--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cause there's only one reason for doing…" description: "\"Cause there's only one reason for doing anything that you set out to do. if you don't want to be the best, then there's no reason going out and trying ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/joe-montana-16784_ability_cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing_1829327.png" --- # Cause there's only one reason for doing anything that you… ![“Cause there's only one reason for doing anything that you set out to do. if you don't want to be the best, then there's no reason going out and trying to accomplish anything.” quote by Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/joe-montana-16784_ability_cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing_1829327.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/joe-montana-16784_ability_cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing_1829327.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/joe-montana-16784_ability_cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing_1829327.png) > “Cause there's only one reason for doing anything that you set out to do. if you don't want to be the best, then there's no reason going out and trying to accomplish anything.” [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excellence requires intrinsic motivation; without the drive to be the best, effort lacks purpose. **In simple terms:** Being the best fuels effort. Key Takeaway Cultivate a personal standard of excellence. Themes motivation excellence purpose Mood determined inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - training regimen - team leadership - personal development Key Concepts goal‑setting theory intrinsic drive Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond competition? - Can effort be valuable without aiming for the top? A Different Perspective Not everyone as be the best; effort can be meaningful without it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) [Best Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-reason-1616907/) [Cause Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-reason-2159175/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [No reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-reason/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-doing-420380/) [Reason Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-going-376265/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-accomplish/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [The best reason to paint is that there is no reason to paint...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-haring/the-best-reason-to-paint-is-that-there-is-no-reason-to-paint/) [Keith Haring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-haring/) > [The best reason to paint is that there is no reason to paint... I'd like to pretend that I've never seen anything, never read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-haring/the-best-reason-to-paint-is-that-there-is-no-reason-to-paint-i-d-like/) [Keith Haring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-haring/) > [When all is said and done, you are part of me. That's the way it was meant to be. People are brought together for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-all-is-said-and-done-you-are-part-of-me-that-s-the-way-it-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...we ask: Why suicide? We search for reasons, causes, and so on… We follow the course of the life he has now so suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bernhard/we-ask-why-suicide-we-search-for-reasons-causes-and-so-on-we-follow/) [Thomas Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bernhard/) > [“do: KEEP IN MIND THAT FEELINGS ALWAYS HAVE A CAUSE. THERE’S ALWAYS A REASON WHY YOU’RE FEELING WHAT YOU DO.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-keep-in-mind-that-feelings-always-have-a-cause-there-s-always-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You know when he cheats on you the first time you shouldn't go back cause he do it again but for some reason you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria/you-know-when-he-cheats-on-you-the-first-time-you-shouldn-t-go-back/) [Victoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria/) > [Compelling a man by law to pay his money to elect candidates or advocate law or doctrines he is against differs only in degree,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-black/compelling-a-man-by-law-to-pay-his-money-to-elect-candidates-or/) [Hugo Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-black/) > [“Unlike ordinary feelings, the feeling of reason and the feeling of respect do not have a sensible cause; their cause is reason itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alix-cohen/unlike-ordinary-feelings-the-feeling-of-reason-and-the-feeling-of/) [Alix Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alix-cohen/) > [“The only way to find the meaning and purpose of your life is to find it in a mystery . . . the mystery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-cahn/the-only-way-to-find-the-meaning-and-purpose-of-your-life-is-to-find/) [Jonathan Cahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-cahn/) > [“The reason you’re going through what you’re going through is to receive the things you’ve been praying for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-coron/the-reason-you-re-going-through-what-you-re-going-through-is-to/) [Jeanette Coron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-coron/) > [I recall an incident involving the late George Stigler at a conference in Spain in the 1980s. Hearing that I had written a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-van-dun/i-recall-an-incident-involving-the-late-george-stigler-at-a/) [Frank Van Dun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-van-dun/) > [“Reason can be fought with reason. How are you going to fight the unreasonable?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/reason-can-be-fought-with-reason-how-are-you-going-to-fight-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [...in place of seeking a reason for going abroad, I would prefer to say that I have failed to discover any reason why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gilmour/in-place-of-seeking-a-reason-for-going-abroad-i-would-prefer-to-say/) [James Gilmour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gilmour/) > [“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/the-most-important-reason-for-going-from-one-place-to-another-is-to/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Why do people kill themselves? I think they do it when they can no longer find a reason to keep going. When nothing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beth-miller/why-do-people-kill-themselves-i-think-they-do-it-when-they-can-no/) [Mary Beth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beth-miller/) ## More by Joe Montana > [Some guys practice like all-Americans but they can't play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/some-guys-practice-like-all-americans-but-they-can-t-play/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [I have a fear of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/i-have-a-fear-of-failure/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [I don't live in the past. I just live in the enjoyment of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/i-don-t-live-in-the-past-i-just-live-in-the-enjoyment-of-the-game/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [There's no thrill like throwing a touchdown pass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/there-s-no-thrill-like-throwing-a-touchdown-pass/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [I mean the game is just, everybody talks about baseball but I really think football probably has a little bit more American feeling than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/i-mean-the-game-is-just-everybody-talks-about-baseball-but-i-really/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [Any quarterback that understands what the offense is really about is going to succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/any-quarterback-that-understands-what-the-offense-is-really-about-is/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [My back only bugs me when I sleep wrong. I feel my knee more than anything, the left one. It's arthritic. I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/my-back-only-bugs-me-when-i-sleep-wrong-i-feel-my-knee-more-than/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [You need to be able to work with people. Especially in football, it is not a QB's game... even though the media likes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/you-need-to-be-able-to-work-with-people-especially-in-football-it-is/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [As a quarterback, you have to love it. As much as you like to turn around and hand the ball off - the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/as-a-quarterback-you-have-to-love-it-as-much-as-you-like-to-turn/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [Yeah, it's nice to look up to people, but the more you try to be somebody else, the less you are of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/yeah-it-s-nice-to-look-up-to-people-but-the-more-you-try-to-be/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [I don't watch a lot of the games on Sunday. But I always kept an eye on the 49ers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/i-don-t-watch-a-lot-of-the-games-on-sunday-but-i-always-kept-an-eye/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [Some people have no respect whether you are with your family or not. That's the hardest part. I was shopping in a grocery store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/some-people-have-no-respect-whether-you-are-with-your-family-or-not/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [Confidence is a very fragile thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/confidence-is-a-very-fragile-thing/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [I really took the lead on putting together the real estate fund-to-funds. Real estate was always interesting to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/i-really-took-the-lead-on-putting-together-the-real-estate-fund-to/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) > [Yeah, I think it motivates you as people start to count you out. It doesn't make you play any harder, because every time you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/yeah-i-think-it-motivates-you-as-people-start-to-count-you-out-it/) [Joe Montana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) [Explore all 39 Joe Montana quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/) ## 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": "Cause there's only one reason for doing anything that you set out to do. if you don't want to be the best, then there's no reason going out and trying to accomplish anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joe Montana" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing-anything-that-you-set-out-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing-anything-that-you-set-out-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/joe-montana-16784_ability_cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing_1829327.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/joe-montana-16784_ability_cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing_1829327.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/583/joe-montana-16784_ability_cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing_1829327.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cause there's only one reason for doing anything that you set out to do. if you don't want to be the best…” — Joe Montana", "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": "Joe Montana", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-montana/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Cause there's only one reason for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing-anything-that-you-set-out-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-montana/cause-there-s-only-one-reason-for-doing-anything-that-you-set-out-to/#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 } } ] } ```