--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All athletes speak about the mental…" description: "\"All athletes speak about the mental element of athletics, and it usually boils down to the same thing: if you can remove your ego from the game, you ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/garth-stein-1965_athlete_all-athletes-speak-about-the-mental-elem_819985.jpg" --- # All athletes speak about the mental element of athletics… ![“All athletes speak about the mental element of athletics, and it usually boils down to the same thing: if you can remove your ego from the game, you can function with much more clarity and you are more likely to succeed. Wouldn't it be interesting if we all began speaking about the mental element…” quote by Garth Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/garth-stein-1965_athlete_all-athletes-speak-about-the-mental-elem_819985.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/garth-stein-1965_athlete_all-athletes-speak-about-the-mental-elem_819985.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/522/garth-stein-1965_athlete_all-athletes-speak-about-the-mental-elem_819985.jpg) > “All athletes speak about the mental element of athletics, and it usually boils down to the same thing: if you can remove your ego from the game, you can function with much more clarity and you are more likely to succeed. Wouldn't it be interesting if we all began speaking about the mental element of our lives in this way?” [Garth Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-stein/) ## 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 setting aside ego, allowing clear thinking and better performance in sport and life. **In simple terms:** Remove ego for clarity and success. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility to improve focus. Themes humility clarity performance mindset Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - sports competition - business negotiations - personal goal setting - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology ego mental discipline Questions to Reflect On - How does ego affect your decision making? - When can humility be a disadvantage? A Different Perspective Ego may be protective; removing it can cause vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Athletics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletics/) [Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [There's no shame in speaking about mental illness. 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Look for it, the ego vanishes and the real Self alone remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/remove-the-ego-and-avidya-ignorance-is-gone-look-for-it-the-ego/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [A man asked Lord Buddha "I want happiness." Lord Buddha said - first remove "I" that's ego. Then remove "Want" that's desire. See now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/a-man-asked-lord-buddha-i-want-happiness-lord-buddha-said-first/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The ego is a very bad quality. Ego sees everything as sep­arate; it sees everything as dual. You must remove this ego and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/the-ego-is-a-very-bad-quality-ego-sees-everything-as-sep-arate-it/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [I - Want - Peace, I is ego, Want is desire; Remove ego and desire and you have peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/i-want-peace-i-is-ego-want-is-desire-remove-ego-and-desire-and-you/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [People say "I want peace." If you remove I (ego), and your want (desire), you are left with peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/people-say-i-want-peace-if-you-remove-i-ego-and-your-want-desire-you/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [One of my biggest Achilles’ heels has been my ego. And if I, Kanye West, the very person, can remove my ego, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/one-of-my-biggest-achilles-heels-has-been-my-ego-and-if-i-kanye-west/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [I man once asked a Buddha, I want happiness. The Buddha replied, First, remove 'I.' That's ego. Then remove 'want.' That's desire. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-man-once-asked-a-buddha-i-want-happiness-the-buddha-replied-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A man asked Gautama Buddha, "I want happiness." Buddha said, "First remove "I," that's Ego, then remove "want," that's Desire. See now you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/a-man-asked-gautama-buddha-i-want-happiness-buddha-said-first-remove/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [If you said I want happiness. First remove I, that's ego, then remove want, that's desire. See? Now you are left with happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/if-you-said-i-want-happiness-first-remove-i-that-s-ego-then-remove/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) > [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/) [Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/) ## More by Garth Stein > [What I want now is what I've always wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-stein/what-i-want-now-is-what-i-ve-always-wanted/) [Garth Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-stein/) > [“Man's closest relative is not the chimpanzee, as the TV people believe, but is, in fact, the dog. 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