--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Commitment separates those who live their…" description: "\"Commitment separates those who live their dreams from those who live their lives regretting the opportunities they have squandered.\" — Bill Russell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75b/bill-russell-12966_basketball_commitment-separates-those-who-live-thei_2762721.jpg" --- # Commitment separates those who live their dreams from… ![“Commitment separates those who live their dreams from those who live their lives regretting the opportunities they have squandered.” quote by Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75b/bill-russell-12966_basketball_commitment-separates-those-who-live-thei_2762721.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75b/bill-russell-12966_basketball_commitment-separates-those-who-live-thei_2762721.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75b/bill-russell-12966_basketball_commitment-separates-those-who-live-thei_2762721.jpg) > “Commitment separates those who live their dreams from those who live their lives regretting the opportunities they have squandered.” [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Commitment separates dream‑livers from regretful ones. **In simple terms:** Commitment distinguishes dreamers from regretters. Key Takeaway Commit to your dreams to avoid regret. Themes commitment dreams regret Mood motivational inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - sports - business - life planning Key Concepts goal setting personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What holds you back? - How can you stay committed? A Different Perspective Commitment may be hard to sustain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Commitment Separates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment-separates-3182093/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Great basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-basketball/) [Lives Regretting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-regretting-3182095/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Regretting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regretting/) [Regretting Opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regretting-opportunities-3182094/) ## Related quotes > [What distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he goes on to the court, his presence dominates the atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/what-distinguishes-a-great-player-is-his-presence-when-he-goes-on-to/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [There were great European players that were great basketball players that did not make it in the NBA... This is the best league in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-were-great-european-players-that-were-great-basketball-players/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [A player who makes a team great is better than a great player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/a-player-who-makes-a-team-great-is-better-than-a-great-player/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Left hand, right hand, it doesn't matter. I'm amphibious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-shackleford/left-hand-right-hand-it-doesn-t-matter-i-m-amphibious/) [Charles Shackleford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-shackleford/) > [If you want to thank me, go do something for somebody else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/if-you-want-to-thank-me-go-do-something-for-somebody-else/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/the-most-important-measure-of-how-good-a-game-i-played-was-how-much/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [The most important thing to me is the friends that I've made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/the-most-important-thing-to-me-is-the-friends-that-i-ve-made/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [So many great basketball players haven't won championships before, and they're still great. But that's what people judge you by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebron-james/so-many-great-basketball-players-haven-t-won-championships-before-and/) [Lebron James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebron-james/) > [Fans never fall asleep at our games, because they're afraid they might get hit by a pass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-raveling/fans-never-fall-asleep-at-our-games-because-they-re-afraid-they-might/) [George Raveling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-raveling/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [LeBron is like a coach. He is a coach on the floor. He has a great basketball IQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyronn-lue/lebron-is-like-a-coach-he-is-a-coach-on-the-floor-he-has-a-great/) [Tyronn Lue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyronn-lue/) > [Remember this, the choices you make in life, make you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/remember-this-the-choices-you-make-in-life-make-you/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Champions never complain, they are too busy getting better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/champions-never-complain-they-are-too-busy-getting-better/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball doesn't build character it reveals it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-naismith/basketball-doesn-t-build-character-it-reveals-it/) [James Naismith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-naismith/) > [To stay in one time zone and play in a great conference - a great all-around conference, but, specifically, a great basketball conference -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-boeheim/to-stay-in-one-time-zone-and-play-in-a-great-conference-a-great-all/) [Jim Boeheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-boeheim/) ## More by Bill Russell > [What distinguishes a great player is his presence. When he goes on to the court, his presence dominates the atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/what-distinguishes-a-great-player-is-his-presence-when-he-goes-on-to/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [Don't knock the ball in the stands, keep it in your hands!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/don-t-knock-the-ball-in-the-stands-keep-it-in-your-hands/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [After the season with the Celtics, he said he wouldn't pitch for the Red Sox for four weeks because it took him that long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/after-the-season-with-the-celtics-he-said-he-wouldn-t-pitch-for-the/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [We learn to make a shell for ourselves when we are young and then spend the rest of our lives hoping for someone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/we-learn-to-make-a-shell-for-ourselves-when-we-are-young-and-then/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [My father once told me that anyone who worked for three dollars an hour owed it to himself to put in four dollars' worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/my-father-once-told-me-that-anyone-who-worked-for-three-dollars-an/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [If you can take something to levels that very few other people can reach, then what you're doing becomes art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/if-you-can-take-something-to-levels-that-very-few-other-people-can/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [This monument is going to be built as a symbol.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/this-monument-is-going-to-be-built-as-a-symbol/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [The last five or six days, I've been running. The last two days, I've been running pretty hard. Everybody's got to be someplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/the-last-five-or-six-days-i-ve-been-running-the-last-two-days-i-ve/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [Young man, you have the question backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/young-man-you-have-the-question-backwards/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [We overreached our decision power. Sometimes our decisions have to fit the reality of the outside world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/we-overreached-our-decision-power-sometimes-our-decisions-have-to-fit/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/the-most-important-measure-of-how-good-a-game-i-played-was-how-much/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [Friendship is a full-time job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/friendship-is-a-full-time-job/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [Most people have a harder time letting themselves love than finding someone to love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/most-people-have-a-harder-time-letting-themselves-love-than-finding/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [The most important thing to me is the friends that I've made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/the-most-important-thing-to-me-is-the-friends-that-i-ve-made/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) > [We learn to make a shell for ourselves when we are young and then spend the rest of our lives hoping for someone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/we-learn-to-make-a-shell-for-ourselves-when-we-are-young-and-then-2/) [Bill Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) [Explore all 52 Bill Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Commitment separates those who live their dreams from those who live their lives regretting the opportunities they have squandered.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Russell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/commitment-separates-those-who-live-their-dreams-from-those-who-live/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/commitment-separates-those-who-live-their-dreams-from-those-who-live/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75b/bill-russell-12966_basketball_commitment-separates-those-who-live-thei_2762721.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75b/bill-russell-12966_basketball_commitment-separates-those-who-live-thei_2762721.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75b/bill-russell-12966_basketball_commitment-separates-those-who-live-thei_2762721.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Commitment separates those who live their dreams from those who live their lives regretting the…” — Bill Russell", "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": "Bill Russell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-russell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Commitment separates those who live their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/commitment-separates-those-who-live-their-dreams-from-those-who-live/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-russell/commitment-separates-those-who-live-their-dreams-from-those-who-live/#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 } } ] } ```