themes sports self‑competition history motivation Mood determined inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - training sessions - pre‑competition routines - post‑event analysis - coaching discussions Key Concepts personal best mental resilience goal setting Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑competition affect team dynamics? - What role does external rivalry play in personal growth? A Different Perspective It may downplay the value of external competition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compete Discus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compete-discus-1698715/) [Discus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discus-289637/) [Discus Throwers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discus-throwers-1698716/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Throwers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throwers/) [Throwers Compete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throwers-compete-1698717/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think the discus will ever attract any interest until they let us start throwing them at one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/i-don-t-think-the-discus-will-ever-attract-any-interest-until-they-2/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [I don't think the discus will ever attract any interest until they let us start throwing them at each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/i-don-t-think-the-discus-will-ever-attract-any-interest-until-they/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [I like seeing those 300-pound women that toss those discus. I just feel like they're so scary. It freaks me out a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-robinson/i-like-seeing-those-300-pound-women-that-toss-those-discus-i-just/) [Nick Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-robinson/) > [People doing rote assembly-line movements, or someone tossing dough over and over in a pizza parlour is boring. It’s boring to watch and boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-sutton/people-doing-rote-assembly-line-movements-or-someone-tossing-dough/) [Mark Sutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-sutton/) > [The very existence of flame-throwers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, You know, I want to set those people over there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/the-very-existence-of-flame-throwers-proves-that-some-time-somewhere/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Never settle with words what you can accomplish with a flame-thrower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feirstein/never-settle-with-words-what-you-can-accomplish-with-a-flame-thrower/) [Bruce Feirstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feirstein/) > [Love is a boomerang that returns to the thrower's hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/love-is-a-boomerang-that-returns-to-the-thrower-s-hand/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [The bomb-throwers have discredited the cause of freedom, in whose name they threw the bombs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-bomb-throwers-have-discredited-the-cause-of-freedom-in-whose-name/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [You can't use stress, anxiety, frustration, and worry to deal with your stress, anxiety, frustration, and worry. It's like pulling up to a burning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-crawford/you-can-t-use-stress-anxiety-frustration-and-worry-to-deal-with-your/) [Bill Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-crawford/) > [I leaned across the table towards the crumb-thrower. "Do that again," I said, loud enough to be heard over the opera singer, Dolly, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-leaned-across-the-table-towards-the-crumb-thrower-do-that-again-i/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [Food Throwers: Begun usually by estranged couples, once this victual flinging starts, everyone will do it...Should your dinner party have become an out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-donleavy-2/food-throwers-begun-usually-by-estranged-couples-once-this-victual/) [J. P. Donleavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-donleavy-2/) > [I'll tell you what I really think about politicians. The other night I watched some politicians on television talking about Vietnam. I wanted very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-ll-tell-you-what-i-really-think-about-politicians-the-other-night-i/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [God in His sovereign goodness often uses the painful and at times debilitating injury of a spear thrower to make us readier for His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/god-in-his-sovereign-goodness-often-uses-the-painful-and-at-times/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [You see, at the beginning we weren't fighters. We weren't yellers or throwers, even if we eventually came to be. It would take time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/you-see-at-the-beginning-we-weren-t-fighters-we-weren-t-yellers-or/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Al Oerter > [There's no substitute for work. There are no shortcuts. There are no secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/there-s-no-substitute-for-work-there-are-no-shortcuts-there-are-no/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [Competition in its best form is a test of self. It has nothing to do with medals. The winner is the person who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/competition-in-its-best-form-is-a-test-of-self-it-has-nothing-to-do/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [I don't think the discus will ever attract any interest until they let us start throwing them at each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/i-don-t-think-the-discus-will-ever-attract-any-interest-until-they/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [So what if I never win my fifth gold medal; It's only one end of the string. It's competing that matters. It's proving that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/so-what-if-i-never-win-my-fifth-gold-medal-it-s-only-one-end-of-the/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [I never set out to beat the world. I just set out to do my absolute best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/i-never-set-out-to-beat-the-world-i-just-set-out-to-do-my-absolute/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [As long as I can concentrate and remain somewhat calm, I can normally do very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/as-long-as-i-can-concentrate-and-remain-somewhat-calm-i-can-normally/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [I don't think the discus will ever attract any interest until they let us start throwing them at one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/i-don-t-think-the-discus-will-ever-attract-any-interest-until-they-2/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) > [To exercise at or near capacity is the best way I know of reaching a true introspective state. If you do it right, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-oerter/to-exercise-at-or-near-capacity-is-the-best-way-i-know-of-reaching-a/) [Al Oerter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) [Explore all 9 Al Oerter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-oerter/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) [Brendan Mundorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-mundorf/) > [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't compete with other discus throwers. 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