--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you play against good people, that's…" description: "\"When you play against good people, that's when you focus your concentration. Your sense of urgency to be disciplined in your execution all become more ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/nick-saban-2879_competition_when-you-play-against-good-people-that-s_2692476.jpg" --- # When you play against good people, that's when you focus… ![“When you play against good people, that's when you focus your concentration. Your sense of urgency to be disciplined in your execution all become more critical. Sometimes you get away with doing things not quite right against lesser competition, but when you play against real good people that's…” quote by Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/nick-saban-2879_competition_when-you-play-against-good-people-that-s_2692476.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/nick-saban-2879_competition_when-you-play-against-good-people-that-s_2692476.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93f/nick-saban-2879_competition_when-you-play-against-good-people-that-s_2692476.jpg) > “When you play against good people, that's when you focus your concentration. Your sense of urgency to be disciplined in your execution all become more critical. Sometimes you get away with doing things not quite right against lesser competition, but when you play against real good people that's when it shows up.” [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Competing against top talent forces heightened focus, urgency, and disciplined execution, exposing gaps that weaker opponents hide. **In simple terms:** Good competition reveals true performance. Key Takeaway Embrace strong opponents to sharpen skills. Themes competition focus discipline performance growth Mood determined intense Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - sports training - business negotiations - academic exams - public speaking Key Concepts psychology of pressure skill development self‑assessment Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance intensity with recovery? - What habits protect you from pressure? A Different Perspective Even with strong opponents, over‑focus can cause anxiety and burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Execution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/execution/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Good people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Sense of urgency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-urgency/) [Urgency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urgency/) ## Related quotes > [There is always going to be competition. When you play for a top club, you're going to attract top players. It's part and parcel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermain-defoe/there-is-always-going-to-be-competition-when-you-play-for-a-top-club/) [Jermain Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermain-defoe/) > [Whenever you play with better competition or play against better players, it raises your level of play on both ends of the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-harris/whenever-you-play-with-better-competition-or-play-against-better/) [Joe Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-harris/) > [When Brazil take part in any competition they must always play to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zico/when-brazil-take-part-in-any-competition-they-must-always-play-to-win/) [Zico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zico/) > [Golf was my vehicle to competition, and I can't play if I can't compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/golf-was-my-vehicle-to-competition-and-i-can-t-play-if-i-can-t-compete/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I am in competition with no one. I play no game of being better than anyone. I have no intention of running life race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/i-am-in-competition-with-no-one-i-play-no-game-of-being-better-than/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [We want to win every competition we play in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-busquets/we-want-to-win-every-competition-we-play-in/) [Sergio Busquets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-busquets/) > [When you want to win a competition you have to play all the best teams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gervinho/when-you-want-to-win-a-competition-you-have-to-play-all-the-best-teams/) [Gervinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gervinho/) > [That's what we want to do, we want to compete in every competition we play in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-odegaard/that-s-what-we-want-to-do-we-want-to-compete-in-every-competition-we/) [Martin Odegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-odegaard/) > [I like every competition I can play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernandinho/i-like-every-competition-i-can-play/) [Fernandinho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernandinho/) > [Many of the cognitive enhancement drugs serve to increase focus and concentration. But 'letting your mind wander' is very often an important part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamais-cascio/many-of-the-cognitive-enhancement-drugs-serve-to-increase-focus-and/) [Jamais Cascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamais-cascio/) > [I trained like an animal, but the thing is focus and concentration. When the bell rings it's like when the little red light goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-trained-like-an-animal-but-the-thing-is-focus-and-concentration/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [A healthy lifestyle can improve your focus and concentration, which will help improve your efficiency so that you can complete given task in less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/a-healthy-lifestyle-can-improve-your-focus-and-concentration-which/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [I just have to put even more focus and concentration in for 90 minutes and try to be mistake-free, while also expressing myself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-doherty/i-just-have-to-put-even-more-focus-and-concentration-in-for-90/) [Matt Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-doherty/) > [My secret for writing is going back to clarity. I'm very clear about what I want to accomplish-the goal-and then the next two are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/my-secret-for-writing-is-going-back-to-clarity-i-m-very-clear-about/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [“In meditation, states of deep focus and concentration are developed, leading to deeper levels of contemplation. With greater peacefulness and heightened awareness, the wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-perelmuter/in-meditation-states-of-deep-focus-and-concentration-are-developed/) [Todd Perelmuter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-perelmuter/) ## More by Nick Saban > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [We create a standard for how we want to do things and everybody's got to buy into that standard or you really can't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/we-create-a-standard-for-how-we-want-to-do-things-and-everybody-s-got/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [What makes Freddy Krueger such a horrible character? What makes him scare you to death? You can't get rid of the guy. He never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/what-makes-freddy-krueger-such-a-horrible-character-what-makes-him/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I said as soon as we had a playoff, we were going to minimize the importance of all the other bowl games. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-said-as-soon-as-we-had-a-playoff-we-were-going-to-minimize-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Our goal is to work against things we have not seen that we will see in the near future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/our-goal-is-to-work-against-things-we-have-not-seen-that-we-will-see/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I've always been able to stay focused on trying to recruit good players and trying to develop those players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-ve-always-been-able-to-stay-focused-on-trying-to-recruit-good/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I think people always assume that every team has great intangibles, and that's not necessarily right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-think-people-always-assume-that-every-team-has-great-intangibles/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I think there's a certain pride people have in competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-think-there-s-a-certain-pride-people-have-in-competition/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Soccer is a continuous game, rugby is a continuous game, but for the physical elements that are involved in playing a football game and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/soccer-is-a-continuous-game-rugby-is-a-continuous-game-but-for-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [You can't allow yourself to be vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/you-can-t-allow-yourself-to-be-vulnerable/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [There are two pains in life. There is the pain of discipline and the pain of disappointment. If you can handle the pain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/there-are-two-pains-in-life-there-is-the-pain-of-discipline-and-the/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [As a coach, when it comes to football players, we're trying to change their behavior and make them better. As people, we're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/as-a-coach-when-it-comes-to-football-players-we-re-trying-to-change/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [We're not going to talk about what we're going to accomplish, we're going to talk about how we're going to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/we-re-not-going-to-talk-about-what-we-re-going-to-accomplish-we-re/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I want what's best for people who want to improve the quality of their life. I hope whoever our leader is will do all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-want-what-s-best-for-people-who-want-to-improve-the-quality-of/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [The thing that concerns me the most is when I hear that people are making a lot of money a lot of ways except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/the-thing-that-concerns-me-the-most-is-when-i-hear-that-people-are/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) [Explore all 147 Nick Saban quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) ## 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": "When you play against good people, that's when you focus your concentration. Your sense of urgency to be disciplined in your execution all become more critical. 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