--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a game. Don't put too much pressure…" description: "\"It's a game. Don't put too much pressure on yourself that you can't have fun.\" — Greg Oden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/greg-oden-8368_football_it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure_653243.png" --- # It's a game. Don't put too much pressure on yourself that… ![“It's a game. Don't put too much pressure on yourself that you can't have fun.” quote by Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/greg-oden-8368_football_it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure_653243.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/greg-oden-8368_football_it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure_653243.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/greg-oden-8368_football_it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure_653243.png) > “It's a game. Don't put too much pressure on yourself that you can't have fun.” [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enjoying activities without self‑imposed pressure leads to genuine fun and better performance. **In simple terms:** Don't stress, just enjoy. Key Takeaway Relax and play. Themes fun pressure mindset Mood lighthearted encouraging Type motivational practical When to use this quote - sports - creative hobbies - social gatherings Key Concepts self‑compassion flow intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - What would you try if you felt no pressure? - How does pressure affect your enjoyment? A Different Perspective Even low pressure can hide hidden expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not under any pressure other than to go out and have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-show/i-m-not-under-any-pressure-other-than-to-go-out-and-have-fun/) [Big Show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-show/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [I'm going to play my game and be who I am. I don't think anyone puts more pressure on me than I do on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-giambi/i-m-going-to-play-my-game-and-be-who-i-am-i-don-t-think-anyone-puts/) [Jason Giambi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-giambi/) > [This is normal, to have pressure. It's how you respond. Take the pressure, use the pressure, have fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chan-ho-park/this-is-normal-to-have-pressure-it-s-how-you-respond-take-the/) [Chan Ho Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chan-ho-park/) > [Let's put significant pressure on ourselves to have a fun New Year's Eve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-s-put-significant-pressure-on-ourselves-to-have-a-fun-new-year-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've never looked at my job as pressure. It's always been fun, a privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermaine-jenas/i-ve-never-looked-at-my-job-as-pressure-it-s-always-been-fun-a/) [Jermaine Jenas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermaine-jenas/) > [Take comfort this Labor Day in knowing the pressure to have fun this summer is finally over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-comfort-this-labor-day-in-knowing-the-pressure-to-have-fun-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I just do my best, that's all. I don't give myself pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/i-just-do-my-best-that-s-all-i-don-t-give-myself-pressure/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [I don't put myself under pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/i-don-t-put-myself-under-pressure/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [If people want to put the pressure on me that fine but I don't put pressure on myself - that is where pressure comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fallon-sherrock/if-people-want-to-put-the-pressure-on-me-that-fine-but-i-don-t-put/) [Fallon Sherrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fallon-sherrock/) > [I don't pressure anyone to do anything for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-bilzerian/i-don-t-pressure-anyone-to-do-anything-for-me/) [Dan Bilzerian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-bilzerian/) > [You don't have pressure on yourself to have to go nuts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calipari/you-don-t-have-pressure-on-yourself-to-have-to-go-nuts/) [John Calipari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calipari/) > [This is a game that you don't want to be in!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/triple-h/this-is-a-game-that-you-don-t-want-to-be-in/) [Triple H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/triple-h/) > [This is a game, don't put too much stress on yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-livingston/this-is-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-stress-on-yourself/) [Shaun Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-livingston/) > [I don't see any point in playing the game if you don't win, do you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-didrikson-zaharias/i-don-t-see-any-point-in-playing-the-game-if-you-don-t-win-do-you/) [Babe Didrikson Zaharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-didrikson-zaharias/) ## More by Greg Oden > [I've got an old body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-ve-got-an-old-body/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I don't think I was that bad when I was on the court. I felt like it could have just got better if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-don-t-think-i-was-that-bad-when-i-was-on-the-court-i-felt-like-it/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I don't want to be one of those guys that people just talk about. I'm not good with people talking about me. I'd rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-don-t-want-to-be-one-of-those-guys-that-people-just-talk-about-i-m/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [If you're out there, and you can't do it, that makes you a bust. Well, I was never really out there. I was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/if-you-re-out-there-and-you-can-t-do-it-that-makes-you-a-bust-well-i/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [When a girl sends me 100 pictures, I have to send something back every now and then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/when-a-girl-sends-me-100-pictures-i-have-to-send-something-back-every/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [Marking success, for me, is walking onto a court and just walking off healthy, no matter if it is one minute or two minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/marking-success-for-me-is-walking-onto-a-court-and-just-walking-off/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I started to play in the fourth grade and didn't score for, like, a whole year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-started-to-play-in-the-fourth-grade-and-didn-t-score-for-like-a/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [It wasn't like I was clinically depressed, but I was so down. I think I was probably depressed. Nothing went my way since college,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/it-wasn-t-like-i-was-clinically-depressed-but-i-was-so-down-i-think-i/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I'll know that when I play a good game, a decent game, and I know when I can play a lot better and aggressive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-ll-know-that-when-i-play-a-good-game-a-decent-game-and-i-know-when/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I'm just gonna be who I am, who God made me, what my mom taught me to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-m-just-gonna-be-who-i-am-who-god-made-me-what-my-mom-taught-me-to-be/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I lived in Indiana, and Reggie Miller was everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-lived-in-indiana-and-reggie-miller-was-everywhere/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I hear it each day. If I'm not smiling, if I don't have the biggest grin on my face, then it's like I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-hear-it-each-day-if-i-m-not-smiling-if-i-don-t-have-the-biggest/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I've played against LaMarcus Aldridge, and he kills me every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-ve-played-against-lamarcus-aldridge-and-he-kills-me-every-time/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [I'd be lying if I said that it didn't suck to see Durant doing so well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/i-d-be-lying-if-i-said-that-it-didn-t-suck-to-see-durant-doing-so-well/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [There's more to life than basketball, and at some point, it's going to end anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/there-s-more-to-life-than-basketball-and-at-some-point-it-s-going-to/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) [Explore all 81 Greg Oden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) ## 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 > [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": "It's a game. Don't put too much pressure on yourself that you can't have fun.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Greg Oden" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure-on-yourself-that-you-can-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Football" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure-on-yourself-that-you-can-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/greg-oden-8368_football_it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure_653243.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/greg-oden-8368_football_it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure_653243.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/309/greg-oden-8368_football_it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure_653243.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's a game. Don't put too much pressure on yourself that you can't have fun.” — Greg Oden", "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": "Greg Oden", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's a game. Don't put too...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure-on-yourself-that-you-can-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/it-s-a-game-don-t-put-too-much-pressure-on-yourself-that-you-can-t/#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 } } ] } ```