--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was really fortunate. I don't believe…" description: "\"I was really fortunate. I don't believe in luck so I was really fortunate. God really blessed me in terms of my health. ... I was really healthy. But I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/avery-johnson-30466_ahead-of-the-game_i-was-really-fortunate-i-don-t-believe-i_1899637.jpg" --- # I was really fortunate. I don't believe in luck so I was… ![“I was really fortunate. I don't believe in luck so I was really fortunate. God really blessed me in terms of my health. ... I was really healthy. But I tried to do my part in terms of preparation, in terms of perseverance. I tried to do my part to make sure that I was always ready to play and try…” quote by Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/avery-johnson-30466_ahead-of-the-game_i-was-really-fortunate-i-don-t-believe-i_1899637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/avery-johnson-30466_ahead-of-the-game_i-was-really-fortunate-i-don-t-believe-i_1899637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/avery-johnson-30466_ahead-of-the-game_i-was-really-fortunate-i-don-t-believe-i_1899637.jpg) > “I was really fortunate. I don't believe in luck so I was really fortunate. God really blessed me in terms of my health. ... I was really healthy. But I tried to do my part in terms of preparation, in terms of perseverance. I tried to do my part to make sure that I was always ready to play and try to stay ahead of the game. I tried to beat people with my mind. I wasn't the biggest or the one that jumped the highest, but I had a real high basketball IQ and I knew it. ... I was a student of game and tried to prepare and be professional and have a good attitude. All of those things helped me have a long career.” [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success stems from preparation, perseverance, and mindset rather than luck or physical dominance. **In simple terms:** Hard work and mental skill outweigh luck. Key Takeaway Focus on preparation and mindset. Themes hardwork mindset perseverance preparation career longevity Mood determined grateful reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - sports training - career planning - personal development - team leadership Key Concepts basketball IQ professionalism attitude Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply mental preparation in your field? - What habits sustain long‑term success? A Different Perspective Physical talent alone cannot guarantee a long career. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ahead of the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ahead-of-the-game/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blessed/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Good attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-attitude/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Long careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-careers/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perseverance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perseverance/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) ## Related quotes > [Usually when a b\*tch says good luck, she really wanna say F\*ck you, I hope you don't get it b\*tch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pretty-ladii/usually-when-a-b-tch-says-good-luck-she-really-wanna-say-f-ck-you-i/) [Pretty Ladii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pretty-ladii/) > [Here's where I luck out: I'm really computer illiterate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/here-s-where-i-luck-out-i-m-really-computer-illiterate/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [I say the one thing about luck is you can't really count on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-livingston/i-say-the-one-thing-about-luck-is-you-can-t-really-count-on-it/) [Ron Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-livingston/) > [“But it was just luck really if the girls survived. You're like a man firing a machine gun into a supermarket who happens not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/but-it-was-just-luck-really-if-the-girls-survived-you-re-like-a-man/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [You can't just trust to luck; you have to really listen to what that character is telling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle-parsons/you-can-t-just-trust-to-luck-you-have-to-really-listen-to-what-that/) [Estelle Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle-parsons/) > [You cant just trust to luck; you have to really listen to what that character is telling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle-parsons/you-cant-just-trust-to-luck-you-have-to-really-listen-to-what-that/) [Estelle Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle-parsons/) > [I know I've been lucky. But it's what you do with that luck afterwards that really defines whether you stick around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-efron/i-know-i-ve-been-lucky-but-it-s-what-you-do-with-that-luck-afterwards/) [Zac Efron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-efron/) > [“What passes for good luck is really an infinite number of little good decisions. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-steinheimer/what-passes-for-good-luck-is-really-an-infinite-number-of-little-good/) Richard Steinheimer > [Luck really has nothing to do with human existence, since God is not a random God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/luck-really-has-nothing-to-do-with-human-existence-since-god-is-not-a/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [I wasn't campaigning for a role in a Hollywood television series, it was a fluke. So you've got to have a measure of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stewart/i-wasn-t-campaigning-for-a-role-in-a-hollywood-television-series-it/) [Patrick Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stewart/) > [I believe that I'm going to have a long career, as long as I want, and I think by me going out into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-tucker/i-believe-that-i-m-going-to-have-a-long-career-as-long-as-i-want-and/) [Chris Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-tucker/) > [I'm just going to take this in a minute. The wrestling world, we're kind of our own breed and different from maybe some movie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-dumas/i-m-just-going-to-take-this-in-a-minute-the-wrestling-world-we-re/) [Amy Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-dumas/) > [Any one who has studied the history of science knows that almost every great step therein has been made by the "anticipation of Nature,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/any-one-who-has-studied-the-history-of-science-knows-that-almost/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Old age is a lease nature only signs as a particular favor, and it may be, to one, only in the space of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/old-age-is-a-lease-nature-only-signs-as-a-particular-favor-and-it-may/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Comics don't usually have very long careers, and I'm 22 years into this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/comics-don-t-usually-have-very-long-careers-and-i-m-22-years-into-this/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) ## More by Avery Johnson > [I thought I would make it (to the NBA). I believed that I would make it. But I had a Plan B. