--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing that got me over the hump was…" description: "\"The thing that got me over the hump was accepting that I had to do whatever I could to stay in the game\" — Dennis Eckersley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/dennis-eckersley-23363_accepting_the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was_1575506.png" --- # The thing that got me over the hump was accepting that I… ![“The thing that got me over the hump was accepting that I had to do whatever I could to stay in the game” quote by Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/dennis-eckersley-23363_accepting_the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was_1575506.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/dennis-eckersley-23363_accepting_the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was_1575506.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/dennis-eckersley-23363_accepting_the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was_1575506.png) > “The thing that got me over the hump was accepting that I had to do whatever I could to stay in the game” [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting the need to do whatever is necessary keeps you competitive and engaged. **In simple terms:** Do whatever needed to stay in the game. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and persistence. Themes determination flexibility competition Mood focused determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career setbacks - team sports - business challenges - personal health crises Key Concepts resilience adaptation mental toughness Questions to Reflect On - What limits are you willing to set? - How do you balance effort with well‑being? A Different Perspective May lead to burnout if boundaries aren't set. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Accepting Stay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting-stay-5940249/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Got Hump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-hump-5707920/) [Hump Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hump-accepting-5940248/) [Stay Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-game/) ## Related quotes > [Size doesn't really matter. It's all about the mental aspect of the game and having the heart. I have a lot of heart and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavon-austin/size-doesn-t-really-matter-it-s-all-about-the-mental-aspect-of-the/) [Tavon Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavon-austin/) > [You may come and go, but the real test is to see how long one can manage to stay in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armaan-malik/you-may-come-and-go-but-the-real-test-is-to-see-how-long-one-can/) [Armaan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armaan-malik/) > [3 Things I believe you need to stay at the top of your game, a healthy body, an open mind and a spiritual connecting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-housham/3-things-i-believe-you-need-to-stay-at-the-top-of-your-game-a-healthy/) [Ricardo Housham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-housham/) > [I can stay in the game for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-can-stay-in-the-game-for-a-long-time/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [“Be committed to creating a life’s work, not a season. If you get overexcited and rush everything for fear of missing out, you run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-campbell/be-committed-to-creating-a-life-s-work-not-a-season-if-you-get/) [Rebecca Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-campbell/) > [Eric Bischoff wanted to destroy Vince in the ratings, but we wanted them to stay in the game. We wanted it to be neck-and-neck.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-waltman/eric-bischoff-wanted-to-destroy-vince-in-the-ratings-but-we-wanted/) [Sean Waltman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-waltman/) > [Bollywood is a huge industry with a lot of competition and you always have to stay at the top of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kashmira-shah/bollywood-is-a-huge-industry-with-a-lot-of-competition-and-you-always/) [Kashmira Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kashmira-shah/) > [You have to reinvent to stay fresh, to stay in the game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/you-have-to-reinvent-to-stay-fresh-to-stay-in-the-game/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [Exercise and good nutrition helped make me what I am today and are critical in allowing me stay on top of my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-paul/exercise-and-good-nutrition-helped-make-me-what-i-am-today-and-are/) [Chris Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-paul/) > [I wanted to stay in the game. I wanted to learn more about the league, what goes on behind the scenes. As a player,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pronger/i-wanted-to-stay-in-the-game-i-wanted-to-learn-more-about-the-league/) [Chris Pronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pronger/) > [To stay in the game, you have to stay in the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-owen/to-stay-in-the-game-you-have-to-stay-in-the-game/) [Michael Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-owen/) > [Even now I can say I'd love to finish my career here, and then stay in the game after that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-gerrard/even-now-i-can-say-i-d-love-to-finish-my-career-here-and-then-stay-in/) [Steven Gerrard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-gerrard/) > [You've just gotta watch film and know when to pick your battles better. Because as a big you're gonna go down there, you're gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaren-jackson-jr/you-ve-just-gotta-watch-film-and-know-when-to-pick-your-battles/) [Jaren Jackson, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaren-jackson-jr/) > [I've called the spring game for Big Ten Network for Michigan State. It's a great opportunity to still stay around the game, to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-cousins/i-ve-called-the-spring-game-for-big-ten-network-for-michigan-state-it/) [Kirk Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-cousins/) > [For me, I wanna keep improving and trying to stay on top of my game because the best players in the world are consistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-foden/for-me-i-wanna-keep-improving-and-trying-to-stay-on-top-of-my-game/) [Phil Foden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-foden/) ## More by Dennis Eckersley > [People say baseball players should go out and have fun. No way. To me, baseball is pressure, I always feel it. This is work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/people-say-baseball-players-should-go-out-and-have-fun-no-way-to-me/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [It took a great deal of acceptance to come to terms with being an alcoholic, but the acceptance was key to my sobriety. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/it-took-a-great-deal-of-acceptance-to-come-to-terms-with-being-an/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Sooner or later you learn that you belong in the big leagues, and that makes you calm down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/sooner-or-later-you-learn-that-you-belong-in-the-big-leagues-and-that/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [I was a starter and did some good things there, and then I got a chance to prove myself as a closer. Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/i-was-a-starter-and-did-some-good-things-there-and-then-i-got-a/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [You aren't going to stick around long with just two pitches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/you-aren-t-going-to-stick-around-long-with-just-two-pitches/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [But through experience I learned to control my body and locate the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/but-through-experience-i-learned-to-control-my-body-and-locate-the/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [They developed a platform for me to put up another 12 years, and that was my ticket to Cooperstown. Those were the best years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/they-developed-a-platform-for-me-to-put-up-another-12-years-and-that/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [When I started finishing games and coming off the field shaking hands, it was a beautiful thing. I mean, you start seeing that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/when-i-started-finishing-games-and-coming-off-the-field-shaking-hands/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Pitching... sometimes I did so poorly, it brought me to tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/pitching-sometimes-i-did-so-poorly-it-brought-me-to-tears/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [That first year in Chicago was one of the most memorable in my career. Getting traded rejuvenated me, and I had something to prove.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/that-first-year-in-chicago-was-one-of-the-most-memorable-in-my-career/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [I can't recall too much about pitching, but I do remember that I was anxious to get it over with. I just wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/i-can-t-recall-too-much-about-pitching-but-i-do-remember-that-i-was/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [I had never been to the playoffs, and it was exciting. The fans went through the roof. They were excited about the whole team.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/i-had-never-been-to-the-playoffs-and-it-was-exciting-the-fans-went/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Tony knew me both as an athlete and as a person. He cared for me like a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/tony-knew-me-both-as-an-athlete-and-as-a-person-he-cared-for-me-like/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [I was in good control of my body, and I kept my head still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/i-was-in-good-control-of-my-body-and-i-kept-my-head-still/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [My career spanned the era when relievers started to become more important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/my-career-spanned-the-era-when-relievers-started-to-become-more/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) [Explore all 26 Dennis Eckersley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing that got me over the hump was accepting that I had to do whatever I could to stay in the game", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dennis Eckersley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was-accepting-that-i-had-to-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was-accepting-that-i-had-to-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/dennis-eckersley-23363_accepting_the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was_1575506.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/dennis-eckersley-23363_accepting_the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was_1575506.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/af5/dennis-eckersley-23363_accepting_the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was_1575506.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing that got me over the hump was accepting that I had to do whatever I could to stay in the game” — Dennis Eckersley", "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": "Dennis Eckersley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing that got me over...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was-accepting-that-i-had-to-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/the-thing-that-got-me-over-the-hump-was-accepting-that-i-had-to-do/#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 } } ] } ```