--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Physically and mentally, it's quite hard…" description: "\"Physically and mentally, it's quite hard. But I'm playing cricket for England. It's what I dream about doing.\" — Alastair Cook" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/alastair-cook-4907_about_physically-and-mentally-it-s-quite-hard_1127616.png" --- # Physically and mentally, it's quite hard. But I'm playing… ![“Physically and mentally, it's quite hard. But I'm playing cricket for England. It's what I dream about doing.” quote by Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/alastair-cook-4907_about_physically-and-mentally-it-s-quite-hard_1127616.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/alastair-cook-4907_about_physically-and-mentally-it-s-quite-hard_1127616.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4d8/alastair-cook-4907_about_physically-and-mentally-it-s-quite-hard_1127616.png) > “Physically and mentally, it's quite hard. But I'm playing cricket for England. It's what I dream about doing.” [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Achieving a lifelong dream demands intense physical and mental effort, yet the reward of representing one's country makes it worthwhile. **In simple terms:** Dreams require hard work and perseverance. Key Takeaway Embrace the challenge to reach your dream. Themes determination sport national pride Mood proud reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - training for elite sport - balancing mental health - career transitions - team leadership Key Concepts psychological resilience goal setting identity performance pressure Questions to Reflect On - What sacrifices are you willing to make for your dream? - How do you maintain mental health under pressure? A Different Perspective The quote overlooks the support systems and privileges that enable such opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cricket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cricket/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [England](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/england/) [Playing cricket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-cricket/) ## Related quotes > [Playing cricket in England is what I am looking forward to, and I would love to bowl at Lord's again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-amir/playing-cricket-in-england-is-what-i-am-looking-forward-to-and-i/) [Mohammad Amir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-amir/) > [When I first started playing cricket for England, there was hardly any coverage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-guha/when-i-first-started-playing-cricket-for-england-there-was-hardly-any/) [Isa Guha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-guha/) > [All I ever wanted to do was play cricket for England and be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/all-i-ever-wanted-to-do-was-play-cricket-for-england-and-be-successful/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [During my years of professional cricket in England, I realised that although the Australians were talented players, tactically they were a bit naive when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-turner/during-my-years-of-professional-cricket-in-england-i-realised-that/) [Glenn Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-turner/) > [To play in England is a dream, but sometimes, dreams do not come true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-aurier/to-play-in-england-is-a-dream-but-sometimes-dreams-do-not-come-true/) [Serge Aurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-aurier/) > [To put on an England top is a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-wilshere/to-put-on-an-england-top-is-a-dream/) [Jack Wilshere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-wilshere/) > [I feel I am ready to experience football at the highest level in Europe and the opportunity to play in England is a dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulinho/i-feel-i-am-ready-to-experience-football-at-the-highest-level-in/) [Paulinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulinho/) > [When I was setting out as a kid, five, six, seven years old, England was a dream. One of my best days as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carrick/when-i-was-setting-out-as-a-kid-five-six-seven-years-old-england-was/) [Michael Carrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-carrick/) > [Everyone dreams of playing in the top leagues in Europe and the Premier League is obviously up there. Growing up in England, it's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-harrison/everyone-dreams-of-playing-in-the-top-leagues-in-europe-and-the/) [Jack Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-harrison/) > [The captaincy thing is brilliant, and I love it. But I didn't start off playing cricket to captain England. I wanted to score runs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/the-captaincy-thing-is-brilliant-and-i-love-it-but-i-didn-t-start-off/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [You're either singing on TV or in front of a full cathedral and there's a bit of pressure there. I know it sounds funny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/you-re-either-singing-on-tv-or-in-front-of-a-full-cathedral-and-there/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [To think of playing cricket for hard cash! Money and gentility would ruin any pastime under the sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-russell-mitford/to-think-of-playing-cricket-for-hard-cash-money-and-gentility-would/) [Mary Russell Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-russell-mitford/) > [Growing up in Rochdale, I think, all the kids in my street, pretty much every boy was playing cricket. I had four brothers as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid-javid/growing-up-in-rochdale-i-think-all-the-kids-in-my-street-pretty-much/) [Sajid Javid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid-javid/) > [Cricket has a stigma of old men in white clothes playing cricket but readdressing that image to people who aren't necessarily cricket lovers may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-buttler/cricket-has-a-stigma-of-old-men-in-white-clothes-playing-cricket-but/) [Jos Buttler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-buttler/) > [The face of the team are the people who're playing on the cricket field. The team is not about one individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautam-gambhir/the-face-of-the-team-are-the-people-who-re-playing-on-the-cricket/) [Gautam Gambhir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautam-gambhir/) ## More by Alastair Cook > [That is one of the great things about Test cricket, the ball. Sometimes it swings conventionally, sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it reverses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/that-is-one-of-the-great-things-about-test-cricket-the-ball-sometimes/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [No disrespect to county cricket but when you're playing for England it is the ultimate, it is what has always driven me to push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/no-disrespect-to-county-cricket-but-when-you-re-playing-for-england/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [Test cricket gives ultimate satisfaction that I don't think any other type of cricket does due to the nature and longevity of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/test-cricket-gives-ultimate-satisfaction-that-i-don-t-think-any-other/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [Everyone has technical flaws - no matter how many runs you score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/everyone-has-technical-flaws-no-matter-how-many-runs-you-score/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [When I was made captain, one of my things was that whatever happens in those four years, you don't want to make major changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/when-i-was-made-captain-one-of-my-things-was-that-whatever-happens-in/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [You're never as good as people say you are and you're never as bad as people say you are. You're always in the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/you-re-never-as-good-as-people-say-you-are-and-you-re-never-as-bad-as/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [I have loved cricket my whole life, from playing in the garden as a child, and will never underestimate how special it is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/i-have-loved-cricket-my-whole-life-from-playing-in-the-garden-as-a/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [Without sounding arrogant, I achieved a lot more than I thought I would do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/without-sounding-arrogant-i-achieved-a-lot-more-than-i-thought-i/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [I've got that ruthlessness inside me. All good captains have to be able to say things like that - with good man-management skills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/i-ve-got-that-ruthlessness-inside-me-all-good-captains-have-to-be/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [As cricketers we're judged on the average we have from being a 21-year-old who's just come into international cricket to the day you retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/as-cricketers-we-re-judged-on-the-average-we-have-from-being-a-21/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [You just Sanisa in the death overs. He is simply the best in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/you-just-sanisa-in-the-death-overs-he-is-simply-the-best-in-the-world/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [Self-belief is certainly an issue you need to make sure you look after when you've lost heavily in two games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/self-belief-is-certainly-an-issue-you-need-to-make-sure-you-look/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [When someone says, 'How long do you see yourself captaining for?' you don't really know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/when-someone-says-how-long-do-you-see-yourself-captaining-for-you-don/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [Learning on the job as England captain is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/learning-on-the-job-as-england-captain-is-hard/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) > [Throughout my career I have done it my way and used my stubborn streak. I thought the best way to captain was to shut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-cook/throughout-my-career-i-have-done-it-my-way-and-used-my-stubborn/) [Alastair Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) [Explore all 105 Alastair Cook quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-cook/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. 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That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Physically and mentally, it's quite hard. But I'm playing cricket for England. 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