--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Play the game. You know you can't quit…" description: "\"Play the game. You know you can't quit until it's won. Soldier on; only you can do what must be done. You know in some way, you're a lot like me. You'r..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-parr-56152_break-free_play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-un_2116758.jpg" --- # Play the game. You know you can't quit until it's won… ![“Play the game. You know you can't quit until it's won. Soldier on; only you can do what must be done. You know in some way, you're a lot like me. You're just a prisoner, and you're trying to break free.” quote by John Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-parr-56152_break-free_play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-un_2116758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-parr-56152_break-free_play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-un_2116758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-parr-56152_break-free_play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-un_2116758.jpg) > “Play the game. You know you can't quit until it's won. Soldier on; only you can do what must be done. You know in some way, you're a lot like me. You're just a prisoner, and you're trying to break free.” [John Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage urges perseverance, seeing challenges as a battle to be won, and likens personal struggle to imprisonment needing liberation. **In simple terms:** Keep fighting despite difficulty; you must act to free yourself. Key Takeaway Persist and act to overcome constraints. Themes determination resilience freedom Mood motivational defiant Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - sports competition - personal crisis - career obstacles - addiction recovery - creative projects Key Concepts battle prisoner break free inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - What are you fighting for? - How can you break the cycle of self-imprisonment? A Different Perspective It may romanticize struggle and ignore need for strategic planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Break free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-free/) ## Related quotes > [“Students quit when they are tired; sages quit only when they have won.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/students-quit-when-they-are-tired-sages-quit-only-when-they-have-won/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/) [Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/) > [Bitches may tlk shitt, they dnt know how to quit. they hatin on yo swaagg-o-meter because its ALWAYYS high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serenitiee-robertson/bitches-may-tlk-shitt-they-dnt-know-how-to-quit-they-hatin-on-yo/) Serenitiee Robertson > [I'd like to play as long as I'm healthy but I won't be a part-time player. I'll know when to quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/i-d-like-to-play-as-long-as-i-m-healthy-but-i-won-t-be-a-part-time/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) > [“Men don't know when to stop, she's told me over and over. You have to cut them off or they'll eat 'til their bellies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-nicole/men-don-t-know-when-to-stop-she-s-told-me-over-and-over-you-have-to/) [Elizabeth Nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-nicole/) > [That's something to be proud of - to have people say that you're the kind of guy who doesn't know how to quit. Try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-schlereth/that-s-something-to-be-proud-of-to-have-people-say-that-you-re-the/) [Mark Schlereth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-schlereth/) > [“Don’t ignore me while I’m trying to break up with you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-ashley/don-t-ignore-me-while-i-m-trying-to-break-up-with-you/) [Kristen Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-ashley/) > [I'm trying to break any chain of negative parenting that I might have survived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/i-m-trying-to-break-any-chain-of-negative-parenting-that-i-might-have/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [I thought of collaborating with other people which still might happen at this point. It might not. I was just trying to break the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-thought-of-collaborating-with-other-people-which-still-might-happen/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [If I wasn't acting, I would be trying to break into acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colletti/if-i-wasn-t-acting-i-would-be-trying-to-break-into-acting/) [Stephen Colletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colletti/) > [I'm never trying to break a career high out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kawhi-leonard/i-m-never-trying-to-break-a-career-high-out-there/) [Kawhi Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kawhi-leonard/) > [Everytime when hundreds of reasons are there trying to break you up , One reason pops to your mind and force you to stay together ..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everytime-when-hundreds-of-reasons-are-there-trying-to-break-you-up/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to break into the horror market seemed natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stephen/trying-to-break-into-the-horror-market-seemed-natural/) [George Stephen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stephen/) > [I'm trying to break a lot of prejudices with my every film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taapsee-pannu/i-m-trying-to-break-a-lot-of-prejudices-with-my-every-film/) [Taapsee Pannu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taapsee-pannu/) > [It's almost like your heaven's trying everything to break me down. Cause it's almost like your heaven's trying everything to keep me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/five-finger-death-punch/it-s-almost-like-your-heaven-s-trying-everything-to-break-me-down/) [Five Finger Death Punch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/five-finger-death-punch/) ## More by John Parr > [I can hear the music playing, I can see the banners fly. Feel like you're back again, and hope riding high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/i-can-hear-the-music-playing-i-can-see-the-banners-fly-feel-like-you/) [John Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/) > [Burning up, don't know just how far that I can go. Soon be home, only just a few miles down the road. I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/burning-up-don-t-know-just-how-far-that-i-can-go-soon-be-home-only/) [John Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/) > [I can see a new horizon underneath the blazing sky. I'll be where the eagle's flying higher and higher. Gonna be your man in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/i-can-see-a-new-horizon-underneath-the-blazing-sky-i-ll-be-where-the/) [John Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/) > [Growing up, you don't see the writing on the wall. Passing by, moving straight ahead you knew it all. But maybe sometimes if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/growing-up-you-don-t-see-the-writing-on-the-wall-passing-by-moving/) [John Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/) > [Just once in his life, a man has his time, and my time is now; I'm coming alive!