--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do you consider yourself athletic? How…" description: "\"“Do you consider yourself athletic? How would you rate yourself, say, as a swimmer? Average, below average, maybe a little above average? So-so? Terrib..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/rita-davenport-87346_gold-medal_do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-wo_2866098.jpg" --- # Do you consider yourself athletic? How would you rate… ![“Do you consider yourself athletic? How would you rate yourself, say, as a swimmer? Average, below average, maybe a little above average? So-so? Terrible? Well, I’ve got news for you: whether you know it or not, you are a world-class super-Olympic gold medal swimmer. I’m not kidding. You know how I…” quote by Rita Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/rita-davenport-87346_gold-medal_do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-wo_2866098.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/rita-davenport-87346_gold-medal_do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-wo_2866098.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/rita-davenport-87346_gold-medal_do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-wo_2866098.jpg) > ““Do you consider yourself athletic? How would you rate yourself, say, as a swimmer? Average, below average, maybe a little above average? So-so? Terrible? Well, I’ve got news for you: whether you know it or not, you are a world-class super-Olympic gold medal swimmer. I’m not kidding. You know how I know that? Because I took anatomy, physiology, bacteriology, and chemistry in college, as part of my science minor. And here’s what I learned: we all start out the same way, as tiny sperm cells. In order for you to be born, assuming your daddy had an average sperm count, you had to have out-swum some 200,000 other sperm. And it was uphill all the way. Now, I do not know what motivated you, but that little tail was wiggling like mad, and you were screaming, “Out of my way! Out of my way! I want to teach school! I want to dance! I want to be in real estate! I want to be a journalist!” or whatever it was you were screaming at the top of your little sperm voice.”” [Rita Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-davenport/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We all begin as identical cells, but competition and drive push us to excel in diverse fields. **In simple terms:** Everyone starts equal; effort determines success. Key Takeaway Embrace competition, pursue passions. Themes motivation competition self‑belief Mood inspired determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - education - sports - arts - real estate - journalism Key Concepts biology psychology career development Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond basic survival? - How can you channel early competition into current goals? A Different Perspective Not everyone has equal resources or opportunities, which can limit outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Average Sperm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/average-sperm-3895379/) [Gold medal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-medal/) [Olympic gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympic-gold/) [Real estate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-estate/) [Say Swimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-swimmer-3895377/) [Sperm Uphill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sperm-uphill-3895378/) [Swimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimmer/) [Swimmer Average](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimmer-average-3895380/) [Ur Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-dad/) ## Related quotes > [People come up to me and say, 'You're that swimmer.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/people-come-up-to-me-and-say-you-re-that-swimmer/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [Billy Konchellah with his World Championship titles, Paul Ereng with his Olympic gold and Wilson Kipketer with his World records are my role models.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/billy-konchellah-with-his-world-championship-titles-paul-ereng-with/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [You do not boo an Olympic Gold Medalist. I'm the best in the world. I came here for you. You dont' boo me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-angle/you-do-not-boo-an-olympic-gold-medalist-i-m-the-best-in-the-world-i/) [Kurt Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-angle/) > [“Her mother could win Olympic gold in fussing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raeanne-thayne/her-mother-could-win-olympic-gold-in-fussing/) [RaeAnne Thayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raeanne-thayne/) > [From the time I started boxing, my dream was to win an Olympic gold medal. At 10, I can't say I knew how big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-garcia/from-the-time-i-started-boxing-my-dream-was-to-win-an-olympic-gold/) [Danny Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-garcia/) > [How can you top an Olympic gold other than, you know, getting a second Olympic gold?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-labbe/how-can-you-top-an-olympic-gold-other-than-you-know-getting-a-second/) [Stephanie Labbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-labbe/) > [Here were these college kids beating the Soviets and going on to the Olympic Gold Medal. To me, that's the greatest upset of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mckay/here-were-these-college-kids-beating-the-soviets-and-going-on-to-the/) [Jim McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mckay/) > [The country has to identify and promote raw talent. I have full faith that India will win Olympic gold in athletics sooner than later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-usha/the-country-has-to-identify-and-promote-raw-talent-i-have-full-faith/) [P. T. Usha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-usha/) > [People are saying I hold and spoil, but you don't get to win Olympic gold without a bit of power and ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-degale/people-are-saying-i-hold-and-spoil-but-you-don-t-get-to-win-olympic/) [James DeGale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-degale/) > [Going to the Olympics as a Maasai I want to make them proud because, after the warm welcome they gave me when I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/going-to-the-olympics-as-a-maasai-i-want-to-make-them-proud-because/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [I wanted to be the best street fighter in Houston, Texas. And I thought if I got a trophy or two, I'd go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/i-wanted-to-be-the-best-street-fighter-in-houston-texas-and-i-thought/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [If I would have won that Olympic gold medal, I would have gotten a job somewhere coaching at a university, and I would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cormier/if-i-would-have-won-that-olympic-gold-medal-i-would-have-gotten-a-job/) [Daniel Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cormier/) > [“If you bake a cupcake, the world has one more cupcake. If you become a circus clown, the world has one more squirt of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/if-you-bake-a-cupcake-the-world-has-one-more-cupcake-if-you-become-a/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [You don't do a play to compete for an award. This was the argument I always had over the Oscars. I didn't win them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/you-don-t-do-a-play-to-compete-for-an-award-this-was-the-argument-i/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [Career-wise, I was not the most naturally talented ice skater. Of course I had a knack for it , but practice was