--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You think the greatest thing in the whole…" description: "\"You think the greatest thing in the whole world would be to become a baseball player - if best things already happened, what's next?\" — John McGraw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/john-mcgraw-25431_ball-player_you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whol_1535079.jpg" --- # You think the greatest thing in the whole world would be… ![“You think the greatest thing in the whole world would be to become a baseball player - if best things already happened, what's next?” quote by John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/john-mcgraw-25431_ball-player_you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whol_1535079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/john-mcgraw-25431_ball-player_you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whol_1535079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/john-mcgraw-25431_ball-player_you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whol_1535079.jpg) > “You think the greatest thing in the whole world would be to become a baseball player - if best things already happened, what's next?” [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. After achieving a dream, the next challenge is to find a new purpose beyond the original goal. **In simple terms:** Success should lead to new ambitions, not stagnation. Key Takeaway Seek fresh goals after reaching a milestone. Themes achievement purpose growth legacy Mood inspirational reflective Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - post‑career planning - mentorship - new sport pursuits - creative endeavors Key Concepts motivation career development goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What will you pursue after your current success? - How do you define fulfillment beyond fame? A Different Perspective New goals may feel less compelling than the original dream. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baseball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball/) [Baseball player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baseball-player/) [Best things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-things/) [Motivational sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-sports/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I've always wanted to be the best in the world as a baseball player, so when I started to think about opening a business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-schilling/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-the-best-in-the-world-as-a-baseball-player/) [Curt Schilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-schilling/) > [I think the greatest thing that we can do is take care of each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/i-think-the-greatest-thing-that-we-can-do-is-take-care-of-each-other/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [You have to think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread, but you have to know that you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/you-have-to-think-you-re-the-greatest-thing-since-sliced-bread-but/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [The 'Lone Star' experience was tough at the time, but it really allowed me to look at things from a 3,000-foot high view. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/the-lone-star-experience-was-tough-at-the-time-but-it-really-allowed/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) > [I think the greatest thing in the world is to believe in people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/i-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-world-is-to-believe-in-people/) [John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/) > [The only real game, I think, in the world is baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-real-game-i-think-in-the-world-is-baseball/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They haven't given too many gamblers a second chances in the world of baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-rose/they-haven-t-given-too-many-gamblers-a-second-chances-in-the-world-of/) [Pete Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-rose/) > [I felt like the world of baseball in 1919 was much closer to what A-ball would be now - guys riding buses, there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-sweeney/i-felt-like-the-world-of-baseball-in-1919-was-much-closer-to-what-a/) [D. B. Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-b-sweeney/) > [Playing in the World Baseball Classic is something that I truly want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-arenado/playing-in-the-world-baseball-classic-is-something-that-i-truly-want/) [Nolan Arenado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-arenado/) > [Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-most-important-thing-in-the-world-but-baseball-is-pretty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm half-Italian and my name is Portuguese. Michael Young is half-Mexican. There are players from the United States that have heritage elsewhere and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/i-m-half-italian-and-my-name-is-portuguese-michael-young-is-half/) [Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/) > [I played seven years without ever hitting the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/i-played-seven-years-without-ever-hitting-the-ball/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times. I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times. You figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/during-my-18-years-i-came-to-bat-almost-10-000-times-i-struck-out/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [I think that's one of the greatest gifts that I have: that I can get someone to open up, and all you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/i-think-that-s-one-of-the-greatest-gifts-that-i-have-that-i-can-get/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [I think that the greatest education in the world is the education which helps one to be able to do the right things at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-that-the-greatest-education-in-the-world-is-the-education/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by John McGraw > [I think we can win it if my brain holds out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/i-think-we-can-win-it-if-my-brain-holds-out/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [The team that gets off to a good start wins pennants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/the-team-that-gets-off-to-a-good-start-wins-pennants/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [There is but one game and that game is baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/there-is-but-one-game-and-that-game-is-baseball/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [The main idea is to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/the-main-idea-is-to-win/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [Why shouldn't we pitch to Babe Ruth? We pitch to better hitters in the National League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/why-shouldn-t-we-pitch-to-babe-ruth-we-pitch-to-better-hitters-in-the/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [He (Honus Wagner) was the nearest thing to a perfect player no matter where his manager chose to play