--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think about the record, because…" description: "\"I don't think about the record, because winning games has to be our focus, and if we lost focus thinking about that record, I would really regret it. H..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/john-stockton-8388_focus_i-don-t-think-about-the-record-because-w_916304.jpg" --- # I don't think about the record, because winning games has… ![“I don't think about the record, because winning games has to be our focus, and if we lost focus thinking about that record, I would really regret it. How will I feel later on? People tell me it will mean a lot after I retire, for the kids and me. But to me, it's just a stat. It's something people…” quote by John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/john-stockton-8388_focus_i-don-t-think-about-the-record-because-w_916304.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/john-stockton-8388_focus_i-don-t-think-about-the-record-because-w_916304.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4db/john-stockton-8388_focus_i-don-t-think-about-the-record-because-w_916304.jpg) > “I don't think about the record, because winning games has to be our focus, and if we lost focus thinking about that record, I would really regret it. How will I feel later on? People tell me it will mean a lot after I retire, for the kids and me. But to me, it's just a stat. It's something people enjoy talking about. Me? I just enjoy playing.” [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning should be the primary focus; statistics are secondary and can distract from performance. **In simple terms:** Play the game, not the numbers. Key Takeaway Prioritize performance over stats. Themes sports focus mindset Mood determined reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - game preparation - coach feedback - post‑game analysis Key Concepts performance motivation legacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay present? - What would you change about the emphasis on stats? A Different Perspective Stats can motivate some players. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I don't regret anything. I feel like I've made what I would call mistakes. 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Whatever you have done in your life has led you to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-ryan/you-have-nothing-to-feel-regret-about-or-to-feel-embarrassed-about/) Liz Ryan > [I don't regret anything, because I feel better every year, and if I'd done something different, maybe I wouldn't. I'm more of a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-don-t-regret-anything-because-i-feel-better-every-year-and-if-i-d/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [“I let go of the pump as well now. I registered a sense of fatigue. And regret. It was the same fatigue and regret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/i-let-go-of-the-pump-as-well-now-i-registered-a-sense-of-fatigue-and/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [You gotta take the good with the bad, love what you got remember what you had, always forgive but never forget, learn from mistakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/you-gotta-take-the-good-with-the-bad-love-what-you-got-remember-what/) Fabolous ## More by John Stockton > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [I heal quickly, and I stay in good shape, and I will stay in good shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/i-heal-quickly-and-i-stay-in-good-shape-and-i-will-stay-in-good-shape/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [I think everybody should have the attitude that you can't allow yourself to be hurt. You avoid a lot just with that attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/i-think-everybody-should-have-the-attitude-that-you-can-t-allow/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [I think there are a lot of ways to play the PG position. Scoring first is a way that works for them and their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/i-think-there-are-a-lot-of-ways-to-play-the-pg-position-scoring-first/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [You have a different personality in front of the world than you do in front of your pals at home. I like to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/you-have-a-different-personality-in-front-of-the-world-than-you-do-in/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [I had been told I might be drafted in the fourth round. 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I didn't see it get much attention when I completed a pass then.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/i-haven-t-played-quarterback-since-eighth-or-ninth-grade-i-didn-t-see/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) [Explore all 81 John Stockton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) ## More Focus quotes > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. 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He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [All I'm focused on is playing my game. 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