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/i-thought-i-would-make-it-to-the-nba-i-believed-that-i-would-make-it/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [In 1989 at Greater Saint Steven Full Gospel Church, I gave my life to Christ. That's pretty much where it all started for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/in-1989-at-greater-saint-steven-full-gospel-church-i-gave-my-life-to/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [I've always been a man of commitment whether it was academically or professionally. But spiritually I wasn't committed. I was talking the talk and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/i-ve-always-been-a-man-of-commitment-whether-it-was-academically-or/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [Dear Humanity; we regret being alien bastards. We regret coming to Earth. And we most definitely regret that the Corps just blew up our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/dear-humanity-we-regret-being-alien-bastards-we-regret-coming-to/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [I'm really comfortable in a stressful, leadership position. I need this job. I need to do this. This fits my personality. This is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/i-m-really-comfortable-in-a-stressful-leadership-position-i-need-this/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [I just refuse to listen to any more lies. You hear them from FEMA, you hear them from Red Cross and I just didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/i-just-refuse-to-listen-to-any-more-lies-you-hear-them-from-fema-you/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [Being born is easy. So is taking your last breath. Everything in between, that's the hard part. Life is in between, and it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/being-born-is-easy-so-is-taking-your-last-breath-everything-in/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [I'm passionate about coaching and being able to mentor young men in a lot of different ways. I think it's good to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/i-m-passionate-about-coaching-and-being-able-to-mentor-young-men-in-a/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [My standards are so high because of who I serve but it doesn't put any water on my fire for winning. I'm still an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/my-standards-are-so-high-because-of-who-i-serve-but-it-doesn-t-put/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [I just want to help people become winners. That's what I'm about. I'm about winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/i-just-want-to-help-people-become-winners-that-s-what-i-m-about-i-m/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [There are a lot of things that make players really good coaches. Whether you've played in the NBA or not, there are certain things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/there-are-a-lot-of-things-that-make-players-really-good-coaches/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [Great communication, Character, Competitive drive, Consistency, Compassion, Confidence -- skills successful leaders share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/great-communication-character-competitive-drive-consistency/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [People really don't care, in some ways, that you have a family. With a high profile job like I have, they just want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/people-really-don-t-care-in-some-ways-that-you-have-a-family-with-a/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [That MAC gun can put a round clean through a Covenant Capital Ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/that-mac-gun-can-put-a-round-clean-through-a-covenant-capital-ship/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) > [Growing up in New Orleans, my mom and dad were churchgoers. I would go to church with them. Also, I was going to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avery-johnson/growing-up-in-new-orleans-my-mom-and-dad-were-churchgoers-i-would-go/) [Avery Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) [Explore all 17 Avery Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avery-johnson/) ## More Ahead of the game quotes > [There is no such thing as disposable time if you want to stay ahead of the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-such-thing-as-disposable-time-if-you-want-to-stay-ahead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being ahead of the game is knowing the answer befor the question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenzie-ann/being-ahead-of-the-game-is-knowing-the-answer-befor-the-question/) [Kenzie-ann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenzie-ann/) > [They always say never trust who you can't see, every time you turn seems as though you always get burned, If you live your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sherrill/they-always-say-never-trust-who-you-can-t-see-every-time-you-turn/) Matthew Sherrill > [“Damn," Crystal sputtered, looking up from the dictionary in disbelief. "Oenophlygia: the state of being dunk. It really is a word". Johnny gloated unabashedly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/damn-crystal-sputtered-looking-up-from-the-dictionary-in-disbelief/) [Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/) > [People think your success is just a matter of having a pretty face. But it's easy to be chewed up and spat out. You've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moss/people-think-your-success-is-just-a-matter-of-having-a-pretty-face/) [Kate Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moss/) > [If you can figure out what their motivation is, then you're ahead of the game. I think that's why a lot of people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-faison/if-you-can-figure-out-what-their-motivation-is-then-you-re-ahead-of/) [Donald Faison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-faison/) > [Children were strangers you loved because you could love. If they gave back love when they were grown you were ahead of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-malamud/children-were-strangers-you-loved-because-you-could-love-if-they-gave/) [Bernard Malamud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-malamud/) > [“Michael,” he said, with that wolfish Nicholson grin, “it has been proved that people who are left-handed die earlier than smokers. I am right-handed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/michael-he-said-with-that-wolfish-nicholson-grin-it-has-been-proved/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [GaGa is one of my favourites. Her voice is incredible and she's fearless and she's ahead of the game. She's ahead of the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/gaga-is-one-of-my-favourites-her-voice-is-incredible-and-she-s/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I always think that a director who knows about the technical side, but cares about the acting performances and casting as well, is ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-balaban/i-always-think-that-a-director-who-knows-about-the-technical-side-but/) [Bob Balaban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-balaban/) > [If you can keep your son off the pipe and your daughter off the pole, you're ahead of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/if-you-can-keep-your-son-off-the-pipe-and-your-daughter-off-the-pole/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [If you can get a laugh out of a name, you're ahead of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-reiner/if-you-can-get-a-laugh-out-of-a-name-you-re-ahead-of-the-game/) [Carl Reiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-reiner/) > [You don't have to always be the smartest person in the room, but if you listen and absorb what you are hearing, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/you-don-t-have-to-always-be-the-smartest-person-in-the-room-but-if/) [Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/) > [Remember that most people (those who are not photographers) don't even see the things that you missed. Many don't even look. Ergo, you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-maisel/remember-that-most-people-those-who-are-not-photographers-don-t-even/) [Jay Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-maisel/) > [I've been a fortunate girl: I grew up in a family that loved me from day one. I feel well grounded and lucky from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaclyn-smith/i-ve-been-a-fortunate-girl-i-grew-up-in-a-family-that-loved-me-from/) [Jaclyn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaclyn-smith/) [Browse all 54 Ahead of the game quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ahead-of-the-game/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was really fortunate. I don't believe in luck so I was really fortunate. God really blessed me in terms of my health. ... I was really healthy. But I tried to do my part in terms of preparation, in terms of perseverance. 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