--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be true to the game, because the game…" description: "\"Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/michael-jordan-1054_being-true_be-true-to-the-game-because-the-game-wil_61444.png" --- # Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you… ![“Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That's truly about the game, and in some ways that's about life too.” quote by Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/michael-jordan-1054_being-true_be-true-to-the-game-because-the-game-wil_61444.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/michael-jordan-1054_being-true_be-true-to-the-game-because-the-game-wil_61444.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/446/michael-jordan-1054_being-true_be-true-to-the-game-because-the-game-wil_61444.png) > “Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. That's truly about the game, and in some ways that's about life too.” [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authenticity and effort in a system yield reciprocal outcomes; shortcuts lead to negative feedback, while genuine commitment invites positive rewards. **In simple terms:** Earned effort returns genuine results. Key Takeaway Play honestly, reap honestly. Themes integrity effort reciprocity fairness life lessons Mood motivated reflective determined Type advice philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - sports competition - career advancement - personal relationships - academic pursuits - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts cause and effect personal responsibility Practical Applications - coaching and mentorship - self‑discipline training Questions to Reflect On - How does integrity shape long‑term success? - What shortcuts have you observed that backfire? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Shortcuts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shortcuts/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [I just want to affect the game in as many ways as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-agholor/i-just-want-to-affect-the-game-in-as-many-ways-as-possible/) [Nelson Agholor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-agholor/) > [Football is an honest game. It's true to life. It's a game about sharing. Football is a team game. So is life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-namath/football-is-an-honest-game-it-s-true-to-life-it-s-a-game-about/) [Joe Namath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-namath/) > [Life is a game and true love is a trophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/life-is-a-game-and-true-love-is-a-trophy/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [To the game I'm true like the sun first rose I'm real like my man Michael Jackson's first nose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dred-scott/to-the-game-i-m-true-like-the-sun-first-rose-i-m-real-like-my-man/) Dred Scott > [We heavy off into this game. True to the 1st just call me that pro slang. Them nickels and dimes and 20's and 50's.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layzie-bone/we-heavy-off-into-this-game-true-to-the-1st-just-call-me-that-pro/) [Layzie Bone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layzie-bone/) > [All I can say is that I played the game in true spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-sreesanth/all-i-can-say-is-that-i-played-the-game-in-true-spirit/) [S. Sreesanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-sreesanth/) > [Loyalty is still the same, whether it win or lose the game; as true as a dial to the sun, although it be not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/loyalty-is-still-the-same-whether-it-win-or-lose-the-game-as-true-as/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [I'm true to the game too, it's called beer pong and I can't lose, I got a bunch of bad bitches in the back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lmfao/i-m-true-to-the-game-too-it-s-called-beer-pong-and-i-can-t-lose-i-got/) [Lmfao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lmfao/) > [Would you stay true to the game and route you chose to take, or would you break, take a dive in the game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-dre/would-you-stay-true-to-the-game-and-route-you-chose-to-take-or-would/) [Mac Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-dre/) > [I always try to enjoy the game. It is easy to say but it's true. Every game is different, sometimes you feel better inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-van-der-vaart/i-always-try-to-enjoy-the-game-it-is-easy-to-say-but-it-s-true-every/) [Rafael van der Vaart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-van-der-vaart/) > [We've said it many times, so it sounds like a cliche, but it's actually true that we take it game by game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-odegaard/we-ve-said-it-many-times-so-it-sounds-like-a-cliche-but-it-s-actually/) [Martin Odegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-odegaard/) > [To be honest with you, I just want to be true to the game of basketball, and that's what I've always tried to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-armstrong/to-be-honest-with-you-i-just-want-to-be-true-to-the-game-of/) [B. J. Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-armstrong/) > [It took me a long time to realise that I need to stay true to my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-rahul/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-realise-that-i-need-to-stay-true-to-my-game/) [K. L. Rahul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-rahul/) > [Get a grip, Oreo, and be true to the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-cube/get-a-grip-oreo-and-be-true-to-the-game/) [Ice Cube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-cube/) > [“True to the GAME (Giving, Affirming, Manifesting, Evolving).