--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To go into a competition and not strive…" description: "\"To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a dishonest competitor.\" — Michael Novak" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/michael-novak-12883_competition_to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive_155912.png" --- # To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a… ![“To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a dishonest competitor.” quote by Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/michael-novak-12883_competition_to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive_155912.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/michael-novak-12883_competition_to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive_155912.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/michael-novak-12883_competition_to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive_155912.png) > “To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a dishonest competitor.” [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Competing without aiming to win is dishonest, as true competition requires genuine effort to succeed. **In simple terms:** Competing without trying to win is unfair. Key Takeaway Strive earnestly in any competition. Themes ethics competition integrity Mood reflective encouraging Type ethical practical When to use this quote - sports events - academic contests - business bids Key Concepts philosophy sportsmanship motivation Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your competitive spirit? - How can you maintain integrity while competing? A Different Perspective May ignore learning from participation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [If you think of me as your competition then strive to do better than me. Don't just sit in the corner of jealousy. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-think-of-me-as-your-competition-then-strive-to-do-better-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to be a tough competitor and still be the kind of person with whom people love to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-thompson/it-s-easy-to-be-a-tough-competitor-and-still-be-the-kind-of-person/) [Chuck Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-thompson/) > [I may not be the most physical player, that's not my nature. But I am a competitor and I play as hard as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pau-gasol/i-may-not-be-the-most-physical-player-that-s-not-my-nature-but-i-am-a/) [Pau Gasol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pau-gasol/) > [Obviously, the competitor in you, you want to be in the top three every time in the pool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-beard/obviously-the-competitor-in-you-you-want-to-be-in-the-top-three-every/) [Amanda Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-beard/) > [Now here I am almost 52 years old, it's really easy. I'm way more at peace. But when you're a competitor, and you're as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-gibson/now-here-i-am-almost-52-years-old-it-s-really-easy-i-m-way-more-at/) [Kirk Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-gibson/) > [I simply want to be remembered as a great competitor and a great teammate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/i-simply-want-to-be-remembered-as-a-great-competitor-and-a-great/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [You're only as good as your dumbest competitor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-bethune/you-re-only-as-good-as-your-dumbest-competitor/) [Gordon Bethune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-bethune/) > [He (Jackie Robinson) was the greatest competitor I've ever seen. I've seen him beat a team with his bat, his ball, his glove, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duke-snider/he-jackie-robinson-was-the-greatest-competitor-i-ve-ever-seen-i-ve/) [Duke Snider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duke-snider/) > [The successful competitor, having been urged to compete, must not be turned upon when he wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/the-successful-competitor-having-been-urged-to-compete-must-not-be/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [I'm a competitor. I really enjoyed the race more than just going out and running to run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-m-a-competitor-i-really-enjoyed-the-race-more-than-just-going-out/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [The great champions were always vicious competitors. You never lose respect for a man who is a vicious competitor, and you never hate a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-gonzales/the-great-champions-were-always-vicious-competitors-you-never-lose/) Pancho Gonzales > [ \[Clayton Kershaw \] is intense. He's a competitor.He's extremely fun to play behind. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-utley/clayton-kershaw-is-intense-he-s-a-competitor-he-s-extremely-fun-to/) [Chase Utley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-utley/) > [My main competitor is myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/my-main-competitor-is-myself/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Even in the face of massive competition, don't think about the competition. Literally don't think about them. Every time you're in a meeting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mccue/even-in-the-face-of-massive-competition-don-t-think-about-the/) [Mike McCue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mccue/) > [As a competitor and an athlete, you love that you get to go back and challenge someone, especially the world champs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-romo/as-a-competitor-and-an-athlete-you-love-that-you-get-to-go-back-and/) [Tony Romo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-romo/) ## More by Michael Novak > [Don't be afraid of anything. We've seen so much suffering and evil in the 20th century and we got through it. We can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/don-t-be-afraid-of-anything-we-ve-seen-so-much-suffering-and-evil-in/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [“We can talk about human dignity, but where is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/we-can-talk-about-human-dignity-but-where-is-it/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [Unity in diversity is the highest possible attainment of a civilization, a testimony to the most noble possibilities of the human race. This attainment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/unity-in-diversity-is-the-highest-possible-attainment-of-a/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [Ending torture and tyranny in Iraq was not a mistake. Supporting democracy in Iraq is not a mistake. Helping the long-suffering Muslims of