---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every single time I get on the mat, every…"
description: "\"Every single time I get on the mat, every tournament, I get to see what I'm made of, how tough I am, where my desire is, and how hard I've worked.\" — J..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/jordan-burroughs-4789_desire_every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every_2533222.png"
---

#  Every single time I get on the mat, every tournament, I…

![“Every single time I get on the mat, every tournament, I get to see what I'm made of, how tough I am, where my desire is, and how hard I've worked.” quote by Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/jordan-burroughs-4789_desire_every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every_2533222.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/jordan-burroughs-4789_desire_every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every_2533222.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/jordan-burroughs-4789_desire_every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every_2533222.png)

> “Every single time I get on the mat, every tournament, I get to see what I'm made of, how tough I am, where my desire is, and how hard I've worked.”

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He reflects on competition as a test of character, desire, and effort, revealing personal growth through sport.

**In simple terms:** Competing shows who you are and how hard you work.

Key Takeaway

Use competition to gauge and improve yourself.

Themes

sports self‑assessment growth

Mood

motivational analytical

Type

inspirational reflective

When to use this quote

- training sessions
- tournaments
- goal setting
- team building

Key Concepts

psychology motivation performance analysis

Questions to Reflect On

- What personal strengths emerge under pressure?
- How can you balance competition with well‑being?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on competition can cause burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Desire Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-hard-1364723/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [I am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-am/) [Mat Tournament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mat-tournament-1364721/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) [Tournament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournament/) [Tournament Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tournament-tough-1364722/)

## Related quotes

> [“To fight with desire is hard: whatever it wishes it buys at the price of a soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heraclitus/to-fight-with-desire-is-hard-whatever-it-wishes-it-buys-at-the-price/)

[Heraclitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heraclitus/)

> [I'm not a gangster, I don't have no desire to be hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-m-not-a-gangster-i-don-t-have-no-desire-to-be-hard/)

[Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/)

> [Pain, love and desire are very hard emotions to record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-schultz/pain-love-and-desire-are-very-hard-emotions-to-record/)

[Dave Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-schultz/)

> [What is desire but the hard wire argument given to the mind's unstoppable mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/what-is-desire-but-the-hard-wire-argument-given-to-the-mind-s/)

[Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/)

> [We arrived in Argentina with a lot of injured players, including our goalkeeper. Also we were unlucky to be drawn in the same group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-patini/we-arrived-in-argentina-with-a-lot-of-injured-players-including-our/)

[Michel Patini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-patini/)

> [I don't want to retire before the tournament starts for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garbine-muguruza/i-don-t-want-to-retire-before-the-tournament-starts-for-me/)

[Garbine Muguruza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garbine-muguruza/)

> [What tournaments want to do, typically, is support charities in their community that need the money and charities that are impactful to their community.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-finchem/what-tournaments-want-to-do-typically-is-support-charities-in-their/)

[Tim Finchem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-finchem/)

> [The World Cup is the ultimate moment for any player. It is the opportunity to defend your country in the biggest tournament in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willian/the-world-cup-is-the-ultimate-moment-for-any-player-it-is-the/)

[Willian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willian/)

> [A burning ambition of mine is to take Scotland to a major tournament. It should be the pinnacle of any players' career to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-clarke/a-burning-ambition-of-mine-is-to-take-scotland-to-a-major-tournament/)

[Steve Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-clarke/)

> [In tournament weeks being No 1 doesn't do anything for me. I don't get an extra stroke. It doesn't really matter at the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-scheffler/in-tournament-weeks-being-no-1-doesn-t-do-anything-for-me-i-don-t-get/)

[Scottie Scheffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-scheffler/)

> [Nobody can ask me more when I try all my best all the time, no? So, you know, if I lose another time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-nadal/nobody-can-ask-me-more-when-i-try-all-my-best-all-the-time-no-so-you/)

[Rafael Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-nadal/)

> [I still remember playing my first Challenger tournament in Hong Kong in 1990, and the prize fund was $50,000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-henman/i-still-remember-playing-my-first-challenger-tournament-in-hong-kong/)

[Tim Henman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-henman/)

> [The very first tournament I watched is the U.S. Open when I was 13. And that was the year Juli Inkster won.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yani-tseng/the-very-first-tournament-i-watched-is-the-u-s-open-when-i-was-13-and/)

[Yani Tseng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yani-tseng/)

> [I have developed a nasty habit of losing to the guy who wins the tournament, and that alone makes you think what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/i-have-developed-a-nasty-habit-of-losing-to-the-guy-who-wins-the/)

[Neil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-robertson/)

> [I think everyone will agree that it doesn't matter how we get to an international tournament. We are going to do whatever it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcginn/i-think-everyone-will-agree-that-it-doesn-t-matter-how-we-get-to-an/)

