--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I stayed on the track I wanted to stay…" description: "\"I stayed on the track I wanted to stay on. I don’t think I deviated from what I’m all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joe-paterno-9402_important_i-stayed-on-the-track-i-wanted-to-stay-o_1639915.jpg" --- # I stayed on the track I wanted to stay on. I don’t think I… ![“I stayed on the track I wanted to stay on. I don’t think I deviated from what I’m all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call that a legacy, or whatever you want to call it.” quote by Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joe-paterno-9402_important_i-stayed-on-the-track-i-wanted-to-stay-o_1639915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joe-paterno-9402_important_i-stayed-on-the-track-i-wanted-to-stay-o_1639915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joe-paterno-9402_important_i-stayed-on-the-track-i-wanted-to-stay-o_1639915.jpg) > “I stayed on the track I wanted to stay on. I don’t think I deviated from what I’m all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call that a legacy, or whatever you want to call it.” [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Staying true to one's path reflects personal integrity and defines a lasting legacy. **In simple terms:** Stay true, build legacy. Key Takeaway Live authentically, define your legacy. Themes integrity legacy purpose self‑direction Mood motivational reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - mentorship - personal branding - goal setting Key Concepts personal values life choices Questions to Reflect On - What core values guide your decisions? - How do you measure your legacy? A Different Perspective Changing circumstances may force adaptation, challenging consistency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Legacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legacy/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think I deviated from what I'm all about and what I thought was important. Whether you want to call that a legacy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-don-t-think-i-deviated-from-what-i-m-all-about-and-what-i-thought/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [“Legacy requires sacrifice. I want to have a legacy, I want to be remembered as the hero.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-l-martin/legacy-requires-sacrifice-i-want-to-have-a-legacy-i-want-to-be/) P.L. Martin > [I want my legacy to be greater freedom, greater prosperity and a better way of life for my family, our employees and all Americans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-koch/i-want-my-legacy-to-be-greater-freedom-greater-prosperity-and-a/) [Charles Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-koch/) > [I just didn't want my legacy to be that of a few others that I don't even have to name, where I was controlled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-just-didn-t-want-my-legacy-to-be-that-of-a-few-others-that-i-don-t/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I want my legacy, when you think about me, is as a football player that does his job pretty well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-williams/i-want-my-legacy-when-you-think-about-me-is-as-a-football-player-that/) [Trent Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-williams/) > [Some things I thought were important for a young man to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/some-things-i-thought-were-important-for-a-young-man-to-know/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [My legacy is that I stayed on course...from the beginning to the end, because I believed in something inside of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-turner/my-legacy-is-that-i-stayed-on-course-from-the-beginning-to-the-end/) [Tina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-turner/) > [You ask yourself, 'What do you want your legacy to be?' I'm content at this point to say, 'Those who follow me.' Romeo Crennel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-parcells/you-ask-yourself-what-do-you-want-your-legacy-to-be-i-m-content-at/) [Bill Parcells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-parcells/) > [I want my legacy to be, wow she was a woman that really cared about others and dedicated her life to make sure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-crenn/i-want-my-legacy-to-be-wow-she-was-a-woman-that-really-cared-about/) [Dominique Crenn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-crenn/) > [“But dude, in 10 years, nobody’s going to care. Nobody’ll even remember my name. But they’ll remember if I impact their life. That’s why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-howes/but-dude-in-10-years-nobody-s-going-to-care-nobody-ll-even-remember/) [Lewis Howes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-howes/) > [If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/if-we-had-to-vanish-tomorrow-what-would-we-want-as-our-legacy/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [I hope that people will say that 'she told the truth, she told her truth, she wasn't afraid to live her truth, and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-hope-that-people-will-say-that-she-told-the-truth-she-told-her/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [I want my legacy to be that I was a man of character, I was a God fearing man and somebody who bettered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/i-want-my-legacy-to-be-that-i-was-a-man-of-character-i-was-a-god/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [Legacy is a stupid thing! I don't want a legacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/legacy-is-a-stupid-thing-i-don-t-want-a-legacy/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [It's more important what you leave to people on this planet. I want my legacy to exist now, currently, not after I'm gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-burdon/it-s-more-important-what-you-leave-to-people-on-this-planet-i-want-my/) [Eric Burdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-burdon/) ## More by Joe Paterno > [A hard-fought, well-fought, hairline-close game is as classical in sports as tragedy is in the theater. Victory is contained within defeat, and defeat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/a-hard-fought-well-fought-hairline-close-game-is-as-classical-in/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [“You're never as good as you think you are when you win; and you're never as bad as you feel when you lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/you-re-never-as-good-as-you-think-you-are-when-you-win-and-you-re/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [I'm not as concerned about me. What's happened to me has been great. I got five great kids. Seventeen grandchildren.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-m-not-as-concerned-about-me-what-s-happened-to-me-has-been-great-i/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [Those kinds of things all kind of pop into your head, and you try to rectify them by looking at it, making some changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/those-kinds-of-things-all-kind-of-pop-into-your-head-and-you-try-to/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [There has to be some self-denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/there-has-to-be-some-self-denial/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [Keep hustling, something good will happen,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/keep-hustling-something-good-will-happen/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [It doesn't matter what people think of me. I've lived my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/it-doesn-t-matter-what-people-think-of-me-i-ve-lived-my-life/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/the-will-to-win-is-important-but-the-will-to-prepare-is-vital/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [In every life, there have to be some shadows. Look at me. My life has been filled with sunshine. A beautiful and caring wife.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/in-every-life-there-have-to-be-some-shadows-look-at-me-my-life-has/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [Don't just stand back and play the way you're coached. A great player must rise to the occasion and turn the game around on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/don-t-just-stand-back-and-play-the-way-you-re-coached-a-great-player/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [I think we played a pretty good football game overall. I think we played as well as we could at this time of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-think-we-played-a-pretty-good-football-game-overall-i-think-we/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [You must relate athletic experiences to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/you-must-relate-athletic-experiences-to-life/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [I don't think it's fair to 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds to say 'Show us you're a winner right now!' Winning isn't everything. I'll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-don-t-think-it-s-fair-to-12-13-and-14-year-olds-to-say-show-us-you/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [There's never been a greater game than football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/there-s-never-been-a-greater-game-than-football/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) > [I appreciate the fans and all that kind of stuff. It's kind of fun to hear it, as just another football game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-paterno/i-appreciate-the-fans-and-all-that-kind-of-stuff-it-s-kind-of-fun-to/) [Joe Paterno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) [Explore all 73 Joe Paterno quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-paterno/) ## More Important quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. 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While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [If I had learned how to get along in the quotidian world while keeping up the search for the hidden realm, I might have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/if-i-had-learned-how-to-get-along-in-the-quotidian-world-while/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [Modeling is more important than the talking we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-williams/modeling-is-more-important-than-the-talking-we-do/) Wayne Williams > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. 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