--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The will to succeed is important, but…" description: "\"The will to succeed is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare.\" — Bobby Knight" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/bobby-knight-2680_important_the-will-to-succeed-is-important-but-wha_2102155.png" --- # The will to succeed is important, but what's more… ![“The will to succeed is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare.” quote by Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/bobby-knight-2680_important_the-will-to-succeed-is-important-but-wha_2102155.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/bobby-knight-2680_important_the-will-to-succeed-is-important-but-wha_2102155.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/bobby-knight-2680_important_the-will-to-succeed-is-important-but-wha_2102155.png) > “The will to succeed is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare.” [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. Success requires preparation; the will to prepare outweighs the will to succeed alone. **In simple terms:** Preparation is more vital than desire alone. Key Takeaway Prioritize preparation over mere ambition. Themes discipline preparation success effort Mood determined pragmatic Type advice motivational When to use this quote - coaching - team building - career development - academic study Key Concepts goal setting strategic planning mental toughness Questions to Reflect On - What balance of will and preparation yields optimal results? - How do you avoid over‑planning? A Different Perspective Over‑preparation may cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/the-will-to-win-is-important-but-the-will-to-prepare-is-vital/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [The most important is to prepare you for eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-most-important-is-to-prepare-you-for-eternity/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/the-will-to-win-is-not-nearly-as-important-as-the-will-to-prepare-to-2/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [“The books, and your capacity for understanding them, are just the same in all places… Always bear in mind that your own resolution to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-books-and-your-capacity-for-understanding-them-are-just-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/always-bear-in-mind-that-your-own-resolution-to-succeed-is-more/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Save your money, buy only what you need, give generously, and, most important, prepare yourself for God’s inheritance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/save-your-money-buy-only-what-you-need-give-generously-and-most/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [The most important part of this is to prepare the athlete for life in general and then be able to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/the-most-important-part-of-this-is-to-prepare-the-athlete-for-life-in/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) > [It's important that you prepare the players for what happens at a tournament, like a World Cup, for example. You can get a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joachim-low/it-s-important-that-you-prepare-the-players-for-what-happens-at-a/) [Joachim Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joachim-low/) > [“Must is the word... You can not fail if you resolutely determine that you will not... Always bear in mind that your resolution to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/must-is-the-word-you-can-not-fail-if-you-resolutely-determine-that/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The week preceding the game is just as important, if not more important, to prepare yourself mentally to make sure you know the ins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedy-bruschi/the-week-preceding-the-game-is-just-as-important-if-not-more/) [Tedy Bruschi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedy-bruschi/) > [Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/always-bear-in-mind-that-your-own-resolution-to-succeed-is-more-3/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. --Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/always-bear-in-mind-that-your-own-resolution-to-succeed-is-more-2/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [You have to risk failure to succeed. The important thing is not to make one single mistake that will jeopardize the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-have-to-risk-failure-to-succeed-the-important-thing-is-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/your-own-resolution-to-succeed-is-more-important-than-any-other/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Always bear in mind that our own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing." - Abraham Lincoln6/26"One must have strategies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/always-bear-in-mind-that-our-own-resolution-to-succeed-is-more/) [Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/) ## 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 Important quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. 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