--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It has always been my thought that the…" description: "\"It has always been my thought that the most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. I have many times felt that this..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/bobby-knight-2680_athletics_it-has-always-been-my-thought-that-the-m_1351294.png" --- # It has always been my thought that the most important… ![“It has always been my thought that the most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. I have many times felt that this word is the most ill-defined in all of our language. My definition isas follows: 1. Do what has to be done; 2. When it has to be done; 3. As well…” quote by Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/bobby-knight-2680_athletics_it-has-always-been-my-thought-that-the-m_1351294.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/bobby-knight-2680_athletics_it-has-always-been-my-thought-that-the-m_1351294.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af1/bobby-knight-2680_athletics_it-has-always-been-my-thought-that-the-m_1351294.png) > “It has always been my thought that the most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. I have many times felt that this word is the most ill-defined in all of our language. My definition isas follows: 1. Do what has to be done; 2. When it has to be done; 3. As well as it can be done; and 4. Do it it that way all the time.” [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discipline means consistently doing what must be done, when required, to the best of one's ability, and maintaining that standard always. **In simple terms:** Discipline is doing what's needed, on time, well, always. Key Takeaway Practice consistent, high‑quality effort. Themes discipline success athletics life habit consistency Mood determined serious Type motivational practical When to use this quote - training routines - academic work - project management - personal health - team leadership Key Concepts self‑control habit formation performance optimization Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance discipline with flexibility? - When does strict routine hinder growth? A Different Perspective Discipline can become rigid, stifling creativity or adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athletics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletics/) [Defined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defined/) [Definition Isas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definition-isas-4596829/) [Definitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/definitions/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Ill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ill/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Ingredients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ingredients/) [Isas Follows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isas-follows-4596830/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-discipline-966540/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [My thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-thoughts/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Success Athletics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success-athletics-1461832/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been on the outside looking in. I was never popular in school, despite my success in athletics. I would win track and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-omega/i-ve-always-been-on-the-outside-looking-in-i-was-never-popular-in/) [Kenny Omega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-omega/) > [“Success in everything from athletics to chess to the stock market boosts testosterone levels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/success-in-everything-from-athletics-to-chess-to-the-stock-market/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Live your life while you have it. Life is a splendid gift. There is nothing small in it. Far the greatest things grow by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/live-your-life-while-you-have-it-life-is-a-splendid-gift-there-is-2/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [Life without discipline is like a car with a drunk driver. That is, without discipline, one goes through life erratically, bumping here and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/life-without-discipline-is-like-a-car-with-a-drunk-driver-that-is/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [You wake up, your life is discipline: there's kids, breakfast, lunch box, go to work, discipline, organization, guests. Imagine the semi-final of Super Bowl.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-redzepi/you-wake-up-your-life-is-discipline-there-s-kids-breakfast-lunch-box/) [Rene Redzepi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-redzepi/) > [Life moves on, whether we act as cowards or heroes. Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would be realize it, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/life-moves-on-whether-we-act-as-cowards-or-heroes-life-has-no-other/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [The most we can get out of life is its discipline for ourselves, and its usefulness for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/the-most-we-can-get-out-of-life-is-its-discipline-for-ourselves-and/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [“Life without discipline is just like a body without a backbone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/utkarsh-sharma/life-without-discipline-is-just-like-a-body-without-a-backbone/) [Utkarsh Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/utkarsh-sharma/) > [It's a new day, a new beginning for your new life. With discipline you will be amazed at how much progress you'll be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/it-s-a-new-day-a-new-beginning-for-your-new-life-with-discipline-you/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [My life is a discipline, a prison: I live for my own work, without which I am nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/my-life-is-a-discipline-a-prison-i-live-for-my-own-work-without-which/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Live your life while you have it. Life is a splendid gift. There is nothing small in it. For the greatest things grow by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/live-your-life-while-you-have-it-life-is-a-splendid-gift-there-is/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Live a life of discipline and live a life of celebration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/live-a-life-of-discipline-and-live-a-life-of-celebration/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-pavlina/life-has-no-other-discipline-to-impose-if-we-would-but-realize-it/) [Steve Pavlina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-pavlina/) > [“Christianity is more than just a belief; it is a life of discipline, a firm determination to live a life of prayer and contemplation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-m-torres/christianity-is-more-than-just-a-belief-it-is-a-life-of-discipline-a/) [Ramon M. Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-m-torres/) > [I admire people who can spend every aspect of their life in one discipline and really go all the way. I feel the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-admire-people-who-can-spend-every-aspect-of-their-life-in-one/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) ## More by Bobby Knight > [I also believe that when something negative comes out about you in the media, that's only one person's opinion. These guys sometimes believe they've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/i-also-believe-that-when-something-negative-comes-out-about-you-in/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [My overall point is that 'one and dones' are not healthy for college basketball. I should not have made it personal to Kentucky and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/my-overall-point-is-that-one-and-dones-are-not-healthy-for-college/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [There are as many guys in coaching who do a lousy job as there are in the media. Those are two professions that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/there-are-as-many-guys-in-coaching-who-do-a-lousy-job-as-there-are-in/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [The goal is to make practice more difficult, physically/mentally, than anything your players will face during a game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/the-goal-is-to-make-practice-more-difficult-physically-mentally-than/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [My practices were not set up to be easy or enjoyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/my-practices-were-not-set-up-to-be-easy-or-enjoyed/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [The key is not the will to win... everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/the-key-is-not-the-will-to-win-everybody-has-that-it-is-the-will-to/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [I've always felt that, you know, the Almighty has a lot of things to do other than help my basketball team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/i-ve-always-felt-that-you-know-the-almighty-has-a-lot-of-things-to-do/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [To me, the most enjoyable part is the practice and preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/to-me-the-most-enjoyable-part-is-the-practice-and-preparation/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Good planning avoids the need for fixing up a project that plowed ahead without thought... about potential pitfalls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/good-planning-avoids-the-need-for-fixing-up-a-project-that-plowed/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Victory favors the team making the fewest mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/victory-favors-the-team-making-the-fewest-mistakes/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Everybody wants to be on a championship team, but nobody wants to come to practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/everybody-wants-to-be-on-a-championship-team-but-nobody-wants-to-come/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Basketball is a full court game, so every drill must be done full court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/basketball-is-a-full-court-game-so-every-drill-must-be-done-full-court/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Pat has been instrumental in what we've done here so far and the most selfish thing for me is that I want to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/pat-has-been-instrumental-in-what-we-ve-done-here-so-far-and-the-most/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Everybody hears, but few listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/everybody-hears-but-few-listen/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Defense is all about helping. No one can guard a good dribbler, You have to walk kids through how to help and then how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/defense-is-all-about-helping-no-one-can-guard-a-good-dribbler-you/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) [Explore all 155 Bobby Knight quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) ## More Athletics quotes > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) > [Combining the experience of a seasoned university president with the analysis of a respected legal scholar, Derek Bok explores what he concludes are 'signs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-h-t-rhodes/combining-the-experience-of-a-seasoned-university-president-with-the/) [Frank H. T. Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-h-t-rhodes/) > [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/) > [The Games have been decimated. If you take away the Eastern Bloc, you take away 50% of the medals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-pickering/the-games-have-been-decimated-if-you-take-away-the-eastern-bloc-you/) [Ron Pickering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-pickering/) > [If you have the sense of participation in sports or athletics, of being a player, then you are not really into the Zen mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-have-the-sense-of-participation-in-sports-or-athletics-of/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [While receiving radiation treatment for a thyroid illness, I had refused to take beta-blockers - a medication that would have eased its side effects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-devers/while-receiving-radiation-treatment-for-a-thyroid-illness-i-had/) [Gail Devers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-devers/) > [Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-difference-is-that-some-of-us-are-in/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [And with alphabetical irony Nigeria follows New Zealand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coleman/and-with-alphabetical-irony-nigeria-follows-new-zealand/) [David Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coleman/) > [The very advanced practitioners of martial arts never had to raise a hand. They could knock an opponent down without physically touching them, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-very-advanced-practitioners-of-martial-arts-never-had-to-raise-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There's discussion in athletics about how sport - where they say 'SportsCenter' has ruined the fundamentals of basketball because it's - it only applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pfeiffer/there-s-discussion-in-athletics-about-how-sport-where-they-say/) [Dan Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pfeiffer/) > [In the game of Frisbee you throw the disk to someone else. The point of Frisbee is perfect communication. The person at the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-game-of-frisbee-you-throw-the-disk-to-someone-else-the-point/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Physical perfection, working out, adds to your spiritual perfection if that is your intent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/physical-perfection-working-out-adds-to-your-spiritual-perfection-if/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If you get a great wife who understands the demands of someone in athletics, I think that's important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-romo/if-you-get-a-great-wife-who-understands-the-demands-of-someone-in/) [Tony Romo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-romo/) > [Few would deny that blacks have become very dominant in athletics: football, basketball, track, now dominant in tennis and dominant in golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/few-would-deny-that-blacks-have-become-very-dominant-in-athletics/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Participating in athletics gives all students an opportunity to learn about themselves, to compete, to negotiate with a team and learn skills that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cardona/participating-in-athletics-gives-all-students-an-opportunity-to-learn/) [Miguel Cardona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cardona/) [Browse all 347 Athletics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It has always been my thought that the most important single ingredient to success in athletics or life is discipline. 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