--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We should not have to push you to work…" description: "\"We should not have to push you to work hard, you should work hard because you want to be a great player.\" — Bobby Knight" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/bobby-knight-2680_basketball_we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-h_2920217.png" --- # We should not have to push you to work hard, you should… ![“We should not have to push you to work hard, you should work hard because you want to be a great player.” quote by Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/bobby-knight-2680_basketball_we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-h_2920217.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/bobby-knight-2680_basketball_we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-h_2920217.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/bobby-knight-2680_basketball_we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-h_2920217.png) > “We should not have to push you to work hard, you should work hard because you want to be a great player.” [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. Motivation should stem from personal desire, not external pressure; true greatness requires intrinsic drive. **In simple terms:** Work hard because you want to be great, not because someone forces you. Key Takeaway Cultivate internal motivation for performance. Themes motivation self-discipline excellence Mood inspirational determined Type coaching psychological When to use this quote - sports teams - personal development - career growth Key Concepts intrinsic drive goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your personal ambition? - How to maintain self-motivation over time? A Different Perspective External pressure can cause burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Great player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-player/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hockey/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Push Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push-work-2087021/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-great/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I just want to be a great player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-just-want-to-be-a-great-player/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I want to be a great player someday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tannehill/i-want-to-be-a-great-player-someday/) [Ryan Tannehill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tannehill/) > [I'm not out here just for the money. I want to be a great player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kawhi-leonard/i-m-not-out-here-just-for-the-money-i-want-to-be-a-great-player/) [Kawhi Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kawhi-leonard/) > [I always push myself to work harder and achieve more in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-kumar/i-always-push-myself-to-work-harder-and-achieve-more-in-life/) [Tulsi Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-kumar/) > [I just push myself to work hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-ovechkin/i-just-push-myself-to-work-hard/) [Alexander Ovechkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-ovechkin/) > [I'd be in the wrong job if I had to stand in front of the mirror and push myself to go to work every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-muller/i-d-be-in-the-wrong-job-if-i-had-to-stand-in-front-of-the-mirror-and/) [Thomas Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-muller/) > [They say that push on fire. We work in the heat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audio-push/they-say-that-push-on-fire-we-work-in-the-heat/) [Audio Push](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audio-push/) > [I'm going to push and work hard every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-henry/i-m-going-to-push-and-work-hard-every-day/) [Derrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-henry/) > [Crosby is a great player, but I'd have to say Ovechkin, who is also a great player but doesn't have the same kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaromir-jagr/crosby-is-a-great-player-but-i-d-have-to-say-ovechkin-who-is-also-a/) [Jaromir Jagr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaromir-jagr/) > [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/) > [Basketball isn't as popular in Canada as it is in the US. Hockey is by far the most popular sport in Canada.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/basketball-isn-t-as-popular-in-canada-as-it-is-in-the-us-hockey-is-by/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [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 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/) > [I played basketball in high school, and I love watching sports - I'll watch everything except maybe hockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-roddick/i-played-basketball-in-high-school-and-i-love-watching-sports-i-ll/) [Andy Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-roddick/) > [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/) ## 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 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": "We should not have to push you to work hard, you should work hard because you want to be a great player.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bobby Knight" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-hard-you-should-work-hard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-hard-you-should-work-hard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/bobby-knight-2680_basketball_we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-h_2920217.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/bobby-knight-2680_basketball_we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-h_2920217.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e1/bobby-knight-2680_basketball_we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-h_2920217.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We should not have to push you to work hard, you should work hard because you want to be a great player.” — Bobby Knight", "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": "Bobby Knight", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We should not have to push...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-hard-you-should-work-hard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/we-should-not-have-to-push-you-to-work-hard-you-should-work-hard/#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 } } ] } ```