--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you are in any contest, you should…" description: "\"When you are in any contest, you should work as if there were - to the very last minute - a chance to lose it. This is battle, this is politics, this i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_battle_when-you-are-in-any-contest-you-should-w_2220810.jpg" --- # When you are in any contest, you should work as if there… ![“When you are in any contest, you should work as if there were - to the very last minute - a chance to lose it. This is battle, this is politics, this is anything.” quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_battle_when-you-are-in-any-contest-you-should-w_2220810.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_battle_when-you-are-in-any-contest-you-should-w_2220810.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/dwight-d-eisenhower-499_battle_when-you-are-in-any-contest-you-should-w_2220810.jpg) > “When you are in any contest, you should work as if there were - to the very last minute - a chance to lose it. This is battle, this is politics, this is anything.” [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In any contest, treat every moment as a final chance; it is a battle, politics, or anything else. **In simple terms:** Treat each moment as if it's your last chance. Key Takeaway Approach every situation with full intensity. Themes competition politics battle intensity Mood determined urgent Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - sports - elections - business negotiations - personal challenges Key Concepts strategy mindset Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance urgency with sustainability? - When is it appropriate to relax intensity? A Different Perspective Constant high intensity can cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Contest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contest/) [Last minute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-minute/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There are no gods here, no ghosts and spirits in America, there are no angels in America, no spiritual past, no racial past, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/there-are-no-gods-here-no-ghosts-and-spirits-in-america-there-are-no/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [If you never take the chance to find out what could be, then you lose the chance to find out what would be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-never-take-the-chance-to-find-out-what-could-be-then-you-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'd rather take that chance and lose to someone who's the best in the world than beat someone nobody has ever heard of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carmouche/i-d-rather-take-that-chance-and-lose-to-someone-who-s-the-best-in-the/) [Liz Carmouche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carmouche/) > [Take a chance and you may lose. Take not a chance and you have lost already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/take-a-chance-and-you-may-lose-take-not-a-chance-and-you-have-lost/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [There's nothing more exciting for an actor than a chance to lose, to be someone who has lost - especially if it's someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-headey/there-s-nothing-more-exciting-for-an-actor-than-a-chance-to-lose-to/) [Lena Headey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-headey/) > [“You're not defeated when you lose a battle. You are defeated when you give up the struggle”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mouloud-benzadi/you-re-not-defeated-when-you-lose-a-battle-you-are-defeated-when-you/) [Mouloud Benzadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mouloud-benzadi/) > [I pondered all these things, and how men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/i-pondered-all-these-things-and-how-men-fight-and-lose-the-battle-and/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [“A battle is won by the side that is absolutely determined to win. Why did we lose the battle of Austerlitz? Our casualties were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/a-battle-is-won-by-the-side-that-is-absolutely-determined-to-win-why/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [For those who want to pick up old fights, we're game, but what a waste of time. Why not join hands instead? Join hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-those-who-want-to-pick-up-old-fights-we-re-game-but-what-a-waste/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be willing to lose a battle in order to win the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/be-willing-to-lose-a-battle-in-order-to-win-the-war/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Sometimes you lose a battle. But mischief always wins the war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/sometimes-you-lose-a-battle-but-mischief-always-wins-the-war/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I have to. I've been fighting it all night. I'm going to lose. My battle is as futile as a woman feeling the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/i-have-to-i-ve-been-fighting-it-all-night-i-m-going-to-lose-my-battle/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Every man should lose a battle in his youth, so he does not lose a war when he is old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-man-should-lose-a-battle-in-his-youth-so-he-does-not-lose-a-war/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If we insist that in the real world the ultimate victor must be the good guy, we’ve sacrificed right to might. (That’s what History…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/if-we-insist-that-in-the-real-world-the-ultimate-victor-must-be-the/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [In songs and movies they say that they lose the battle but win the war, but I can see that I am slowly loosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-leah/in-songs-and-movies-they-say-that-they-lose-the-battle-but-win-the/) [Jamie-Leah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-leah/) ## More by Dwight D. Eisenhower > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/every-gun-that-is-made-every-warship-launched-every-rocket-fired/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/we-have-won-an-armistice-on-a-single-battlefield-not-peace-in-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [With a full century of contrary proof in our possession and despite our demonstrated capacity for cooperative teamwork, some among us seem to accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/with-a-full-century-of-contrary-proof-in-our-possession-and-despite/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Things are more like they are now than they ever were before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-ever-were-before/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force! You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/soldiers-sailors-and-airmen-of-the-allied-expeditionary-force-you-are/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Knowledge-full, unfettered knowledge of its own heritage, of freedom's enemies, of the whole world of men and ideas-this knowledge is a free people's surest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/knowledge-full-unfettered-knowledge-of-its-own-heritage-of-freedom-s/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Any nations right to a form of government and economic system of its own choosing is inalienable. Any nations attempt to dictate to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/any-nations-right-to-a-form-of-government-and-economic-system-of-its/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The peace we seek, founded upon decent trust and cooperation among nations, can be fortified not by weapons of war but by wheat and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-peace-we-seek-founded-upon-decent-trust-and-cooperation-among/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The only way to win World War III is to prevent it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/the-only-way-to-win-world-war-iii-is-to-prevent-it/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I’m going to pass a law that no one can ask me my golf score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/i-m-going-to-pass-a-law-that-no-one-can-ask-me-my-golf-score/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [For all that we cherish and justly desire - for ourselves or for our children - the securing of peace is the first requisite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/for-all-that-we-cherish-and-justly-desire-for-ourselves-or-for-our/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Never waste a minute thinking about people you don't like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/never-waste-a-minute-thinking-about-people-you-don-t-like/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Do not needlessly endanger your lives until I give you the signal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/do-not-needlessly-endanger-your-lives-until-i-give-you-the-signal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) [Explore all 515 Dwight D. Eisenhower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. 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But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you are in any contest, you should work as if there were - to the very last minute - a chance to lose it. This is battle, this is politics, this is anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dwight D. 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