--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pride was his life force; for us it was a…" description: "\"Pride was his life force; for us it was a live nerve that he could teach us to brush. One stroke, a good practice, and we could tingle for days ... Fir..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/kareem-abdul-jabbar-1909_brushes_pride-was-his-life-force-for-us-it-was-a_1608140.jpg" --- # Pride was his life force; for us it was a live nerve that… ![“Pride was his life force; for us it was a live nerve that he could teach us to brush. One stroke, a good practice, and we could tingle for days ... First, he found the pride in each of us, then he taught us how good it could feel. What he was ultimately after was for every one of us to learn to…” quote by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/kareem-abdul-jabbar-1909_brushes_pride-was-his-life-force-for-us-it-was-a_1608140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/kareem-abdul-jabbar-1909_brushes_pride-was-his-life-force-for-us-it-was-a_1608140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbf/kareem-abdul-jabbar-1909_brushes_pride-was-his-life-force-for-us-it-was-a_1608140.jpg) > “Pride was his life force; for us it was a live nerve that he could teach us to brush. One stroke, a good practice, and we could tingle for days ... First, he found the pride in each of us, then he taught us how good it could feel. What he was ultimately after was for every one of us to learn to light our own fires and glow our brightest.” [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He encourages finding personal pride and using it as a motivating fire that fuels achievement and self‑expression. **In simple terms:** Find pride, use it as personal fuel. Key Takeaway Identify your pride and let it drive you. Themes motivation self‑growth confidence Mood inspired determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - team building - personal development - coaching - creative projects Key Concepts psychology intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel pride without becoming boastful? - What daily habit nurtures your inner fire? A Different Perspective Pride can become arrogance if unchecked. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Nerves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nerves/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [Black and brown pride have been taught in my household for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendrick-lamar/black-and-brown-pride-have-been-taught-in-my-household-for-a-long-time/) [Kendrick Lamar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendrick-lamar/) > [I remember back in the days when Pride was the biggest show, but the UFC has surpassed them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quinton-jackson/i-remember-back-in-the-days-when-pride-was-the-biggest-show-but-the/) [Quinton Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quinton-jackson/) > [“He entered her with a practiced thrust, his mouth finding hers, filling her with her taste and arousal so strong. She curled her fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-jay/he-entered-her-with-a-practiced-thrust-his-mouth-finding-hers-filling/) [Emma Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-jay/) > [“Here at Seabrook, we judge a man by the sum of his actions, the sum. In this case we have a man with an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-murray/here-at-seabrook-we-judge-a-man-by-the-sum-of-his-actions-the-sum-in/) [Paul Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-murray/) > [You don't have to justify a beautiful stroke of good luck. Accept it. Smile and say thank you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/you-don-t-have-to-justify-a-beautiful-stroke-of-good-luck-accept-it/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [Pain is temporal but pride is for life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russyb/pain-is-temporal-but-pride-is-for-life/) Russyb > [“I have no pride left, Ambrose! Bailey said. No pride. But it was my pride or my life. I had to choose. So do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/i-have-no-pride-left-ambrose-bailey-said-no-pride-but-it-was-my-pride/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [I take pride in my life-my wife, my family. I try my best not to have football define the person that I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-polamalu/i-take-pride-in-my-life-my-wife-my-family-i-try-my-best-not-to-have/) [Troy Polamalu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-polamalu/) > [I guess I take a lot of pride in that no matter what type of car we drive, we're always competitive in it. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-stewart/i-guess-i-take-a-lot-of-pride-in-that-no-matter-what-type-of-car-we/) [Tony Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-stewart/) > [The pride of life hath corrupted the judgment of others, and perverted them in the way of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gillespie/the-pride-of-life-hath-corrupted-the-judgment-of-others-and-perverted/) [George Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gillespie/) > [I'll always be Clevland bownd,East Side Pride for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mee/i-ll-always-be-clevland-bownd-east-side-pride-for-life/) [Mee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mee/) > [“We were taught to always put on a good face, even when things are going poorly. We were told to “keep sweet,” an admonition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-pulitzer/we-were-taught-to-always-put-on-a-good-face-even-when-things-are/) [Lisa Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-pulitzer/) > [“He taught us that everyone has a good story and the more of others you understand, the better your grasp of human nature, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/he-taught-us-that-everyone-has-a-good-story-and-the-more-of-others/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [My parents always taught me not to be a good tennis player or the best in what I'm doing, but to be polite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-wilfried-tsonga/my-parents-always-taught-me-not-to-be-a-good-tennis-player-or-the/) [Jo-Wilfried Tsonga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-wilfried-tsonga/) > [“We were taught to be good, and we were taught to be careful. But in this world, sometimes, I do not think we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-bennett/we-were-taught-to-be-good-and-we-were-taught-to-be-careful-but-in/) Marguerite Bennett ## More by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar > [I saw Islam as the correct way to live, and I chose to try to live that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/i-saw-islam-as-the-correct-way-to-live-and-i-chose-to-try-to-live/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [Justice should be blind especially color-blind and able to fairly deal with the very real need for honest law enforcement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/justice-should-be-blind-especially-color-blind-and-able-to-fairly/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [I think Kwame will be an asset to the Lakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/i-think-kwame-will-be-an-asset-to-the-lakers/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [I think a lot of people, if they get the opportunity to do some acting, they think, 'I might be a star.