--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You never realize as an athlete there's…" description: "\"You never realize as an athlete there's going to be an end until the end comes.\" — Justin Gatlin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/justin-gatlin-4610_athlete_you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s_1057746.png" --- # You never realize as an athlete there's going to be an end… ![“You never realize as an athlete there's going to be an end until the end comes.” quote by Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/justin-gatlin-4610_athlete_you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s_1057746.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/justin-gatlin-4610_athlete_you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s_1057746.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/justin-gatlin-4610_athlete_you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s_1057746.png) > “You never realize as an athlete there's going to be an end until the end comes.” [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Athletes often ignore the inevitability of retirement until it arrives, highlighting a lack of preparation. **In simple terms:** We ignore endings until they happen. Key Takeaway Plan for life after sport early. Themes mortality career awareness Mood thoughtful realistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career transition - financial planning - education - coaching - mental health Key Concepts sports psychology life planning identity Questions to Reflect On - How will you prepare for your post‑athletic life? - What signs indicate it’s time to transition? A Different Perspective Denial can lead to unpreparedness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [You realize as an athlete that there is a bit of a clock, and you don't want to look back on a career and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-shriver/you-realize-as-an-athlete-that-there-is-a-bit-of-a-clock-and-you-don/) [Pam Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-shriver/) > [As I grew older and the dance became more competitive and more disciplined, that's when I started to realize that I'm an athlete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-kostek/as-i-grew-older-and-the-dance-became-more-competitive-and-more/) [Camille Kostek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-kostek/) > [I'd rather be an athlete than a fighter, an athlete is going to go there and figure out the ways to win, see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/i-d-rather-be-an-athlete-than-a-fighter-an-athlete-is-going-to-go/) [T.J. 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If your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-john-farley/the-end-comes-to-all-of-us-but-the-end-comes-quicker-to-those-who-do/) Christopher John Farley > [When the end comes, dark and hungry I'll be alone, love When the end comes, black and starving I'll say good-bye, love.-from Golden Tongue:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/when-the-end-comes-dark-and-hungry-i-ll-be-alone-love-when-the-end/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [America has always had an apocalyptic strain. Yet it also seems to believe that if, or when, The End comes, it will still come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/america-has-always-had-an-apocalyptic-strain-yet-it-also-seems-to/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) ## More by Justin Gatlin > [I wanted to see what sports were like... I went out for the track team. And then I got a D on my report…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/i-wanted-to-see-what-sports-were-like-i-went-out-for-the-track-team/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [I wanted to go out there and do what no one's ever done - and that's recapture some kind of glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/i-wanted-to-go-out-there-and-do-what-no-one-s-ever-done-and-that-s/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [Come back stronger and faster, that's what I plan to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/come-back-stronger-and-faster-that-s-what-i-plan-to-do/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [I remember reading one blog site where one blogger said I looked like a professional wrestler on the track. 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Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You never realize as an athlete there's going to be an end until the end comes.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Justin Gatlin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s-going-to-be-an-end-until-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s-going-to-be-an-end-until-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/justin-gatlin-4610_athlete_you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s_1057746.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/justin-gatlin-4610_athlete_you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s_1057746.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/justin-gatlin-4610_athlete_you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s_1057746.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You never realize as an athlete there's going to be an end until the end comes.” — Justin Gatlin", "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": "Justin Gatlin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You never realize as an athlete...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s-going-to-be-an-end-until-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/you-never-realize-as-an-athlete-there-s-going-to-be-an-end-until-the/#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 } } ] } ```