--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The important thing in life is not to…" description: "\"The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.\" — Pierre de Coubertin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/pierre-de-coubertin-14070_compete_the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-tr_1454724.png" --- # The important thing in life is not to triumph but to… ![“The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.” quote by Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/pierre-de-coubertin-14070_compete_the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-tr_1454724.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/pierre-de-coubertin-14070_compete_the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-tr_1454724.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/pierre-de-coubertin-14070_compete_the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-tr_1454724.png) > “The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.” [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Values competition over winning, emphasizing effort and growth **In simple terms:** Compete, not just win Key Takeaway Focus on personal improvement through competition Themes competition growth sportsmanship Mood inspirational serious Type speech philosophical When to use this quote - school sports - professional athletics - business contests Key Concepts intrinsic motivation ethical sport personal development Questions to Reflect On - How does competition drive personal growth? - Can competition coexist with collaboration? A Different Perspective Winning can still be important for morale ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Triumph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triumph/) ## Related quotes > [“...the important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete…not victory but combat…not to have vanquished but to have fought well…not winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-triumph-but-to-compete-not/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [Teenagers are my life and my triumph. I'd be nowhere without them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/teenagers-are-my-life-and-my-triumph-i-d-be-nowhere-without-them/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-the-triumph-but-the-struggle/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [I want to see how life can triumph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romare-bearden/i-want-to-see-how-life-can-triumph/) [Romare Bearden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romare-bearden/) > [“Sam faced something he had never conceived of in all his life—the triumph of calumny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/sam-faced-something-he-had-never-conceived-of-in-all-his-life-the/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Triumph over adversity that's what the marathon is all about. Nothing in life can't triumph after that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/triumph-over-adversity-that-s-what-the-marathon-is-all-about-nothing/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [“The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-courbertin/the-most-important-thing-in-life-is-not-the-triumph-but-the-struggle/) Pierre de Courbertin > [Whether our life has been a triumph or tragedy can only be judged at its very end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senora-roy/whether-our-life-has-been-a-triumph-or-tragedy-can-only-be-judged-at/) [Senora Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senora-roy/) > [Being able to compete is the most important thing in football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-heinz-rummenigge/being-able-to-compete-is-the-most-important-thing-in-football/) [Karl-Heinz Rummenigge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-heinz-rummenigge/) > [The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-important-thing-in-the-olympic-games-is-not-to-win-but-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most important thing to do as you age is to stay physically active. Lots of people just throw in the towel if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/the-most-important-thing-to-do-as-you-age-is-to-stay-physically/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [The most important thing about Jazz at Lincoln Center is the fact that it's the first time that perhaps the most important art form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-vinoly/the-most-important-thing-about-jazz-at-lincoln-center-is-the-fact/) [Rafael Vinoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-vinoly/) > [Acting is a very important thing for me, and I love doing it. But when I'm acting, I spend 14 hours a day and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-love-hewitt/acting-is-a-very-important-thing-for-me-and-i-love-doing-it-but-when/) [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-love-hewitt/) > [The most important thing for a director is being able to communicate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/the-most-important-thing-for-a-director-is-being-able-to-communicate/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [I think we were raised in a nice Texas Jewish family where education was the most important thing, and close behind that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-loeb/i-think-we-were-raised-in-a-nice-texas-jewish-family-where-education/) [Lisa Loeb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-loeb/) ## More by Pierre de Coubertin > [I therefore think that I was right in trying from the outset of the Olympic revival to rekindle a religious awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/i-therefore-think-that-i-was-right-in-trying-from-the-outset-of-the/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-essential-thing-is-not-to-have-conquered-but-to-have-fought-well/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-most-important-thing-in-the-olympic-games-is-not-winning-but/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [A better world could be brought about only by better individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/a-better-world-could-be-brought-about-only-by-better-individuals/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [In our view the Olympic idea involves a strong physical culture supplemented on the one hand by mobility, what is so aptly called 'fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/in-our-view-the-olympic-idea-involves-a-strong-physical-culture/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [Sport must be accessible to working class youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/sport-must-be-accessible-to-working-class-youth/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [Swifter, higher, stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/swifter-higher-stronger/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [Success comprises in itself the seeds of its own decline and sport is not spared by this law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/success-comprises-in-itself-the-seeds-of-its-own-decline-and-sport-is/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The Olympic Games are the