--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always tried to tell myself that the…" description: "\"I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is really what counts.\" — Julius Erving" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/julius-erving-10131_draws_i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-th_677942.jpg" --- # I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is… ![“I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is really what counts.” quote by Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/julius-erving-10131_draws_i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-th_677942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/julius-erving-10131_draws_i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-th_677942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/julius-erving-10131_draws_i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-th_677942.jpg) > “I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is really what counts.” [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The work itself matters most; outcomes like win, lose, or draw are secondary to the effort and process. **In simple terms:** Work matters more than results. Key Takeaway Focus on effort and process over outcomes. Themes work ethic process sportsmanship resilience Mood motivated steady Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - sports - business - personal projects Key Concepts performance psychology goal setting team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on work improve performance? - What processes help you stay engaged regardless of result? A Different Perspective May neglect learning from outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Illustrators are word people who happen to draw. We work with one foot in a book, the other stuck in a paint pot. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-tripp/illustrators-are-word-people-who-happen-to-draw-we-work-with-one-foot/) Wallace Tripp > [“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself, "I have to go to work - as a human being. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/at-dawn-when-you-have-trouble-getting-out-of-bed-tell-yourself-i-have/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [People always ask me where they should go to work, and I always tell them to go to work for whom they admire the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/people-always-ask-me-where-they-should-go-to-work-and-i-always-tell/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [I have a career I love more than I can tell you, and I have it because I work incredibly hard pretty much every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-reardon/i-have-a-career-i-love-more-than-i-can-tell-you-and-i-have-it-because/) [Kate Reardon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-reardon/) > [I got the 'I don't want the normal job' bug. At home, we have countless career advisors who would tell us to work in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-friend/i-got-the-i-don-t-want-the-normal-job-bug-at-home-we-have-countless/) [Rupert Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-friend/) > [I don't need an Emmy to tell me to go to work. I've been working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-waithe/i-don-t-need-an-emmy-to-tell-me-to-go-to-work-i-ve-been-working/) [Lena Waithe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-waithe/) > [“If you ask people where they go when they really need to get work done, very few will respond “the office.” If they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-ask-people-where-they-go-when-they-really-need-to-get-work/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Doing something you enjoy at times of your own choosing and making a living from it: now tell me, is that work?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/doing-something-you-enjoy-at-times-of-your-own-choosing-and-making-a/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [Any time you have to tell work where you're at and what you're doing, that's considered an employee, not a contractor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/any-time-you-have-to-tell-work-where-you-re-at-and-what-you-re-doing/) [T.J. Dillashaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-dillashaw/) > [“Don’t tell ever "Only I can do that work", tell always "I can do that work also”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiranjit-paul/don-t-tell-ever-only-i-can-do-that-work-tell-always-i-can-do-that/) [Chiranjit Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiranjit-paul/) > [“Sometimes everything you know in the world turns out to be a lie. But at the end of the day the lie isn’t what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-estheim/sometimes-everything-you-know-in-the-world-turns-out-to-be-a-lie-but/) Hope Estheim > [“She claimed that she was in the service of the workers, and yet, from her room in a house full of books and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/she-claimed-that-she-was-in-the-service-of-the-workers-and-yet-from/) [Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/) > [“Human beings want to know where things came from, how they were made, and who made them. The stories you tell about the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/human-beings-want-to-know-where-things-came-from-how-they-were-made/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [Human beings have a physical need to tell themselves when at work: "Let's have done with it now," and it's having constantly to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/human-beings-have-a-physical-need-to-tell-themselves-when-at-work-let/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [You shouldn't be able to tell anyone has had any work done unless you know them for a long time and suddenly they look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-dubrow/you-shouldn-t-be-able-to-tell-anyone-has-had-any-work-done-unless-you/) [Terry Dubrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-dubrow/) ## More by Julius Erving > [I liked the game, I enjoyed the game, and the game fed me enough, and gave me enough rewards to reinforce that this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-liked-the-game-i-enjoyed-the-game-and-the-game-fed-me-enough-and/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [You know, just in terms of having to have a life on the road, you know, having the celebrity aspect be a burden for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/you-know-just-in-terms-of-having-to-have-a-life-on-the-road-you-know/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [But you know, we have a very normal family. We've had our ups and downs. You know, we've had our issues, but we've had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/but-you-know-we-have-a-very-normal-family-we-ve-had-our-ups-and-downs/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [LA Clippers should come to Louisville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/la-clippers-should-come-to-louisville/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Being a professional is doing the things you love to do, on the days you don't feel like doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/being-a-professional-is-doing-the-things-you-love-to-do-on-the-days/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think I was chosen by basketball, although I never really physically got drafted to any team that I played for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-i-was-chosen-by-basketball-although-i-never-really-physically/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [As a kid, I played a lot of one-on-none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/as-a-kid-i-played-a-lot-of-one-on-none/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [Goals determine what you are going to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/goals-determine-what-you-are-going-to-be/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I demand more from myself than anybody could ever expect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-demand-more-from-myself-than-anybody-could-ever-expect/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I think that my God-given physical attributes, big hands, and big feet, the way that I'm built, proportion-wise, just made basketball the most inviting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-think-that-my-god-given-physical-attributes-big-hands-and-big-feet/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I went to Philadelphia I was 26 years old and really sitting on top of the world. Family life, a professional career, plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-went-to-philadelphia-i-was-26-years-old-and-really-sitting-on/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [When I played, the owners had the power. The prisoners are running the prison now, not the warden. The warden is strong and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/when-i-played-the-owners-had-the-power-the-prisoners-are-running-the/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/if-you-don-t-do-what-s-best-for-your-body-you-re-the-one-who-comes-up/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [I always try to keep a pretty conservative demeanor on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-always-try-to-keep-a-pretty-conservative-demeanor-on-the-court/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) > [If you get depressed about being the second-best team in the world, then you've got a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/if-you-get-depressed-about-being-the-second-best-team-in-the-world/) [Julius Erving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) [Explore all 67 Julius Erving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/) ## More Draws quotes > [You can draw power from everything in your life. In order to do that, everything has to be set up in a proper way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-draw-power-from-everything-in-your-life-in-order-to-do-that/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [No one can come to me unless the Father draws him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/no-one-can-come-to-me-unless-the-father-draws-him/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [When I talked to him earlier, he said he had to work tonight,” Peter explained, “but that we should go ahead and draw for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/when-i-talked-to-him-earlier-he-said-he-had-to-work-tonight-peter/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I would warn against holsters with devices for quick-draw. Devices always fail when you need them most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-powell/i-would-warn-against-holsters-with-devices-for-quick-draw-devices/) [William Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-powell/) > [It is the common defect of modern art study. Too many students do not know why they draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-henri/it-is-the-common-defect-of-modern-art-study-too-many-students-do-not/) [Robert Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-henri/) > [They say that art comes from the soul. The more drama in an artist's life, the more he can draw on for his art.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/they-say-that-art-comes-from-the-soul-the-more-drama-in-an-artist-s/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [If you were to draw Bugs, the easiest way is to learn how to draw a carrot and then hook a rabbit onto it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-jones/if-you-were-to-draw-bugs-the-easiest-way-is-to-learn-how-to-draw-a/) [Chuck Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-jones/) > [I'm not sure I would have ever started to draw, let alone write, if my childhood hadn't been so happy. It was a mixture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/i-m-not-sure-i-would-have-ever-started-to-draw-let-alone-write-if-my/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) > [You are quite, quite wrong if you think that ... I find your happiness painful. What matters is that happiness - the golden day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/you-are-quite-quite-wrong-if-you-think-that-i-find-your-happiness/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [All labours draw hame at even, And can to others say, "Thanks to the gracious God of heaven, Whilk sent this summer day."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hume/all-labours-draw-hame-at-even-and-can-to-others-say-thanks-to-the/) Alexander Hume > [Your deeper sense isn’t a springboard; it’s a landing place. If you draw conclusions too quickly or too slowly, you’ll establish your self where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/your-deeper-sense-isn-t-a-springboard-it-s-a-landing-place-if-you/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) Browse all 3,197 Draws quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is really what counts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julius Erving" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-the-work-itself-is-the-thing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Draws" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-the-work-itself-is-the-thing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/julius-erving-10131_draws_i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-th_677942.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/julius-erving-10131_draws_i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-th_677942.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/576/julius-erving-10131_draws_i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-th_677942.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always tried to tell myself that the work itself is the thing, that win, lose, or draw, the work is…” — Julius Erving", "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": "Julius Erving", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-erving/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've always tried to tell myself...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-the-work-itself-is-the-thing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-erving/i-ve-always-tried-to-tell-myself-that-the-work-itself-is-the-thing/#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 } } ] } ```