--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a player for 20 years. When there…" description: "\"I was a player for 20 years. When there was something bothering me, I couldn't perform to my usual standard. When your wife is annoying you, for instan..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/gennaro-gattuso-5972_best_i-was-a-player-for-20-years-when-there-w_2354874.jpg" --- # I was a player for 20 years. When there was something… ![“I was a player for 20 years. When there was something bothering me, I couldn't perform to my usual standard. When your wife is annoying you, for instance, it's not easy to do your best work, is it?” quote by Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/gennaro-gattuso-5972_best_i-was-a-player-for-20-years-when-there-w_2354874.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/gennaro-gattuso-5972_best_i-was-a-player-for-20-years-when-there-w_2354874.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abb/gennaro-gattuso-5972_best_i-was-a-player-for-20-years-when-there-w_2354874.jpg) > “I was a player for 20 years. When there was something bothering me, I couldn't perform to my usual standard. When your wife is annoying you, for instance, it's not easy to do your best work, is it?” [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. External distractions, even personal ones, can undermine performance; mental focus is crucial for consistent excellence. **In simple terms:** Distractions hurt performance. Key Takeaway Practice mental discipline to stay on task. Themes focus performance distraction mental resilience Mood determined intense Type motivational practical When to use this quote - workplace - sports competition - creative projects - studying Key Concepts psychology sports performance Questions to Reflect On - What techniques help you maintain focus under personal stress? - How can you separate personal feelings from professional tasks? A Different Perspective Not all distractions are avoidable; some require coping strategies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-27-15-16/a-quarrelsome-wife-is-as-annoying-as-constant-dripping-on-a-rainy-day/) Proverbs 27:15-16 > [For me, the worst set is always when something happens to your equipment. Or back in the days your records wouldn't arrive and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loco-dice/for-me-the-worst-set-is-always-when-something-happens-to-your/) Loco Dice > [I couldn't cut up a frog, and I certainly couldn't perform surgery. I'm better at making it possible for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lasker/i-couldn-t-cut-up-a-frog-and-i-certainly-couldn-t-perform-surgery-i-m/) [Mary Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lasker/) > [Nobody would have me in their laboratory for five minutes. I couldn't cut up a frog, and I certainly couldn't perform surgery. I'm better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lasker/nobody-would-have-me-in-their-laboratory-for-five-minutes-i-couldn-t/) [Mary Lasker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lasker/) > [If you're a talented player, and you're 20 years old, you should be playing in the UEFA Champions League or in the elite European…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-seedorf/if-you-re-a-talented-player-and-you-re-20-years-old-you-should-be/) [Clarence Seedorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-seedorf/) > [Once you have had 10 seasons at this level, the next season is not going to be so different. For a young player with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/once-you-have-had-10-seasons-at-this-level-the-next-season-is-not/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [Messi is probably the best player of the last 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/messi-is-probably-the-best-player-of-the-last-20-years/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [Sometimes fans, sometimes even players, they don't know the game sometimes, and they look at numbers, or they use smoke-and-mirrors as far as who's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/sometimes-fans-sometimes-even-players-they-don-t-know-the-game/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a player is 20 or 21 and sits on the bench for two or three years, I don't know if that's useful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joachim-low/if-a-player-is-20-or-21-and-sits-on-the-bench-for-two-or-three-years/) [Joachim Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joachim-low/) > [If you ever face a significant disaster, do your best to keep up the spirits of those around you, act flexibly and creatively to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-fink/if-you-ever-face-a-significant-disaster-do-your-best-to-keep-up-the/) [Sheri Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-fink/) > [“The best posture you can adopt when pursuing your goals is neither to stand nor sit. The best position is to STANDOUT! Everyone may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-best-posture-you-can-adopt-when-pursuing-your-goals-is-neither-to/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [My worst thing that I have is that I think too much. And so it's better to go with your gut and do your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-durance/my-worst-thing-that-i-have-is-that-i-think-too-much-and-so-it-s/) [Erica Durance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-durance/) > [There is a lot of pressure at first when you first take over a club that's struggling but you want to go and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-allardyce/there-is-a-lot-of-pressure-at-first-when-you-first-take-over-a-club/) [Sam Allardyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-allardyce/) > [We're here for such a short period of time. Live like you're already dead, man. Have a good time. Do your best. Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/we-re-here-for-such-a-short-period-of-time-live-like-you-re-already/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [You just try to make the best decisions you can. You just take life as it comes to you and do your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/you-just-try-to-make-the-best-decisions-you-can-you-just-take-life-as/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) ## More by Gennaro Gattuso > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [We have to be humble and respect our opponents who are stronger than us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-have-to-be-humble-and-respect-our-opponents-who-are-stronger-than/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [I'm objective because I tell the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-m-objective-because-i-tell-the-truth/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [We cannot have players who don't give their soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-cannot-have-players-who-don-t-give-their-soul/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [The world of football has given me more than I deserved. But you always think of your family first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/the-world-of-football-has-given-me-more-than-i-deserved-but-you/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [I pretend to be calm, it's not a word in my vocabulary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-pretend-to-be-calm-it-s-not-a-word-in-my-vocabulary/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes you change just to do something different, to improve the performance, lift the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/sometimes-you-change-just-to-do-something-different-to-improve-the/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Players have to let themselves be helped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/players-have-to-let-themselves-be-helped/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [It's important that everyone rows in the same direction because I need all my players, those who don't get much playing time too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/it-s-important-that-everyone-rows-in-the-same-direction-because-i/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [At Milan, Kaka used to work even when we had two or three days off. And our fitness coach, Daniele Tognaccini, made him run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/at-milan-kaka-used-to-work-even-when-we-had-two-or-three-days-off-and/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [If the glass is half-full or half-empty, it remains the same glass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/if-the-glass-is-half-full-or-half-empty-it-remains-the-same-glass/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Many teams in Europe have no money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/many-teams-in-europe-have-no-money/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [As far as I am concerned, Donnarumma is one of the most important goalkeepers in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/as-far-as-i-am-concerned-donnarumma-is-one-of-the-most-important/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [In times of difficulty we all have to understand our responsibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/in-times-of-difficulty-we-all-have-to-understand-our-responsibilities/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [I am the coach, all I do is train the players who are put at my disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-the-coach-all-i-do-is-train-the-players-who-are-put-at-my/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) [Explore all 100 Gennaro Gattuso quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. 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When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [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/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. 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I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a player for 20 years. When there was something bothering me, I couldn't perform to my usual standard. 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