[John McGinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcginn/)

## More by Jordan Burroughs

> [I have wrestled in almost every tournament in the world. I've won the Olympics, NCAAs, and World Championships, but none of those can truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-have-wrestled-in-almost-every-tournament-in-the-world-i-ve-won-the/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [I'd definitely like to give back. I know a lot of kids watch college wrestling, and a lot of kids watch me, want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-d-definitely-like-to-give-back-i-know-a-lot-of-kids-watch-college/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [You know what's cooler than being the richest guy in the room? Being the toughest guy in the room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/you-know-what-s-cooler-than-being-the-richest-guy-in-the-room-being/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [There was a period of time early in my career where I was like, 'I'm gonna definitely fight. I definitely want to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/there-was-a-period-of-time-early-in-my-career-where-i-was-like-i-m/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [John Smith from Oklahoma State was the greatest American wrestler of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/john-smith-from-oklahoma-state-was-the-greatest-american-wrestler-of/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [I love the sport of wrestling because it's a testament of your will and what you're capable of as a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-love-the-sport-of-wrestling-because-it-s-a-testament-of-your-will/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [I'm not a big guy that watches technique from my opponents. I try to do what I do best and hope that my stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-m-not-a-big-guy-that-watches-technique-from-my-opponents-i-try-to/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [Within the realm of wrestling, it's been the same every year - just continually trying to improve and evolve as a wrestler, putting myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/within-the-realm-of-wrestling-it-s-been-the-same-every-year-just/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [I have high expectations for myself - as an athlete, as a man, as an individual - and wrestling has helped me build a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-have-high-expectations-for-myself-as-an-athlete-as-a-man-as-an/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [The worst thing for me would be going back to where I was - relative obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/the-worst-thing-for-me-would-be-going-back-to-where-i-was-relative/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [I think Americans, as a nation and culture, once something is recognized for a week or two, people kind of forget about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-think-americans-as-a-nation-and-culture-once-something-is/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [I listen to a lot of TED talks and motivational speakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-listen-to-a-lot-of-ted-talks-and-motivational-speakers/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [There was a time period where I was obsessed with the rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics in the 1980s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/there-was-a-time-period-where-i-was-obsessed-with-the-rivalry-between/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [The difference between the greats and the legends is their ability to focus for longer periods of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/the-difference-between-the-greats-and-the-legends-is-their-ability-to/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

> [People need to feel like their heroes are human, not on the mat but in the world. The more people can see that, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/people-need-to-feel-like-their-heroes-are-human-not-on-the-mat-but-in/)

[Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

[Explore all 106 Jordan Burroughs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/)

## More Desire quotes

> [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/)

[Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/)

> [Passion is what you need to be good, an unforgiving passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-easton/passion-is-what-you-need-to-be-good-an-unforgiving-passion/)

[David Easton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-easton/)

> [I want the municipality to be a helping hand to the man with a desire of sympathy, to help the fallen when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-want-the-municipality-to-be-a-helping-hand-to-the-man-with-a-desire/)

[John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/)

> [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/)

[John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [“THE ESSENCE OF YOUR DESIRE IS A FEELING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-laporte/the-essence-of-your-desire-is-a-feeling/)

[Danielle LaPorte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-laporte/)

> [On the brink of being satiated, desire still appears infinite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/on-the-brink-of-being-satiated-desire-still-appears-infinite/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/the-deepest-urge-in-human-nature-is-the-desire-to-be-important/)

[John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/)

> [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [Now I am in the place I call this wide wide Heaven because it includes all my simplest desires but also the most humble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/now-i-am-in-the-place-i-call-this-wide-wide-heaven-because-it/)

[Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/)

> [“from THE DEVIL YOU KNOW : She wanted him too. He could see it in the rapid rise of her breasts. He could smell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emery-lee/from-the-devil-you-know-she-wanted-him-too-he-could-see-it-in-the/)

[Emery Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emery-lee/)

[Browse all 15,155 Desire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Every single time I get on the mat, every tournament, I get to see what I'm made of, how tough I am, where my desire is, and how hard I've worked.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jordan Burroughs"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every-tournament-i-get-to-see-what/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Desire"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every-tournament-i-get-to-see-what/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/jordan-burroughs-4789_desire_every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every_2533222.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/jordan-burroughs-4789_desire_every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every_2533222.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/jordan-burroughs-4789_desire_every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every_2533222.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Every single time I get on the mat, every tournament, I get to see what I'm made of, how tough I am, where…” — Jordan Burroughs",
                "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": "Jordan Burroughs",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Every single time I get on...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every-tournament-i-get-to-see-what/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/every-single-time-i-get-on-the-mat-every-tournament-i-get-to-see-what/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