always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-lipinski/career-wise-i-was-not-the-most-naturally-talented-ice-skater-of/) [Tara Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-lipinski/) ## More by Rita Davenport > [“Money isn't everything, but it's right up there with oxygen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-davenport/money-isn-t-everything-but-it-s-right-up-there-with-oxygen/) [Rita Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-davenport/) > [Obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-davenport/obstacles-are-what-we-see-when-we-take-our-eyes-off-the-goal/) [Rita Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-davenport/) [Explore all 3 Rita Davenport quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-davenport/) ## More Gold medal quotes > [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. And here we have Zelah Green, the fourteen-year-old champion of rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-curtis/i-m-so-stressed-that-a-weird-olympic-style-commentary-starts-up-in-my/) [Vanessa Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-curtis/) > [No matter what. Wherever your mind wanders, it seems to turn up at the same Field of Dreams. It's the vision you wake up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/no-matter-what-wherever-your-mind-wanders-it-seems-to-turn-up-at-the/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [All the people in Korea are cheering me like I'm a gold medalist or something, so I have a responsibility to my country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psy/all-the-people-in-korea-are-cheering-me-like-i-m-a-gold-medalist-or/) [PSY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psy/) > [If there were a category in the Olympics for laundry, my mother would have been a gold-medal winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/if-there-were-a-category-in-the-olympics-for-laundry-my-mother-would/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I want to win a gold medal in London.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerri-walsh/i-want-to-win-a-gold-medal-in-london/) [Kerri Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerri-walsh/) > [When Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner asked a roomful of Olympic hopefuls if they had a list of written goals, every one raised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/when-olympic-decathlon-gold-medalist-bruce-jenner-asked-a-roomful-of/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [You don't do a play to compete for an award. This was the argument I always had over the Oscars. I didn't win them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/you-don-t-do-a-play-to-compete-for-an-award-this-was-the-argument-i/) [Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/) > [Skiing is my favorite sport, because, that's the only sport that is actually better to watch the worst the person is at it. "That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/skiing-is-my-favorite-sport-because-that-s-the-only-sport-that-is/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I don't know what the point of life is, but I'm certain that five gold medals is not it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikaela-shiffrin/i-don-t-know-what-the-point-of-life-is-but-i-m-certain-that-five-gold/) [Mikaela Shiffrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikaela-shiffrin/) > [“If you bake a cupcake, the world has one more cupcake. If you become a circus clown, the world has one more squirt of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-e-landsburg/if-you-bake-a-cupcake-the-world-has-one-more-cupcake-if-you-become-a/) [Steven E. Landsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-e-landsburg/) > [If I would have won that Olympic gold medal, I would have gotten a job somewhere coaching at a university, and I would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cormier/if-i-would-have-won-that-olympic-gold-medal-i-would-have-gotten-a-job/) [Daniel Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cormier/) > [But probably this is helps to win, to win, to gold, more gold medals, and to win most my important medal, heart of people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-korbut/but-probably-this-is-helps-to-win-to-win-to-gold-more-gold-medals-and/) [Olga Korbut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-korbut/) > [Going to the Olympics as a Maasai I want to make them proud because, after the warm welcome they gave me when I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/going-to-the-olympics-as-a-maasai-i-want-to-make-them-proud-because/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [“More experimenting. Kicking back with him settled on my lap. Figuring out if I just liked nurturing my oral fixation or if I wouldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santino-hassell/more-experimenting-kicking-back-with-him-settled-on-my-lap-figuring/) [Santino Hassell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santino-hassell/) > [When you see athletes like me win gold medals, you only see the finished product, you dont see the real effort that the likes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linford-christie/when-you-see-athletes-like-me-win-gold-medals-you-only-see-the/) [Linford Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linford-christie/) [Browse all 468 Gold medal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-medal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Do you consider yourself athletic? How would you rate yourself, say, as a swimmer? Average, below average, maybe a little above average? So-so? Terrible? Well, I’ve got news for you: whether you know it or not, you are a world-class super-Olympic gold medal swimmer. I’m not kidding. You know how I know that? Because I took anatomy, physiology, bacteriology, and chemistry in college, as part of my science minor. And here’s what I learned: we all start out the same way, as tiny sperm cells. In order for you to be born, assuming your daddy had an average sperm count, you had to have out-swum some 200,000 other sperm. And it was uphill all the way. Now, I do not know what motivated you, but that little tail was wiggling like mad, and you were screaming, “Out of my way! Out of my way! I want to teach school! I want to dance! I want to be in real estate! I want to be a journalist!” or whatever it was you were screaming at the top of your little sperm voice.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rita Davenport" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-davenport/do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-would-you-rate-yourself-say-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gold medal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-davenport/do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-would-you-rate-yourself-say-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/rita-davenport-87346_gold-medal_do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-wo_2866098.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/rita-davenport-87346_gold-medal_do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-wo_2866098.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/rita-davenport-87346_gold-medal_do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-wo_2866098.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do you consider yourself athletic? How would you rate yourself, say, as a swimmer? Average, below average…” — Rita Davenport", "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": "Rita Davenport", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-davenport/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Do you consider yourself athletic? How...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-davenport/do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-would-you-rate-yourself-say-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-davenport/do-you-consider-yourself-athletic-how-would-you-rate-yourself-say-as/#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 } } ] } ```