--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've just learned that you can't take…" description: "\"I've just learned that you can't take this game for granted. You have to stay professional and stay focused and stay prepared to produce and continue t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/o-j-mayo-11806_football_i-ve-just-learned-that-you-can-t-take-th_35879.jpg" --- # I've just learned that you can't take this game for… ![“I've just learned that you can't take this game for granted. You have to stay professional and stay focused and stay prepared to produce and continue to work hard. Nothing's given.” quote by O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/o-j-mayo-11806_football_i-ve-just-learned-that-you-can-t-take-th_35879.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/o-j-mayo-11806_football_i-ve-just-learned-that-you-can-t-take-th_35879.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/o-j-mayo-11806_football_i-ve-just-learned-that-you-can-t-take-th_35879.jpg) > “I've just learned that you can't take this game for granted. You have to stay professional and stay focused and stay prepared to produce and continue to work hard. Nothing's given.” [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success requires constant vigilance, professionalism, and relentless effort; complacency erodes achievement. **In simple terms:** Hard work and focus are essential. Key Takeaway Never assume success is guaranteed. Themes discipline professionalism effort focus resilience mindset Mood determined motivated Type motivational advice When to use this quote - starting a new job - preparing for a competition - launching a project - maintaining a career - training for a sport Key Concepts work ethic continuous improvement goal orientation accountability Practical Applications - Set daily performance goals - Create a routine that reinforces focus Questions to Reflect On - What habits keep you from taking success for granted? - How do you measure preparedness in your field? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Game](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/game/) [Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nothing/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [I'm going to stay in the gym, stay watching film, stay focused, stay being an all around professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jae-crowder/i-m-going-to-stay-in-the-gym-stay-watching-film-stay-focused-stay/) [Jae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jae-crowder/) > [Best advice is this: Work hard. Nothing is given to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-rosenthal/best-advice-is-this-work-hard-nothing-is-given-to-you/) [Ken Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-rosenthal/) > [If you don't work hard at it, nothing's given in this game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-pulis/if-you-don-t-work-hard-at-it-nothing-s-given-in-this-game/) [Tony Pulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-pulis/) > [But we have seen amazing things, good and bad, happen in this game, so you can never take anything for granted. I certainly don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/but-we-have-seen-amazing-things-good-and-bad-happen-in-this-game-so/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) > [I show emotions because I love this game so much and I can't take it for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-correa/i-show-emotions-because-i-love-this-game-so-much-and-i-can-t-take-it/) [Carlos Correa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-correa/) > [It's an honor to be selected to the All-Star Game. It's not something I take for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-posey/it-s-an-honor-to-be-selected-to-the-all-star-game-it-s-not-something/) [Buster Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-posey/) > [I never took the game for granted as far as not having to work on what I needed to do to accomplish all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-iverson/i-never-took-the-game-for-granted-as-far-as-not-having-to-work-on/) [Allen Iverson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-iverson/) > [A lot of us take the game for granted, but that's not the case for me. I'm truly humbled by the game and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-green/a-lot-of-us-take-the-game-for-granted-but-that-s-not-the-case-for-me/) [Jeff Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-green/) > [Luckily, I don't lack confidence and I always try and stay prepared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-bellingham/luckily-i-don-t-lack-confidence-and-i-always-try-and-stay-prepared/) [Jude Bellingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-bellingham/) > [The other big lesson from Katrina is that it pays to be prepared. But it's also very difficult to stay prepared because the longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-e-besser/the-other-big-lesson-from-katrina-is-that-it-pays-to-be-prepared-but/) [Richard E. Besser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-e-besser/) > [“You have the power inside of You. Do not be scared to wield it, for the battles You face give no allowances for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ufuoma-apoki/you-have-the-power-inside-of-you-do-not-be-scared-to-wield-it-for-the/) Ufuoma Apoki > [I don't know what's going to happen in the future; I just know this: I'm going to continue to give my best effort to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gruden/i-don-t-know-what-s-going-to-happen-in-the-future-i-just-know-this-i/) [Jon Gruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gruden/) > [Sometimes you know about a job four months in advance. Sometimes you know about a job four days in advance. It's all different, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rapaport/sometimes-you-know-about-a-job-four-months-in-advance-sometimes-you/) [Michael Rapaport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rapaport/) > [Gotta stay prepared for anything. Expect the unexpected. Be strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/gotta-stay-prepared-for-anything-expect-the-unexpected-be-strong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a dancer, you get trained to carry on no matter what happens. You have to stay professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-mcrae/as-a-dancer-you-get-trained-to-carry-on-no-matter-what-happens-you/) [Tate McRae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-mcrae/) ## More by O. J. Mayo > [I'm not under any pressure. I'm just a kid having fun playing basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-m-not-under-any-pressure-i-m-just-a-kid-having-fun-playing/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I am focusing on the process of making my dream come true, which is to play professional basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-am-focusing-on-the-process-of-making-my-dream-come-true-which-is-to/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I definitely feel like I can fulfill any role that a team needs me to fulfill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-definitely-feel-like-i-can-fulfill-any-role-that-a-team-needs-me-to/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [When you've got guys touching the ball on the offensive end, they're really into the defensive end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/when-you-ve-got-guys-touching-the-ball-on-the-offensive-end-they-re/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [If you rode to my mother's house, it's still a two-bedroom house, one floor. She still drives the same Toyota Corolla that she drove…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/if-you-rode-to-my-mother-s-house-it-s-still-a-two-bedroom-house-one/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I've got a short memory span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-ve-got-a-short-memory-span/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I was real close with Jason Kidd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-was-real-close-with-jason-kidd/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I was 19 before. I understand how you want to come in and do so many things on the positive side. You're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-was-19-before-i-understand-how-you-want-to-come-in-and-do-so-many/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [Magic Johnson didn't play the style that Larry Bird did, and Michael Jordan sure didn't play the style that Magic or Bird played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/magic-johnson-didn-t-play-the-style-that-larry-bird-did-and-michael/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [In the barber shop you start playing checkers, and eventually you want to learn how to play chess. The pieces look a little more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/in-the-barber-shop-you-start-playing-checkers-and-eventually-you-want/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I was telling some of my friends that I really wish college did pay because then you have an opportunity to have fun in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-was-telling-some-of-my-friends-that-i-really-wish-college-did-pay/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I got into a fight in my 10th-grade year, and it was on ESPN. It was a mistake, and you learn from it. Starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-got-into-a-fight-in-my-10th-grade-year-and-it-was-on-espn-it-was-a/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I make mistakes, but each and every day you want to try to better yourself to be a better person and learn from your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-make-mistakes-but-each-and-every-day-you-want-to-try-to-better/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [It's hard to get a rhythm when you don't know what's going to happen for you night in and night out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/it-s-hard-to-get-a-rhythm-when-you-don-t-know-what-s-going-to-happen/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) > [I'm just looking forward to going out there and getting the opportunity to show that I'm a starting guard in this league and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/o-j-mayo/i-m-just-looking-forward-to-going-out-there-and-getting-the/) [O. J. Mayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) [Explore all 57 O. J. Mayo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/o-j-mayo/) ## More Football quotes > [When I came to Chelsea, it was clear that, like many other players, I would first be loaned out. So I went to Belgium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thorgan-hazard/when-i-came-to-chelsea-it-was-clear-that-like-many-other-players-i/) [Thorgan Hazard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thorgan-hazard/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) Brendan Mundorf > [Giggs is the realest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kaluuya/giggs-is-the-realest/) [Daniel Kaluuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kaluuya/) > [You get a new coach; you do things a little differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-manning/you-get-a-new-coach-you-do-things-a-little-differently/) [Archie Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-manning/) > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [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/) > [“Wild card, got it," Duncan said. "Just like in Crazy Eights. I can be a diamond; I can be a spade. Whatever you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/wild-card-got-it-duncan-said-just-like-in-crazy-eights-i-can-be-a/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [I just enjoy winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-bogaerts/i-just-enjoy-winning/) [Xander Bogaerts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-bogaerts/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) [Browse all 59,646 Football quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've just learned that you can't take this game for granted. 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