--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've come a very long way, especially…" description: "\"I've come a very long way, especially from my young career. From not always being the best guy on the team to just increasing my work ethic every singl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/kemba-walker-5848_best_i-ve-come-a-very-long-way-especially-fro_2993775.jpg" --- # I've come a very long way, especially from my young… ![“I've come a very long way, especially from my young career. From not always being the best guy on the team to just increasing my work ethic every single year, every single summer. Just seeing the hard work pay off, I think that's what's most gratifying for me.” quote by Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/kemba-walker-5848_best_i-ve-come-a-very-long-way-especially-fro_2993775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/kemba-walker-5848_best_i-ve-come-a-very-long-way-especially-fro_2993775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/kemba-walker-5848_best_i-ve-come-a-very-long-way-especially-fro_2993775.jpg) > “I've come a very long way, especially from my young career. From not always being the best guy on the team to just increasing my work ethic every single year, every single summer. Just seeing the hard work pay off, I think that's what's most gratifying for me.” [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) ## 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 personal growth from early career struggles to disciplined work ethic, finding gratification in hard‑earned results. **In simple terms:** Hard work brings fulfillment. Key Takeaway Maintain disciplined effort. Themes growth work ethic gratification Mood proud motivated Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - sports performance - professional advancement - goal setting Key Concepts career development self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What habits sustain your progress? - How do you celebrate achievements? A Different Perspective May down external support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Career Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-best-656498/) [Gratifying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratifying/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Increasing Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increasing-work-4718040/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-way/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work ethic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-ethic/) ## Related quotes > [I found in my whole career the best thing that can happen to you is that you hear what people want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delia-smith/i-found-in-my-whole-career-the-best-thing-that-can-happen-to-you-is/) [Delia Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delia-smith/) > [You will get criticism throughout your career. All the best players have had it at some stage, and they haven't let it ruin their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/you-will-get-criticism-throughout-your-career-all-the-best-players/) [Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/) > [People can expect a career-best performance from me against Fortuna.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-campbell/people-can-expect-a-career-best-performance-from-me-against-fortuna/) [Luke Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-campbell/) > [This is a very short-lived career. I have to do what's best for myself. I have to do what's best for my career and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/this-is-a-very-short-lived-career-i-have-to-do-what-s-best-for-myself/) [T.J. Dillashaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-dillashaw/) > [I want to go higher in my career. This is not my best. My best is yet to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkummar-rao/i-want-to-go-higher-in-my-career-this-is-not-my-best-my-best-is-yet/) [Rajkummar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkummar-rao/) > [There is no escaping the fact that, even in a great career, sometimes the best advances happen through luck, chance and accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-h-fischer/there-is-no-escaping-the-fact-that-even-in-a-great-career-sometimes/) [Edmond H. Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-h-fischer/) > [My career has been the best part of 50 years. If I had to go through it all again, I'd love to, warts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-souness/my-career-has-been-the-best-part-of-50-years-if-i-had-to-go-through/) [Graeme Souness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-souness/) > [Eventually, this is how I would like to be remembered at the end of my career: He was never the best in anything he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeshi-kitano/eventually-this-is-how-i-would-like-to-be-remembered-at-the-end-of-my/) [Takeshi Kitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeshi-kitano/) > [I tried to really look at what's best for my career, what's best for my life, what's best for my family, for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-martinez/i-tried-to-really-look-at-what-s-best-for-my-career-what-s-best-for/) [Angie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-martinez/) > [I think just what my parents instilled in me was hard work and being able to always go out there and focus and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-think-just-what-my-parents-instilled-in-me-was-hard-work-and-being/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Your ability to discipline yourself to set clear goals, and then to work toward them every day, will do more to guarantee your success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/your-ability-to-discipline-yourself-to-set-clear-goals-and-then-to/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I understood early on that I was not the best-looking girl in the room. But I knew my advantage was a hard work ethic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-o-connor/i-understood-early-on-that-i-was-not-the-best-looking-girl-in-the/) [Erin O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-o-connor/) > [America's work ethic is non-stop; it's not even enshrined in law that workers have to get their two weeks holiday money. But Americans work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/america-s-work-ethic-is-non-stop-it-s-not-even-enshrined-in-law-that/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [If you're going to preach dedication, work ethic, teamwork, unselfishness, and being part of a team to accomplish a common goal, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-mullin/if-you-re-going-to-preach-dedication-work-ethic-teamwork/) [Chris Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-mullin/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) ## More by Kemba Walker > [What's going on in my life, I never bring it to the basketball court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/what-s-going-on-in-my-life-i-never-bring-it-to-the-basketball-court/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I'm tired of not being in the playoffs... I hate watching them on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-m-tired-of-not-being-in-the-playoffs-i-hate-watching-them-on-tv/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [You see guys who are on elite teams. I don't want to do that. I want to create something special here in Charlotte, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/you-see-guys-who-are-on-elite-teams-i-don-t-want-to-do-that-i-want-to/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I'd rather be the underdog than anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-d-rather-be-the-underdog-than-anything/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [Connecticut is home for life. I'm so glad I chose to go to school here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/connecticut-is-home-for-life-i-m-so-glad-i-chose-to-go-to-school-here/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [NBA players are intense competitors, and it is truly humbling to know that my peers see me as someone who exhibits sportsmanship and respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/nba-players-are-intense-competitors-and-it-is-truly-humbling-to-know/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I'm not supposed to be here. A lot of people from where I'm from don't make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-m-not-supposed-to-be-here-a-lot-of-people-from-where-i-m-from-don-t/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [Charlotte means a lot to me. This city has embraced me - allowed me to be who I am, allowed me to grow as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/charlotte-means-a-lot-to-me-this-city-has-embraced-me-allowed-me-to/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [My belief in God has been helping me play the way I'm playing. But for the most part, I've just been working on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/my-belief-in-god-has-been-helping-me-play-the-way-i-m-playing-but-for/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I know teams are gameplanning against me, trying to not let me shoot pull-ups, basically trying to take me out of the game as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-know-teams-are-gameplanning-against-me-trying-to-not-let-me-shoot/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I'm about working, getting better, and proving people wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-m-about-working-getting-better-and-proving-people-wrong/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I felt like the best player on the court every night in college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-felt-like-the-best-player-on-the-court-every-night-in-college/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [If the play is drawn up for me, you better believe I'm going to go and try to win the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/if-the-play-is-drawn-up-for-me-you-better-believe-i-m-going-to-go-and/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [Now I'm just a threat. I'm a threat out there. Guys are running out at me, and I'm able to either give them a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/now-i-m-just-a-threat-i-m-a-threat-out-there-guys-are-running-out-at/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) > [I've played at MSG at basically every level of my career, starting from high school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemba-walker/i-ve-played-at-msg-at-basically-every-level-of-my-career-starting/) [Kemba Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) [Explore all 100 Kemba Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemba-walker/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/) [Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/) [Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/) [Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/) > [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) > [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/) [Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/) > [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/) [Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/) > [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/) [Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/) > [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/) [Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/) [Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've come a very long way, especially from my young career. From not always being the best guy on the team to just increasing my work ethic every single year, every single summer. 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