--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To win it all, winners have to be…" description: "\"To win it all, winners have to be obsessive about the fundamentals and doing the little things right.\" — Don Meyer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/don-meyer-7312_football_to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessi_2303953.png" --- # To win it all, winners have to be obsessive about the… ![“To win it all, winners have to be obsessive about the fundamentals and doing the little things right.” quote by Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/don-meyer-7312_football_to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessi_2303953.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/don-meyer-7312_football_to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessi_2303953.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/don-meyer-7312_football_to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessi_2303953.png) > “To win it all, winners have to be obsessive about the fundamentals and doing the little things right.” [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Champions focus obsessively on fundamentals and flawless execution of small tasks. **In simple terms:** Master basics to win. Key Takeaway Perfect the fundamentals daily. Themes sports excellence detail Mood motivational practical Type coaching inspirational When to use this quote - team practice - skill drills - personal development Key Concepts coaching performance optimization Questions to Reflect On - How do you incorporate innovation while mastering basics? - When should you adapt fundamentals? A Different Perspective Over‑focus on basics can stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Little things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-things/) [Motivational sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-sports/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winner/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [You can never really get away from the fundamentals of anything that you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amari-cooper/you-can-never-really-get-away-from-the-fundamentals-of-anything-that/) [Amari Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amari-cooper/) > [Doubters don't win, winners don't doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/doubters-don-t-win-winners-don-t-doubt/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [Quitters don't win and winners don't quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-gould/quitters-don-t-win-and-winners-don-t-quit/) [Elliott Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-gould/) > [Who cares who gets the last shot or scores the most points? Who cares who gets the credit? If we win, we're all winners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/who-cares-who-gets-the-last-shot-or-scores-the-most-points-who-cares/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [Quitters never win, and winners never quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gothsynyster/quitters-never-win-and-winners-never-quit/) Gothsynyster > [I want my kids to win. Winners get the corner office, the big house, the hot wife, the whole nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-herman/i-want-my-kids-to-win-winners-get-the-corner-office-the-big-house-the/) [Tom Herman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-herman/) > [Every fight is a must-win because we are winners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/every-fight-is-a-must-win-because-we-are-winners/) [Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/) > [Hand in there and keep your head up. Quitters never win and winners never quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hand-in-there-and-keep-your-head-up-quitters-never-win-and-winners/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Qutes never win and winners never qute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorcas/qutes-never-win-and-winners-never-qute/) [Dorcas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorcas/) > [Complacency is the forerunner of mediocrity. You can never work too hard on attitudes, effort and technique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/complacency-is-the-forerunner-of-mediocrity-you-can-never-work-too/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Habits are critical for players. They cannot think and play well at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/habits-are-critical-for-players-they-cannot-think-and-play-well-at/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [While it is often true that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, it seems like Yahoo's almost obsessive focus on Google is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/while-it-is-often-true-that-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-it/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [The obsessive documentation is itself adjacent to hyper-consumption in our society. The desire to just have everything all the time and adjacent to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-leo/the-obsessive-documentation-is-itself-adjacent-to-hyper-consumption/) [Ted Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-leo/) > [One of the things my success as an author has forced me to face is how dysfunctional... Maybe that's a strong word, but how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-faber/one-of-the-things-my-success-as-an-author-has-forced-me-to-face-is/) [Michel Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-faber/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) ## More by Don Meyer > [Every day you teach attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/every-day-you-teach-attitude/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Proper prior planning prevents pitiful poor performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/proper-prior-planning-prevents-pitiful-poor-performance/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [It doesn't matter where you coach, it matters why you coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-coach-it-matters-why-you-coach/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Sometimes the best recruits are the ones you don't get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/sometimes-the-best-recruits-are-the-ones-you-don-t-get/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [You never realize the value of coaching until your children play for a coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/you-never-realize-the-value-of-coaching-until-your-children-play-for/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Discover your gift, develop your gift and then give it away every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/discover-your-gift-develop-your-gift-and-then-give-it-away-every-day/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [When the legs go, the heart and the head follow quickly behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/when-the-legs-go-the-heart-and-the-head-follow-quickly-behind/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Your program must have an overriding purpose which is clearly visible and which teaches lessons beyond winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/your-program-must-have-an-overriding-purpose-which-is-clearly-visible/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [If you are a good team, your offense is born on the defensive end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/if-you-are-a-good-team-your-offense-is-born-on-the-defensive-end/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Habits are critical for players. They cannot think and play well at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/habits-are-critical-for-players-they-cannot-think-and-play-well-at/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [When I go in for heart surgery, I want a full-time surgeon. I don't want some guy who just does it part-time between rounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/when-i-go-in-for-heart-surgery-i-want-a-full-time-surgeon-i-don-t/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [If you want to thank me, go do something for somebody else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/if-you-want-to-thank-me-go-do-something-for-somebody-else/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Parents would rather have their son get all-state than his team win the state championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/parents-would-rather-have-their-son-get-all-state-than-his-team-win/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [Quickness more than anything else should determine your amount of pressure on the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/quickness-more-than-anything-else-should-determine-your-amount-of/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) > [If you have to 'try hard' to 'try hard, you are already beaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/if-you-have-to-try-hard-to-try-hard-you-are-already-beaten/) [Don Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) [Explore all 92 Don Meyer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) Brendan Mundorf > [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To win it all, winners have to be obsessive about the fundamentals and doing the little things right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Don Meyer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessive-about-the-fundamentals-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Football" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessive-about-the-fundamentals-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/don-meyer-7312_football_to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessi_2303953.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/don-meyer-7312_football_to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessi_2303953.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ca/don-meyer-7312_football_to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessi_2303953.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To win it all, winners have to be obsessive about the fundamentals and doing the little things right.” — Don Meyer", "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": "Don Meyer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-meyer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To win it all, winners have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessive-about-the-fundamentals-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-meyer/to-win-it-all-winners-have-to-be-obsessive-about-the-fundamentals-and/#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 } } ] } ```