--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It doesn't matter what else is going on…" description: "\"It doesn't matter what else is going on. When you walk into your arena or your - whatever you excel at, you're there to take care of the job that you h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/michael-phelps-2388_arena_it-doesn-t-matter-what-else-is-going-on_1512826.jpg" --- # It doesn't matter what else is going on. When you walk… ![“It doesn't matter what else is going on. When you walk into your arena or your - whatever you excel at, you're there to take care of the job that you have to do.” quote by Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/michael-phelps-2388_arena_it-doesn-t-matter-what-else-is-going-on_1512826.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/michael-phelps-2388_arena_it-doesn-t-matter-what-else-is-going-on_1512826.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/187/michael-phelps-2388_arena_it-doesn-t-matter-what-else-is-going-on_1512826.jpg) > “It doesn't matter what else is going on. When you walk into your arena or your - whatever you excel at, you're there to take care of the job that you have to do.” [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focus on your own responsibilities regardless of external distractions. **In simple terms:** Do your job despite distractions. Key Takeaway Prioritize your role. Themes focus responsibility performance Mood determined calm Type advice motivational When to use this quote - workplace - sports competition - personal projects - team meetings Key Concepts mindfulness task commitment Questions to Reflect On - What tasks demand your full attention? - How do you block out noise? A Different Perspective External pressures can still affect performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/) [Arena Excel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena-excel-5572440/) [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Care Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care-job-2411715/) [Doesn Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-matter/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Take care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-care/) [Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walk/) [Walk Arena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walk-arena-2768698/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Your](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your/) ## Related quotes > [You walk into an arena with 10,000 people and no security and everybody hating you, it takes some gumption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-piper/you-walk-into-an-arena-with-10-000-people-and-no-security-and/) [Roddy Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-piper/) > [There will be days when I walk in an arena and people will cheer and then there might be days when I walk in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/there-will-be-days-when-i-walk-in-an-arena-and-people-will-cheer-and/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [It's crazy to walk out into an arena and be like, 'Wow, this is where we're touring now.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-koma/it-s-crazy-to-walk-out-into-an-arena-and-be-like-wow-this-is-where-we/) [Matthew Koma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-koma/) > [I don't care what job you get. I care about if you put people down or raise people up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/i-don-t-care-what-job-you-get-i-care-about-if-you-put-people-down-or/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [Real power is being able to take care of yourself. My job is to make art, but I aspire to do more than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/real-power-is-being-able-to-take-care-of-yourself-my-job-is-to-make/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [I don't really care about job security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-choi/i-don-t-really-care-about-job-security/) [Roy Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-choi/) > [If you don't like or care about your job, what's the big deal?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-cutler/if-you-don-t-like-or-care-about-your-job-what-s-the-big-deal/) [Jessica Cutler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-cutler/) > [Just taking care of yourself is a job of its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-krupa/just-taking-care-of-yourself-is-a-job-of-its-own/) [Joanna Krupa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-krupa/) > [“You just have to accept the things that are out of your hands and try to take care of yourself. That's your job.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/you-just-have-to-accept-the-things-that-are-out-of-your-hands-and-try/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [If you don't like or care about your job, what's the big deal? I am so over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-cutler/if-you-don-t-like-or-care-about-your-job-what-s-the-big-deal-i-am-so/) [Jessica Cutler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-cutler/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) ## More by Michael Phelps > [The support I've received from my sponsors has enabled me to raise the bar in swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/the-support-i-ve-received-from-my-sponsors-has-enabled-me-to-raise/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I'm definitely ahead of the schedule where I thought I was going to be at. I'm really happy. I was excited to race and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-m-definitely-ahead-of-the-schedule-where-i-thought-i-was-going-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/you-can-t-put-a-limit-on-anything-the-more-you-dream-the-farther-you/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I think with practice, you can being whatever you want to be, and with a goal you can go in any direction that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-think-with-practice-you-can-being-whatever-you-want-to-be-and-with/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I learned how fast you can go from being an international hero to being a reference in a joke on a late night talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-learned-how-fast-you-can-go-from-being-an-international-hero-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I'm the same kind of guy before all this happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-m-the-same-kind-of-guy-before-all-this-happened/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [The only reason I started swimming was for water safety. Then, once I started falling in love with sports, I got more comfortable with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/the-only-reason-i-started-swimming-was-for-water-safety-then-once-i/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I don't like to be second in anything. I was trying, I just wasn't going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-don-t-like-to-be-second-in-anything-i-was-trying-i-just-wasn-t/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Every day, there's always something to be worried about; you turn on the news and see something different every day, and it's terrible. Hopefully,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/every-day-there-s-always-something-to-be-worried-about-you-turn-on/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I want to test my maximum and see how much I can do. And I want to change the world of swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-want-to-test-my-maximum-and-see-how-much-i-can-do-and-i-want-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [You can't put a limit anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/you-can-t-put-a-limit-anything/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I haven't swam in any of the rivers outside of Baltimore. I try to keep it in the pool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-haven-t-swam-in-any-of-the-rivers-outside-of-baltimore-i-try-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [This is my 20th year in the sport. I've known swimming and that's it. I don't want to swim past age 30; if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/this-is-my-20th-year-in-the-sport-i-ve-known-swimming-and-that-s-it-i/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Anything is possible as long as you want it, you work for it. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, the only person that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/anything-is-possible-as-long-as-you-want-it-you-work-for-it-doesn-t/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it takes is an imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/nothing-is-impossible-with-so-many-people-saying-it-couldn-t-be-done/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) [Explore all 169 Michael Phelps quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) ## More Arena quotes > [The sidelines are not where you want to live your life. The world needs you in the arena!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/the-sidelines-are-not-where-you-want-to-live-your-life-the-world/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [To see classic rock, you had to go to an arena. But punk was happening everywhere, even in little towns in the middle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-callahan/to-see-classic-rock-you-had-to-go-to-an-arena-but-punk-was-happening/) [Bill Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-callahan/) > [The "family" has clearly emerged anew in the late 1970s as a central subject for discussion, debate, research and writing in bothscholarly and popular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/the-family-has-clearly-emerged-anew-in-the-late-1970s-as-a-central/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [Cannes is a sort of gladiators' arena, and that's the fun part of it. When you accept to come here to open the festival,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-dahan/cannes-is-a-sort-of-gladiators-arena-and-that-s-the-fun-part-of-it/) [Olivier Dahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-dahan/) > [ We're striving to stay in the arenas. We \[Papa Roach\] had just little things that just took our show a step up and were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-palermo/we-re-striving-to-stay-in-the-arenas-we-papa-roach-had-just-little/) [Tony Palermo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-palermo/) > [The most difficult idea to reconcile in war is the notion that anything is going to be solved by killing a stranger, or in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/the-most-difficult-idea-to-reconcile-in-war-is-the-notion-that/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [I've never liked talking about my personal life, ever. Ever since I was 20, I've lived in a kind of public arena; and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-dalton/i-ve-never-liked-talking-about-my-personal-life-ever-ever-since-i-was/) [Timothy Dalton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-dalton/) > [Every NBA arena has six cameras in the ceiling. The question is what does the software do with video feeds? How to surface that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ballmer/every-nba-arena-has-six-cameras-in-the-ceiling-the-question-is-what/) [Steve Ballmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-ballmer/) > [Most of my films I call arena films. I deal with a confined area -- an arena -- and I try to cover every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/most-of-my-films-i-call-arena-films-i-deal-with-a-confined-area-an/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [The rules of survival never change, whether you're in a desert or in an arena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-grylls/the-rules-of-survival-never-change-whether-you-re-in-a-desert-or-in/) [Bear Grylls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-grylls/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I just like playing music and doing it with people that I care about. It doesn't really matter where. It's like, 'Why don't we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-klinghoffer/i-just-like-playing-music-and-doing-it-with-people-that-i-care-about/) [Josh Klinghoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-klinghoffer/) > [Successful weight management really means a permanent change in lifestyle - and success in this arena provides that person with a great opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-collins/successful-weight-management-really-means-a-permanent-change-in/) [Francis Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-collins/) [Browse all 674 Arena quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arena/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It doesn't matter what else is going on. 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