--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was fine if I lived to be 100 and died…" description: "\"I was fine if I lived to be 100 and died and never have an opportunity to be a head coach because I was never an assistant.\" — Mark Jackson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/mark-jackson-4340_coach_i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died_3007741.jpg" --- # I was fine if I lived to be 100 and died and never have an… ![“I was fine if I lived to be 100 and died and never have an opportunity to be a head coach because I was never an assistant.” quote by Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/mark-jackson-4340_coach_i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died_3007741.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/mark-jackson-4340_coach_i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died_3007741.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/mark-jackson-4340_coach_i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died_3007741.jpg) > “I was fine if I lived to be 100 and died and never have an opportunity to be a head coach because I was never an assistant.” [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Without prior assistant experience, becoming a head coach is unlikely, highlighting the importance of stepping‑stone roles. **In simple terms:** Assistant roles are essential stepping stones to leadership. Key Takeaway Seek mentorship and assistant positions. Themes career development coaching leadership experience Mood motivational pragmatic Type career inspirational When to use this quote - applying for assistant coach - volunteering in sports programs Key Concepts skill building networking professional growth Questions to Reflect On - What entry‑level roles can lead to leadership? - How can you gain relevant experience without formal titles? A Different Perspective Career progression can be limited without networking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Head coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/head-coach/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) ## Related quotes > [I would like to go straight into being a head coach. When that day comes I'll be ready for it. No sense in learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-would-like-to-go-straight-into-being-a-head-coach-when-that-day/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [Not head coach - Assistant would be very attractive, but I don't think I have the discipline to deal with all the egos and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-parish/not-head-coach-assistant-would-be-very-attractive-but-i-don-t-think-i/) [Robert Parish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-parish/) > [It's a lot of people that died for me to have the opportunity that I have now, just the freedom. It shouldn't be forgotten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-k-r-i-t/it-s-a-lot-of-people-that-died-for-me-to-have-the-opportunity-that-i/) [Big K.R.I.T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-k-r-i-t/) > [If you ask me if I could pick one coach that I never played for to be my head coach for a season, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/if-you-ask-me-if-i-could-pick-one-coach-that-i-never-played-for-to-be/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I believe that me being the head coach of the Golden State Warriors is an assignment from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-believe-that-me-being-the-head-coach-of-the-golden-state-warriors/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I certainly believe I am capable of being a head coach or running a team. The bottom line is surrounding yourself with people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-certainly-believe-i-am-capable-of-being-a-head-coach-or-running-a/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [Think like a head coach, but act like an assistant coach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-amaker/think-like-a-head-coach-but-act-like-an-assistant-coach/) Tommy Amaker > [A lot of guys talk like they want to do it, and they think it would be cool to be in a nice suit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monty-williams/a-lot-of-guys-talk-like-they-want-to-do-it-and-they-think-it-would-be/) [Monty Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monty-williams/) > [I will miss the ladies and the passion of the Sun fans. I was proud to serve as their head coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-donovan/i-will-miss-the-ladies-and-the-passion-of-the-sun-fans-i-was-proud-to/) [Anne Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-donovan/) > [As a head coach you need a strong leadership group behind you and that is exactly what we have with Stuart Webber and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/as-a-head-coach-you-need-a-strong-leadership-group-behind-you-and/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [It's been a dream of mine to become a head coach in the NFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-ryan/it-s-been-a-dream-of-mine-to-become-a-head-coach-in-the-nfl/) [Rex Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-ryan/) > [I think Ozil, he's a very calm, sweet man, so don't judge him too quickly. He is a talent, and half the job of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/i-think-ozil-he-s-a-very-calm-sweet-man-so-don-t-judge-him-too/) [Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/) > [As a head coach, you're always concerned how you pace the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-thibodeau/as-a-head-coach-you-re-always-concerned-how-you-pace-the-team/) [Tom Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-thibodeau/) > [The biggest thing as a head coach, you want to make sure you exhaust every option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cowher/the-biggest-thing-as-a-head-coach-you-want-to-make-sure-you-exhaust/) [Bill Cowher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cowher/) > [Each and every head coach has their own ideas and philosophy. This club had a clear picture of what I would bring, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/each-and-every-head-coach-has-their-own-ideas-and-philosophy-this/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) ## More by Mark Jackson > [At the end of the day, I'm a guy that stays in my own lane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/at-the-end-of-the-day-i-m-a-guy-that-stays-in-my-own-lane/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [You run me off a down screen and you run Steph Curry, it's not the same. It may be the same action but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/you-run-me-off-a-down-screen-and-you-run-steph-curry-it-s-not-the/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [The coaches that I played for lived other places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/the-coaches-that-i-played-for-lived-other-places/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [There's a perception that's been put out into the marketplace by No Child Left Behind that schools aren't doing enough for kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/there-s-a-perception-that-s-been-put-out-into-the-marketplace-by-no/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I don't believe in rookie hazing. I believe in rookies doing stuff as rookies. Getting coffee. Getting donuts. Picking up a tab. Not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-don-t-believe-in-rookie-hazing-i-believe-in-rookies-doing-stuff-as/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [When I think of my best coaches, I think of the guys who can deliver a message, who can allow their will, their winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/when-i-think-of-my-best-coaches-i-think-of-the-guys-who-can-deliver-a/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I just have a confidence and a toughness that personifies New York City and gives you an edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-just-have-a-confidence-and-a-toughness-that-personifies-new-york/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [The importance in life is to never burn a bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/the-importance-in-life-is-to-never-burn-a-bridge/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I have played for not just great coaches, but Hall of Fame coaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-have-played-for-not-just-great-coaches-but-hall-of-fame-coaches/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [We live in a country that allows you to be whoever you want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/we-live-in-a-country-that-allows-you-to-be-whoever-you-want-to-be/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I would say the first thing that enabled me to play 17 years is that I was not gifted as an athlete, and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-would-say-the-first-thing-that-enabled-me-to-play-17-years-is-that/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [If you ask me if I could pick one coach that I never played for to be my head coach for a season, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/if-you-ask-me-if-i-could-pick-one-coach-that-i-never-played-for-to-be/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I've been on teams and I've witnessed teams that folded the tent and didn't practice and didn't play and wasn't supportive of one another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-ve-been-on-teams-and-i-ve-witnessed-teams-that-folded-the-tent-and/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [I never got it, even as a player, how a coach can cuss a player out or disrespect him and I'm a grown man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-never-got-it-even-as-a-player-how-a-coach-can-cuss-a-player-out-or/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) > [One thing I live by, you make a mistake, you own it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/one-thing-i-live-by-you-make-a-mistake-you-own-it/) [Mark Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) [Explore all 112 Mark Jackson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/) ## More Coach quotes > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [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/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Every coach in the league does an unbelievable job, and they're prepared and think you're going to outcoach people, or you think that you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d-antoni/every-coach-in-the-league-does-an-unbelievable-job-and-they-re/) [Mike D'Antoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d-antoni/) > [Everything I have experienced and learned in football led me towards one day becoming a coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/everything-i-have-experienced-and-learned-in-football-led-me-towards/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [Often, organizations don't know how good they have it with a player or coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/often-organizations-don-t-know-how-good-they-have-it-with-a-player-or/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [I was just putting way too much pressure on myself. I was just trying to get that validation from my dad. It got so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr/i-was-just-putting-way-too-much-pressure-on-myself-i-was-just-trying/) [Ken Griffey Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr/) > [A lot of the kids gave a lot of positive feedback about if I ever became a coach, they would love to play in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-hardaway/a-lot-of-the-kids-gave-a-lot-of-positive-feedback-about-if-i-ever/) [Penny Hardaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-hardaway/) > [I think it's very important to have contact with the players that I will coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/i-think-it-s-very-important-to-have-contact-with-the-players-that-i/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [Of course, it's always fun when you're winning and you have a great coach, great organization, great trainers, great strength staff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-gurley/of-course-it-s-always-fun-when-you-re-winning-and-you-have-a-great/) [Todd Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-gurley/) > [No one likes a change of coach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-azpilicueta/no-one-likes-a-change-of-coach/) [Cesar Azpilicueta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-azpilicueta/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) [Browse all 2,963 Coach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coach/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was fine if I lived to be 100 and died and never have an opportunity to be a head coach because I was never an assistant.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Jackson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died-and-never-have-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Coach" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died-and-never-have-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/mark-jackson-4340_coach_i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died_3007741.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/mark-jackson-4340_coach_i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died_3007741.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e3/mark-jackson-4340_coach_i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died_3007741.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was fine if I lived to be 100 and died and never have an opportunity to be a head coach because I was…” — Mark Jackson", "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": "Mark Jackson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jackson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was fine if I lived...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died-and-never-have-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jackson/i-was-fine-if-i-lived-to-be-100-and-died-and-never-have-an/#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 } } ] } ```