--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I play the game for the game's own sake," description: "\"“I play the game for the game's own sake,”\" — Arthur Conan Doyle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/arthur-conan-doyle-273_football_i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake_2299657.jpg" --- # I play the game for the game's own sake, ![“I play the game for the game's own sake,” quote by Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/arthur-conan-doyle-273_football_i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake_2299657.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/arthur-conan-doyle-273_football_i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake_2299657.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/arthur-conan-doyle-273_football_i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake_2299657.jpg) > ““I play the game for the game's own sake,”” [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He expresses playing for the pure enjoyment of the game itself, emphasizing intrinsic motivation over external rewards. **In simple terms:** Play because the game itself is rewarding. Key Takeaway Seek joy in the activity itself. Themes intrinsic motivation play passion purity purpose Mood reflective motivational enthusiastic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - sports - board games - creative pursuits - learning activities Key Concepts psychology philosophy game theory Questions to Reflect On - What activities bring you pure joy? - How can you sustain intrinsic motivation? A Different Perspective External incentives can still influence behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Game Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-game/) [Game Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game-sake-5433157/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-game/) ## Related quotes > [“LET’S MAKE A GAME! You’ve built all sorts of small circuits in this book, and each circuit was designed to teach you a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oyvind-nydal-dahl/let-s-make-a-game-you-ve-built-all-sorts-of-small-circuits-in-this/) [Oyvind Nydal Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oyvind-nydal-dahl/) > [Boy: Let's play a game. Any game you want, just not hide and seek. Girl: Why not hide and seek? Boy: Because a girl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boy-let-s-play-a-game-any-game-you-want-just-not-hide-and-seek-girl/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-keep-your-foes-confused-if-they-are-never-certain-who-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes the best way to baffle them is to make moves that have no purpose, or even seem to work against you. Remember that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/sometimes-the-best-way-to-baffle-them-is-to-make-moves-that-have-no/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [You're defined by how you play the game, not by the game itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-pagano/you-re-defined-by-how-you-play-the-game-not-by-the-game-itself/) [Chuck Pagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-pagano/) > [Alright.. I Feel Like You Guys Aren't Active Enough.. So Lets Play A Game! What Game Do You Guys Wanna Play?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/alright-i-feel-like-you-guys-aren-t-active-enough-so-lets-play-a-game/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This is indeed only a game, but it is a game of life and death!” the Reverend John Hollidge of Gold Hill Baptist Church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-ewalt/this-is-indeed-only-a-game-but-it-is-a-game-of-life-and-death-the/) [David M. Ewalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-ewalt/) > [We go into any game with a game plan to win the game and try our best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mullin/we-go-into-any-game-with-a-game-plan-to-win-the-game-and-try-our-best/) [Paul Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mullin/) > [When I see somebody, I try to beat him on both ends of the floor. It's the game within the game that you've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-gasol/when-i-see-somebody-i-try-to-beat-him-on-both-ends-of-the-floor-it-s/) [Marc Gasol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-gasol/) > [I want to play every meaningful play in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bosa/i-want-to-play-every-meaningful-play-in-the-game/) [Nick Bosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bosa/) > [It's football. I get hit all the time. That's what you sign up for when you play the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kittle/it-s-football-i-get-hit-all-the-time-that-s-what-you-sign-up-for-when/) [George Kittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kittle/) > [You have to play the game. It's about being marketable, it's about being able to be promotable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-anderson/you-have-to-play-the-game-it-s-about-being-marketable-it-s-about/) [Megan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-anderson/) > [“Play your game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-brooks/play-your-game/) [Herb Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-brooks/) > [As you get older, you know what you're good at and you know what you're not so good at. Your ego comes out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adebayo-akinfenwa/as-you-get-older-you-know-what-you-re-good-at-and-you-know-what-you/) [Adebayo Akinfenwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adebayo-akinfenwa/) > [I just go out and play my game. Just making sure I keep doing those little things, like playing with toughness, that's just me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-just-go-out-and-play-my-game-just-making-sure-i-keep-doing-those/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) ## More by Arthur Conan Doyle > [“shattered the bone and grazed the subclavian artery. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/shattered-the-bone-and-grazed-the-subclavian-artery-i/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“A study in scarlet, eh? Why shouldn't we use a little art jargon. There's the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/a-study-in-scarlet-eh-why-shouldn-t-we-use-a-little-art-jargon-there/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/mediocrity-knows-nothing-higher-than-itself-but-talent-instantly/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Holy men? Holy cabbages! Holy bean-pods! What do they do but live and suck in sustenance and grow fat? If that be holiness, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/holy-men-holy-cabbages-holy-bean-pods-what-do-they-do-but-live-and/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Wonderful!" I ejaculated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/wonderful-i-ejaculated/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Amberley excelled at chess - a mark, Watson, of a scheming mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/amberley-excelled-at-chess-a-mark-watson-of-a-scheming-mind/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [Ex-Professor Moriarty of mathematical celebrity... is the Napoleon of crime, Watson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/ex-professor-moriarty-of-mathematical-celebrity-is-the-napoleon-of/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“When a doctor does go wrong, he is the first of criminals. He has the nerve and he has the knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/when-a-doctor-does-go-wrong-he-is-the-first-of-criminals-he-has-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“How small we feel with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of Nature!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/how-small-we-feel-with-our-petty-ambitions-and-strivings-in-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [You wish to put me in the dark. I tell you that I will never be put in the dark. You wish to beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/you-wish-to-put-me-in-the-dark-i-tell-you-that-i-will-never-be-put-in/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“My mind," he said, "rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-he-said-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“It is hard luck on a young fellow to have expensive tastes, great expectations, aristocratic connections but no actual money in his pocket, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-is-hard-luck-on-a-young-fellow-to-have-expensive-tastes-great/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“In the year 1878 I took my degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University of London, and proceeded to Netley to go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/in-the-year-1878-i-took-my-degree-of-doctor-of-medicine-of-the/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) [Explore all 740 Arthur Conan Doyle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) ## 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 play the game for the game's own sake,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur Conan Doyle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Football" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/arthur-conan-doyle-273_football_i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake_2299657.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/arthur-conan-doyle-273_football_i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake_2299657.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/arthur-conan-doyle-273_football_i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake_2299657.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I play the game for the game's own sake,” — Arthur Conan Doyle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arthur Conan Doyle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I play the game for the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/i-play-the-game-for-the-game-s-own-sake/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```