quadrennial celebration of the springtime of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-olympic-games-are-the-quadrennial-celebration-of-the-springtime/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The Olympic Games are for the world and all nations must be admitted to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-olympic-games-are-for-the-world-and-all-nations-must-be-admitted/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [“...the important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete…not victory but combat…not to have vanquished but to have fought well…not winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-triumph-but-to-compete-not/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [ The Olympic flag \[\] has a white background, with five interlaced rings in the centre: blue, yellow, black, green and red \[\]. This design… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-olympic-flag-has-a-white-background-with-five-interlaced-rings-in/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The important thing is that all stages from adolescent to mature man, work is done to spread the sporting spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-is-that-all-stages-from-adolescent-to-mature-man/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [The strength of Olympism comes to it from that which is simply human, hence worldwide is its essence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-strength-of-olympism-comes-to-it-from-that-which-is-simply-human/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) > [Olympism is a doctrine of the fraternity between the body and the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/olympism-is-a-doctrine-of-the-fraternity-between-the-body-and-the-soul/) [Pierre de Coubertin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) [Explore all 48 Pierre de Coubertin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/) ## More Compete quotes > [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/) > [You don't go into the game to compete. You go into each game to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-newton/you-don-t-go-into-the-game-to-compete-you-go-into-each-game-to-win/) [Cam Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-newton/) > [The Way of the Sage is to act but not to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-way-of-the-sage-is-to-act-but-not-to-compete/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [For me, it's more important to bring my level up and make sure that I can compete against guys in the top 100 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-shapovalov/for-me-it-s-more-important-to-bring-my-level-up-and-make-sure-that-i/) [Denis Shapovalov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-shapovalov/) > [I love to compete. That's the essence of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiger-woods/i-love-to-compete-that-s-the-essence-of-who-i-am/) [Tiger Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiger-woods/) > [When I was young, all I wanted to do was to compete, have fun and travel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-gaylord/when-i-was-young-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-compete-have-fun-and-travel/) [Mitch Gaylord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-gaylord/) > [“The secret to unseating great power, is not to move the other direction, but to compete directly against their goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-secret-to-unseating-great-power-is-not-to-move-the-other/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [There are a lot of champions out there, a lot of great guys, but I think that the way I compete and my fighting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-pettis/there-are-a-lot-of-champions-out-there-a-lot-of-great-guys-but-i/) [Anthony Pettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-pettis/) > [“Successful people compete against themselves, not against other people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-adam-snyder/successful-people-compete-against-themselves-not-against-other-people/) [J.Adam Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-adam-snyder/) > [Most people should be given a chance to compete in the Olympic Games.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-the-eagle/most-people-should-be-given-a-chance-to-compete-in-the-olympic-games/) [Eddie the Eagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-the-eagle/) > [The hardest skill to acquire in this sport is the one where you compete all out, give it all you have, and you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-reese/the-hardest-skill-to-acquire-in-this-sport-is-the-one-where-you/) Eddie Reese > [They wanted me to lead these young players, teach them the way to compete, when the only thing I should be worried about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-kinsler/they-wanted-me-to-lead-these-young-players-teach-them-the-way-to/) Ian Kinsler > [For some people, success is a zero sum game. They think that if they push other people out of the way, fewer people can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lelia-bundles/for-some-people-success-is-a-zero-sum-game-they-think-that-if-they/) [A'Lelia Bundles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lelia-bundles/) > [We can't live true to our set of values unless American educational system is strong. I really believe that if we don't get that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/we-can-t-live-true-to-our-set-of-values-unless-american-educational/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I write what I like to read, and I enjoy love triangles in YA and adult fiction - not to mention in other media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/i-write-what-i-like-to-read-and-i-enjoy-love-triangles-in-ya-and/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) Browse all 999 Compete quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pierre de Coubertin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-triumph-but-to-compete/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Compete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-triumph-but-to-compete/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/pierre-de-coubertin-14070_compete_the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-tr_1454724.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/pierre-de-coubertin-14070_compete_the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-tr_1454724.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/126/pierre-de-coubertin-14070_compete_the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-tr_1454724.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete.” — Pierre de Coubertin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pierre de Coubertin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-de-coubertin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The important thing in life is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-triumph-but-to-compete/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-de-coubertin/the-important-thing-in-life-is-not-to-triumph-but-to-compete/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```