--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I will not feel like I've made it until…" description: "\"I will not feel like I've made it until the day I retire from basketball because there's something that I can always get better at, and there's always ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/draymond-green-5121_basketball_i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until_344397.jpg" --- # I will not feel like I've made it until the day I retire… ![“I will not feel like I've made it until the day I retire from basketball because there's something that I can always get better at, and there's always somebody better, and that's what drives me.” quote by Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/draymond-green-5121_basketball_i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until_344397.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/draymond-green-5121_basketball_i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until_344397.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/draymond-green-5121_basketball_i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until_344397.jpg) > “I will not feel like I've made it until the day I retire from basketball because there's something that I can always get better at, and there's always somebody better, and that's what drives me.” [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is seen as a moving target; continual improvement and competition fuel motivation. **In simple terms:** Never feel finished; keep improving. Key Takeaway Embrace lifelong growth. Themes competition improvement motivation humility Mood determined focused Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - Athlete training - career planning - skill development - team leadership Key Concepts Growth mindset relative excellence self‑driven ambition Questions to Reflect On - What skill will you keep refining? - How do you balance ambition with contentment? A Different Perspective May lead to burnout if never satisfied. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) ## Related quotes > [Being somebody is better than not being somebody vis à vis what you want out of life. If you want to talk to interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-gurley-brown/being-somebody-is-better-than-not-being-somebody-vis-vis-what-you/) [Helen Gurley Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-gurley-brown/) > [The critics can't say that our regulations are making the environment worse, and 'Oh, it's getting better, well then it must be somebody else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-r-wheeler/the-critics-can-t-say-that-our-regulations-are-making-the-environment/) [Andrew R. Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-r-wheeler/) > [“Competition isn't a bad thing. Somebody can always do it better and that somebody is you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rawson/competition-isn-t-a-bad-thing-somebody-can-always-do-it-better-and/) [Linda Rawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rawson/) > [I'll knock out Roy Jones and he can retire and become a basketball player, like he always wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-toney/i-ll-knock-out-roy-jones-and-he-can-retire-and-become-a-basketball/) [James Toney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-toney/) > [It's one of those things where it's not something you want to do; nobody wants to retire from basketball. You want to play basketball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-wallace/it-s-one-of-those-things-where-it-s-not-something-you-want-to-do/) [Ben Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-wallace/) > [When our career is over, when we retire and the basketball stops bouncing, we still have to find something else to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wall/when-our-career-is-over-when-we-retire-and-the-basketball-stops/) [John Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wall/) > [If you're playing basketball with someone who's better than you, you have to get better or else it's no fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-behr/if-you-re-playing-basketball-with-someone-who-s-better-than-you-you/) [Jason Behr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-behr/) > [I was a much better writer than I was an athlete. My college coach told me flat out, he said, "Deford, you write basketball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-deford/i-was-a-much-better-writer-than-i-was-an-athlete-my-college-coach/) [Frank Deford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-deford/) > [I know people that was playing basketball better than me. If they were in the NBA, they could be All-Stars, those people. They just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-ibaka/i-know-people-that-was-playing-basketball-better-than-me-if-they-were/) [Serge Ibaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-ibaka/) > [Here in the U.K., I want basketball to get better. I want the kids to have more playgrounds. I want the kids to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/here-in-the-u-k-i-want-basketball-to-get-better-i-want-the-kids-to/) [Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/) > [I enjoy being active, but I look forward to the day when I can retire to the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/i-enjoy-being-active-but-i-look-forward-to-the-day-when-i-can-retire/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [The day I retire is the day I'll feel old. I'm not there yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-flutie/the-day-i-retire-is-the-day-i-ll-feel-old-i-m-not-there-yet/) [Doug Flutie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-flutie/) > [If one day I leave Shenhua, it will be the day I retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-anelka/if-one-day-i-leave-shenhua-it-will-be-the-day-i-retire/) [Nicolas Anelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-anelka/) > [The day when I am satisfied with what I have, will be the day I retire from the sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-parker/the-day-when-i-am-satisfied-with-what-i-have-will-be-the-day-i-retire/) [Tony Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-parker/) > [Some