--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I pray not for victory, but to do my best." description: "\"I pray not for victory, but to do my best.\" — Amos Alonzo Stagg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/amos-alonzo-stagg-63066_best_i-pray-not-for-victory-but-to-do-my-best_2433804.png" --- # I pray not for victory, but to do my best. ![“I pray not for victory, but to do my best.” quote by Amos Alonzo Stagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/amos-alonzo-stagg-63066_best_i-pray-not-for-victory-but-to-do-my-best_2433804.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/amos-alonzo-stagg-63066_best_i-pray-not-for-victory-but-to-do-my-best_2433804.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/amos-alonzo-stagg-63066_best_i-pray-not-for-victory-but-to-do-my-best_2433804.png) > “I pray not for victory, but to do my best.” [Amos Alonzo Stagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-alonzo-stagg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker values effort and personal excellence over external success, emphasizing intrinsic motivation. **In simple terms:** Focus on doing your best, not winning. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal effort over outcomes. Themes sports self-improvement motivation ethics discipline Mood inspirational thoughtful determined Type philosophical motivational reflective When to use this quote - training sessions - personal challenges - team meetings - academic pursuits Key Concepts intrinsic motivation goal setting character development Questions to Reflect On - What does “doing my best” look like for you? - How can you measure personal growth beyond outcomes? A Different Perspective Winning can be emphasized; effort alone may not guarantee success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [I pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-pray/) [Motivational sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-sports/) [Pray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pray/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [Urge all of your men to pray, not alone in church, but everywhere. Pray when driving. Pray when fighting. Pray alone. Pray with others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/urge-all-of-your-men-to-pray-not-alone-in-church-but-everywhere-pray/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) > [“Some situations do not have a readily available remedy, but when you pray, you will find victory.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/some-situations-do-not-have-a-readily-available-remedy-but-when-you/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [Some days I pray to the God of sex and drums and rock and roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meat-loaf/some-days-i-pray-to-the-god-of-sex-and-drums-and-rock-and-roll/) [Meat Loaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meat-loaf/) > [As a young man I prayed for success. Now I just pray to be worthy of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-fraser/as-a-young-man-i-prayed-for-success-now-i-just-pray-to-be-worthy-of-it/) [Brendan Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-fraser/) > [When I do eventually drop, I pray to God that it'll happen in one of three ways. Firstly, on stage or leaving the stage,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-king/when-i-do-eventually-drop-i-pray-to-god-that-it-ll-happen-in-one-of/) [B. B. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-b-king/) > [I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk about, when I lie down and when I rise up. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-muller/i-live-in-the-spirit-of-prayer-i-pray-as-i-walk-about-when-i-lie-down/) [George Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-muller/) > [I pray every night. I just talk to God and I can go to sleep. I don't worry anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-chlumsky/i-pray-every-night-i-just-talk-to-god-and-i-can-go-to-sleep-i-don-t/) [Anna Chlumsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-chlumsky/) > [“Day by day, dear Lord, Of Thee three things I pray. To see Thee more clearly, Love Thee more dearly, Follow Thee more nearly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/day-by-day-dear-lord-of-thee-three-things-i-pray-to-see-thee-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do not care to die, but I pray to God I may never leave this field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winfield-scott-hancock/i-do-not-care-to-die-but-i-pray-to-god-i-may-never-leave-this-field/) [Winfield Scott Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winfield-scott-hancock/) > [I pray everywhere--in the shower, on a plane, in traffic, you name it. When I feel like I have had enough, I will literally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/i-pray-everywhere-in-the-shower-on-a-plane-in-traffic-you-name-it/) [Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/) > [Speak what I have to be grateful for when I get up and when I lie down to sleep. Meditation and prayer. I pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-taylor/speak-what-i-have-to-be-grateful-for-when-i-get-up-and-when-i-lie/) [Regina Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-taylor/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I pray every day for all who are suffering in Iraq. Please join me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-pray-every-day-for-all-who-are-suffering-in-iraq-please-join-me/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) ## More by Amos Alonzo Stagg > [To me, the coaching profession is one of the noblest and most far-reaching in building manhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-alonzo-stagg/to-me-the-coaching-profession-is-one-of-the-noblest-and-most-far/) [Amos Alonzo Stagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-alonzo-stagg/) > [Is this my best team ever? I won't know that for another 20 years or so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-alonzo-stagg/is-this-my-best-team-ever-i-won-t-know-that-for-another-20-years-or-so/) [Amos Alonzo Stagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-alonzo-stagg/) > [No man is too good to be the athletic coach for youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-alonzo-stagg/no-man-is-too-good-to-be-the-athletic-coach-for-youth/) [Amos Alonzo Stagg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-alonzo-stagg/) > [Winning isn't worthwhile unless one has something finer and nobler behind it. 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