--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way to shut people up is just by…" description: "\"The only way to shut people up is just by winning and just playing basketball.\" — Dwight Howard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/dwight-howard-10281_basketball_the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-b_2227450.png" --- # The only way to shut people up is just by winning and just… ![“The only way to shut people up is just by winning and just playing basketball.” quote by Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/dwight-howard-10281_basketball_the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-b_2227450.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/dwight-howard-10281_basketball_the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-b_2227450.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/dwight-howard-10281_basketball_the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-b_2227450.png) > “The only way to shut people up is just by winning and just playing basketball.” [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning silences critics; success is the best response to doubt. **In simple terms:** Winning stops criticism. Key Takeaway Focus on winning, not on noise. Themes competition confidence criticism success Mood determined confident Type motivational sports When to use this quote - sports - team leadership - media handling Key Concepts performance pressure public perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you sustain success after criticism fades? - What non‑sport strategies silence doubt? A Different Perspective Winning can be fleeting; critics may return. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Playing basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-basketball/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [Our schools too often want to shut people up so they can't talk about real solutions. People who think differently tend to clam up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/our-schools-too-often-want-to-shut-people-up-so-they-can-t-talk-about/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [Don't be snarky, but don't be saccharine. Don't pander, but don't shut people out. Go straight down the line with the performance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/don-t-be-snarky-but-don-t-be-saccharine-don-t-pander-but-don-t-shut/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [Generally in our world, whether in architecture or almost anywhere else, we devalue the artist, and schools at whatever level shut people down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/generally-in-our-world-whether-in-architecture-or-almost-anywhere/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [Sometimes we have to shut people out of our lives, not because we want to, but because they hurt us so much, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/sometimes-we-have-to-shut-people-out-of-our-lives-not-because-we-want/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [I dont really like big crowds, I tend to shut people out. I like my space, yeah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-kelly/i-dont-really-like-big-crowds-i-tend-to-shut-people-out-i-like-my-2/) [Tori Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-kelly/) > [“The same word anyone said when they didn’t understand something. Crazy was a way to shut people up, disregard them entirely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jos-older/the-same-word-anyone-said-when-they-didn-t-understand-something-crazy/) [Daniel José Older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jos-older/) > [I'm not to the point where I need to shut myself off from people, unless I feel like I need to, but I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/i-m-not-to-the-point-where-i-need-to-shut-myself-off-from-people/) T.I > [Sometimes I definitely shut people out. I can be that sort of girlfriend who crosses her arms, shakes her head and says, "Nope, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-stone/sometimes-i-definitely-shut-people-out-i-can-be-that-sort-of/) [Emma Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-stone/) > [If you don't have the smoking gun, then it's pointless to hector interviewees. Because you just shut people up instead of opening them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frost/if-you-don-t-have-the-smoking-gun-then-it-s-pointless-to-hector/) [David Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frost/) > [“When we shut people out, we wall ourselves in;When we stop building bridges, we start erecting fences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/when-we-shut-people-out-we-wall-ourselves-in-when-we-stop-building/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [You are not ashamed of our luuurve, are you, Jas?' 'Look, shut up, people might hear.' 'What do you mean, the people who live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-rennison/you-are-not-ashamed-of-our-luuurve-are-you-jas-look-shut-up-people/) [Louise Rennison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-rennison/) > [Don't build walls and shut people out of your life. To act as if another does not exist is a mean and cruel weapon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/don-t-build-walls-and-shut-people-out-of-your-life-to-act-as-if/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“By being a celebrity, you lose your anonymity. It short-circuits your creative powers when people come up and interrupt your train of thought. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/by-being-a-celebrity-you-lose-your-anonymity-it-short-circuits-your/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [When I'm smiling and having fun, that's when you should have a problem. If I'm out there frowning and looking mean, that's when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/when-i-m-smiling-and-having-fun-that-s-when-you-should-have-a-problem/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [Growing up, I played about every sport imaginable except soccer and hockey. I've always had a passion for basketball. I remember actually playing basketball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/growing-up-i-played-about-every-sport-imaginable-except-soccer-and/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) ## More by Dwight Howard > [I'll joke all day, but once I get in the gym, I'm going to work hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-ll-joke-all-day-but-once-i-get-in-the-gym-i-m-going-to-work-hard/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [The hardest thing to do is to trust people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/the-hardest-thing-to-do-is-to-trust-people/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [As far juicing goes, I've done it for a couple of years; it's very good to cleanse the body. Doing the smoothies and getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/as-far-juicing-goes-i-ve-done-it-for-a-couple-of-years-it-s-very-good/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I had a lot of negativity growing up, so I understand how to block the negativity out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-had-a-lot-of-negativity-growing-up-so-i-understand-how-to-block-the/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [People say you don't need a father to be successful. I take offense to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/people-say-you-don-t-need-a-father-to-be-successful-i-take-offense-to/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I've been on the side where you have nothing, and now I'm on the side where anything I want is there for me. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-ve-been-on-the-side-where-you-have-nothing-and-now-i-m-on-the-side/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I love wearing suits. I love being suited and booted. When I'm chilling, I also like to look nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-love-wearing-suits-i-love-being-suited-and-booted-when-i-m-chilling/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I know you can't please everybody; you can't make everybody happy, but just getting that perception that I don't care about basketball and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-know-you-can-t-please-everybody-you-can-t-make-everybody-happy-but/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I want to be held accountable. I want my teammates and my coaches to push me to be the best that I can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-want-to-be-held-accountable-i-want-my-teammates-and-my-coaches-to/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [The NBA is not for everybody. And looking from the outside in like I did last year, it seems so easy from just watching,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/the-nba-is-not-for-everybody-and-looking-from-the-outside-in-like-i/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I'm not a nest-egg person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-m-not-a-nest-egg-person/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [I'm just going to keep working. Spend more days in the gym, as possible. Just trying to get my game up, and just keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/i-m-just-going-to-keep-working-spend-more-days-in-the-gym-as-possible/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [The hardest thing to do is to trust people. Even if you know them from way back when, it's hard to trust people. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/the-hardest-thing-to-do-is-to-trust-people-even-if-you-know-them-from/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [But at the end of the day, every star, every person that been iconic, has gone through a time in their lives where it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/but-at-the-end-of-the-day-every-star-every-person-that-been-iconic/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) > [A lot of times when I'm in the gym, I might not have that energy but I realize what I'm doing it for and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/a-lot-of-times-when-i-m-in-the-gym-i-might-not-have-that-energy-but-i/) [Dwight Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) [Explore all 66 Dwight Howard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/) ## 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": "The only way to shut people up is just by winning and just playing basketball.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dwight Howard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-by-winning-and-just-playing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-by-winning-and-just-playing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/dwight-howard-10281_basketball_the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-b_2227450.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/dwight-howard-10281_basketball_the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-b_2227450.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e90/dwight-howard-10281_basketball_the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-b_2227450.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only way to shut people up is just by winning and just playing basketball.” — Dwight Howard", "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": "Dwight Howard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-howard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only way to shut people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-by-winning-and-just-playing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-howard/the-only-way-to-shut-people-up-is-just-by-winning-and-just-playing/#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 } } ] } ```