--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been playing at a professional level…" description: "\"I've been playing at a professional level for 17, 18 years now, and there's more to life. I love the game, don't get me wrong - I've cherished every mo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/craig-bellamy-10254_every-moment_i-ve-been-playing-at-a-professional-leve_725209.jpg" --- # I've been playing at a professional level for 17, 18 years… ![“I've been playing at a professional level for 17, 18 years now, and there's more to life. I love the game, don't get me wrong - I've cherished every moment of it.” quote by Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/craig-bellamy-10254_every-moment_i-ve-been-playing-at-a-professional-leve_725209.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/craig-bellamy-10254_every-moment_i-ve-been-playing-at-a-professional-leve_725209.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a3e/craig-bellamy-10254_every-moment_i-ve-been-playing-at-a-professional-leve_725209.jpg) > “I've been playing at a professional level for 17, 18 years now, and there's more to life. I love the game, don't get me wrong - I've cherished every moment of it.” [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Professional sport is a chapter, not the whole life; love for the game coexists with broader pursuits. **In simple terms:** Sport is part of life, not all. Key Takeaway Embrace multiple passions beyond your career. Themes career identity balance Mood hopeful reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - retirement planning - personal fulfillment - career change Key Concepts sports psychology life transition Questions to Reflect On - What new purpose will you pursue? - How can you integrate past passions with future goals? A Different Perspective Fans may resist seeing athletes beyond their sport. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) > [I enjoyed my 15 years at the top, and now I enjoy watching the current crop. What I did, maybe they can't do, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahangir-khan/i-enjoyed-my-15-years-at-the-top-and-now-i-enjoy-watching-the-current/) [Jahangir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jahangir-khan/) > [For me, being professional is being at the top level in both my personal life and professional life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rui-patricio/for-me-being-professional-is-being-at-the-top-level-in-both-my/) [Rui Patricio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rui-patricio/) > [“Each life experience leaves a layer of memory like a deposit of sediment: things we’ve loved and moments of contentment we’ve cherished that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/each-life-experience-leaves-a-layer-of-memory-like-a-deposit-of/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [“Here Is All I’ve Counted Splendid Write it down, when I have perished: Here is everything I’ve cherished; That these walls should glow with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/here-is-all-i-ve-counted-splendid-write-it-down-when-i-have-perished/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [Playing on the PGA Tour and playing professional golf, I think it's what everyone has dreamed of doing - all the guys who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickie-fowler/playing-on-the-pga-tour-and-playing-professional-golf-i-think-it-s/) [Rickie Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickie-fowler/) > [NXT is the professional level, and it's the best of the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-corbin/nxt-is-the-professional-level-and-it-s-the-best-of-the-best/) [Baron Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baron-corbin/) > [I think it's normal to have competition once you get to the professional level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-pulisic/i-think-it-s-normal-to-have-competition-once-you-get-to-the/) [Christian Pulisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-pulisic/) > [I really counted on my technical ability and my passing for everything. Then once you got to bigger stages and the professional level, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-horan/i-really-counted-on-my-technical-ability-and-my-passing-for/) [Lindsey Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-horan/) > [Respect is important, and if you don't have it you won't be on the professional level very long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-phoenix/respect-is-important-and-if-you-don-t-have-it-you-won-t-be-on-the/) [Beth Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-phoenix/) > [You have to come in on a professional level to make it, otherwise you just can't get into rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-level-to-make-it-otherwise-you/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Although I've achieved a lot in my career so far, there's also so much more I want to do. I've never held a championship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenille-dashwood/although-i-ve-achieved-a-lot-in-my-career-so-far-there-s-also-so-much/) [Tenille Dashwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenille-dashwood/) > [I'm well known because I do music at a professional level, and a certain magnitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/i-m-well-known-because-i-do-music-at-a-professional-level-and-a/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [I don't have a problem with anyone on a professional level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordi-alba/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-anyone-on-a-professional-level/) [Jordi Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordi-alba/) > [I probably realized when I was maybe 13 years of age that I could make a living out of playing professional sport and from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-folau/i-probably-realized-when-i-was-maybe-13-years-of-age-that-i-could/) [Israel Folau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-folau/) ## More by Craig Bellamy > [Certain players need twice the recovery time of others because they run much more - not because they put in more effort but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/certain-players-need-twice-the-recovery-time-of-others-because-they/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [All I want to do now is prove my temperament is not a problem and get people talking about my football again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/all-i-want-to-do-now-is-prove-my-temperament-is-not-a-problem-and-get/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [David Brooks - every time I see him, I like him. He breaks lines, runs beyond, and I like him a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/david-brooks-every-time-i-see-him-i-like-him-he-breaks-lines-runs/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [My brother is gay - he's a couple of years older than me, and I could not be more proud of him. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/my-brother-is-gay-he-s-a-couple-of-years-older-than-me-and-i-could/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [When I left Liverpool, my aim was to get into the top six, and I was looking for a team that could get involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/when-i-left-liverpool-my-aim-was-to-get-into-the-top-six-and-i-was/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [I joined Norwich when I was 15 and moved away from a life living on an estate in Cardiff and everything I knew. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-joined-norwich-when-i-was-15-and-moved-away-from-a-life-living-on/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [I surround myself with family. I have got the most incredible wife in the world and unbelievable kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-surround-myself-with-family-i-have-got-the-most-incredible-wife-in/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [Life isn't just about football. The adventure starts when you finish, and I'm looking forward to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/life-isn-t-just-about-football-the-adventure-starts-when-you-finish/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [I do have to pinch myself at times when I look back at some of the things I have achieved. I really do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-do-have-to-pinch-myself-at-times-when-i-look-back-at-some-of-the/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [It's up to people to judge whether I'm a good fella.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/it-s-up-to-people-to-judge-whether-i-m-a-good-fella/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [Manchester City is the richest club in the world. They work to a budget that no one else works to, so they can write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/manchester-city-is-the-richest-club-in-the-world-they-work-to-a/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [Basically, we are all chimps. The human side is at the front of our forehead, but the chimp is the part that lashes out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/basically-we-are-all-chimps-the-human-side-is-at-the-front-of-our/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [The lads I played football with on the street when I was a kid in Cardiff were as good as me, and in many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/the-lads-i-played-football-with-on-the-street-when-i-was-a-kid-in/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [I've kept my nose clean when I've been asked to to play out of position, and I've done it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-ve-kept-my-nose-clean-when-i-ve-been-asked-to-to-play-out-of/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [I want to make sure that I am always ready: that if I step off the bench, I will make a contribution, then be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-want-to-make-sure-that-i-am-always-ready-that-if-i-step-off-the/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) [Explore all 67 Craig Bellamy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) ## More Every moment quotes > [“Will you destroy something in order to make it beautiful? 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I mean, I enjoy every moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquem-griffin/you-ll-never-see-me-coming-around-the-corner-not-smiling-i-mean-i/) [Shaquem Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquem-griffin/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [“You must enjoy and treasure every moment of your journey on earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-must-enjoy-and-treasure-every-moment-of-your-journey-on-earth/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Being a full-time mother is one of the biggest jobs in the world; it's like another career for me. I love every moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darcey-bussell/being-a-full-time-mother-is-one-of-the-biggest-jobs-in-the-world-it-s/) [Darcey Bussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darcey-bussell/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [You and I are both life. There's just the experience of every moment. We like to call them moments. 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