--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Some people work their entire lives to…" description: "\"Some people work their entire lives to become a professional fighter and see certain guys with exposure or just a name, hop into the professional ranks..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jake-hager-6320_fighter_some-people-work-their-entire-lives-to-b_1213778.jpg" --- # Some people work their entire lives to become a… ![“Some people work their entire lives to become a professional fighter and see certain guys with exposure or just a name, hop into the professional ranks. It can rub people the wrong way and have them very doubtful of your skills because they see first-hand the hard work and how many years it takes…” quote by Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jake-hager-6320_fighter_some-people-work-their-entire-lives-to-b_1213778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jake-hager-6320_fighter_some-people-work-their-entire-lives-to-b_1213778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38f/jake-hager-6320_fighter_some-people-work-their-entire-lives-to-b_1213778.jpg) > “Some people work their entire lives to become a professional fighter and see certain guys with exposure or just a name, hop into the professional ranks. It can rub people the wrong way and have them very doubtful of your skills because they see first-hand the hard work and how many years it takes to master this.” [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discusses frustration when newcomers bypass years of effort, highlighting perceived unfairness in professional advancement. **In simple terms:** Fast tracks can feel unjust. Key Takeaway Advocate for merit-based recognition. Themes fairness career progression skill validation industry dynamics Mood critical reflective analytical Type social professional When to use this quote - sports promotions - career counseling - talent scouting - industry panels Key Concepts meritocracy talent development gatekeeping Questions to Reflect On - How can veterans mentor newcomers? - What criteria should define professional readiness? A Different Perspective Not all rapid success is undeserved; some bring fresh perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [People know my name, and because of that, I have more leverage as a professional fighter. And as a professional fighter, as a professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/people-know-my-name-and-because-of-that-i-have-more-leverage-as-a/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I wanted to be a professional fighter. I wanted to become a champion one day. And that made me work hard and get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-luque/i-wanted-to-be-a-professional-fighter-i-wanted-to-become-a-champion/) [Vicente Luque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-luque/) > [I am a professional martial artist, and I am a professional fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-am-a-professional-martial-artist-and-i-am-a-professional-fighter/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [Fighting is my livelihood, and jeopardizing my body without a full understanding of conditions doesn't make any sense. No professional fighter will go into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tito-ortiz/fighting-is-my-livelihood-and-jeopardizing-my-body-without-a-full/) [Tito Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tito-ortiz/) > [It takes a lot when you are a professional fighter to stay in top condition. You have to sacrifice a lot and I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-canino/it-takes-a-lot-when-you-are-a-professional-fighter-to-stay-in-top/) [Bonnie Canino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-canino/) > ['Dancing with the Stars' was a really great experience. People were definitely surprised that I'm a fighter, or they couldn't believe I'm a professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-vanzant/dancing-with-the-stars-was-a-really-great-experience-people-were/) [Paige VanZant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-vanzant/) > [I'm a professional fighter. My game plan is to fight standing up and to fight on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-oliveira/i-m-a-professional-fighter-my-game-plan-is-to-fight-standing-up-and/) [Charles Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-oliveira/) > [They don't mind getting punched in the face and, more importantly, they don't mind punching other people in the face. I'm just about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/they-don-t-mind-getting-punched-in-the-face-and-more-importantly-they/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [I knew I loved it because I could take the failures. I was like a professional fighter - they're beat 20 times in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-cooper/i-knew-i-loved-it-because-i-could-take-the-failures-i-was-like-a/) [Pat Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-cooper/) > [ I had never thought about being a professional fighter but meeting Pat \[ Militich \] and the guys just pushed me in that direction. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-lawler/i-had-never-thought-about-being-a-professional-fighter-but-meeting/) [Robbie Lawler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-lawler/) > [I'm a professional fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merab-dvalishvili/i-m-a-professional-fighter/) [Merab Dvalishvili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merab-dvalishvili/) > [People know me as a professional fighter and when you are in the UFC, you are very visible. But I'm not just a fighter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/people-know-me-as-a-professional-fighter-and-when-you-are-in-the-ufc/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [When you get hit that's when you've got to be calm. A professional fighter has to learn how to hit and not get hit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cus-d-amato/when-you-get-hit-that-s-when-you-ve-got-to-be-calm-a-professional/) [Cus D'Amato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cus-d-amato/) > [I'm just about the movies; I enjoy the dexterity of actors in action movies and the choreography side of things. You've just got to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/i-m-just-about-the-movies-i-enjoy-the-dexterity-of-actors-in-action/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) > [You've got to be a certain type of person to be a professional fighter. I prefer to do it for pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adkins/you-ve-got-to-be-a-certain-type-of-person-to-be-a-professional/) [Scott Adkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adkins/) ## More by Jake Hager > [A long time ago I learned how to shut my mouth, listen to my coaches and put trust in my coaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/a-long-time-ago-i-learned-how-to-shut-my-mouth-listen-to-my-coaches/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I need to wrestle, I need to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-need-to-wrestle-i-need-to-compete/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [When I was