--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are one hundred and ninety nine…" description: "\"There are one hundred and ninety nine ways to get beat, but only one way to win; get there first.\" — Bill Shoemaker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/bill-shoemaker-57843_beats_there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-wa_583488.png" --- # There are one hundred and ninety nine ways to get beat… ![“There are one hundred and ninety nine ways to get beat, but only one way to win; get there first.” quote by Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/bill-shoemaker-57843_beats_there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-wa_583488.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/bill-shoemaker-57843_beats_there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-wa_583488.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/bill-shoemaker-57843_beats_there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-wa_583488.png) > “There are one hundred and ninety nine ways to get beat, but only one way to win; get there first.” [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires early action and seizing opportunities, while many methods lead to failure; being first gives a decisive edge. **In simple terms:** Act early to win; many ways fail. Key Takeaway Prioritize speed and decisive action. Themes success competition timing strategy initiative Mood motivational strategic Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - startup launch - sales tactics - career moves Key Concepts first-mover advantage risk management Questions to Reflect On - What opportunities can you act on now? - How do you balance speed with planning? A Different Perspective Early action can be premature without preparation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beat Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beat-way-768565/) [Beats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beats/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Hundred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hundred/) [Nine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nine/) [Ninety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ninety/) [Ninety Ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ninety-ways-4791248/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways/) [Ways Beat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-beat-873277/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I see a lot of ways for me to beat Khamzat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belal-muhammad/i-see-a-lot-of-ways-for-me-to-beat-khamzat/) [Belal Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belal-muhammad/) > [Even if the coverage is leaning toward you or whatever it may be, there's ways to beat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/even-if-the-coverage-is-leaning-toward-you-or-whatever-it-may-be/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [Everything for me was to beat the system, the way I played was to beat the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/everything-for-me-was-to-beat-the-system-the-way-i-played-was-to-beat/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [It's horse racing. If you can't beat him one way, try to win another way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-baffert/it-s-horse-racing-if-you-can-t-beat-him-one-way-try-to-win-another-way/) [Bob Baffert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-baffert/) > [I've always been the opposite of mainstream. I march to my own beat. It's the only way I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-lewis/i-ve-always-been-the-opposite-of-mainstream-i-march-to-my-own-beat-it/) [Juliette Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-lewis/) > [“The only opponent you have to beat is yourself, the way you used to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/the-only-opponent-you-have-to-beat-is-yourself-the-way-you-used-to-be/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [In science, probably ninety-nine percent of the knowable has to be discovered. We know only a few streaks about astronomy. We are only beginning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/in-science-probably-ninety-nine-percent-of-the-knowable-has-to-be/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [Gossip is never fatal until it is denied. Gossip goes on about every human being alive and about all the dead that are alive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booth-tarkington/gossip-is-never-fatal-until-it-is-denied-gossip-goes-on-about-every/) [Booth Tarkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booth-tarkington/) > [Ninety-nine one-hundredths of our lives we are mere hedgers and ditchers, but from time to time we meet with reminders of our destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/ninety-nine-one-hundredths-of-our-lives-we-are-mere-hedgers-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The best picture has not yet been painted; the greatest poem is still unsung; the mightiest novel remains to be written; the divinest music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/the-best-picture-has-not-yet-been-painted-the-greatest-poem-is-still/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [And just being there is ninety-nine percent of what matters when your world falls apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-goldberg-sloan/and-just-being-there-is-ninety-nine-percent-of-what-matters-when-your/) [Holly Goldberg Sloan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-goldberg-sloan/) > [Passion gives you an advantage over others, because one person with passion is greater than ninety-nine who have only an interest!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/passion-gives-you-an-advantage-over-others-because-one-person-with/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [I had thought that growing up's consolation was that you could escape from the arbitrariness of things, that somehow one acquired more control. Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-galloway/i-had-thought-that-growing-up-s-consolation-was-that-you-could-escape/) [Janice Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-galloway/) > [The technology involved in making anything invisible is so infinitely complex that nine hundred and ninety-nine billion, nine hundred and ninety-nine million, nine hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-technology-involved-in-making-anything-invisible-is-so-infinitely/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Ninety nine per cent of the time, for anyone who wins or makes money, it makes them happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-blessed/ninety-nine-per-cent-of-the-time-for-anyone-who-wins-or-makes-money/) [Brian Blessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-blessed/) ## More by Bill Shoemaker > [I have always believed that anybody with a little guts and the desire to apply himself can make it, can make anything he wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/i-have-always-believed-that-anybody-with-a-little-guts-and-the-desire/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) > [The horse never knows I'm there until he needs me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/the-horse-never-knows-i-m-there-until-he-needs-me/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) > [Desire is the most important factor in the success of any athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/desire-is-the-most-important-factor-in-the-success-of-any-athlete/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) > [If Jack Nicklaus can win the Masters at 46, I can win the Kentucky Derby at 54.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/if-jack-nicklaus-can-win-the-masters-at-46-i-can-win-the-kentucky/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) > [When you're riding, only the race in which you're riding is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/when-you-re-riding-only-the-race-in-which-you-re-riding-is-important/) [Bill Shoemaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) [Explore all 6 Bill Shoemaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/) ## More Beats quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [If you don't like club beats take a HIT OF E and you will love the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/if-you-don-t-like-club-beats-take-a-hit-of-e-and-you-will-love-the/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Every pitcher can beat you, it doesn't matter how good you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/every-pitcher-can-beat-you-it-doesn-t-matter-how-good-you-are/) [Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [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 don't know about the rest of the world, but I know in our region everyone is gunning to beat us. We have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/i-don-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-world-but-i-know-in-our-region/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [Grand business plans are all very well, but nothing beats dipping your toe in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/grand-business-plans-are-all-very-well-but-nothing-beats-dipping-your/) [Baron Bilimoria Karan Bilimoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/) > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I don't like small birds. They hop around so merrily outside my window, looking so innocent. but I know that secretly, they're watching my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-small-birds-they-hop-around-so-merrily-outside-my-window/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,311 Beats quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beats/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There are one hundred and ninety nine ways to get beat, but only one way to win; get there first.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Shoemaker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-ways-to-get-beat-but-only-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beats" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-ways-to-get-beat-but-only-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/bill-shoemaker-57843_beats_there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-wa_583488.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/bill-shoemaker-57843_beats_there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-wa_583488.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac8/bill-shoemaker-57843_beats_there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-wa_583488.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There are one hundred and ninety nine ways to get beat, but only one way to win; get there first.” — Bill Shoemaker", "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 Shoemaker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shoemaker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There are one hundred and ninety...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-ways-to-get-beat-but-only-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shoemaker/there-are-one-hundred-and-ninety-nine-ways-to-get-beat-but-only-one/#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 } } ] } ```