--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My dad was a really intense competitor…" description: "\"My dad was a really intense competitor and that rubbed off on me. He was loud and vocal on the court, so I let him do all the talking. But I developed ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0a/karch-kiraly-3070_compete_my-dad-was-a-really-intense-competitor-a_1521489.png" --- # My dad was a really intense competitor and that rubbed off… ![“My dad was a really intense competitor and that rubbed off on me. He was loud and vocal on the court, so I let him do all the talking. But I developed a kind of quiet intensity that I knew I had to have to improve and compete with grown men. It took every ounce of focus.” quote by Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0a/karch-kiraly-3070_compete_my-dad-was-a-really-intense-competitor-a_1521489.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0a/karch-kiraly-3070_compete_my-dad-was-a-really-intense-competitor-a_1521489.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0a/karch-kiraly-3070_compete_my-dad-was-a-really-intense-competitor-a_1521489.png) > “My dad was a really intense competitor and that rubbed off on me. He was loud and vocal on the court, so I let him do all the talking. But I developed a kind of quiet intensity that I knew I had to have to improve and compete with grown men. It took every ounce of focus.” [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A father's competitive intensity shaped the speaker, leading to a quiet, focused drive that required intense concentration to compete with adults. **In simple terms:** Father's competitiveness inspired a quiet, focused drive. Key Takeaway Channel inherited intensity into disciplined focus. Themes sports family influence competition focus personal development Mood inspirational reflective Type sports personal development When to use this quote - team sports - coaching - personal growth - career development Key Concepts psychology motivation skill acquisition Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance quiet focus with teamwork? - What strategies help maintain concentration? A Different Perspective Quiet intensity may suppress needed communication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Intensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intensity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [I'm an intense competitor, and that fire is what drives me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-bauer/i-m-an-intense-competitor-and-that-fire-is-what-drives-me/) [Trevor Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-bauer/) > [ \[Clayton Kershaw \] is intense. He's a competitor.He's extremely fun to play behind. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-utley/clayton-kershaw-is-intense-he-s-a-competitor-he-s-extremely-fun-to/) [Chase Utley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-utley/) > [It was really an exciting time trying to find my way from being a boy to becoming a man—being toe to toe and eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/it-was-really-an-exciting-time-trying-to-find-my-way-from-being-a-boy/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I was fortunate to start the sport at a young age. I was 6 years old when my dad started teaching me. We started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-was-fortunate-to-start-the-sport-at-a-young-age-i-was-6-years-old/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [“This grown man who now phones his father to say, "Motherfucker, I ain't seen pussy so long, I'd throw stones at it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/this-grown-man-who-now-phones-his-father-to-say-motherfucker-i-ain-t/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [There are some places so beautiful they can make a grown man break down and weep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/there-are-some-places-so-beautiful-they-can-make-a-grown-man-break/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“And after all those hours in the locker room, all those nights on the team bus, all the conversations and all the jokes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/and-after-all-those-hours-in-the-locker-room-all-those-nights-on-the/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [My very first scrimmage at Kansas, I got dunked on so hard by Tarik Black that I almost quit. Tarik dunked on me so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-embiid/my-very-first-scrimmage-at-kansas-i-got-dunked-on-so-hard-by-tarik/) [Joel Embiid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-embiid/) > [The State insists that, by thus quarantining the general reading public against books not too rugged for grown men and women in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/the-state-insists-that-by-thus-quarantining-the-general-reading/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [“He's a full grown man of a certain age - of which I now know - and a mouthwatering one at that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-ellen-malpas/he-s-a-full-grown-man-of-a-certain-age-of-which-i-now-know-and-a/) [Jodi Ellen Malpas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-ellen-malpas/) > [When a grown man reaches forty, we change him for an old one. He has completely disappeared. There's only the most superficial resemblance between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-giraudoux/when-a-grown-man-reaches-forty-we-change-him-for-an-old-one-he-has/) [Jean Giraudoux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-giraudoux/) > [You have to be a grown man and take responsibility upon yourself to put the work in that you need to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leighton-vander-esch/you-have-to-be-a-grown-man-and-take-responsibility-upon-yourself-to/) [Leighton Vander Esch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leighton-vander-esch/) > [It will be said that the joy of mental adventure must be rare, that there are few who can appreciate it, and that ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/it-will-be-said-that-the-joy-of-mental-adventure-must-be-rare-that/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“when my mother was pregnant with her second child i was four i pointed at her swollen belly confused at how my mother had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupi-kaur/when-my-mother-was-pregnant-with-her-second-child-i-was-four-i/) [Rupi Kaur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupi-kaur/) > [I'm a grown man now, I've got a family, I understand responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-truth/i-m-a-grown-man-now-i-ve-got-a-family-i-understand-responsibility/) [R-Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-truth/) ## More by Karch Kiraly > [Here I am, 11 years old, and these grown men have to give it everything they have to beat me. In one part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/here-i-am-11-years-old-and-these-grown-men-have-to-give-it-everything/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [The indoor game is much more of a team game, having to work effectively with a group of 15 to 20 people, striving to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/the-indoor-game-is-much-more-of-a-team-game-having-to-work/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I just think about what I am doing on my side of the net, which requires focus. Even after all the years