--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An athlete was never made by mere…" description: "\"An athlete was never made by mere instruction. No soldier was ever trained by the mere study of his manual, but by practicing his drill. Not the hearer..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/outlook-132020_actions-speak-louder_an-athlete-was-never-made-by-mere-instru_1025078.jpg" --- # An athlete was never made by mere instruction. No soldier… ![“An athlete was never made by mere instruction. No soldier was ever trained by the mere study of his manual, but by practicing his drill. Not the hearers of the law, but the doers are justified before God. We must be going forward, not standing still, simply listening and learning. Where our duty…” quote by Outlook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/outlook-132020_actions-speak-louder_an-athlete-was-never-made-by-mere-instru_1025078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/outlook-132020_actions-speak-louder_an-athlete-was-never-made-by-mere-instru_1025078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/820/outlook-132020_actions-speak-louder_an-athlete-was-never-made-by-mere-instru_1025078.jpg) > “An athlete was never made by mere instruction. No soldier was ever trained by the mere study of his manual, but by practicing his drill. Not the hearers of the law, but the doers are justified before God. We must be going forward, not standing still, simply listening and learning. Where our duty is seen God is revealed. Duty is always the will of God. To see it and not to do it, is a most disastrous thing for the man, as well as being an offense against God.” [Outlook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/outlook/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Action and practice, not just instruction, fulfill duty and reveal God; idle listening is disastrous. **In simple terms:** Doing, not just hearing, shows duty and God. Key Takeaway Act rather than merely listen. Themes duty action practice faith learning Mood motivational spiritual Type ethical practical When to use this quote - military training - personal development - religious practice - education Key Concepts behavioral execution spiritual accountability ethical conduct Questions to Reflect On - How does practice deepen understanding of duty? - What dangers arise from passive learning? A Different Perspective Action without reflection may be misguided. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actions speak louder than words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions-speak-louder-than-words/) [Duty God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty-god-430826/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Instruction Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruction-soldier-2309000/) [Learning Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-duty-2309001/) [Offense God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/offense-god-2309002/) [Soldier Trained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier-trained-2309003/) ## Related quotes > [“Your traveling companion, the soldier, is well trained. The two of you were planning something, weren't you?" "Planning what? 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And when this happened, we had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/most-of-us-have-hoped-and-prayed-for-something-to-happen-a-certain/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [If we do not do this our churches will lighthouses without light, wells without water, dumb witnesses, sleeping watchmen, silent trumpets, messengers without tidings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-e-lee/if-we-do-not-do-this-our-churches-will-lighthouses-without-light/) [Robert E. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-e-lee/) > [“Our manly ways and stern simplicity wreak much confusion to the enemy's councils. For they are men yet garb themselves as women, wearing wigs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/our-manly-ways-and-stern-simplicity-wreak-much-confusion-to-the-enemy/) [Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/) > [Tragically, we live in a day when offense to God doesn't matter nearly as much as offense to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/tragically-we-live-in-a-day-when-offense-to-god-doesn-t-matter-nearly/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [Whilst we assert for ourselves a freedom to embrace, to profess and observe the Religion which we believe to be of divine origin, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/whilst-we-assert-for-ourselves-a-freedom-to-embrace-to-profess-and/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [Submission to duty and God gives the highest energy. He, who has done the greatest work on earth, said that He came down from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/submission-to-duty-and-god-gives-the-highest-energy-he-who-has-done/) [James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/) > [“Major, I do not know why God does the things He does, but I believe you have the same duty to God as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-shaara/major-i-do-not-know-why-god-does-the-things-he-does-but-i-believe-you/) [Jeff Shaara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-shaara/) > [“They do not sweat and whine about their condition, they do not lie awake in the dark and weep for their sins, they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/they-do-not-sweat-and-whine-about-their-condition-they-do-not-lie/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-celebrate-myself-and-sing-myself-and-what-i-assume-you-shall-assume/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [“The duty of the moment is what you should be doing at any given time, in whatever place God has put you. You may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-doherty/the-duty-of-the-moment-is-what-you-should-be-doing-at-any-given-time/) [Catherine Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-doherty/) > [I think I could turn and live with the animals, they are so placid and self contained; I stand and look at them long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/i-think-i-could-turn-and-live-with-the-animals-they-are-so-placid-and/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Duty is God;Work is worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/duty-is-god-work-is-worship/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [How often I failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/how-often-i-failed-in-my-duty-to-god-because-i-was-not-leaning-on-the/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) ## More Actions speak louder than words quotes > [I'd rather hear a guy say, I've made plans for us, instead of the usual, I don't know; whatever you wanna do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-d-rather-hear-a-guy-say-i-ve-made-plans-for-us-instead-of-the-usual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes you don't need to hear their excuses or what they have to say for themselves because their actions already spoke the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/sometimes-you-don-t-need-to-hear-their-excuses-or-what-they-have-to/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) > [If you want to know someone's mind, listen to their words. If you want to know their heart, watch their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-know-someone-s-mind-listen-to-their-words-if-you-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't ever compare a girl to a bulldog. You may see the side you don't want to. Now if you compare her to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/savannah-whalen/don-t-ever-compare-a-girl-to-a-bulldog-you-may-see-the-side-you-don-t/) [Savannah Whalen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/savannah-whalen/) > [It is hot and a turn on when the other person is a little possessive, jealous and extremely intense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-lianne/it-is-hot-and-a-turn-on-when-the-other-person-is-a-little-possessive/) [Sophie Lianne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-lianne/) > [True friendship is not based on words, but on actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friendship-is-not-based-on-words-but-on-actions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No matter what a person says to you, it's in the action they display, that the truth is revealed behind their words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-what-a-person-says-to-you-it-s-in-the-action-they-display/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Bolt actions speak louder than words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-roberts/bolt-actions-speak-louder-than-words/) [Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-roberts/) > [Everyone is only responsible for what he/she say. NOT what other understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/everyone-is-only-responsible-for-what-he-she-say-not-what-other/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [Love is an excessively used term. Most don't realize that it is a necessity to succeed in this world. The most powerful expression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-an-excessively-used-term-most-don-t-realize-that-it-is-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Actions speak louder than words. It's not the things you say that are important, it's the things you do that prove everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/actions-speak-louder-than-words-it-s-not-the-things-you-say-that-are/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [I Refuse To Make Excuses For Actions That Still Haven't Been Proven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dul/i-refuse-to-make-excuses-for-actions-that-still-haven-t-been-proven/) [Dul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dul/) > [I hate everything about you that you do and love everything you dont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/i-hate-everything-about-you-that-you-do-and-love-everything-you-dont/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [Most of the time, excuses are made out of pure laziness. For people who are constantly making excuses...the negative energy it takes to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-the-time-excuses-are-made-out-of-pure-laziness-for-people-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being a kind or decent person is not only measured in mere words but with actions, don't just say it, show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/being-a-kind-or-decent-person-is-not-only-measured-in-mere-words-but/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) [Browse all 477 Actions speak louder than words quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actions-speak-louder-than-words/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An athlete was never made by mere instruction. No soldier was ever trained by the mere study of his manual, but by practicing his drill. Not the hearers of the law, but the doers are justified before God. 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