--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Basketball has been my life and I worked…" description: "\"Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.\" — Larry Bird" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/larry-bird-8994_basketball_basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked_202724.jpg" --- # Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard… ![“Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.” quote by Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/larry-bird-8994_basketball_basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked_202724.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/larry-bird-8994_basketball_basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked_202724.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/larry-bird-8994_basketball_basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked_202724.jpg) > “Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.” [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A deep passion for basketball drove relentless effort and enjoyment. **In simple terms:** Passion fuels hard work. Key Takeaway Channel passion into practice. Themes dedication sport identity Mood determined proud Type motivational personal When to use this quote - team sports - personal training - career development Key Concepts motivation personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - How does passion sustain effort during setbacks? - What role does enjoyment play in long‑term commitment? A Different Perspective Hard work alone may not guarantee success without opportunity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Basketball life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-life/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [All my life from a young man I have worked very hard and I enjoyed it very much and I was really afraid with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lowy/all-my-life-from-a-young-man-i-have-worked-very-hard-and-i-enjoyed-it/) [Frank Lowy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lowy/) > [I've played basketball all of my life, and I've had things happen on the court that you eventually have to move on from. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-ve-played-basketball-all-of-my-life-and-i-ve-had-things-happen-on/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [I couldn't imagine not playing basketball. To me, basketball is what life is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-walton/i-couldn-t-imagine-not-playing-basketball-to-me-basketball-is-what/) [Bill Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-walton/) > [I take my sport damned seriously. Basketball is my life. There are other people who go into important games as if they were any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-nowitzki/i-take-my-sport-damned-seriously-basketball-is-my-life-there-are/) [Dirk Nowitzki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-nowitzki/) > [People that don't know me think that basketball is my life 24/7. Trust me, there is much more to my life. My number one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-vitale/people-that-don-t-know-me-think-that-basketball-is-my-life-24-7-trust/) [Dick Vitale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-vitale/) > [Basketball is life, make goals for yourself then you can succeed! No matter what!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-rose/basketball-is-life-make-goals-for-yourself-then-you-can-succeed-no/) [Derrick Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-rose/) > [A big part of what kept me focused on the music was already failing with basketball. I played basketball all of my life. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-east/a-big-part-of-what-kept-me-focused-on-the-music-was-already-failing/) [Dave East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-east/) > [“It was weird how life worked. It was sad how people treated one another. It was horrid how people didn’t see the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aparajita-yadav/it-was-weird-how-life-worked-it-was-sad-how-people-treated-one/) [Aparajita Yadav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aparajita-yadav/) > [“Family life worked most clearly for us when we were alone, at the end of the day, reconnecting and shoring each other up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/family-life-worked-most-clearly-for-us-when-we-were-alone-at-the-end/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [“Finding other methods to deal with what I feared in life, and how I perceivedmy own story, was now my new mission. First, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fearne-cotton/finding-other-methods-to-deal-with-what-i-feared-in-life-and-how-i/) [Fearne Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fearne-cotton/) > [I have more compassion than if I had led a life where everything worked out exactly as I had planned or if I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-have-more-compassion-than-if-i-had-led-a-life-where-everything/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [This wasn't the way he had expected his life to be. It worked, but that was about all. Happiness had got lost somewhere along…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ajvide-lindqvist/this-wasn-t-the-way-he-had-expected-his-life-to-be-it-worked-but-that/) [John Ajvide Lindqvist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ajvide-lindqvist/) > [“It was his experience that life worked under the same guidelines as a capitalistic society. In order to get what you wanted, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-l-pickering-jr/it-was-his-experience-that-life-worked-under-the-same-guidelines-as-a/) [Roy L. Pickering Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-l-pickering-jr/) > [The best part about being my age is in knowing how my life worked out. Sure, there's a lot more living to go, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/the-best-part-about-being-my-age-is-in-knowing-how-my-life-worked-out/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [One of the reasons I got into acting to begin with is that I was trying to figure out how life worked. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-shannon/one-of-the-reasons-i-got-into-acting-to-begin-with-is-that-i-was/) [Michael Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-shannon/) ## More by Larry Bird > [If there was a payment to the bank due, and we needed shoes, she'd get the shoes, and then deal with them guys at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/if-there-was-a-payment-to-the-bank-due-and-we-needed-shoes-she-d-get/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I just shoot until I feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-just-shoot-until-i-feel-good/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [If you tell a teammate you're ready to play as tough as you're able to, you'd better go out there and do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/if-you-tell-a-teammate-you-re-ready-to-play-as-tough-as-you-re-able/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [When I was a player, I didn't expect my teammates to play the way I did. I did expect them to work hard every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/when-i-was-a-player-i-didn-t-expect-my-teammates-to-play-the-way-i/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I've always been interested in jobs in the NBA. But I've been in this for 20 years and it might be time to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-jobs-in-the-nba-but-i-ve-been-in-this/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [You can make all the excuses you want, but if you're not mentally tough and you're not prepared to play every night, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/you-can-make-all-the-excuses-you-want-but-if-you-re-not-mentally/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [“I've got a theory that if you give 100 percent all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-ve-got-a-theory-that-if-you-give-100-percent-all-of-the-time/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I have always been confident in my skills and once the game got going I knew I was probably the best player on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-have-always-been-confident-in-my-skills-and-once-the-game-got-going/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I don't think that once you get to one level, you can relax. You've got to keep pushing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-don-t-think-that-once-you-get-to-one-level-you-can-relax-you-ve-got/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [You never make any of the shots you never take. 87% of the ones you do take, you'll miss too. I make 110% of my shots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/you-never-make-any-of-the-shots-you-never-take-87-of-the-ones-you-do/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [The best player I ever played with was Dennis Johnson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/the-best-player-i-ever-played-with-was-dennis-johnson/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I mean, the greatest athletes in the world are African-American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-mean-the-greatest-athletes-in-the-world-are-african-american/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Strength is not nearly as important as desire. I don't think you can teach anyone desire. I think it's a gift. I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/strength-is-not-nearly-as-important-as-desire-i-don-t-think-you-can/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Basketball was always a game to me. One of the greatest things in life for me was to be able to play what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-was-always-a-game-to-me-one-of-the-greatest-things-in-life/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/a-winner-is-someone-who-recognizes-his-god-given-talents-works-his/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) [Explore all 76 Larry Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Bird" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked-at-it-so-hard-because-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked-at-it-so-hard-because-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/larry-bird-8994_basketball_basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked_202724.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/larry-bird-8994_basketball_basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked_202724.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37c/larry-bird-8994_basketball_basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked_202724.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.” — Larry Bird", "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": "Larry Bird", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Basketball has been my life and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked-at-it-so-hard-because-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked-at-it-so-hard-because-i/#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 } } ] } ```