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/i-think-a-lot-of-people-if-they-get-the-opportunity-to-do-some-acting/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [LeBron James can get a shot off under any and all circumstances and he makes them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/lebron-james-can-get-a-shot-off-under-any-and-all-circumstances-and/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [People still cheat on their wives, that hasn't fallen out of fashion. We all speak of it badly, but it has not fallen out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/people-still-cheat-on-their-wives-that-hasn-t-fallen-out-of-fashion/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [If not shown appreciation, it gets to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/if-not-shown-appreciation-it-gets-to-you/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [Yoga is somewhat hard to quantify in terms of benefits because you see them in all the injuries you don't get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/yoga-is-somewhat-hard-to-quantify-in-terms-of-benefits-because-you/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [“The person who has some awareness of the past knows how to fashion a rudder and which direction land is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/the-person-who-has-some-awareness-of-the-past-knows-how-to-fashion-a/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [ Common decency demands that \[NCAA athletes\] should be paid, but the only way it will happen is the same way workers got paid throughout… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/common-decency-demands-that-ncaa-athletes-should-be-paid-but-the-only/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [Your mind is what makes everything else work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/your-mind-is-what-makes-everything-else-work/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [I listen to jazz mainly. Mainstream jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/i-listen-to-jazz-mainly-mainstream-jazz/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [When a rap song glorifies violence, death and sadness and loss is inflicted because of the violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/when-a-rap-song-glorifies-violence-death-and-sadness-and-loss-is/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [As brilliant an individual that Michael Jordan was, he was not successful until he got with a good team unit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/as-brilliant-an-individual-that-michael-jordan-was-he-was-not/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [If I hadn't become a professional basketball player, I would have become a history teacher. There's so much to learn from history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/if-i-hadn-t-become-a-professional-basketball-player-i-would-have/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) [Explore all 199 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) ## More Brushes quotes > [People say I've had brushes with the law. That's not true. I've had brushes with overzealous prosecutors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/people-say-i-ve-had-brushes-with-the-law-that-s-not-true-i-ve-had/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [Yet, it had been Dimitri’s gentleness and thoughtfulness mixed with that deadliness that made him so wonderful. The same hands that wielded stakes with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/yet-it-had-been-dimitri-s-gentleness-and-thoughtfulness-mixed-with/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“They are not brave, the days when we are twenty-one. They are full of little cowardices, little fears without foundation, and one is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-du-maurier/they-are-not-brave-the-days-when-we-are-twenty-one-they-are-full-of/) [Daphne du Maurier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daphne-du-maurier/) > [The body is living art. Your movement through time and space is art. A painter has brushes. You have your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/the-body-is-living-art-your-movement-through-time-and-space-is-art-a/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [Well, I do expect a lot of myself. I'm a harsh critic because I know what I'm capable of. I have hit those occasional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-stevens/well-i-do-expect-a-lot-of-myself-i-m-a-harsh-critic-because-i-know/) Dave Stevens > [Our fans have been branded with the same brush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-atkinson/our-fans-have-been-branded-with-the-same-brush/) [Ron Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-atkinson/) > [Everything we do is escapism, because we'll all be dead and everything we do is completely meaningless. Why brush your teeth? Why not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/everything-we-do-is-escapism-because-we-ll-all-be-dead-and-everything/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [It's as if a child with a brush and too much enthusiasm has been set free with a tin of black paint inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-downham/it-s-as-if-a-child-with-a-brush-and-too-much-enthusiasm-has-been-set/) [Jenny Downham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-downham/) > [My whole philosophy in survival is to take down brush as soon as you get in a situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-teti/my-whole-philosophy-in-survival-is-to-take-down-brush-as-soon-as-you/) [Joe Teti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-teti/) > [Take your brush here and there like a bee in an alpine meadow. In other words, don't laboriously work on or try to finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/take-your-brush-here-and-there-like-a-bee-in-an-alpine-meadow-in/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [I grill almost all of my fish with the skin on because that gives you real protection at least on one side. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-brown/i-grill-almost-all-of-my-fish-with-the-skin-on-because-that-gives-you/) [Alton Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-brown/) > [I don't have much to compare it to because I really didn't know much about theater. After I signed on, I started reading a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taissa-farmiga/i-don-t-have-much-to-compare-it-to-because-i-really-didn-t-know-much/) [Taissa Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taissa-farmiga/) > [Enlightenment is like witnessing the brilliant sun for the first time in the morning. It is like seeing the beautiful flowers that grow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/enlightenment-is-like-witnessing-the-brilliant-sun-for-the-first-time/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [O, how much simpler things would be If eyes could paint or brush could see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/o-how-much-simpler-things-would-be-if-eyes-could-paint-or-brush-could/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The only thing I can do is wipe my arse, brush my teeth, turn up and do the best work I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hardy/the-only-thing-i-can-do-is-wipe-my-arse-brush-my-teeth-turn-up-and-do/) [Tom Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hardy/) Browse all 592 Brushes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pride was his life force; for us it was a live nerve that he could teach us to brush. 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