--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never taken shortcuts. I thrive on…" description: "\"I've never taken shortcuts. I thrive on pushing myself against the best opponents I can face. Sometimes that's meant a fight against a high-profile nam..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jon-fitch-4392_best_i-ve-never-taken-shortcuts-i-thrive-on-p_1095317.jpg" --- # I've never taken shortcuts. I thrive on pushing myself… ![“I've never taken shortcuts. I thrive on pushing myself against the best opponents I can face. Sometimes that's meant a fight against a high-profile name, but sometimes it's been against a super-tough opponent who doesn't have the name recognition.” quote by Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jon-fitch-4392_best_i-ve-never-taken-shortcuts-i-thrive-on-p_1095317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jon-fitch-4392_best_i-ve-never-taken-shortcuts-i-thrive-on-p_1095317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4b/jon-fitch-4392_best_i-ve-never-taken-shortcuts-i-thrive-on-p_1095317.jpg) > “I've never taken shortcuts. I thrive on pushing myself against the best opponents I can face. Sometimes that's meant a fight against a high-profile name, but sometimes it's been against a super-tough opponent who doesn't have the name recognition.” [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing challenging opponents, regardless of fame, drives personal growth and resilience. **In simple terms:** Seek tough competition for self‑improvement. Key Takeaway Embrace difficult challenges. Themes growth competition resilience Mood determined focused Type sports motivational When to use this quote - training - career milestones - personal testing Key Concepts psychology of sport self‑development Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to face unknown challengers? - How do you measure progress against elite opponents? A Different Perspective High‑profile fights may distract from skill focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Opponent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opponent/) [Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opponents/) [Pushing Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushing-myself/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Shortcuts Thrive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortcuts-thrive-2852750/) [Taken Shortcuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken-shortcuts-2852749/) [Tough Opponent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-opponent-952942/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [All my opponents are tough, but the one opponent who was most difficult for me was Pedro Rizzo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-arlovski/all-my-opponents-are-tough-but-the-one-opponent-who-was-most/) [Andrei Arlovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-arlovski/) > [I could've taken shortcuts and taken the easy way, but you know, even when I get knocked down and things don't go my way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-could-ve-taken-shortcuts-and-taken-the-easy-way-but-you-know-even/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [I feel blessed that I have a tough opponent in Justin Lawrence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiesa/i-feel-blessed-that-i-have-a-tough-opponent-in-justin-lawrence/) [Michael Chiesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiesa/) > [Amin was the heavyweight boxing champion of Uganda and could be a tough opponent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-inoki/amin-was-the-heavyweight-boxing-champion-of-uganda-and-could-be-a/) [Antonio Inoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-inoki/) > [I always enjoyed working out and pushing myself physically and mentally as much as I possibly could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/i-always-enjoyed-working-out-and-pushing-myself-physically-and/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [They are a very tough opponent, and they took us the first game. So we want our revenge, and we are going to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jeroloman/they-are-a-very-tough-opponent-and-they-took-us-the-first-game-so-we/) [Brian Jeroloman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jeroloman/) > [I know that Gamboa is a tough opponent and he'll lay it all on the line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gervonta-davis/i-know-that-gamboa-is-a-tough-opponent-and-he-ll-lay-it-all-on-the/) [Gervonta Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gervonta-davis/) > [Germany are a tough opponent. They are quick and break on the counter at speed, and they are bursting with confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-navas/germany-are-a-tough-opponent-they-are-quick-and-break-on-the-counter/) [Jesus Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-navas/) > [Tecia is a tough opponent, both standing and on the ground, and has evolved a lot. She hits hard and can take a punch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-andrade/tecia-is-a-tough-opponent-both-standing-and-on-the-ground-and-has/) [Jessica Andrade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-andrade/) > [Nate Diaz is a tough opponent. I've fought him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-dos-anjos/nate-diaz-is-a-tough-opponent-i-ve-fought-him/) [Rafael dos Anjos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-dos-anjos/) > [Jon Fitch is a great opponent, a tough opponent, but St. Pierre brings the whole backing of Canada with him to a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-penn/jon-fitch-is-a-great-opponent-a-tough-opponent-but-st-pierre-brings/) [B. J. Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-penn/) > [You score the winner against a tough opponent and you still get heaped on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-gomez/you-score-the-winner-against-a-tough-opponent-and-you-still-get/) [Mario Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-gomez/) > [Corey Anderson has a good cardio, fights in a strategic way, is very effective with his strategy, so he's a tough opponent. He deserves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-rua/corey-anderson-has-a-good-cardio-fights-in-a-strategic-way-is-very/) [Mauricio Rua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-rua/) > [Lack of fairness to an opponent is essentially a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/lack-of-fairness-to-an-opponent-is-essentially-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [A Warrior of Light never resorts to trickery, but he knows how to distract his opponent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/a-warrior-of-light-never-resorts-to-trickery-but-he-knows-how-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Jon Fitch > [Doesn't matter to me, give me a challenge and I'll accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/doesn-t-matter-to-me-give-me-a-challenge-and-i-ll-accept-it/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [A fight is a fight. We fight to find out who's the best, whose the best style is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/a-fight-is-a-fight-we-fight-to-find-out-who-s-the-best-whose-the-best/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [I think that I have a very good skill set, I'm every good at what I do and there's not too many people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/i-think-that-i-have-a-very-good-skill-set-i-m-every-good-at-what-i-do/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [I don't care about proving things to people. I'm proving things to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/i-don-t-care-about-proving-things-to-people-i-m-proving-things-to/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [If you're going to go through your life worrying about other people and what they think, you're going to be a loser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/if-you-re-going-to-go-through-your-life-worrying-about-other-people/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [Most fighters didn't make as much money as I did; that's a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/most-fighters-didn-t-make-as-much-money-as-i-did-that-s-a-fact/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [It does suck to get decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/it-does-suck-to-get-decisions/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [When you fight somebody who no one knows and don't recognize their name, it doesn't matter how bad you beat them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/when-you-fight-somebody-who-no-one-knows-and-don-t-recognize-their/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [I'm here to be a martial artist and show people that I think there's a better way of life and a happier way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/i-m-here-to-be-a-martial-artist-and-show-people-that-i-think-there-s/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [Only worry about things that are within your control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/only-worry-about-things-that-are-within-your-control/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [All I can do is worry about the fight in front of me. I can't stress or fret about things I don't really have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/all-i-can-do-is-worry-about-the-fight-in-front-of-me-i-can-t-stress/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [Stand up for yourself. Stand up for your rights. If you don't like an agreement or you're not comfortable with it, don't sign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/stand-up-for-yourself-stand-up-for-your-rights-if-you-don-t-like-an/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [I think in the past maybe I've thought about too many things other than just the fight right in front of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/i-think-in-the-past-maybe-i-ve-thought-about-too-many-things-other/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [I'm here to fight and win world titles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/i-m-here-to-fight-and-win-world-titles/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) > [We know for a fact how much the UFC spends putting on the shows, and how much they make doing the shows. We know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fitch/we-know-for-a-fact-how-much-the-ufc-spends-putting-on-the-shows-and/) [Jon Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) [Explore all 111 Jon Fitch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-fitch/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... 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When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. 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