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/true-to-the-game-giving-affirming-manifesting-evolving/) [T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/) ## More by Michael Jordan > [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I dont take pictures with Niggas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-dont-take-pictures-with-niggas/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [The minute you get away from fundamentals – whether its proper technique, work ethic or mental preparation – the bottom can fall out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/the-minute-you-get-away-from-fundamentals-whether-its-proper/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Work ethics eliminates fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/work-ethics-eliminates-fear/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I can accept failure everyone fails at something but what I can't accept is not trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-can-accept-failure-everyone-fails-at-something-but-what-i-can-t/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Even though, physically, I can't do it, the mind says, 'Yeah, I can still do it,' and I still think I can do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/even-though-physically-i-can-t-do-it-the-mind-says-yeah-i-can-still/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I wasn't really a work-conscious type of person. I was a player. I loved to play sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-wasn-t-really-a-work-conscious-type-of-person-i-was-a-player-i/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [If you are confident you have done everything possible to prepare yourself, then there is nothing to fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-you-are-confident-you-have-done-everything-possible-to-prepare/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [Sometimes you need to get hit in the head to realize that you're in a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/sometimes-you-need-to-get-hit-in-the-head-to-realize-that-you-re-in-a/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [You have competition every day because you set such high standards for yourself that you have to go out every day and live up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/you-have-competition-every-day-because-you-set-such-high-standards/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [All I knew is that I NEVER wanted to be AVERAGE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/all-i-knew-is-that-i-never-wanted-to-be-average/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [“He fallado una y otra vez en mi vida, por eso he conseguido el éxito.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/he-fallado-una-y-otra-vez-en-mi-vida-por-eso-he-conseguido-el-xito/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [I'd take 12 guys who had a strong passion for the game over 12 guys who don't respect the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-d-take-12-guys-who-had-a-strong-passion-for-the-game-over-12-guys/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [The NBA is the strongest professional sports league in the world. The league and the game is bigger than any one person, Michael Jordan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/the-nba-is-the-strongest-professional-sports-league-in-the-world-the/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-you-re-trying-to-achieve-there-will-be-roadblocks-i-ve-had-them/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) [Explore all 299 Michael Jordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) ## More Being true quotes > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Intuitionists think that there are cases in which, say, some identity statement between real numbers is neither true nor false, even though we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-f-heck/intuitionists-think-that-there-are-cases-in-which-say-some-identity/) [Richard F. Heck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-f-heck/) > [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [There is no normal. I've never met a normal person. The concept is flawed. It implies that there is only one way people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/there-is-no-normal-i-ve-never-met-a-normal-person-the-concept-is/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [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/) > [Life is all about being true to yourself and what you believe in](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-biersack/life-is-all-about-being-true-to-yourself-and-what-you-believe-in/) [Andy Biersack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-biersack/) > [I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-unlearning-things-that-were-proved-not/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [It seemed too good to be true. That's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judah-smith/it-seemed-too-good-to-be-true-that-s-grace/) [Judah Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judah-smith/) > [You create the happiness and the balance that you have, and your own power. This is one thing that I know to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/you-create-the-happiness-and-the-balance-that-you-have-and-your-own/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [Being true to yourself means living in truth with each person in your life. It means refusing to say or do something that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/being-true-to-yourself-means-living-in-truth-with-each-person-in-your/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/history-is-nothing-but-gossip-about-the-past-with-the-hope-that-it/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [It is not the responsibility of the enlightened teacher to bring the student to enlightenment. That may be true in the classroom, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-not-the-responsibility-of-the-enlightened-teacher-to-bring-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) Browse all 1,447 Being true quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will shortcut you. If you put forth the effort, good things will be bestowed upon you. 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