--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was very competitive growing up. I…" description: "\"I was very competitive growing up. I can't even play chess anymore because I used to play tournament chess in school. There's too much sense memory of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/chris-hardwick-2460_boards_i-was-very-competitive-growing-up-i-can_2584228.jpg" --- # I was very competitive growing up. I can't even play chess… ![“I was very competitive growing up. I can't even play chess anymore because I used to play tournament chess in school. There's too much sense memory of sitting in front of a chess board and getting super intense about it. It's ruined the game for me.” quote by Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/chris-hardwick-2460_boards_i-was-very-competitive-growing-up-i-can_2584228.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/chris-hardwick-2460_boards_i-was-very-competitive-growing-up-i-can_2584228.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/893/chris-hardwick-2460_boards_i-was-very-competitive-growing-up-i-can_2584228.jpg) > “I was very competitive growing up. I can't even play chess anymore because I used to play tournament chess in school. There's too much sense memory of sitting in front of a chess board and getting super intense about it. It's ruined the game for me.” [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense early competition in chess left lasting mental associations, diminishing enjoyment of the game. **In simple terms:** Early competition ruined his chess enjoyment. Key Takeaway Find balance between competition and fun. Themes competition memory recreation Mood nostalgic thoughtful Type reflective personal When to use this quote - recreational clubs - mindfulness training - hobby diversification Key Concepts psychology of sport habit formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you rediscover joy in a hobby? - What limits can you set for competitive play? A Different Perspective Competitive pressure can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chess/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Tournaments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournaments/) ## Related quotes > [I played tournament chess from fifth grade up into high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/i-played-tournament-chess-from-fifth-grade-up-into-high-school/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [I may play some exhibition games so I don't want to quit the game of chess completely. 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Fuck them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-lehr/deal-me-in-if-they-want-to-play-checkers-we-ll-play-chess-fuck-them/) Dick Lehr > [“If u want to work in Corporate, then u should know how to play Chess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honeya/if-u-want-to-work-in-corporate-then-u-should-know-how-to-play-chess/) [honeya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honeya/) > [When humans team up with computers to play chess, the humans who do best are not necessarily the strongest players. They're the ones who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/when-humans-team-up-with-computers-to-play-chess-the-humans-who-do/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [I see myself used in terms of reading mismatches. If it's small, go inside. If it's big, come outside. 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