--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My coach told me, \"Larry, no matter how…" description: "\"My coach told me, \"Larry, no matter how much you work at it, there's always someone out there who's working just a little harder - if you take 150 prac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/larry-bird-8994_coaches_my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-muc_1591688.jpg" --- # My coach told me, "Larry, no matter how much you work at… ![“My coach told me, "Larry, no matter how much you work at it, there's always someone out there who's working just a little harder - if you take 150 practice shots, he's taking 200." And that drove me.” quote by Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/larry-bird-8994_coaches_my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-muc_1591688.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/larry-bird-8994_coaches_my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-muc_1591688.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/larry-bird-8994_coaches_my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-muc_1591688.jpg) > “My coach told me, "Larry, no matter how much you work at it, there's always someone out there who's working just a little harder - if you take 150 practice shots, he's taking 200." And that drove me.” [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. Hard work is common, but extra effort distinguishes the truly elite. **In simple terms:** Work harder than the competition. Key Takeaway Outperform by exceeding effort. Themes competition effort excellence Mood determined energetic Type motivational advice When to use this quote - practice drills - skill development - goal setting Key Concepts performance psychology sports training Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure optimal effort? - When should you rest? A Different Perspective Excessive effort can lead to burnout if not balanced. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [You know, I've always told him (Larry Brown) I wanted the relationship that Michael Jackson... Michael Jordan, I'm sorry. ... I wanted the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/you-know-i-ve-always-told-him-larry-brown-i-wanted-the-relationship/) [Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/) > [Some time ago, I told Larry King that I planned to live to be 102. I still do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-o-hara/some-time-ago-i-told-larry-king-that-i-planned-to-live-to-be-102-i/) [Maureen O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-o-hara/) > [I feel like I get good shots - shots that I practice and shots that I make. So you continue to take those shots.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-poole/i-feel-like-i-get-good-shots-shots-that-i-practice-and-shots-that-i/) [Jordan Poole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-poole/) > [I hate to lose more than I like to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-hate-to-lose-more-than-i-like-to-win/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Who in their right mind wouldn't listen to what Larry Bird tells them? He knows what it takes to be a successful player, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/who-in-their-right-mind-wouldn-t-listen-to-what-larry-bird-tells-them/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [When I was young, I never wanted to leave the court until I got things exactly correct. My dream was to become a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/when-i-was-young-i-never-wanted-to-leave-the-court-until-i-got-things/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [Guys like Larry Bird -- he played so hard, he wants everybody else to play hard. That's not unreasonable. Any coach would want that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/guys-like-larry-bird-he-played-so-hard-he-wants-everybody-else-to/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [I'm a firm believer in that you play the way you practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-that-you-play-the-way-you-practice/) [Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) > [The best basketball announcer is one who allows you to close your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/the-best-basketball-announcer-is-one-who-allows-you-to-close-your-eyes/) [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/) > [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/) > [My coach once told me "there's no "I" in "team." I responded there's also no "I" in "hackneyed." Then I had to run 12 laps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-l-spiro/my-coach-once-told-me-there-s-no-i-in-team-i-responded-there-s-also/) [Lev L. Spiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-l-spiro/) > [My youth coach told me he'd got these two great 15-year-olds. I told him I don't want to know, because by the time they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-neill/my-youth-coach-told-me-he-d-got-these-two-great-15-year-olds-i-told/) [Martin O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-neill/) > [When the coach told me I was playing, I said: 'We're going to Brazil.' It doesn't matter how. If I'd had to score with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamadou-sakho/when-the-coach-told-me-i-was-playing-i-said-we-re-going-to-brazil-it/) Mamadou Sakho > [Mourinho is a great coach. He has told me he believes in me, both in person but also publicly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/memphis-depay/mourinho-is-a-great-coach-he-has-told-me-he-believes-in-me-both-in/) [Memphis Depay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/memphis-depay/) ## 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/) > [Basketball has been my life and I worked at it so hard because I enjoyed it so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/basketball-has-been-my-life-and-i-worked-at-it-so-hard-because-i/) [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/) [Explore all 76 Larry Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/) ## More Coaches quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) Fernando Bujones > [And when I went to Houston, they had a conditioning coach by the name of Gene Coleman. And that was the first time I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-ryan/and-when-i-went-to-houston-they-had-a-conditioning-coach-by-the-name/) [Nolan Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-ryan/) > [I want to thank my parents and my coaches, who brought me out of Guwahati.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/i-want-to-thank-my-parents-and-my-coaches-who-brought-me-out-of/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [Don't be afraid of failure, be afraid of not trying in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/don-t-be-afraid-of-failure-be-afraid-of-not-trying-in-the-first-place/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [As far as being a coach, it's always fascinated me. It's a greater responsibility than most people give it credit for because you're dealing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-prefontaine/as-far-as-being-a-coach-it-s-always-fascinated-me-it-s-a-greater/) [Steve Prefontaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-prefontaine/) > [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [I've always believed that the desire must come from within, not as a result of being driven by coaches or parents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-fraser/i-ve-always-believed-that-the-desire-must-come-from-within-not-as-a/) [Dawn Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-fraser/) > [I've grown up playing for some incredible coaches, and I don't think anybody's ever been as fortunate as I have in terms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-brown/i-ve-grown-up-playing-for-some-incredible-coaches-and-i-don-t-think/) [Larry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-brown/) > [I don't know how 'X Factor' works. I was only there as a guest judge for a day. But I watched 'The Voice' a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/i-don-t-know-how-x-factor-works-i-was-only-there-as-a-guest-judge-for/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [I have learned from all of my coaches, and I am sure I will learn a lot with Guardiola.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xabi-alonso/i-have-learned-from-all-of-my-coaches-and-i-am-sure-i-will-learn-a/) [Xabi Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xabi-alonso/) Browse all 2,302 Coaches quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My coach told me, \"Larry, no matter how much you work at it, there's always someone out there who's working just a little harder - if you take 150 practice shots, he's taking 200.\" And that drove me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Larry Bird" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-much-you-work-at-it-there-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coaches" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-much-you-work-at-it-there-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/larry-bird-8994_coaches_my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-muc_1591688.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/larry-bird-8994_coaches_my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-muc_1591688.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/larry-bird-8994_coaches_my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-muc_1591688.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My coach told me, \"Larry, no matter how much you work at it, there's always someone out there who's working…” — 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": "My coach told me, \"Larry, no...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-much-you-work-at-it-there-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/my-coach-told-me-larry-no-matter-how-much-you-work-at-it-there-s/#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 } } ] } ```