--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing is to love your sport…" description: "\"“The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours. Peggy Fleming”\" — Peggy Fleming" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/575/peggy-fleming-27994_sports_the-first-thing-is-to-love-your-sport-ne_3171320.jpg" --- # The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to… ![“The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours. Peggy Fleming” quote by Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/575/peggy-fleming-27994_sports_the-first-thing-is-to-love-your-sport-ne_3171320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/575/peggy-fleming-27994_sports_the-first-thing-is-to-love-your-sport-ne_3171320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/575/peggy-fleming-27994_sports_the-first-thing-is-to-love-your-sport-ne_3171320.jpg) > ““The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours. Peggy Fleming”” [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizes intrinsic motivation in sport, urging athletes to pursue passion rather than external approval. **In simple terms:** Love your sport for yourself. Key Takeaway Focus on personal fulfillment. Themes sports motivation authenticity Mood inspirational encouraging Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - coaching sessions - personal training - youth sports programs Key Concepts self‑determination theory intrinsic motivation Questions to Reflect On - How can athletes balance personal joy with competitive pressure? - What practices nurture intrinsic love for a sport? A Different Perspective External rewards can still be important for some athletes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/the-first-thing-is-to-love-your-sport-never-do-it-to-please-someone/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [I wear my Peggy Fleming T-shirt when I go to sleep every night before I compete, and for the past four years, it's brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-hughes/i-wear-my-peggy-fleming-t-shirt-when-i-go-to-sleep-every-night-before/) [Sarah Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-hughes/) > [“The first is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/the-first-is-to-love-your-sport-never-do-it-to-please-someone-else-it/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [I admired Stephen Fleming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasser-hussain/i-admired-stephen-fleming/) [Nasser Hussain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasser-hussain/) > [Ian Fleming was my cousin, you know. He was in naval intelligence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lee/ian-fleming-was-my-cousin-you-know-he-was-in-naval-intelligence/) [Christopher Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lee/) > [Peter Fleming was a famous English traveler, explorer and adventurer, whose non-fiction books were hugely successful. My father owned signed copies of all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/peter-fleming-was-a-famous-english-traveler-explorer-and-adventurer/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [Bond was how Fleming saw himself; the sardonic, cruel mouth, the hard, tight skinned face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-young/bond-was-how-fleming-saw-himself-the-sardonic-cruel-mouth-the-hard/) Terence Young > [I watch Renee Fleming a lot. I listen to Renee Fleming a lot. She was like my built-in master class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-mueller/i-watch-renee-fleming-a-lot-i-listen-to-renee-fleming-a-lot-she-was/) [Jessie Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-mueller/) > [I only met Ian Fleming once, at a party given by my father's friend the director Carol Reed, at his house at 211 King's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-korda/i-only-met-ian-fleming-once-at-a-party-given-by-my-father-s-friend/) [Michael Korda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-korda/) > [“I want to be more like James Bond, and less like Ian Fleming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-want-to-be-more-like-james-bond-and-less-like-ian-fleming/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Fleming doubted all this but he listened anyway and thought with a kind of sardonic amusement that before the night was over life itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gay/fleming-doubted-all-this-but-he-listened-anyway-and-thought-with-a/) [William Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gay/) > [“If Fran Lebowitz and Ian Fleming had blessed the world with a love child it would have been author J. Fields Jr.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-medina/if-fran-lebowitz-and-ian-fleming-had-blessed-the-world-with-a-love/) Edward Medina > [ \[On Ian Fleming:\] The trouble with Ian is that he gets off with women because he can't get on with them. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamond-lehmann/on-ian-fleming-the-trouble-with-ian-is-that-he-gets-off-with-women/) [Rosamond Lehmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamond-lehmann/) > [Ian Fleming used to base his characters on real people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dux/ian-fleming-used-to-base-his-characters-on-real-people/) [Frank Dux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dux/) > [I've got so much respect for 'Bond.' It's such an iconic cultural behemoth. I love the whole story - Ian Fleming's stories are amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-golding/i-ve-got-so-much-respect-for-bond-it-s-such-an-iconic-cultural/) [Henry Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-golding/) ## More by Peggy Fleming > [I think skating helped me find myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/i-think-skating-helped-me-find-myself/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [This is another kind of competition, but I'm being coached by an excellent team, and I've got a real strong competitive spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/this-is-another-kind-of-competition-but-i-m-being-coached-by-an/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [Love your sport. Never do it to please someone else; it has to be yours. That is all that will justify the hard work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/love-your-sport-never-do-it-to-please-someone-else-it-has-to-be-yours/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [Then came the choreography... the impact of music and choreography tends to really emphasize an overall feeling of what you really want out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/then-came-the-choreography-the-impact-of-music-and-choreography-tends/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [The ultimate goal should be doing your best and enjoying it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/the-ultimate-goal-should-be-doing-your-best-and-enjoying-it/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/the-first-thing-is-to-love-your-sport-never-do-it-to-please-someone/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [Skating was the vessel into which I could pour my heart and soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/skating-was-the-vessel-into-which-i-could-pour-my-heart-and-soul/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [It's a level of strength and character that few of us can imagine; a grace under pressure that few of us will ever attain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/it-s-a-level-of-strength-and-character-that-few-of-us-can-imagine-a/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [When I was on the ice, in the lights, with the music and the motion, there was a certain kind of flirtation that gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/when-i-was-on-the-ice-in-the-lights-with-the-music-and-the-motion/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [When the going got tough, I really had to draw on many of the same competitive instincts I did when I was skating. 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It has to be yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/the-first-is-to-love-your-sport-never-do-it-to-please-someone-else-it/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [We wanted to be achievers, but being an achiever didn't mean that you stopped being a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/we-wanted-to-be-achievers-but-being-an-achiever-didn-t-mean-that-you/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [The world went by, and we didn't get caught up in all the other things, because we didn't have time. We had no spare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/the-world-went-by-and-we-didn-t-get-caught-up-in-all-the-other-things/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) > [As a young child, I played the violin. I think that that started the spark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-fleming/as-a-young-child-i-played-the-violin-i-think-that-that-started-the/) [Peggy Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) [Explore all 20 Peggy Fleming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-fleming/) ## More Sports quotes > [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 > [To get to wear those game day jerseys down the hall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-chesney/to-get-to-wear-those-game-day-jerseys-down-the-hall/) [Kenny Chesney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-chesney/) > [Winning is a habit. 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Sadly, there's no similar flag outside The Woods Jupiter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-rushin/outside-buckingham-palace-the-royal-standard-flies-only-when-the/) [Steve Rushin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-rushin/) > [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/) [Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [Politics in Philadelphia is a contact sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/politics-in-philadelphia-is-a-contact-sport/) [Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [My greatest memories as a kid were playing sports with my dad and watching sports with my dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-teixeira/my-greatest-memories-as-a-kid-were-playing-sports-with-my-dad-and/) [Mark Teixeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-teixeira/) > [I think sports can bring a lot of happiness to people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cabrera/i-think-sports-can-bring-a-lot-of-happiness-to-people/) [Miguel Cabrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cabrera/) [Browse all 17,926 Sports quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The first thing is to love your sport. 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