--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was a terrible athlete." description: "\"I was a terrible athlete.\" — Michael G. Rubin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/michael-g-rubin-10767_athlete_i-was-a-terrible-athlete-1775438_1775438.jpg" --- # I was a terrible athlete. ![“I was a terrible athlete.” quote by Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/michael-g-rubin-10767_athlete_i-was-a-terrible-athlete-1775438_1775438.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/michael-g-rubin-10767_athlete_i-was-a-terrible-athlete-1775438_1775438.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/michael-g-rubin-10767_athlete_i-was-a-terrible-athlete-1775438_1775438.jpg) > “I was a terrible athlete.” [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acknowledging personal athletic failure reveals humility. **In simple terms:** I was a bad athlete. Key Takeaway Embrace humility about limits. Themes sports self‑assessment humility Mood reflective humble Type motivational personal When to use this quote - coaching - training programs - team dynamics Key Concepts personal growth self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - What lessons did you learn? - How can others benefit? A Different Perspective Humility can motivate improvement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [I was a terrible athlete and a pretty bad student. I couldn't focus. My imagination was always racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisi-harrison/i-was-a-terrible-athlete-and-a-pretty-bad-student-i-couldn-t-focus-my/) [Lisi Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisi-harrison/) > [I have to play baseball to make me happy. I have to be an athlete. But when it's all said and done, I'll be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickey-henderson/i-have-to-play-baseball-to-make-me-happy-i-have-to-be-an-athlete-but/) [Rickey Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickey-henderson/) > [Theres that initial reticence for some athletes to take you seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-guerrero/theres-that-initial-reticence-for-some-athletes-to-take-you-seriously/) [Lisa Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-guerrero/) > [For every athlete, it is very important to be able to engage in their favorite thing, give all the best in training, performing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fedor-emelianenko/for-every-athlete-it-is-very-important-to-be-able-to-engage-in-their/) [Fedor Emelianenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fedor-emelianenko/) > [I found the emotion that as an athlete you block out, and it really helped me to understand myself as a person. I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-lewis/i-found-the-emotion-that-as-an-athlete-you-block-out-and-it-really/) [Carl Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-lewis/) > [I was an athlete. And I proved I didn't win just because I was pretty. I was good, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katarina-witt/i-was-an-athlete-and-i-proved-i-didn-t-win-just-because-i-was-pretty/) [Katarina Witt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katarina-witt/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [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/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) ## More by Michael G. Rubin > [It's encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/it-s-encouraging-to-watch-bipartisan-leaders-from-different-states/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [Mobile is going to change e-commerce as much as e-commerce has changed brick and mortar retailers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/mobile-is-going-to-change-e-commerce-as-much-as-e-commerce-has/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [Whether I'm involved or indirectly involved, I screw things up all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/whether-i-m-involved-or-indirectly-involved-i-screw-things-up-all-the/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [I don't even understand what 'retirement' means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-don-t-even-understand-what-retirement-means/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [One of the things I love doing is putting great people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/one-of-the-things-i-love-doing-is-putting-great-people-together/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [I am not very good at relaxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-am-not-very-good-at-relaxing/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [The only sport I was good at was skiing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/the-only-sport-i-was-good-at-was-skiing/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [Robert Kraft and I learn from each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/robert-kraft-and-i-learn-from-each-other/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [Being able to make sure we have exactly what the fan wants at any time, that's what really drives our business. And having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/being-able-to-make-sure-we-have-exactly-what-the-fan-wants-at-any/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [I believe in building great companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-believe-in-building-great-companies/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [I have been a business builder all of my life and I am thrilled to bring my enthusiasm for business to Kynetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-have-been-a-business-builder-all-of-my-life-and-i-am-thrilled-to/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [I'm grateful I got to do some great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-m-grateful-i-got-to-do-some-great-things/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [There has to be more pressure on entrepreneurs, when they create great value, to give back. I always bank on an entrepreneur to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/there-has-to-be-more-pressure-on-entrepreneurs-when-they-create-great/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [People always talk about media ratings, but you really consume media in so many different places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/people-always-talk-about-media-ratings-but-you-really-consume-media/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [The energy in the online commerce space is unprecedented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/the-energy-in-the-online-commerce-space-is-unprecedented/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) [Explore all 63 Michael G. Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [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/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was a terrible athlete.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael G. Rubin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-was-a-terrible-athlete/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-was-a-terrible-athlete/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/michael-g-rubin-10767_athlete_i-was-a-terrible-athlete-1775438_1775438.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/michael-g-rubin-10767_athlete_i-was-a-terrible-athlete-1775438_1775438.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d8/michael-g-rubin-10767_athlete_i-was-a-terrible-athlete-1775438_1775438.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was a terrible athlete.” — Michael G. Rubin", "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": "Michael G. Rubin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was a terrible athlete.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-was-a-terrible-athlete/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/i-was-a-terrible-athlete/#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 } } ] } ```