--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always felt like a little bit of an…" description: "\"I've always felt like a little bit of an underdog at each level - never the tallest or strongest or even fastest. But one thing I've always tried to do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/marcus-smart-6452_always_i-ve-always-felt-like-a-little-bit-of-an_26894.jpg" --- # I've always felt like a little bit of an underdog at each… ![“I've always felt like a little bit of an underdog at each level - never the tallest or strongest or even fastest. But one thing I've always tried to do was to play harder than anyone on the court.” quote by Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/marcus-smart-6452_always_i-ve-always-felt-like-a-little-bit-of-an_26894.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/marcus-smart-6452_always_i-ve-always-felt-like-a-little-bit-of-an_26894.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/marcus-smart-6452_always_i-ve-always-felt-like-a-little-bit-of-an_26894.jpg) > “I've always felt like a little bit of an underdog at each level - never the tallest or strongest or even fastest. But one thing I've always tried to do was to play harder than anyone on the court.” [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embracing a perceived disadvantage, the speaker emphasizes effort and intensity over innate superiority, choosing to outwork opponents. **In simple terms:** Outwork perceived inferiority Key Takeaway Hard work can offset natural limits Themes perseverance underdog mindset effort vs talent competition resilience Mood determined energetic defiant Type motivational sports personal growth When to use this quote - sports competition - career advancement - academic challenges - creative projects Key Concepts self-improvement mental toughness strategic intensity Practical Applications - coaching strategies - motivation workshops Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel perceived weaknesses into strengths? - What habits amplify effort beyond talent? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Bit Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bit-underdog-414550/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Felt Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt-like/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-harder/) [Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog/) [Underdog Level](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog-level-414549/) ## Related quotes > [Pressure is what you make of it. It makes me play harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcnair/pressure-is-what-you-make-of-it-it-makes-me-play-harder/) [Steve McNair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcnair/) > [I found the structure of writing a screenplay harder than the structure of writing an essay. But it was definitely challenging to force myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/i-found-the-structure-of-writing-a-screenplay-harder-than-the/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [Life is to short to wait for what you think you deserve...work hard play harder…get what yue can While yue can..they say cant aint…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamara-mcdaniel/life-is-to-short-to-wait-for-what-you-think-you-deserve-work-hard/) [Tamara Mcdaniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamara-mcdaniel/) > [In team tennis, when you're downed, you play harder because there are other people depending upon you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/in-team-tennis-when-you-re-downed-you-play-harder-because-there-are/) [Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/) > [I think it's important for these guys to know we love them and care about them and at the end of the day, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-day/i-think-it-s-important-for-these-guys-to-know-we-love-them-and-care/) [Ryan Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-day/) > [Men play harder than they work; women work harder than they play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roberts-rinehart/men-play-harder-than-they-work-women-work-harder-than-they-play/) [Mary Roberts Rinehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roberts-rinehart/) > [If you have a relationship with someone, you know them on a personal level, I feel they are going to play harder for you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-hurts/if-you-have-a-relationship-with-someone-you-know-them-on-a-personal/) [Jalen Hurts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-hurts/) > [The more they play the harder you fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mya/the-more-they-play-the-harder-you-fall/) [Mya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mya/) > [You know something, the Big Valboski is a lot like a Rubix Cube... the more you play with it, the harder it gets!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-venis/you-know-something-the-big-valboski-is-a-lot-like-a-rubix-cube-the/) [Val Venis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-venis/) > [No talking. Talking doesn't play football, talking isn't going to make you practice harder or play harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-simonton/no-talking-talking-doesn-t-play-football-talking-isn-t-going-to-make/) [Ken Simonton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-simonton/) > [What I meant by that is, any time you have adversity, now you've got a chance to see all of these guys play every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-shanahan/what-i-meant-by-that-is-any-time-you-have-adversity-now-you-ve-got-a/) [Mike Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-shanahan/) > [“Work hard to play harder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-rawson/work-hard-to-play-harder/) [Linda Rawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-rawson/) > [We're going to play better, and we're going to play harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quade/we-re-going-to-play-better-and-we-re-going-to-play-harder/) [Mike Quade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quade/) > [On the West Coast, things are more relaxed, maybe because people have more fun outdoors. In the East, where the weather is not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-parish/on-the-west-coast-things-are-more-relaxed-maybe-because-people-have/) [Robert Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-parish/) > [The national attention just motivates me to play harder. You got to win some games and win some big games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-brooks/the-national-attention-just-motivates-me-to-play-harder-you-got-to/) [Dillon Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-brooks/) ## More by Marcus Smart > [I'm blessed. I'm going to get to do something I love to do and get paid a lot of money for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-m-blessed-i-m-going-to-get-to-do-something-i-love-to-do-and-get/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [To be honest, I'm worth more than 12-14 million. Just for the things I do on the court that don't show up on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/to-be-honest-i-m-worth-more-than-12-14-million-just-for-the-things-i/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [We can't change the past. We can only get ready for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/we-can-t-change-the-past-we-can-only-get-ready-for-the-future/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I've always played hard. That's how I was raised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-ve-always-played-hard-that-s-how-i-was-raised/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [Nobody else is going to protect yourself. You've got to protect yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/nobody-else-is-going-to-protect-yourself-you-ve-got-to-protect/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I love Boston, and Boston loves me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-love-boston-and-boston-loves-me/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I was always taught coming back from injuries the last thing you want to do is have a mental game going on with yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-was-always-taught-coming-back-from-injuries-the-last-thing-you-want/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I've always been a little out of control since I was a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-ve-always-been-a-little-out-of-control-since-i-was-a-kid/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [My actions speak harder than words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/my-actions-speak-harder-than-words/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [You understand what your eyes mean to you, but it's different when you have to go through something like I did, where it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/you-understand-what-your-eyes-mean-to-you-but-it-s-different-when-you/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I hate losing more than I love winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-hate-losing-more-than-i-love-winning/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I had a lot of adversity that kind of tested my maturity and things I was able to learn from and were put in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-had-a-lot-of-adversity-that-kind-of-tested-my-maturity-and-things-i/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I'm not the best shooter and I'm not the best scorer, but you do have to respect me because I can go off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-m-not-the-best-shooter-and-i-m-not-the-best-scorer-but-you-do-have/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [Being on the court is a great thing for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/being-on-the-court-is-a-great-thing-for-me/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [I want to win games, win a championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/i-want-to-win-games-win-a-championship/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) [Explore all 99 Marcus Smart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've always felt like a little bit of an underdog at each level - never the tallest or strongest or even fastest. 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