---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't win championships by just being…"
description: "\"You don't win championships by just being normal, by just being average.\" — Bill Walton"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/bill-walton-3531_average_you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-bein_503835.png"
---

#  You don't win championships by just being normal, by just…

![“You don't win championships by just being normal, by just being average.” quote by Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/bill-walton-3531_average_you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-bein_503835.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/bill-walton-3531_average_you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-bein_503835.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/bill-walton-3531_average_you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-bein_503835.png)

> “You don't win championships by just being normal, by just being average.”

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Excellence requires surpassing ordinary standards, not settling for mediocrity.

**In simple terms:** Winning needs more than being average.

Key Takeaway

Strive beyond the norm.

Themes

sports achievement excellence motivation

Mood

determined energetic

Type

motivational inspirational

When to use this quote

- team training
- personal development
- coaching sessions
- goal setting

Key Concepts

high performance competitive mindset

Questions to Reflect On

- What does “normal” mean in your field?
- How can you push beyond average?

A Different Perspective

Not everyone can sustain elite performance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average/) [Championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Just Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-average-1051523/) [Just being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-being/) [Just Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-normal/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [Normal Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal-just-344555/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Win Championships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/win-championships/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm not trying to have Jake Gyllenhaal's baby. I'm not a major fashionista. I'm not going through a lesbian phase. I'm just normal. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-banks/i-m-not-trying-to-have-jake-gyllenhaal-s-baby-i-m-not-a-major/)

[Elizabeth Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-banks/)

> [It's not normal, what I do. Just being on television isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-bourdain/it-s-not-normal-what-i-do-just-being-on-television-isn-t/)

[Anthony Bourdain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-bourdain/)

> [There are only two types of player-those who keep their nerves under control and win championships, and those who do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-vardon/there-are-only-two-types-of-player-those-who-keep-their-nerves-under/)

[Harry Vardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-vardon/)

> [I want to win championships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-cruz/i-want-to-win-championships/)

[Victor Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-cruz/)

> [You aren't going to win championships unless you make layups and free throws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/you-aren-t-going-to-win-championships-unless-you-make-layups-and-free/)

[Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/)

> [It's not about being a head coach, I'd rather be a DC at Auburn and win championships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-muschamp/it-s-not-about-being-a-head-coach-i-d-rather-be-a-dc-at-auburn-and/)

[Will Muschamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-muschamp/)

> [If you think and achieve as a team, the individual accolades will take care of themselves. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-you-think-and-achieve-as-a-team-the-individual-accolades-will-take/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [If it's not messy and it doesn't drip over the sides, it's not a holiday hot chocolate -it's just an average hot chocolate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-guarnaschelli/if-it-s-not-messy-and-it-doesn-t-drip-over-the-sides-it-s-not-a/)

[Alex Guarnaschelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-guarnaschelli/)

> [I'm just the average guy, I fooled around a little on the side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-parker-jr/i-m-just-the-average-guy-i-fooled-around-a-little-on-the-side/)

[Ray Parker, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-parker-jr/)

> [Just an average guy with exceptional hair. Nothing more, nothing less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-mcbride/just-an-average-guy-with-exceptional-hair-nothing-more-nothing-less/)

[Danny Mcbride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-mcbride/)

> [“The whole world would be much happier if everyone was just average.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-baratono/the-whole-world-would-be-much-happier-if-everyone-was-just-average/)

[Ron Baratono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-baratono/)

> [“Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendra-blake/just-your-average-boy-meets-girl-girl-kills-people-story/)

[Kendra Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendra-blake/)

> [People are intimidated when they first meet me, but it doesn't take them long to realise I'm just an average person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-gaynor/people-are-intimidated-when-they-first-meet-me-but-it-doesn-t-take/)

[Gloria Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-gaynor/)

> [To be honest, I feel like just an average human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddy-alvarez/to-be-honest-i-feel-like-just-an-average-human-being/)

[Eddy Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddy-alvarez/)

> [If Lebron was playing in the late 80's and early 90's, just an average player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/if-lebron-was-playing-in-the-late-80-s-and-early-90-s-just-an-average/)

[Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/)

