---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once I turned pro, I was like,' OK, this…"
description: "\"Once I turned pro, I was like,' OK, this is not fun and games now. This is me. I'm going to come, and I work on karma. I'm not going to go after somebo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/nate-diaz-17599_fun_once-i-turned-pro-i-was-like-ok-this-is_1732914.jpg"
---

#  Once I turned pro, I was like,' OK, this is not fun and…

![“Once I turned pro, I was like,' OK, this is not fun and games now. This is me. I'm going to come, and I work on karma. I'm not going to go after somebody if I don't have a reason behind it, so as soon as there is some sort of a reason for me to do something that I need to do, then I'll do it.'” quote by Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/nate-diaz-17599_fun_once-i-turned-pro-i-was-like-ok-this-is_1732914.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/nate-diaz-17599_fun_once-i-turned-pro-i-was-like-ok-this-is_1732914.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd8/nate-diaz-17599_fun_once-i-turned-pro-i-was-like-ok-this-is_1732914.jpg)

> “Once I turned pro, I was like,' OK, this is not fun and games now. This is me. I'm going to come, and I work on karma. I'm not going to go after somebody if I don't have a reason behind it, so as soon as there is some sort of a reason for me to do something that I need to do, then I'll do it.'”

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When professional, he focuses on purpose-driven actions, only acting when a clear reason aligns with his personal code, emphasizing accountability and intentionality.

**In simple terms:** He acts only when he has a clear, personal reason.

Key Takeaway

Act with purpose and accountability.

Themes

sports mindset personal growth

Mood

determined reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- training
- competition
- life decisions
- goal setting

Key Concepts

purpose karma intentional action

Questions to Reflect On

- What reasons guide your daily actions?
- How do you balance purpose with openness?

A Different Perspective

Rigid reasons may limit flexibility and spontaneous opportunities.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [Once I turned pro, I was like okay, this is not fun and games now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-diaz/once-i-turned-pro-i-was-like-okay-this-is-not-fun-and-games-now/)

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> [Friends or foes, they are all instruments in Her hands to help us work out our own karma, through pleasure or pain. As such,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/friends-or-foes-they-are-all-instruments-in-her-hands-to-help-us-work/)

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> [“Ignore the people who are laughing at you right now, because karma is going to screw them as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alamvusha/ignore-the-people-who-are-laughing-at-you-right-now-because-karma-is/)

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> [What a man must do is realize that his continued belief in the inferiority of women is going to produce a type of karma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/what-a-man-must-do-is-realize-that-his-continued-belief-in-the/)

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> [I wanted to turn pro at like 12 years old when I was riding for Bones Brigade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-hosoi/i-wanted-to-turn-pro-at-like-12-years-old-when-i-was-riding-for-bones/)

[Christian Hosoi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-hosoi/)

> [Instant Karma is going to get you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/instant-karma-is-going-to-get-you/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Karma it's everywhere you're going to be so watch how you treat people these days!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolfgang-myers/karma-it-s-everywhere-you-re-going-to-be-so-watch-how-you-treat/)

[Michael Wolfgang Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolfgang-myers/)

> [Oppressive bastards, think they own the place. I told them that karma's going to kick their asses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-halse-anderson/oppressive-bastards-think-they-own-the-place-i-told-them-that-karma-s/)

[Laurie Halse Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-halse-anderson/)

> [Why seek revenge? Karma is going to get the bastards anyway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/why-seek-revenge-karma-is-going-to-get-the-bastards-anyway/)

[Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/)

> [Some people use people, well they dont realize one thing Karma is going to fuck you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chops/some-people-use-people-well-they-dont-realize-one-thing-karma-is/)

[Chops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chops/)

> [I have this system where if I buy three or four new things, I give away three or four things. Sometimes, it's a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-have-this-system-where-if-i-buy-three-or-four-new-things-i-give/)

[Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/)

> [People thought I was cocky because I didn't talk much. When I first turned pro, reporters asked me who was going to win. I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-venturi/people-thought-i-was-cocky-because-i-didn-t-talk-much-when-i-first/)

[Ken Venturi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-venturi/)

> [Playing so well as an amateur, I felt like by the time I turned pro I knew exactly what it would be like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cantlay/playing-so-well-as-an-amateur-i-felt-like-by-the-time-i-turned-pro-i/)

[Patrick Cantlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cantlay/)

> [I turned pro and won Rookie of the Year on the South African Tour and then it took me two tries at the qualifying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/retief-goosen/i-turned-pro-and-won-rookie-of-the-year-on-the-south-african-tour-and/)

[Retief Goosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/retief-goosen/)

> [What people need to understand is that when I turned pro, I was 21 years old. I've definitely done some things I regret. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-rahm/what-people-need-to-understand-is-that-when-i-turned-pro-i-was-21/)

[Jon Rahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-rahm/)

## More by Nate Diaz

> [I always took a fight; I always took everybody. I fought everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/i-always-took-a-fight-i-always-took-everybody-i-fought-everybody/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [Not too hard for me to stay motivated when I'm in sport where everyone's trying to knock me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/not-too-hard-for-me-to-stay-motivated-when-i-m-in-sport-where/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [Me calling out Roy Jones is disrespectful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/me-calling-out-roy-jones-is-disrespectful/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [I win by submissions, knockouts. There's guys ranked above me, but no one's interested in seeing them fight. They want to see me fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/i-win-by-submissions-knockouts-there-s-guys-ranked-above-me-but-no/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [It cost me a lot of money to have a vacation, basically. It's nice to step back and see there's more to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/it-cost-me-a-lot-of-money-to-have-a-vacation-basically-it-s-nice-to/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [It's just kinda irritating to me that we're awarding people in mixed martial arts for trying to move away and not finish the fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/it-s-just-kinda-irritating-to-me-that-we-re-awarding-people-in-mixed/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [I don't love to fight; I don't want to fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/i-don-t-love-to-fight-i-don-t-want-to-fight/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [I don't come and fight for fun. I don't do that. I don't like to hurt people for fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/i-don-t-come-and-fight-for-fun-i-don-t-do-that-i-don-t-like-to-hurt/)

[Nate Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

> [There was a rumor I was walking around at 183 pounds. When I left my room to fight Conor McGregor, I was 179 pounds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/there-was-a-rumor-i-was-walking-around-at-183-pounds-when-i-left-my/)

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> [People like to talk a lot about me, about how I have anxiety or social disorders. I'll admit to anxiety, but it has nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/people-like-to-talk-a-lot-about-me-about-how-i-have-anxiety-or-social/)

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> [I want to fight the best guy. I always want to fight the best guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/i-want-to-fight-the-best-guy-i-always-want-to-fight-the-best-guy/)

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> [I need a vacation anyway. They fight me too much. I'm not going to be the one to back out of these fights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-diaz/i-need-a-vacation-anyway-they-fight-me-too-much-i-m-not-going-to-be/)

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[Explore all 36 Nate Diaz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-diaz/)

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> [I can't imagine not working, really. I just think work's more fun than fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-quant/i-can-t-imagine-not-working-really-i-just-think-work-s-more-fun-than/)

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