Iraq…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/ending-torture-and-tyranny-in-iraq-was-not-a-mistake-supporting/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [Even rock stars are entitled to privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/even-rock-stars-are-entitled-to-privacy/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [We really feel happier when things look bleak. Hope is endurance. Hope is holding on and going on and trusting in the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/we-really-feel-happier-when-things-look-bleak-hope-is-endurance-hope/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [“The choice to remain faithful to the drive to question (the fertile source of the experience of nothingness) brings with it an obscure joy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/the-choice-to-remain-faithful-to-the-drive-to-question-the-fertile/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [What is the most effective, practical way of raising the wealth of nations? What causes wealth? I have come to think that the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/what-is-the-most-effective-practical-way-of-raising-the-wealth-of/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [“During the next hundred years, the question for those who love liberty is whether we can survive the most insidious and duplicitous attacks from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/during-the-next-hundred-years-the-question-for-those-who-love-liberty/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [Everything I do that I'm enthusiastic about. This is genuine enthusiasm. If I don't - I mean I've done other projects that I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/everything-i-do-that-i-m-enthusiastic-about-this-is-genuine/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [No great, inspiring culture of the future can be built upon the moral principle of relativism. For at its bottom such a culture holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/no-great-inspiring-culture-of-the-future-can-be-built-upon-the-moral/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [The most critical threat to our freedom is a failure to appreciate the power of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/the-most-critical-threat-to-our-freedom-is-a-failure-to-appreciate/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [I need not to be afraid of the void. The void is part of my person. I need to enter consciously into it. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/i-need-not-to-be-afraid-of-the-void-the-void-is-part-of-my-person-i/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [It is not possible in this culture today to hold up to public pillory and ridicule any group - whether blacks, American Indians, women,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/it-is-not-possible-in-this-culture-today-to-hold-up-to-public-pillory/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [We talk about a civilization and love and we're seeing it at the end. So many people around the world are - that whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/we-talk-about-a-civilization-and-love-and-we-re-seeing-it-at-the-end/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) [Explore all 52 Michael Novak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) ## More Competition quotes > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [“At times, competition can be a good thing. But a person's value isn't something that can be ranked, is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hotaru-odagiri/at-times-competition-can-be-a-good-thing-but-a-person-s-value-isn-t/) [Hotaru Odagiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hotaru-odagiri/) > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [Honestly, we’ll compete with everybody. I love competition. As long as people invent their own stuff, I love competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/honestly-we-ll-compete-with-everybody-i-love-competition-as-long-as/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [I try to keep up with everything - all wrestling across the board. I want to know what the competition is doing, what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hardy/i-try-to-keep-up-with-everything-all-wrestling-across-the-board-i/) [Matt Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hardy/) > [Sometimes in England, people look down at the Europa League, but being from the continent, I've always realised what an important competition it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mignolet/sometimes-in-england-people-look-down-at-the-europa-league-but-being/) [Simon Mignolet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mignolet/) > [“There is a scene in one of the Rocky movies where after the match Apollo Creed and Rocky are waiting for the scoring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-passaro/there-is-a-scene-in-one-of-the-rocky-movies-where-after-the-match/) [John A. Passaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-passaro/) > [I've always written. When I was in school, the only teacher who ever liked me was my creative writing teacher. I used to enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-townes-earle/i-ve-always-written-when-i-was-in-school-the-only-teacher-who-ever/) [Justin Townes Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-townes-earle/) > [Competition between men is a fuel that's useful to us. We have to be careful that it doesn't tell the same story over too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/competition-between-men-is-a-fuel-that-s-useful-to-us-we-have-to-be/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) [Browse all 3,894 Competition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a dishonest competitor.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Novak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive-to-win-is-to-be-a-dishonest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Competition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive-to-win-is-to-be-a-dishonest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/michael-novak-12883_competition_to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive_155912.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/michael-novak-12883_competition_to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive_155912.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0e/michael-novak-12883_competition_to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive_155912.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a dishonest competitor.” — Michael Novak", "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 Novak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To go into a competition and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive-to-win-is-to-be-a-dishonest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive-to-win-is-to-be-a-dishonest/#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 } } ] } ```