people are ok with doing nothing all day after they retire, but then some people if they had nothing to do would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-qadeer-khan/some-people-are-ok-with-doing-nothing-all-day-after-they-retire-but/) [Abdul Qadeer Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-qadeer-khan/) ## More by Draymond Green > [I think when you look around this league, so much is scripted. And not scripted in a sense that the league is scripted, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-think-when-you-look-around-this-league-so-much-is-scripted-and-not/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [My mom. Growing up with her, she always taught us to say whatever. Like, 'You think something, say it. Don't bite your tongue for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/my-mom-growing-up-with-her-she-always-taught-us-to-say-whatever-like/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [I just go out and play my game. Just making sure I keep doing those little things, like playing with toughness, that's just me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-just-go-out-and-play-my-game-just-making-sure-i-keep-doing-those/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [Every decision I make is, 'How is this helping me become a billionaire?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/every-decision-i-make-is-how-is-this-helping-me-become-a-billionaire/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [My uncle, my dad always made sure I had guard skills. But as far as defending everybody, that wasn't really my mindset until my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/my-uncle-my-dad-always-made-sure-i-had-guard-skills-but-as-far-as/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [I wouldn't necessarily say I'm arrogant. I'm just confident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-wouldn-t-necessarily-say-i-m-arrogant-i-m-just-confident/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [I think it's cool to read that Draymond Green is transcending the NBA. I also think it's cool to read that Draymond Green is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-think-it-s-cool-to-read-that-draymond-green-is-transcending-the-nba/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [Al Gore won the popular vote and didn't get elected president, so I'm not going to sit here and kill myself over not winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/al-gore-won-the-popular-vote-and-didn-t-get-elected-president-so-i-m/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [That's one of my strengths, that I can adjust, and I can play with anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/that-s-one-of-my-strengths-that-i-can-adjust-and-i-can-play-with/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [Sometimes it's tougher against bad teams because you can't really get a read on them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/sometimes-it-s-tougher-against-bad-teams-because-you-can-t-really-get/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [I know what I'm capable of, and I try to go out and prove that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-know-what-i-m-capable-of-and-i-try-to-go-out-and-prove-that/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [It just doesn't go with my story to be a first round pick, because I had to grind my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/it-just-doesn-t-go-with-my-story-to-be-a-first-round-pick-because-i/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [You're not born knowing how to do math. You're taught that. You're not born knowing how to hate someone. You're taught that. And so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/you-re-not-born-knowing-how-to-do-math-you-re-taught-that-you-re-not/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [You couldn't play if you weren't tough. You'd get bullied. Everybody who comes through the Civitan Recreation Center has to be tough. It's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/you-couldn-t-play-if-you-weren-t-tough-you-d-get-bullied-everybody/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) > [At the end of the day, I continue to think I can get better, and that's always my focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-continue-to-think-i-can-get-better-and-that-s/) [Draymond Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) [Explore all 103 Draymond Green quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/) ## 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": "I will not feel like I've made it until the day I retire from basketball because there's something that I can always get better at, and there's always somebody better, and that's what drives me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Draymond Green" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until-the-day-i-retire-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until-the-day-i-retire-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/draymond-green-5121_basketball_i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until_344397.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/draymond-green-5121_basketball_i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until_344397.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/586/draymond-green-5121_basketball_i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until_344397.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I will not feel like I've made it until the day I retire from basketball because there's something that I…” — Draymond Green", "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": "Draymond Green", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/draymond-green/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I will not feel like I've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until-the-day-i-retire-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/draymond-green/i-will-not-feel-like-i-ve-made-it-until-the-day-i-retire-from/#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 } } ] } ```