--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Among the hardest-working players I've…" description: "\"Among the hardest-working players I've ever been associated, Yao stands at the very top of the list. Beyond that, though, here's what truly separated h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/jeff-van-gundy-4113_ability_among-the-hardest-working-players-i-ve-e_860102.jpg" --- # Among the hardest-working players I've ever been… ![“Among the hardest-working players I've ever been associated, Yao stands at the very top of the list. Beyond that, though, here's what truly separated him from everyone else: His ability to enjoy other people's successes.” quote by Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/jeff-van-gundy-4113_ability_among-the-hardest-working-players-i-ve-e_860102.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/jeff-van-gundy-4113_ability_among-the-hardest-working-players-i-ve-e_860102.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e5d/jeff-van-gundy-4113_ability_among-the-hardest-working-players-i-ve-e_860102.jpg) > “Among the hardest-working players I've ever been associated, Yao stands at the very top of the list. Beyond that, though, here's what truly separated him from everyone else: His ability to enjoy other people's successes.” [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote praises Yao Ming’s work ethic and highlights his joy in others’ achievements as a key differentiator. **In simple terms:** Yao works hard and celebrates others’ success. Key Takeaway Celebrate teammates’ successes. Themes leadership teamwork humility achievement Mood inspirational reflective Type motivational leadership When to use this quote - team meetings - coaching sessions - leadership training Key Concepts emotional intelligence gratitude Questions to Reflect On - How can you foster a culture of celebrating others? - What challenges arise when sharing credit? A Different Perspective Focusing on others can distract from personal goals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Associated Yao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/associated-yao-842677/) [Beyond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyond/) [Enjoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoy/) [Everyone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everyone/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Hardest Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardest-working-644476/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Successes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-successes-527474/) [Working Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-players-576825/) [Yao Stands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yao-stands-842678/) ## Related quotes > [The people and successes in your life mirror your beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-backley/the-people-and-successes-in-your-life-mirror-your-beliefs/) [Steve Backley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-backley/) > [Other people's successes are good news - for them and for you. Good for you because they show you a way to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-wynn/other-people-s-successes-are-good-news-for-them-and-for-you-good-for/) [Steve Wynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-wynn/) > [The problem is that most people focus on their failures rather than their successes. But the truth is that most people have many more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/the-problem-is-that-most-people-focus-on-their-failures-rather-than/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [Do not judge people by their successes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/do-not-judge-people-by-their-successes/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Instant success are seldom instant and if you talk to the people behind these successes, you'll find out that they came after months of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/instant-success-are-seldom-instant-and-if-you-talk-to-the-people/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [People always describe my successes in life. My successes in life tend to be personal, not career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/people-always-describe-my-successes-in-life-my-successes-in-life-tend/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [The greatest ally you have to get things working well and the players performing as a team is the bench. Don't be afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/the-greatest-ally-you-have-to-get-things-working-well-and-the-players/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [This whole science thing of working out if players are a little bit tired just gives you an excuse to leave them out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/this-whole-science-thing-of-working-out-if-players-are-a-little-bit/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [How's the game changed in my 15 years in the league? Well, we used to be called hard-working players. Now we're overpaid crybabies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-hull/how-s-the-game-changed-in-my-15-years-in-the-league-well-we-used-to/) [Brett Hull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-hull/) > [We spend too much time recruiting and not enough time working with the players we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-agase/we-spend-too-much-time-recruiting-and-not-enough-time-working-with/) [Alex Agase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-agase/) > [I was a young player at Real, but working with players like Zidane and Beckham every day taught me such a lot: how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robinho/i-was-a-young-player-at-real-but-working-with-players-like-zidane-and/) [Robinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robinho/) > [I enjoy working with players who want to work and I get more satisfaction with that than ready made teams or players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-warnock/i-enjoy-working-with-players-who-want-to-work-and-i-get-more/) [Neil Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-warnock/) > [“His goal was to be vigilant against " the bozo explosion" that leads to a company's being larded with second rate talent: For most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/his-goal-was-to-be-vigilant-against-the-bozo-explosion-that-leads-to/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [I've been in a few tangles in my time. And a lot of them have been of my own making because of how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/i-ve-been-in-a-few-tangles-in-my-time-and-a-lot-of-them-have-been-of/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [ \[Kim Kardashian\] is one of the hardest-working women I've been around ever. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-humphries/kim-kardashian-is-one-of-the-hardest-working-women-i-ve-been-around/) [Kris Humphries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-humphries/) ## More by Jeff Van Gundy > [Often, organizations don't know how good they have it with a player or coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/often-organizations-don-t-know-how-good-they-have-it-with-a-player-or/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Dwight Howard is a Hall of Fame player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/dwight-howard-is-a-hall-of-fame-player/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [You start comparing people, and ultimately, somebody feels diminished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/you-start-comparing-people-and-ultimately-somebody-feels-diminished/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I miss coaching - certain elements of coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/i-miss-coaching-certain-elements-of-coaching/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [To be successful in anything, you have to have a passion for it, and that leads to being enthusiastic and demanding. I didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/to-be-successful-in-anything-you-have-to-have-a-passion-for-it-and/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [If your best offensive players go down, all you can do is hang on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/if-your-best-offensive-players-go-down-all-you-can-do-is-hang-on/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [The beauty of growing up in a coaching family, particularly one that isn't at the very highest level, is that you get to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/the-beauty-of-growing-up-in-a-coaching-family-particularly-one-that/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Goaltending was brought in because of Mikan and Chamberlain. So rules do change for specific players, in concert with a need to stay up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/goaltending-was-brought-in-because-of-mikan-and-chamberlain-so-rules/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Manu Ginobili - I like to watch him. I would pay to watch him play the game. He will try things that will drive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/manu-ginobili-i-like-to-watch-him-i-would-pay-to-watch-him-play-the/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Shooting percentage is just as much about decision making as it is about technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/shooting-percentage-is-just-as-much-about-decision-making-as-it-is/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [When you know better and you don't do better, you're no better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/when-you-know-better-and-you-don-t-do-better-you-re-no-better/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [In one era, it's hard enough to compare people. But comparing people of different eras... that's next to impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/in-one-era-it-s-hard-enough-to-compare-people-but-comparing-people-of/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Systems are overrated; players are underrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/systems-are-overrated-players-are-underrated/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [Just concentrate on what you're supposed to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/just-concentrate-on-what-you-re-supposed-to-do/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I love listening to Coach Belichick's press conferences: even though they may not be what the media wants, they're great coaching, teaching tools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/i-love-listening-to-coach-belichick-s-press-conferences-even-though/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) [Explore all 116 Jeff Van Gundy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Among the hardest-working players I've ever been associated, Yao stands at the very top of the list. 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