--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The last two times I went to spring…" description: "\"The last two times I went to spring training, I had to win a job, and if I didn't get off to a blazing start, I'm on the bench. Now, I've proven myself..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/eric-davis-11953_benches_the-last-two-times-i-went-to-spring-trai_559534.jpg" --- # The last two times I went to spring training, I had to win… ![“The last two times I went to spring training, I had to win a job, and if I didn't get off to a blazing start, I'm on the bench. Now, I've proven myself, so it's not essential that I get off to a real good start.” quote by Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/eric-davis-11953_benches_the-last-two-times-i-went-to-spring-trai_559534.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/eric-davis-11953_benches_the-last-two-times-i-went-to-spring-trai_559534.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/973/eric-davis-11953_benches_the-last-two-times-i-went-to-spring-trai_559534.jpg) > “The last two times I went to spring training, I had to win a job, and if I didn't get off to a blazing start, I'm on the bench. Now, I've proven myself, so it's not essential that I get off to a real good start.” [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success depends on making a strong initial impression, but once proven, early performance matters less. **In simple terms:** First impressions matter, but later competence can outweigh them. Key Takeaway Focus on early effort, then maintain consistency. Themes performance confidence career growth Mood determined optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - job interviews - first day at work - team sports - project launches - client presentations Key Concepts reputation skill development risk management Questions to Reflect On - How do you recover from a weak start? - When can a strong track record replace a poor first impression? A Different Perspective If early success fails, later achievements may not fully erase first impressions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Spring training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring-training/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [The coach's job is twenty percent technical and training, and eighty per cent inspirational. He may know all there is to know about tactics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-stampfl/the-coach-s-job-is-twenty-percent-technical-and-training-and-eighty/) [Franz Stampfl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-stampfl/) > [It doesn't matter to me, because in Europe I used to play for my national team... I was one of the best players and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bojan-bogdanovic/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-because-in-europe-i-used-to-play-for-my/) [Bojan Bogdanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bojan-bogdanovic/) > [Even if I start on the bench, if I come on, I go. Because I know I should be on the pitch, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/even-if-i-start-on-the-bench-if-i-come-on-i-go-because-i-know-i/) [Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/) > [If you get off to a good start, even if you get the run-rate down a bit in the middle overs, if you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-rahul/if-you-get-off-to-a-good-start-even-if-you-get-the-run-rate-down-a/) [K. L. Rahul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-rahul/) > [Virginia is a good start for Italy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cy-twombly/virginia-is-a-good-start-for-italy/) [Cy Twombly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cy-twombly/) > [It feels good to start something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/it-feels-good-to-start-something/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [“If you want to live a life that matters, don’t start when you get good; start now so you become good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/if-you-want-to-live-a-life-that-matters-don-t-start-when-you-get-good/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [It's always nice to get off to a good start, but one game is one game, you know. Good or bad, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gostkowski/it-s-always-nice-to-get-off-to-a-good-start-but-one-game-is-one-game/) [Stephen Gostkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gostkowski/) > [Just to go out there and do well. Get as many runs as possible at the top of the order and get the team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajinkya-rahane/just-to-go-out-there-and-do-well-get-as-many-runs-as-possible-at-the/) [Ajinkya Rahane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajinkya-rahane/) > [I spent the last five days trying to figure out how Im going to introduce myself to you properly. I think I finally figured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-carolus/i-spent-the-last-five-days-trying-to-figure-out-how-im-going-to/) Jason Carolus > [You have money, fame, youth, beauty, talent. That's a good start... for feeling good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/you-have-money-fame-youth-beauty-talent-that-s-a-good-start-for/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [I had a good start. I did a record with Beyonce. I did a record with Lenny Kravitz. I put out my second collection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-jhn/i-had-a-good-start-i-did-a-record-with-beyonce-i-did-a-record-with/) [Saint Jhn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-jhn/) > [A good marriage winds up as a meeting of minds, which had better be pretty good to start with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-good-marriage-winds-up-as-a-meeting-of-minds-which-had-better-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not saying running could solve all of the world's problems, but I think it would be a good start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bingham/i-m-not-saying-running-could-solve-all-of-the-world-s-problems-but-i/) [John Bingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bingham/) > [I was fortunate that I was an only child. I had two parents who I really cared about, and they cared about me, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-staubach/i-was-fortunate-that-i-was-an-only-child-i-had-two-parents-who-i/) [Roger Staubach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-staubach/) ## More by Eric Davis > [I know people are pretty well embarrassed just at the mention of colon cancer. Sticking a tube in you to find out what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/i-know-people-are-pretty-well-embarrassed-just-at-the-mention-of/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [If you don't believe in something, you'll fall for anything. I believe everything happens for a reason. If you are strong from within, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/if-you-don-t-believe-in-something-you-ll-fall-for-anything-i-believe/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [I don't listen to what people say about me and I don't read what they write about me. People can compare me to anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/i-don-t-listen-to-what-people-say-about-me-and-i-don-t-read-what-they/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [Nothing I did contributed to me having cancer, so I can't sit back and say, 'Oh why me.' Why not me? Why does tragedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/nothing-i-did-contributed-to-me-having-cancer-so-i-can-t-sit-back-and/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [You can't get more appreciation than that, to be elected by the fans. That's the ultimate, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/you-can-t-get-more-appreciation-than-that-to-be-elected-by-the-fans/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [Blessings can come in a number of ways. The Lord doesn't give you what you want, the Lord gives you what you need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/blessings-can-come-in-a-number-of-ways-the-lord-doesn-t-give-you-what/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [I was fortunate to play for Pete Rose and have teammates like Ken Griffey Sr., Tony Perez and Dave Concepcion. I grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/i-was-fortunate-to-play-for-pete-rose-and-have-teammates-like-ken/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [I don't even take aspirin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/i-don-t-even-take-aspirin/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [The kids competed for a full 32 minutes. We want the kids to compete on every possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/the-kids-competed-for-a-full-32-minutes-we-want-the-kids-to-compete/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [I'd never heard of colon cancer. Baseball wasn't even important to me. I have a wife and two girls. That's what was important. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/i-d-never-heard-of-colon-cancer-baseball-wasn-t-even-important-to-me/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [Socially, it is funny. People are annoyed because, really who is a clown?.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/socially-it-is-funny-people-are-annoyed-because-really-who-is-a-clown/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [I ate while I was taking chemo. The doctors didn't know. I really didn't get any nausea. I didn't have side effects. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/i-ate-while-i-was-taking-chemo-the-doctors-didn-t-know-i-really-didn/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [Life is too short to worry about anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/life-is-too-short-to-worry-about-anything/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [That's just my family's mentality. We are a very loving, hugging and kissing kind of family. And we grew up in a church atmosphere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/that-s-just-my-family-s-mentality-we-are-a-very-loving-hugging-and/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) > [I want to establish myself as the first Eric Davis, not the next Willie Mays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-davis/i-want-to-establish-myself-as-the-first-eric-davis-not-the-next/) [Eric Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) [Explore all 57 Eric Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-davis/) ## More Benches quotes > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [I don't think I've ever bench-pressed anything in my life. Until about two years ago I swam a mile almost every day. Then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-antosca/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-bench-pressed-anything-in-my-life-until-about/) [Nick Antosca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-antosca/) > [What if it turns out there really are witches and vampires and werewolves living right here alongside us? After all, what better disguise could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-lukyanenko/what-if-it-turns-out-there-really-are-witches-and-vampires-and/) [Sergei Lukyanenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-lukyanenko/) > [ A nominee \[to Supreme Court\] must possess the competence, character and temperament to serve on the bench. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/a-nominee-to-supreme-court-must-possess-the-competence-character-and/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/truly-the-bench-is-a-boon-to-idlers-whoever-first-came-up-with-the/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [I'm not one of those actors who romanticizes his trials working out and brags that he can bench press a panda now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-reynolds/i-m-not-one-of-those-actors-who-romanticizes-his-trials-working-out/) [Ryan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-reynolds/) > [ The model for an NHL without fighting is right there in front of us. The \[playoffs are\] the time of year that fans love… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-dryden/the-model-for-an-nhl-without-fighting-is-right-there-in-front-of-us/) [Ken Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-dryden/) > [We're just a fragile team right now. It seems like when we have a little bit of adversity, when something goes wrong, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-walz/we-re-just-a-fragile-team-right-now-it-seems-like-when-we-have-a/) Wes Walz > [There were crimson roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/there-were-crimson-roses-on-the-bench-they-looked-like-splashes-of/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Every man in the game, from the minors on up, is not only fighting against the other side, but he's trying to hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-cobb/every-man-in-the-game-from-the-minors-on-up-is-not-only-fighting/) [Ty Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ty-cobb/) > [I was in a garden at the Rodin Museum. For a few minutes I was alone, sitting on a bench between two long hedges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-howe/i-was-in-a-garden-at-the-rodin-museum-for-a-few-minutes-i-was-alone/) [Irving Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-howe/) > [Israel has incredible entrepreneurial spirit and a deep bench of technology talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roelof-botha/israel-has-incredible-entrepreneurial-spirit-and-a-deep-bench-of/) [Roelof Botha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roelof-botha/) > [At 200 pounds, with a 17-inch neck, a resting pulse of 78, a bench press of 200 pounds, I was very much indeed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-benedict/at-200-pounds-with-a-17-inch-neck-a-resting-pulse-of-78-a-bench-press/) [Dirk Benedict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-benedict/) > [When lifting weights, nothing feels better than achieving a high point on the bench press with no help from your spotter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/when-lifting-weights-nothing-feels-better-than-achieving-a-high-point/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [It's so worth-while being a judge, because, if I make good, I can help prove that a woman's place is as much on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-ellinwood-allen/it-s-so-worth-while-being-a-judge-because-if-i-make-good-i-can-help/) [Florence Ellinwood Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-ellinwood-allen/) [Browse all 305 Benches quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benches/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The last two times I went to spring training, I had to win a job, and if I didn't get off to a blazing start, I'm on the bench. 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