--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I had been playing for money I would…" description: "\"If I had been playing for money I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.\" — Michael Jordan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/michael-jordan-1054_long_if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would_2742328.png" --- # If I had been playing for money I would have complained a… ![“If I had been playing for money I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.” quote by Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/michael-jordan-1054_long_if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would_2742328.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/michael-jordan-1054_long_if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would_2742328.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/michael-jordan-1054_long_if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would_2742328.png) > “If I had been playing for money I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.” [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. If he were paid, he would have complained earlier about being underpaid, highlighting how compensation influences motivation. **In simple terms:** Pay affects motivation. Key Takeaway Recognize fair pay matters. Themes motivation compensation fairness Mood reflective critical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - sports contracts - employee negotiations - salary discussions Key Concepts economics psychology Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel adequately compensated? - How does pay affect your effort? A Different Perspective Complaints may arise later if pay stays low. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [You know what I think? Very few people play because they love the game. Most of them play because they make good money. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/you-know-what-i-think-very-few-people-play-because-they-love-the-game/) [Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/) > [It's for a different circumstance when you're talking about playing for money and playing for heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/it-s-for-a-different-circumstance-when-you-re-talking-about-playing/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [Playing for money, or adopting the attitude of one who plays for money, lowers the fever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/playing-for-money-or-adopting-the-attitude-of-one-who-plays-for-money/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [People say you should go out at the top but I was enjoying my football so much. Robbie Fowler's exactly the same: he's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rush/people-say-you-should-go-out-at-the-top-but-i-was-enjoying-my/) [Ian Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rush/) > [My father taught me poker at a very young age and I've been playing for money since I was 14 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-buffer/my-father-taught-me-poker-at-a-very-young-age-and-i-ve-been-playing/) [Bruce Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-buffer/) > [Playing with my money is like playing with my emotions, Smokey. -Big Worm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friday/playing-with-my-money-is-like-playing-with-my-emotions-smokey-big-worm/) [Friday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friday/) > [That was real baseball. We weren't playing for money. They gave us Mickey Mouse watches that ran backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lee/that-was-real-baseball-we-weren-t-playing-for-money-they-gave-us/) [Bill Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-lee/) > [There's such a cynicism about the phrase 'I laughed all the way to the bank.' It's as though money is what you're doing, rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-shaw/there-s-such-a-cynicism-about-the-phrase-i-laughed-all-the-way-to-the/) [Artie Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-shaw/) > [I like the thought of playing for money instead of silverware. I never did like to polish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-sheehan/i-like-the-thought-of-playing-for-money-instead-of-silverware-i-never/) [Patty Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-sheehan/) > [You've got no chance of reaching the top if you're just playing for money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/you-ve-got-no-chance-of-reaching-the-top-if-you-re-just-playing-for/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [How you play the game is for college ball. When you're playing for money, winning is the only thing that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-durocher/how-you-play-the-game-is-for-college-ball-when-you-re-playing-for/) [Leo Durocher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-durocher/) > [I'm not really playing for the money, ... I just want to go out there and have fun. I really missed it so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-clijsters/i-m-not-really-playing-for-the-money-i-just-want-to-go-out-there-and/) [Kim Clijsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-clijsters/) > [I could have played another year, but I would have been playing for the money, and baseball deserves better than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-brett/i-could-have-played-another-year-but-i-would-have-been-playing-for/) [George Brett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-brett/) > [I played professional level sports. When you're playing for money, it's a whole other level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-russell/i-played-professional-level-sports-when-you-re-playing-for-money-it-s/) [Kurt Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-russell/) > [“By spending time being abundant in the present, using the tactics and strategies I give you, such as playing the Money Game, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mangena/by-spending-time-being-abundant-in-the-present-using-the-tactics-and/) [Daniel Mangena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mangena/) ## 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/) > [Be true to the game, because the game will be true to you. If you try to shortcut the game, then the game will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/be-true-to-the-game-because-the-game-will-be-true-to-you-if-you-try/) [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. 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It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [The real world out there isn't nearly as nice as some people prefer it to be, so don't swallow everything your high-born teachers tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-real-world-out-there-isn-t-nearly-as-nice-as-some-people-prefer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [ \[The Dalai Lama\] told me some years ago, "I've made every concession to China, and I've been as open and tolerant as I could,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-dalai-lama-told-me-some-years-ago-i-ve-made-every-concession-to/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [Long before the 2016 presidential campaign, confidential sources had alerted me to longstanding misuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court system and the erosion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharyl-attkisson/long-before-the-2016-presidential-campaign-confidential-sources-had/) [Sharyl Attkisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharyl-attkisson/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I was born and raised in Orlando, where the economy and culture has been powerfully shaped by tourism, and so I've long been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/i-was-born-and-raised-in-orlando-where-the-economy-and-culture-has/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) Browse all 39,551 Long quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I had been playing for money I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Jordan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would-have-complained-a-long-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Long" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would-have-complained-a-long-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/michael-jordan-1054_long_if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would_2742328.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/michael-jordan-1054_long_if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would_2742328.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/michael-jordan-1054_long_if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would_2742328.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I had been playing for money I would have complained a long time ago that I was underpaid.” — Michael Jordan", "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 Jordan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I had been playing for...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would-have-complained-a-long-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/if-i-had-been-playing-for-money-i-would-have-complained-a-long-time/#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 } } ] } ```