him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/he-honus-wagner-was-the-nearest-thing-to-a-perfect-player-no-matter/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [One small breeze doesn't make a wind storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/one-small-breeze-doesn-t-make-a-wind-storm/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [The boy's (Hack Wilson) got talent and desire, but he ain't got no neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/the-boy-s-hack-wilson-got-talent-and-desire-but-he-ain-t-got-no-neck/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [Learn to know every man under you, get under his skin, know his faults. Then cater to him - with kindness or roughness as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/learn-to-know-every-man-under-you-get-under-his-skin-know-his-faults/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [No club that wins a pennant once is an outstanding club. One which bunches two pennants is a good club. But a team which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/no-club-that-wins-a-pennant-once-is-an-outstanding-club-one-which/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [My boy, one small breeze doesn't make a wind storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/my-boy-one-small-breeze-doesn-t-make-a-wind-storm/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [If I had to pick the greatest team player in baseball today-and I have some of the greats on my own club-I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/if-i-had-to-pick-the-greatest-team-player-in-baseball-today-and-i/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [One percent of ballplayers are leaders of men. The other 99 percent are followers of women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/one-percent-of-ballplayers-are-leaders-of-men-the-other-99-percent/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [In playing or managing, the game of ball is only fun for me when I'm out in front and winning. I don't give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/in-playing-or-managing-the-game-of-ball-is-only-fun-for-me-when-i-m/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) > [Cobb would have to play center field on my all time team. But where would that put Speaker? In left. If I had them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/cobb-would-have-to-play-center-field-on-my-all-time-team-but-where/) [John McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) [Explore all 23 John McGraw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/) ## More Ball player quotes > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I have friends in other industries but if I am training for a wrestling match, I would turn to the best wrestler to train,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-aries/i-have-friends-in-other-industries-but-if-i-am-training-for-a/) [Austin Aries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-aries/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I competed every day as a professional football player... You've got to like competing. That's how your team gets better, when you have competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-competed-every-day-as-a-professional-football-player-you-ve-got-to/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [“I can’t wait to knock you up and have a whole team of little baseball players around this place!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-sterling/i-can-t-wait-to-knock-you-up-and-have-a-whole-team-of-little-baseball/) [J. Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-sterling/) > [MOST AMAZING FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD && IN REAL MADRID](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-amazing-football-player-in-the-entire-world-in-real-madrid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) > [I'm a basketball player, so I want to do whatever I've got to do to be on the floor and I'm prepared for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyrese-haliburton/i-m-a-basketball-player-so-i-want-to-do-whatever-i-ve-got-to-do-to-be/) [Tyrese Haliburton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyrese-haliburton/) > [“Seeing yourself in print is such an amazing concept: you can get so much attention without having to actually show up somewhere. While others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/seeing-yourself-in-print-is-such-an-amazing-concept-you-can-get-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People say baseball players should go out and have fun. No way. To me, baseball is pressure, I always feel it. This is work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-eckersley/people-say-baseball-players-should-go-out-and-have-fun-no-way-to-me/) [Dennis Eckersley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-eckersley/) > [Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Our main imports are baseball players and acid rain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/canada-is-a-country-whose-main-exports-are-hockey-players-and-cold/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [“The great thing about baseball players, from the point of view of personal hygiene, is how seldom they break a sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/the-great-thing-about-baseball-players-from-the-point-of-view-of/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [A lot of scouts and people are enamored with athleticism and youth. So they take that any day over mature, high-quality basketball players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/a-lot-of-scouts-and-people-are-enamored-with-athleticism-and-youth-so/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [I'm a baseball player. I've done this my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/i-m-a-baseball-player-i-ve-done-this-my-whole-life/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) Browse all 1,395 Ball player quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You think the greatest thing in the whole world would be to become a baseball player - if best things already happened, what's next?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John McGraw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whole-world-would-be-to-become-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ball player" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whole-world-would-be-to-become-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/john-mcgraw-25431_ball-player_you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whol_1535079.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/john-mcgraw-25431_ball-player_you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whol_1535079.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/john-mcgraw-25431_ball-player_you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whol_1535079.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You think the greatest thing in the whole world would be to become a baseball player - if best things…” — John McGraw", "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": "John McGraw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcgraw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You think the greatest thing in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whole-world-would-be-to-become-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcgraw/you-think-the-greatest-thing-in-the-whole-world-would-be-to-become-a/#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 } } ] } ```