leaving college, getting ready to graduate with a degree in finance, I had job interviews for months and months - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/when-i-was-leaving-college-getting-ready-to-graduate-with-a-degree-in/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [A lot of people want me to say negative things about WWE, but I'm very grateful for my career there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/a-lot-of-people-want-me-to-say-negative-things-about-wwe-but-i-m-very/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [Going through life is always scary doing something new, at the same time it is very exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/going-through-life-is-always-scary-doing-something-new-at-the-same/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I was never the best athlete, but I knew how to be coached and I knew how to work hard at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-was-never-the-best-athlete-but-i-knew-how-to-be-coached-and-i-knew/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [If you go back and look at WWE Magazine, they asked me when I was going to win my first world championship and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/if-you-go-back-and-look-at-wwe-magazine-they-asked-me-when-i-was/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I believe competition makes everyone better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-believe-competition-makes-everyone-better/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [As cool as Jack Swagger was, he felt choreographed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/as-cool-as-jack-swagger-was-he-felt-choreographed/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [I'm a conservative. I voted for Donald Trump and back in 2016 everybody was talking about, 'Oh my God, here's another TV character trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/i-m-a-conservative-i-voted-for-donald-trump-and-back-in-2016/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [A lot of great fighters were amateur wrestlers first and you can study them on film to see how they adapted the techniques.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/a-lot-of-great-fighters-were-amateur-wrestlers-first-and-you-can/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [Wrestling for wrestling fans is an honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/wrestling-for-wrestling-fans-is-an-honor/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [Any time you can get Glenn Beck crying it's a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/any-time-you-can-get-glenn-beck-crying-it-s-a-good-thing/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [MMA fans and pro wrestling fans are similar in that they care about their sports very much. They want to see that you're serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/mma-fans-and-pro-wrestling-fans-are-similar-in-that-they-care-about/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) > [For me, the wins and losses in pro wrestling never mattered. The thing that matters is the time on television to tell that story.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-hager/for-me-the-wins-and-losses-in-pro-wrestling-never-mattered-the-thing/) [Jake Hager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) [Explore all 99 Jake Hager quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-hager/) ## More Fighter quotes > [I said that I was gonna smash him in three rounds, and that's what I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-said-that-i-was-gonna-smash-him-in-three-rounds-and-that-s-what-i/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [It's not about size, it's a science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/it-s-not-about-size-it-s-a-science/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [I'm not taking him lightly at all. I mean, Heiland, he's a good fighter. He's strong. He comes to fight every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermall-charlo/i-m-not-taking-him-lightly-at-all-i-mean-heiland-he-s-a-good-fighter/) [Jermall Charlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermall-charlo/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [“I'm not an alcoholic, I am freedom fighter against the teetotal taliban.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-murray/i-m-not-an-alcoholic-i-am-freedom-fighter-against-the-teetotal-taliban/) [Al Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-murray/) > [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I don't mind people want to think Muhammad is the greatest fighter around. Everybody wants to make him great because of his mouth, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frazier/i-don-t-mind-people-want-to-think-muhammad-is-the-greatest-fighter/) [Joe Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frazier/) > [I don't walk around looking into cameras and telling people I'm the best fighter in the world just to hear myself talk. I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/i-don-t-walk-around-looking-into-cameras-and-telling-people-i-m-the/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [Before The Ultimate Fighter, I was appearing before a couple of hundred people at most. Now, I'm on the card of a Las Vegas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/before-the-ultimate-fighter-i-was-appearing-before-a-couple-of/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [“She's not the enemy. She's just a dirty fighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/she-s-not-the-enemy-she-s-just-a-dirty-fighter/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [I've been able to not only be a fighter, but a thinking fighter, where I can use my insight into the business and politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-ve-been-able-to-not-only-be-a-fighter-but-a-thinking-fighter-where/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [I was 35 years old and in a position to take a shot at whatever I wanted to try. The Air Force said I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-doyle/i-was-35-years-old-and-in-a-position-to-take-a-shot-at-whatever-i/) [Jerry Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-doyle/) > [You see, at the beginning we weren't fighters. We weren't yellers or throwers, even if we eventually came to be. It would take time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/you-see-at-the-beginning-we-weren-t-fighters-we-weren-t-yellers-or/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/therefore-the-good-fighter-will-be-terrible-in-his-onset-and-prompt/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [After eight years of Obama one thing is clear: Conservatives want a fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-schlapp/after-eight-years-of-obama-one-thing-is-clear-conservatives-want-a/) [Matt Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-schlapp/) [Browse all 2,705 Fighter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Some people work their entire lives to become a professional fighter and see certain guys with exposure or just a name, hop into the professional ranks. 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