--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Heck, gold medals, what can you do with…" description: "\"Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?\" — Eric Heiden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/eric-heiden-22924_gold_heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-th_1367741.jpg" --- # Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them? ![“Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?” quote by Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/eric-heiden-22924_gold_heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-th_1367741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/eric-heiden-22924_gold_heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-th_1367741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/eric-heiden-22924_gold_heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-th_1367741.jpg) > “Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?” [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning medals may be impressive, but they don't guarantee lasting purpose or fulfillment. **In simple terms:** Medals alone aren't enough. Key Takeaway Seek meaning beyond trophies. Themes achievement meaning identity Mood reflective inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - personal development - community service Key Concepts purpose legacy post‑career transition Questions to Reflect On - What non‑sport achievements matter to you? - How can you use your platform for broader impact? A Different Perspective Material success can feel hollow without deeper goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Gold medal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-medal/) [Gold medals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-medals/) [Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heck/) [Heck Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heck-gold-4700927/) [Medals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medals/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know what the point of life is, but I'm certain that five gold medals is not it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikaela-shiffrin/i-don-t-know-what-the-point-of-life-is-but-i-m-certain-that-five-gold/) [Mikaela Shiffrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikaela-shiffrin/) > [When you see athletes like me win gold medals, you only see the finished product, you dont see the real effort that the likes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linford-christie/when-you-see-athletes-like-me-win-gold-medals-you-only-see-the/) [Linford Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linford-christie/) > [You always dream of going to the Olympics and winning gold. I've learned over the years that there are lots of gold medals, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerri-strug/you-always-dream-of-going-to-the-olympics-and-winning-gold-i-ve/) [Kerri Strug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerri-strug/) > [I've achieved my dream of getting a Paralympic gold medal and I'm very lucky that I've been to three Games where I've come away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-ve-achieved-my-dream-of-getting-a-paralympic-gold-medal-and-i-m/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [I was blessed with a long career where I won gold medals for myself and my country. Nothing stands out as a disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-devers/i-was-blessed-with-a-long-career-where-i-won-gold-medals-for-myself/) [Gail Devers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-devers/) > [My big objective this season is to win three gold medals at the Olympics, in the road race, the time trial and the points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-vos/my-big-objective-this-season-is-to-win-three-gold-medals-at-the/) [Marianne Vos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-vos/) > [When I won gold medals in both the 200m and 400m events at the 1958 Asian Games, the then chief of army staff, General…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milkha-singh/when-i-won-gold-medals-in-both-the-200m-and-400m-events-at-the-1958/) [Milkha Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milkha-singh/) > [It's not about the gold medals or the trophies or the money. It's about the people that you cherish and can share incredible moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentin-chmerkovskiy/it-s-not-about-the-gold-medals-or-the-trophies-or-the-money-it-s/) [Valentin Chmerkovskiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentin-chmerkovskiy/) > [Gold medals are made out of sweat, blood and tears and effort in the gym every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-douglas/gold-medals-are-made-out-of-sweat-blood-and-tears-and-effort-in-the/) [Gabby Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-douglas/) > [I want to win gold medals like KD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/i-want-to-win-gold-medals-like-kd/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [It is an important competition and I certainly rate my gold medals at the Commonwealth Games right up there with my world titles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hoy/it-is-an-important-competition-and-i-certainly-rate-my-gold-medals-at/) [Chris Hoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hoy/) > [Being gay has nothing to do with the three gold medals or the three MVPs or the four championships I've won. I'm still the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-swoopes/being-gay-has-nothing-to-do-with-the-three-gold-medals-or-the-three/) [Sheryl Swoopes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-swoopes/) > [They don't give you gold medals for beating somebody. They give you gold medals for beating everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-johnson/they-don-t-give-you-gold-medals-for-beating-somebody-they-give-you/) [Michael Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-johnson/) > [I want to be in Tokyo. I want to defend my titles and I want to change these medals into gold medals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadeena-cox/i-want-to-be-in-tokyo-i-want-to-defend-my-titles-and-i-want-to-change/) [Kadeena Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadeena-cox/) > [Gold medals don't make champions . . . hard work does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azgraybebly-joslan-maxcuell/gold-medals-don-t-make-champions-hard-work-does/) [Azgraybebly Joslan Maxcuell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azgraybebly-joslan-maxcuell/) ## More by Eric Heiden > [We never did a lot of weights, but a lot of repetitions. The most I would use doing squats was 300 pounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/we-never-did-a-lot-of-weights-but-a-lot-of-repetitions-the-most-i/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [I really liked it best when I was a nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-really-liked-it-best-when-i-was-a-nobody/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [When I was skating you had to participate in every thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/when-i-was-skating-you-had-to-participate-in-every-thing/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [It is not the events in our life that define our character, but how we deal with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/it-is-not-the-events-in-our-life-that-define-our-character-but-how-we/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [I mean you got to thank your parents for giving you the right genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-mean-you-got-to-thank-your-parents-for-giving-you-the-right-genes/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [You don't really want to load up a whole lot, probably anything more than four hours before the race. I needed something to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/you-don-t-really-want-to-load-up-a-whole-lot-probably-anything-more/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [I'd rather get a nice warmup suit. That's something I can use. Gold medals just sit there. When I get old, maybe I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-d-rather-get-a-nice-warmup-suit-that-s-something-i-can-use-gold/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [On today's athletes: I wish I could turn back the clock a little bit so I'd have a chance to cut it up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/on-today-s-athletes-i-wish-i-could-turn-back-the-clock-a-little-bit/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [I had the drive to pursue speedskating and I found a sport that I was good at. If I'd got into cycling, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/i-had-the-drive-to-pursue-speedskating-and-i-found-a-sport-that-i-was/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [In general, I enjoy athletes who have a strong character who let their abilities speak for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/in-general-i-enjoy-athletes-who-have-a-strong-character-who-let-their/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [It's not a sport you get famous at. If I wanted to be famous, I would have stuck with hockey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/it-s-not-a-sport-you-get-famous-at-if-i-wanted-to-be-famous-i-would/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [They're just big in the eyes of the American public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/they-re-just-big-in-the-eyes-of-the-american-public/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [Cyclists, I work with a number of cyclists. They are great athletes; they are great aerobic athletes. If you ask them to hit a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/cyclists-i-work-with-a-number-of-cyclists-they-are-great-athletes/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [Immediately after the Olympics, I was pretty fatigued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/immediately-after-the-olympics-i-was-pretty-fatigued/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) > [How much you move affects your strength, your power, your balance, how you look, how you think, how well you withstand the high winds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/how-much-you-move-affects-your-strength-your-power-your-balance-how/) [Eric Heiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) [Explore all 26 Eric Heiden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/) ## More Gold quotes > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [Set the bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in thesky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/set-the-bird-s-wings-with-gold-and-it-will-never-again-soar-in-thesky/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [A great smile is a wonderful asset, but a good heart is pure gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/a-great-smile-is-a-wonderful-asset-but-a-good-heart-is-pure-gold/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I with borrow'd silver shine, What you see is none of mine. First I show you but a quarter, Like the bow that guards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-with-borrow-d-silver-shine-what-you-see-is-none-of-mine-first-i/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/ring-out-false-pride-in-place-and-blood-the-civic-slander-and-the/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [Just as the setting sun turned the clouds to liquid gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/just-as-the-setting-sun-turned-the-clouds-to-liquid-gold/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [The spectacle of a great, solvent government paying a fictitious price for gold it did not want and did not need and doing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garet-garrett/the-spectacle-of-a-great-solvent-government-paying-a-fictitious-price/) [Garet Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garet-garrett/) > [Nothing good comes on a platter of gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-good-comes-on-a-platter-of-gold/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/all-the-people-in-korea-are-cheering-me-like-i-m-a-gold-medalist-or/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [All metallics are neutrals. So it is absolutely fine to mix gold and silver; you just want it to look like it has purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/all-metallics-are-neutrals-so-it-is-absolutely-fine-to-mix-gold-and/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [He gives only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/he-gives-only-the-worthless-gold-who-gives-from-a-sense-of-duty/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) [Browse all 3,806 Gold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Heiden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gold" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/eric-heiden-22924_gold_heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-th_1367741.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/eric-heiden-22924_gold_heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-th_1367741.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/eric-heiden-22924_gold_heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-th_1367741.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Heck, gold medals, what can you do with them?” — Eric Heiden", "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": "Eric Heiden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-heiden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Heck, gold medals, what can you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-heiden/heck-gold-medals-what-can-you-do-with-them/#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 } } ] } ```