--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think of myself as an explorer…" description: "\"I don't think of myself as an explorer but as an athlete.\" — Ben Saunders" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/ben-saunders-43876_athlete_i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-b_2775282.jpg" --- # I don't think of myself as an explorer but as an athlete. ![“I don't think of myself as an explorer but as an athlete.” quote by Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/ben-saunders-43876_athlete_i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-b_2775282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/ben-saunders-43876_athlete_i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-b_2775282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/ben-saunders-43876_athlete_i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-b_2775282.jpg) > “I don't think of myself as an explorer but as an athlete.” [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing oneself as an athlete emphasizes training, discipline, and resilience over mere exploration. **In simple terms:** Think of yourself as an athlete, not just an explorer. Key Takeaway Train with discipline and resilience. Themes athletics discipline resilience Mood determined focused Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - marathons - mountain climbs - skill development - daily workouts Key Concepts sports psychology performance Questions to Reflect On - How does an athletic view shape your goals? - What balance between exploration and training? A Different Perspective Athletic mindset may ignore curiosity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Explorer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explorer/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [I think of myself as an explorer who has spent his life on a long voyage of discovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-strand/i-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-who-has-spent-his-life-on-a-long/) [Paul Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-strand/) > [I feel like I'm an explorer, a frontiersman if you will, and I've been able to satisfy that desire in me through music. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-butler/i-feel-like-i-m-an-explorer-a-frontiersman-if-you-will-and-i-ve-been/) [Ishmael Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-butler/) > [Everyone is an explorer. How could you possibly live your life looking at a door and not open it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ballard/everyone-is-an-explorer-how-could-you-possibly-live-your-life-looking/) [Robert Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ballard/) > [I would love to do a western. I would love to play an explorer. That is always something that has really captured my imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-reilly/i-would-love-to-do-a-western-i-would-love-to-play-an-explorer-that-is/) [John C. Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-reilly/) > [“A famous explorer once said, that the extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are. I’d finally set out to make my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-croft/a-famous-explorer-once-said-that-the-extraordinary-is-in-what-we-do/) Lara Croft > [“Scent is such a powerful tool of attraction, that if a woman has this tool perfectly tuned, she needs no other. I will forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/scent-is-such-a-powerful-tool-of-attraction-that-if-a-woman-has-this/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“I’d loved women who were old and who were young; those extra kilos and large rumps, and others so thin there was barely even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/i-d-loved-women-who-were-old-and-who-were-young-those-extra-kilos-and/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Books for me were what the ocean is to the fearless explorer-deep and mysterious, boundless and soothing. I loved the smell of books, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pemberton/books-for-me-were-what-the-ocean-is-to-the-fearless-explorer-deep-and/) [Steve Pemberton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pemberton/) > [I'm a thinker and feeler and dreamer and explorer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-stoner/i-m-a-thinker-and-feeler-and-dreamer-and-explorer/) [Alyson Stoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-stoner/) > [Consumers can choose from hundreds of channels today, including dozens for kids. At a time of dwindling resources, we don't need to be subsidizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/consumers-can-choose-from-hundreds-of-channels-today-including-dozens/) [Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/) > [I am not a glutton - I am an explorer of food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-am-not-a-glutton-i-am-an-explorer-of-food/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [“Back at the guest house I tried to acclimatise. A travel-worn adventurer had once told me that leaning with one's head dangling over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahir-shah/back-at-the-guest-house-i-tried-to-acclimatise-a-travel-worn/) [Tahir Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahir-shah/) > [From early childhood I had always dreamed of becoming an explorer. Somehow I had acquired the impression that an explorer was someone who lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goddard/from-early-childhood-i-had-always-dreamed-of-becoming-an-explorer/) [John Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goddard/) > [“We only know a tiny proportion about the complexity of the natural world. Wherever you look, there are still things we don’t know about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-attenborough/we-only-know-a-tiny-proportion-about-the-complexity-of-the-natural/) [David Attenborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-attenborough/) > [“he would have been the first to scoff at the notion of labeling himself anything other than an explorer. His words to me were,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-holley/he-would-have-been-the-first-to-scoff-at-the-notion-of-labeling/) [Val Holley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-holley/) ## More by Ben Saunders > [Expeditions are escapism. The stuff that we're normally concerned about just doesn't matter out there. Tax returns, gas bill, none of it. Life becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/expeditions-are-escapism-the-stuff-that-we-re-normally-concerned/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [Environmental scientists in Canada said it was impossible for me to get to the Pole in 2004... I said 'no,' it's still OK, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/environmental-scientists-in-canada-said-it-was-impossible-for-me-to/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [“If I’ve learned anything in nearly 12 years now of dragging heavy things around cold places, it is that true, real inspiration and growth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/if-i-ve-learned-anything-in-nearly-12-years-now-of-dragging-heavy/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [My Antarctic expedition is just about doable, just feasible and that's what is exciting to me. If I knew it was possible, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/my-antarctic-expedition-is-just-about-doable-just-feasible-and-that-s/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [I'm not particularly gifted; I'm not genetically freakish in any sense; I'm absolutely average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/i-m-not-particularly-gifted-i-m-not-genetically-freakish-in-any-sense/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [I've diced with death the most cycling around London. Black cabs are far more dangerous than polar bears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/i-ve-diced-with-death-the-most-cycling-around-london-black-cabs-are/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [What's the nastiest injury I've sustained? Just a frostbitten toe... but thankfully it's still intact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/what-s-the-nastiest-injury-i-ve-sustained-just-a-frostbitten-toe-but/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) > [When I'm skiing, I listen to electronic music. It's repetitive and let's me get into a groove and crank out the miles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/when-i-m-skiing-i-listen-to-electronic-music-it-s-repetitive-and-let/) [Ben Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) [Explore all 9 Ben Saunders quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [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/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't think of myself as an explorer but as an athlete.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Saunders" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-but-as-an-athlete/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-but-as-an-athlete/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/ben-saunders-43876_athlete_i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-b_2775282.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/ben-saunders-43876_athlete_i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-b_2775282.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a2/ben-saunders-43876_athlete_i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-b_2775282.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't think of myself as an explorer but as an athlete.” — Ben Saunders", "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": "Ben Saunders", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-saunders/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I don't think of myself as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-but-as-an-athlete/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-saunders/i-don-t-think-of-myself-as-an-explorer-but-as-an-athlete/#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 } } ] } ```