--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everyone is an athlete. The only…" description: "\"Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.\" — George A. Sheehan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-a-sheehan-10745_athlete_everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-differen_99312.png" --- # Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some… ![“Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.” quote by George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-a-sheehan-10745_athlete_everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-differen_99312.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-a-sheehan-10745_athlete_everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-differen_99312.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/319/george-a-sheehan-10745_athlete_everyone-is-an-athlete-the-only-differen_99312.png) > “Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.” [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Everyone possesses athletic potential; the distinction lies in whether they actively develop it through training or remain sedentary. **In simple terms:** All can be athletes; training makes the difference. Key Takeaway Active practice transforms latent ability into performance. Themes athletics potential training health mindset Mood encouraging optimistic Type inspirational health When to use this quote - starting a fitness routine - joining a community sports league - adopting daily movement habits Key Concepts growth mindset physical literacy Practical Applications - schedule regular strength sessions - track incremental progress Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent people from training? - How does mindset affect athletic development? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Athletics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletics/) [Difference](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difference/) [Differences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences/) [Distance runner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance-runner/) [Distance running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance-running/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Funny sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-sports/) [Motivational running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-running/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/there-are-as-many-reasons-for-running-as-there-are-days-in-the-year/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [The obsession with running is really an obsession with the potential for more and more life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/the-obsession-with-running-is-really-an-obsession-with-the-potential/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [The real competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/the-real-competition-is-against-the-little-voice-inside-you-that/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don't think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pattisue-plumer/workouts-are-like-brushing-my-teeth-i-don-t-think-about-them-i-just/) PattiSue Plumer > [A lot of people don't realize that about 98 percent of the running I put in is anything but glamorous: 2 percent joyful participation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-castella/a-lot-of-people-don-t-realize-that-about-98-percent-of-the-running-i/) [Robert de Castella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-castella/) > [Onions make me sad. 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I like to make something beautiful when I run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prefontaine/some-people-create-with-words-or-with-music-or-with-a-brush-and/) [Steve Prefontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prefontaine/) > [There's no such thing as bad weather - only the wrong clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/there-s-no-such-thing-as-bad-weather-only-the-wrong-clothes/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-squires/the-long-run-is-what-puts-the-tiger-in-the-cat/) Bill Squires > [A lot of people don't realize that not everybody gets high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringwald/a-lot-of-people-don-t-realize-that-not-everybody-gets-high/) [Molly Ringwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringwald/) > [To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who's never run it is like trying to explain color to someone who was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-drayton/to-describe-the-agony-of-a-marathon-to-someone-who-s-never-run-it-is/) Jerome Drayton > [Stadiums are for spectators. We runners have Nature, and that is much better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juha-vaatainen/stadiums-are-for-spectators-we-runners-have-nature-and-that-is-much/) Juha Vaatainen ## More by George A. Sheehan > [Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with struggling, enduring, and accomplishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/happiness-is-different-from-pleasure-happiness-has-something-to-do/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [If you want to win anything - a race, yourself, your life - you have to go a little berserk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/if-you-want-to-win-anything-a-race-yourself-your-life-you-have-to-go/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [No matter how old I get, the race remains one of life's most rewarding experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/no-matter-how-old-i-get-the-race-remains-one-of-life-s-most-rewarding/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Have you ever felt worse after a run?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/have-you-ever-felt-worse-after-a-run/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [There is no substitute for learning to live in our bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/there-is-no-substitute-for-learning-to-live-in-our-bodies/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Exercise is done against one's wishes and maintained only because the alternative is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/exercise-is-done-against-one-s-wishes-and-maintained-only-because-the/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [The real competition is against the little voice inside you that wants to quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/the-real-competition-is-against-the-little-voice-inside-you-that/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Running makes you an athlete in all areas of life...trained in the basics, prepared for whatever comes, ready to fill each hour and deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/running-makes-you-an-athlete-in-all-areas-of-life-trained-in-the/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Running is just such a monastery- a retreat, a place to commune with God and yourself, a place for psychological and spiritual renewal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/running-is-just-such-a-monastery-a-retreat-a-place-to-commune-with/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [For every runner who tours the world running marathons, there are thousands who run to hear leaves and listen to rain and look to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/for-every-runner-who-tours-the-world-running-marathons-there-are-2/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [If you want to find the answers to the Big Questions about your soul, you'd best begin with the Little Answers about your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/if-you-want-to-find-the-answers-to-the-big-questions-about-your-soul/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Listen to your body. Do not be a blind and deaf tenant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/listen-to-your-body-do-not-be-a-blind-and-deaf-tenant/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Some think guts is sprinting at the end of a race. But guts is what got you there to begin with. Guts start back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/some-think-guts-is-sprinting-at-the-end-of-a-race-but-guts-is-what/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [I have met my hero, and he is me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/i-have-met-my-hero-and-he-is-me/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) > [Once you have decided that winning isn't everything, you become a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-sheehan/once-you-have-decided-that-winning-isn-t-everything-you-become-a/) [George A. Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) [Explore all 63 George A. Sheehan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-sheehan/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George A. 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