--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a great athlete is something that…" description: "\"Being a great athlete is something that requires a lot of training and dedication, it does not come as easily as some people may think.\" — Haile Gebrse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/haile-gebrselassie-9166_athlete_being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that_1737090.png" --- # Being a great athlete is something that requires a lot of… ![“Being a great athlete is something that requires a lot of training and dedication, it does not come as easily as some people may think.” quote by Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/haile-gebrselassie-9166_athlete_being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that_1737090.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/haile-gebrselassie-9166_athlete_being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that_1737090.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/haile-gebrselassie-9166_athlete_being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that_1737090.png) > “Being a great athlete is something that requires a lot of training and dedication, it does not come as easily as some people may think.” [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excellence in athletics demands extensive training, discipline, and perseverance; talent alone is insufficient. **In simple terms:** Great athletes need hard work, not just talent. Key Takeaway Commit to consistent training. Themes discipline hard work dedication Mood motivational determined Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - training programs - coaching sessions - personal fitness plans - team practice Key Concepts sports psychology skill development Questions to Reflect On - How can you structure your training to build discipline? - What habits support long‑term dedication? A Different Perspective Talent without effort rarely yields elite performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Dedication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dedication/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [When I started out as a little kid, I didn't say 'I just want to run football.' I wanted to be a great athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herschel-walker/when-i-started-out-as-a-little-kid-i-didn-t-say-i-just-want-to-run/) [Herschel Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herschel-walker/) > [Gina Carano is a great athlete, and I'd be happy if she returns to MMA - doesn't matter if it's against Ronda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cris-cyborg/gina-carano-is-a-great-athlete-and-i-d-be-happy-if-she-returns-to-mma/) [Cris Cyborg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cris-cyborg/) > [You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/you-have-to-believe-in-yourself-when-no-one-else-does/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [You can kick a ball into the net, throw a basketball into the net. Tennis is complicated. It'll make a lot of great athletes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-courier/you-can-kick-a-ball-into-the-net-throw-a-basketball-into-the-net/) [Jim Courier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-courier/) > [I want to see all the countries in the world and learn all the languages. I want to have thousands of friends and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-nyad/i-want-to-see-all-the-countries-in-the-world-and-learn-all-the/) [Diana Nyad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-nyad/) > [The main thing about Bruce Lee is that, he was a little guy. 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Dhanush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-r-dhanush/) ## More by Haile Gebrselassie > [When I run in Ethiopia, I look out and see eucalyptus trees and rivers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/when-i-run-in-ethiopia-i-look-out-and-see-eucalyptus-trees-and-rivers/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [I always tell young athletes the same thing, 'Wherever you go, whatever you do, what must your top priority be? Running.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/i-always-tell-young-athletes-the-same-thing-wherever-you-go-whatever/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [This hand is not very active always, because it was in this hand that I carried my books. My carrying hand was always my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/this-hand-is-not-very-active-always-because-it-was-in-this-hand-that/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [My father thought sport was something fun - he didn't know it was a way to make money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/my-father-thought-sport-was-something-fun-he-didn-t-know-it-was-a-way/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [He was not a runner, my father, but he was quick. I always remember it was very difficult to escape from him when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/he-was-not-a-runner-my-father-but-he-was-quick-i-always-remember-it/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [Why should I say I will retire in three or four years? You retire the very moment you utter those words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/why-should-i-say-i-will-retire-in-three-or-four-years-you-retire-the/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [The marathon always starts after 30K. That's where the problems start. You start without any problems, without any pain. All the pain comes after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/the-marathon-always-starts-after-30k-that-s-where-the-problems-start/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [My father didn't think running was sensible. He told me running is just wasting time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/my-father-didn-t-think-running-was-sensible-he-told-me-running-is/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [The more you are getting older, you lose a little something. Of course there is another advantage, because of your long experience you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/the-more-you-are-getting-older-you-lose-a-little-something-of-course/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [I was the kind of child who worked hard every day with the cows and sheep - I was a very aggressive boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/i-was-the-kind-of-child-who-worked-hard-every-day-with-the-cows-and/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [I want to avoid injuries by running only road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/i-want-to-avoid-injuries-by-running-only-road/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [When I had no shoes I was comfortable - I used to run barefoot. When I wore shoes it was difficult. To run in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/when-i-had-no-shoes-i-was-comfortable-i-used-to-run-barefoot-when-i/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [That is not enough. Sport has been great for me, a great learning place that if you want to achieve you can, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/that-is-not-enough-sport-has-been-great-for-me-a-great-learning-place/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [If you are a really good marathoner, you have to run New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/if-you-are-a-really-good-marathoner-you-have-to-run-new-york/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) > [Eradicate poverty. This is all that matters in my country. When I am out training I think about this a lot; when I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/eradicate-poverty-this-is-all-that-matters-in-my-country-when-i-am/) [Haile Gebrselassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) [Explore all 75 Haile Gebrselassie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/) ## 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. 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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": "Being a great athlete is something that requires a lot of training and dedication, it does not come as easily as some people may think.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Haile Gebrselassie" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that-requires-a-lot-of-training/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that-requires-a-lot-of-training/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/haile-gebrselassie-9166_athlete_being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that_1737090.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/haile-gebrselassie-9166_athlete_being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that_1737090.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e95/haile-gebrselassie-9166_athlete_being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that_1737090.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being a great athlete is something that requires a lot of training and dedication, it does not come as…” — Haile Gebrselassie", "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": "Haile Gebrselassie", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-gebrselassie/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being a great athlete is something...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that-requires-a-lot-of-training/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-gebrselassie/being-a-great-athlete-is-something-that-requires-a-lot-of-training/#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 } } ] } ```