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/just-once-in-his-life-a-man-has-his-time-and-my-time-is-now-i-m/) [John Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/) [Explore all 6 John Parr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/) ## More Break free quotes > [I think being on a TV show is amazing but also, people get kind of used to seeing you a certain way and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-plaza/i-think-being-on-a-tv-show-is-amazing-but-also-people-get-kind-of/) [Aubrey Plaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-plaza/) > [“..:Intimidation keeps us from enjoying life to its fullest. Procrastination keeps us from developing our skills. Fear paralizes us and keeps us from trying.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-garcia/intimidation-keeps-us-from-enjoying-life-to-its-fullest/) [Rafael Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-garcia/) > [Release your majestic mind, embrace your untamed inner spirit. Break free from captivity, avoid society.. You were born to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-muller/release-your-majestic-mind-embrace-your-untamed-inner-spirit-break/) Melanie Muller > [People in both parties are restless for change, ready to break free of old patterns in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/people-in-both-parties-are-restless-for-change-ready-to-break-free-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [“Poetry is the yearning of the soul to break free!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/poetry-is-the-yearning-of-the-soul-to-break-free/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [I've never forgotten what it's like to be in your early twenties, which is not a particularly easy time. You've left your family, you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-leigh/i-ve-never-forgotten-what-it-s-like-to-be-in-your-early-twenties/) [Julia Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-leigh/) > [You break free when you feel neither beneath anyone nor superior to anyone, when you shed the need to control other people, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/you-break-free-when-you-feel-neither-beneath-anyone-nor-superior-to/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The real power of the Buddha was that he had so much love. He saw people trapped in their notions of small separate self,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/the-real-power-of-the-buddha-was-that-he-had-so-much-love-he-saw/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [There is no other way the world is going to see the supreme glory of Christ today, except that we break free from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/there-is-no-other-way-the-world-is-going-to-see-the-supreme-glory-of/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [In racing, they say that your car goes where your eyes go. The driver who cannot tear his eyes away from the wall as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-stein/in-racing-they-say-that-your-car-goes-where-your-eyes-go-the-driver/) [Garth Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-stein/) > [“The truth is that I want you. I have always wanted you, and you know that.” “I hate that word,” she burst out, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-mcnaught/the-truth-is-that-i-want-you-i-have-always-wanted-you-and-you-know/) [Judith McNaught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-mcnaught/) > [“They saw the ordered concrete and steel of postwar United States showing stress fractures and were determined to bring it down and break free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-hickman/they-saw-the-ordered-concrete-and-steel-of-postwar-united-states/) [Tracy Hickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-hickman/) > [“Some live Life strictly, following each and every rule rigidly. They go by the Book and get stuck by the Hook. Break free today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/some-live-life-strictly-following-each-and-every-rule-rigidly-they-go/) RVM > [“There is great change to be experienced once you learn the power of letting go. Stop allowing anyone or anything to control, limit, repress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-great-change-to-be-experienced-once-you-learn-the-power-of/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [What you learn about yourself is that you continue to see that you're selfish. It's so easy, in our Laodicean culture with all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-kampman/what-you-learn-about-yourself-is-that-you-continue-to-see-that-you-re/) [Aaron Kampman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-kampman/) [Browse all 289 Break free quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-free/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Play the game. You know you can't quit until it's won. Soldier on; only you can do what must be done. You know in some way, you're a lot like me. You're just a prisoner, and you're trying to break free.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Parr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-until-it-s-won-soldier-on-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Break free" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-until-it-s-won-soldier-on-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-parr-56152_break-free_play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-un_2116758.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-parr-56152_break-free_play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-un_2116758.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/john-parr-56152_break-free_play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-un_2116758.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Play the game. You know you can't quit until it's won. Soldier on; only you can do what must be done. You…” — John Parr", "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 Parr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-parr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Play the game. You know you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-until-it-s-won-soldier-on-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-parr/play-the-game-you-know-you-can-t-quit-until-it-s-won-soldier-on-only/#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 } } ] } ```