I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-just-think-about-what-i-am-doing-on-my-side-of-the-net-which/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [It feels awesome to be back in the winners' circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/it-feels-awesome-to-be-back-in-the-winners-circle/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [Any beach is more attractive than the inside of any stadium in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/any-beach-is-more-attractive-than-the-inside-of-any-stadium-in-the/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [Great passing and setting - I admire that more than the super big guys pounding the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/great-passing-and-setting-i-admire-that-more-than-the-super-big-guys/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I still get excited just attending a final four, because the process is so long, so arduous, so challenging, that when it finally arrives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-still-get-excited-just-attending-a-final-four-because-the-process/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I take a tremendous amount of punishment and abuse every weekend because every team serves at me. So I have to carry the offensive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-take-a-tremendous-amount-of-punishment-and-abuse-every-weekend/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I was fortunate to start the sport at a young age. I was 6 years old when my dad started teaching me. We started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-was-fortunate-to-start-the-sport-at-a-young-age-i-was-6-years-old/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [A lot of guys are out there with their iPods. I'm not one of them. I just never really got into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/a-lot-of-guys-are-out-there-with-their-ipods-i-m-not-one-of-them-i/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [And I really felt like I would regret never accomplishing my goals on the beach, or missing special moments with my kids, more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/and-i-really-felt-like-i-would-regret-never-accomplishing-my-goals-on/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [The men's game probably has a little more power to it, so the rallies aren't quite as long. Some people prefer that power and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/the-men-s-game-probably-has-a-little-more-power-to-it-so-the-rallies/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [Practice like it's competition and compete like it's another day on the practice court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/practice-like-it-s-competition-and-compete-like-it-s-another-day-on/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [I didn't want to use anything as a crutch and ever have excuses heading into a match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-didn-t-want-to-use-anything-as-a-crutch-and-ever-have-excuses/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [It's a serve and pass game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/it-s-a-serve-and-pass-game/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) [Explore all 140 Karch Kiraly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) ## More Compete quotes > [Honestly, we’ll compete with everybody. I love competition. As long as people invent their own stuff, I love competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/honestly-we-ll-compete-with-everybody-i-love-competition-as-long-as/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [You don't go into the game to compete. You go into each game to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-newton/you-don-t-go-into-the-game-to-compete-you-go-into-each-game-to-win/) [Cam Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-newton/) > [The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-way-of-the-sage-is-to-act-but-not-to-compete/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [For me, it's more important to bring my level up and make sure that I can compete against guys in the top 100 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-shapovalov/for-me-it-s-more-important-to-bring-my-level-up-and-make-sure-that-i/) [Denis Shapovalov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-shapovalov/) > [I love to compete. That's the essence of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/i-love-to-compete-that-s-the-essence-of-who-i-am/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [When I was young, all I wanted to do was to compete, have fun and travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-gaylord/when-i-was-young-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-compete-have-fun-and-travel/) [Mitch Gaylord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-gaylord/) > [“The secret to unseating great power, is not to move the other direction, but to compete directly against their goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-secret-to-unseating-great-power-is-not-to-move-the-other/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [There are a lot of champions out there, a lot of great guys, but I think that the way I compete and my fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-pettis/there-are-a-lot-of-champions-out-there-a-lot-of-great-guys-but-i/) [Anthony Pettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-pettis/) > [“Successful people compete against themselves, not against other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-adam-snyder/successful-people-compete-against-themselves-not-against-other-people/) [J.Adam Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-adam-snyder/) > [Most people should be given a chance to compete in the Olympic Games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-the-eagle/most-people-should-be-given-a-chance-to-compete-in-the-olympic-games/) [Eddie the Eagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-the-eagle/) > [The hardest skill to acquire in this sport is the one where you compete all out, give it all you have, and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-reese/the-hardest-skill-to-acquire-in-this-sport-is-the-one-where-you/) Eddie Reese > [They wanted me to lead these young players, teach them the way to compete, when the only thing I should be worried about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kinsler/they-wanted-me-to-lead-these-young-players-teach-them-the-way-to/) Ian Kinsler > [For some people, success is a zero sum game. They think that if they push other people out of the way, fewer people can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lelia-bundles/for-some-people-success-is-a-zero-sum-game-they-think-that-if-they/) [A'Lelia Bundles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lelia-bundles/) > [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I write what I like to read, and I enjoy love triangles in YA and adult fiction - not to mention in other media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-write-what-i-like-to-read-and-i-enjoy-love-triangles-in-ya-and/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) Browse all 999 Compete quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My dad was a really intense competitor and that rubbed off on me. He was loud and vocal on the court, so I let him do all the talking. But I developed a kind of quiet intensity that I knew I had to have to improve and compete with grown men. 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