--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Its not that you won or lost ... but how…" description: "\"Its not that you won or lost ... but how you played the game\" — Grantland Rice" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/grantland-rice-17354_sports_its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you_2002372.jpg" --- # Its not that you won or lost ... but how you played the game ![“Its not that you won or lost ... but how you played the game” quote by Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/grantland-rice-17354_sports_its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you_2002372.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/grantland-rice-17354_sports_its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you_2002372.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/grantland-rice-17354_sports_its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you_2002372.jpg) > “Its not that you won or lost ... but how you played the game” [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is measured by effort and conduct, not just outcome. **In simple terms:** How you play matters more than win or loss. Key Takeaway Focus on playing honorably. Themes sports ethics process Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - team sports - competition - personal challenges - gaming Key Concepts sportsmanship process orientation mindset Questions to Reflect On - How do you define a good performance? - What values guide your effort? A Different Perspective Winning can still be important for motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Lost Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-played-3529945/) [Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played/) [Played Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-game/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Won Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/won-lost-267473/) ## Related quotes > [I've played this game since I was 7 years old, and I played D-line the entire way through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bosa/i-ve-played-this-game-since-i-was-7-years-old-and-i-played-d-line-the/) [Nick Bosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bosa/) > [During the offseason, I didn't take any time off. And I played this game for over 20 years. So right after the season, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/during-the-offseason-i-didn-t-take-any-time-off-and-i-played-this/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [It's not whether you won or lost, but how many bad-beat stories you were able to tell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/it-s-not-whether-you-won-or-lost-but-how-many-bad-beat-stories-you/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [When One Great Scorer comes to write against your name, He marks, not that you won or lost, but how you played the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/when-one-great-scorer-comes-to-write-against-your-name-he-marks-not/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Take the hardcore gamers. The characters are way more real in the world of hardcore gamers who have played the game for hundreds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-boll/take-the-hardcore-gamers-the-characters-are-way-more-real-in-the/) [Uwe Boll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-boll/) > [Take a bow. Hear the applause? My heart is broken and youre the cause. I played the game and it looks like youve won.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blondie/take-a-bow-hear-the-applause-my-heart-is-broken-and-youre-the-cause-i/) [Blondie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blondie/) > [That's the way I've always played the game from when I was a kid. It didn't matter if we were up or down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-woodson/that-s-the-way-i-ve-always-played-the-game-from-when-i-was-a-kid-it/) [Charles Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-woodson/) > [I've played the game for 23, 24 years. Four months off, I'm not going to lose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooks-koepka/i-ve-played-the-game-for-23-24-years-four-months-off-i-m-not-going-to/) [Brooks Koepka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooks-koepka/) > [Yeah we dated. but you played a game I never thought you could play before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blondie/yeah-we-dated-but-you-played-a-game-i-never-thought-you-could-play/) [Blondie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blondie/) > [All I can say is that I played the game in true spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-sreesanth/all-i-can-say-is-that-i-played-the-game-in-true-spirit/) [S. Sreesanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-sreesanth/) > [I didn't play the game to make friends; I played the game to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pronger/i-didn-t-play-the-game-to-make-friends-i-played-the-game-to-win/) [Chris Pronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pronger/) > [“Adam and Eve didn't know what they would win or what they would lose until they'd both won and lost it. It's like that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-reisz/adam-and-eve-didn-t-know-what-they-would-win-or-what-they-would-lose/) [Tiffany Reisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-reisz/) > [Cities are where the climate battle will be won or lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-espinosa/cities-are-where-the-climate-battle-will-be-won-or-lost/) [Patricia Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-espinosa/) > [All battles are first won or lost, in the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-of-arc/all-battles-are-first-won-or-lost-in-the-mind/) [Joan of Arc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-of-arc/) > [The future is won or lost in the war of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-overmire/the-future-is-won-or-lost-in-the-war-of-ideas/) [Laurence Overmire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-overmire/) ## More by Grantland Rice > [“The flame of the inn is dim tonight, Too many vacant chairs. The sun has lost too much of its light, Too many songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/the-flame-of-the-inn-is-dim-tonight-too-many-vacant-chairs-the-sun/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [A wise man makes his own decisions,but an ignorant man follows the public opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/a-wise-man-makes-his-own-decisions-but-an-ignorant-man-follows-the/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [One might as well attempt to describe the smoothness of the wind as to paint a clear picture of his complete swing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/one-might-as-well-attempt-to-describe-the-smoothness-of-the-wind-as/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Golf is 20 percent mechanics and technique. The other 80 pecent is philosophy, humor, tragedy, romance, melodrama, companionship, camaraderie, cussedness and conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/golf-is-20-percent-mechanics-and-technique-the-other-80-pecent-is/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [There is no type of miracle that can't happen at least once in golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/there-is-no-type-of-miracle-that-can-t-happen-at-least-once-in-golf/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [“It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/it-s-not-whether-you-win-or-lose-it-s-how-you-play-the-game/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Eighteen holes of match play will teach you more about your foe than nineteen years of dealing with him across the desk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/eighteen-holes-of-match-play-will-teach-you-more-about-your-foe-than/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [All wars are planned by old men in council rooms apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/all-wars-are-planned-by-old-men-in-council-rooms-apart/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Like life, golf can be humbling. However, little good comes from brooding about mistakes we've made. The next shot, in golf or in life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/like-life-golf-can-be-humbling-however-little-good-comes-from/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [I learned much more from defeat than I ever learned from winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/i-learned-much-more-from-defeat-than-i-ever-learned-from-winning/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [There are three types of golf: golf, tournament golf and Major championship golf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/there-are-three-types-of-golf-golf-tournament-golf-and-major/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Depend upon yourself. Make your judgement trustworthy by trusting it. You can develop good judgement as you do the muscles of your body -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/depend-upon-yourself-make-your-judgement-trustworthy-by-trusting-it/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [Eighteen holes of match play will teach you more about your foe than 18 years of dealing with him across a desk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/eighteen-holes-of-match-play-will-teach-you-more-about-your-foe-than-2/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [This is the substance of our Plot-For those who play the Perfect Shot, There are ten thousand who do not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/this-is-the-substance-of-our-plot-for-those-who-play-the-perfect-shot/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) > [I am the servant of my score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/i-am-the-servant-of-my-score/) [Grantland Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) [Explore all 36 Grantland Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) [Brendan Mundorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-mundorf/) > [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Its not that you won or lost ... but how you played the game", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Grantland Rice" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you-played-the-game/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Football" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you-played-the-game/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/grantland-rice-17354_sports_its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you_2002372.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/grantland-rice-17354_sports_its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you_2002372.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26e/grantland-rice-17354_sports_its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you_2002372.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Its not that you won or lost ... but how you played the game” — Grantland Rice", "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": "Grantland Rice", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grantland-rice/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Its not that you won or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you-played-the-game/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grantland-rice/its-not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you-played-the-game/#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 } } ] } ```