## More by Bill Walton

> [Come on, that was no foul! It may be a violation of all the basic rules of human decency, but its not a foul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/come-on-that-was-no-foul-it-may-be-a-violation-of-all-the-basic-rules/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [I lived to play basketball. Growing up as a kid, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics were my favorite team. The way they played,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-lived-to-play-basketball-growing-up-as-a-kid-bill-russell-and-the/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Never rank, rate, or compare coaches, children, concerts, or championships or congratulations. Just enjoy them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/never-rank-rate-or-compare-coaches-children-concerts-or-championships/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [My life changed irrevocably four-and-a-half years ago when my spine failed and collapsed. I spent two years on the floor, in excruciating, debilitating and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/my-life-changed-irrevocably-four-and-a-half-years-ago-when-my-spine/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [I love live music. I love going to the event. And to know them as people and to have seen the Grateful Dead grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-love-live-music-i-love-going-to-the-event-and-to-know-them-as/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Tracy McGrady is doing things weve never seen from anybody...from any planet!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/tracy-mcgrady-is-doing-things-weve-never-seen-from-anybody-from-any/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Why is Scottie Pippen taking a charge? Taking a charge is for people with no game!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/why-is-scottie-pippen-taking-a-charge-taking-a-charge-is-for-people/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [I couldn't imagine not playing basketball. To me, basketball is what life is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-couldn-t-imagine-not-playing-basketball-to-me-basketball-is-what/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Well, we've made some changes on this tour. We're no longer sleeping in the parking lots and swimming in the fountains. We've been staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/well-we-ve-made-some-changes-on-this-tour-we-re-no-longer-sleeping-in/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [I hate to say anything that may hurt UCLA, but I can't be quiet when I see what the NCAA is doing to Jerry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-hate-to-say-anything-that-may-hurt-ucla-but-i-can-t-be-quiet-when-i/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Couldnt you wait until at least the All-Star break to have the franchise suffer its worse loss in its storied history? Bill Russell just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/couldnt-you-wait-until-at-least-the-all-star-break-to-have-the/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Without question, no hesitation, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the best player I ever played against.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/without-question-no-hesitation-kareem-abdul-jabbar-was-the-best/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [ \[Music is\] so inspirational in terms of making me want to become better. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/music-is-so-inspirational-in-terms-of-making-me-want-to-become-better/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Anytime you bring Michael Olowokandi on to your team, disaster is soon to follow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/anytime-you-bring-michael-olowokandi-on-to-your-team-disaster-is-soon/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

> [Shaq makes everyone else in the league look like Michel Tafoya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/shaq-makes-everyone-else-in-the-league-look-like-michel-tafoya/)

[Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

[Explore all 128 Bill Walton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/)

## More Average quotes

> [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/)

[Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/)

> [There were times last year when people looked at the scoreboard and thought my batting average was the temperature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-martinez/there-were-times-last-year-when-people-looked-at-the-scoreboard-and/)

[Buck Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-martinez/)

> [The average condition of the people improving or deteriorating, depends upon whether population is advancing faster than improvement, or improvement than population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/the-average-condition-of-the-people-improving-or-deteriorating/)

[John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/)

> [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [The average well-being of our societies is not dependent any longer on national income and economic growth. ... But the differences between us and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-wilkinson/the-average-well-being-of-our-societies-is-not-dependent-any-longer/)

[Richard G. Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-wilkinson/)

> [I really focus more to hit for average, just try to put the ball in play as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-soto/i-really-focus-more-to-hit-for-average-just-try-to-put-the-ball-in/)

[Juan Soto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-soto/)

> [You give me enough shots, I'll average 20. You give me a particular system where I stick close to the basket, I'll average 10 rebounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-bosh/you-give-me-enough-shots-i-ll-average-20-you-give-me-a-particular/)

[Chris Bosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-bosh/)

> [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/)

[Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/)

> [The average American expends more time becoming informed about choosing a car than choosing a candidate. But, then, the consequences of the former choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-average-american-expends-more-time-becoming-informed-about/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

> [My phone rings, they call me up and say, 'Chael, your testosterone level is too high.' I say, 'Well, how high was it?' They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/my-phone-rings-they-call-me-up-and-say-chael-your-testosterone-level/)

[Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/)

> [In one century, we've added 28 years to our average life span - a change so rapid that our brains couldn't possibly have evolved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/in-one-century-we-ve-added-28-years-to-our-average-life-span-a-change/)

[Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/)

> [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I feel like what motivates me is what would motivate the regular average person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/i-feel-like-what-motivates-me-is-what-would-motivate-the-regular/)

[Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/)

> [We're trying to do something so that when the average person uses Pinterest, it has to make the service better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/we-re-trying-to-do-something-so-that-when-the-average-person-uses/)

[Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/)

> [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

[Browse all 2,816 Average quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You don't win championships by just being normal, by just being average.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bill Walton"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-being-normal-by-just-being-average/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Average"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-being-normal-by-just-being-average/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/bill-walton-3531_average_you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-bein_503835.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/bill-walton-3531_average_you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-bein_503835.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffa/bill-walton-3531_average_you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-bein_503835.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You don't win championships by just being normal, by just being average.” — Bill Walton",
                "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 Walton",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You don't win championships by just...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-being-normal-by-just-being-average/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/you-don-t-win-championships-by-just-being-normal-by-just-being-average/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
