--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wrestling pushes me, makes me…" description: "\"Wrestling pushes me, makes me accountable. It makes me who I am. I never felt I was just a normal person. Then I felt too normal, lazy, sedentary.\" — R..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e8/rulon-gardner-17625_i-am_wrestling-pushes-me-makes-me-accountable_1141613.jpg" --- # Wrestling pushes me, makes me accountable. It makes me who… ![“Wrestling pushes me, makes me accountable. It makes me who I am. I never felt I was just a normal person. Then I felt too normal, lazy, sedentary.” quote by Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e8/rulon-gardner-17625_i-am_wrestling-pushes-me-makes-me-accountable_1141613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e8/rulon-gardner-17625_i-am_wrestling-pushes-me-makes-me-accountable_1141613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e8/rulon-gardner-17625_i-am_wrestling-pushes-me-makes-me-accountable_1141613.jpg) > “Wrestling pushes me, makes me accountable. It makes me who I am. I never felt I was just a normal person. Then I felt too normal, lazy, sedentary.” [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical competition drives personal accountability and shapes identity, contrasting with complacency. **In simple terms:** Competition builds character. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges to avoid stagnation. Themes sports accountability identity motivation discipline Mood determined reflective Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - training - team sports - personal development - health routines Key Concepts Self‑concept habit formation psychological resilience Questions to Reflect On - What drives your personal accountability? - How to balance competition with rest? A Different Perspective Excessive focus on competition may cause burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [“Everything that happened last night was incredibly cliché bordering on boring. If it was a scene in a movie, I would have talked shit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-raskin/everything-that-happened-last-night-was-incredibly-clich-bordering-on/) [Allison Raskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-raskin/) > [“When our eyes met, I felt your intake of breath. I knew then I wasn't alone in my feelings. 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I've never been catty or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-dunst/i-was-a-very-extrovert-kid-it-felt-normal-to-me-to-act-i-always-went/) [Kirsten Dunst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-dunst/) > [My family was poor, my father drove a cab for a living, but we felt normal because everybody else was in the same boat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-cousy/my-family-was-poor-my-father-drove-a-cab-for-a-living-but-we-felt/) [Bob Cousy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-cousy/) > [“I've never felt normal, because I'm not normal, and I don't wanna be. 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And I guess we all had good times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lubar/but-at-least-this-got-mouth-thinking-about-how-his-loneliness-wasn-t/) [David Lubar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lubar/) > [“I felt her come by later, as I was dozing off. Her standing, by my bed. The depth of shadow of a person felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-bender/i-felt-her-come-by-later-as-i-was-dozing-off-her-standing-by-my-bed/) [Aimee Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-bender/) > [Being a shy person, I always felt strange outside with my camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-weston/being-a-shy-person-i-always-felt-strange-outside-with-my-camera/) [Kim Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-weston/) > [The best effort of a fine person is felt after we have left their presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-best-effort-of-a-fine-person-is-felt-after-we-have-left-their/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by Rulon Gardner > [You just try to make the best decisions you can. You just take life as it comes to you and do your best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/you-just-try-to-make-the-best-decisions-you-can-you-just-take-life-as/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [I'm a wrestler with nine toes. I'm a wrestler who has been through a lot of battles. I get to do a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/i-m-a-wrestler-with-nine-toes-i-m-a-wrestler-who-has-been-through-a/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [People say, 'You're overweight'; they question your heart and character. It's a challenge again, proving to myself and to other people that I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/people-say-you-re-overweight-they-question-your-heart-and-character/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [Even when on 'The Biggest Loser', I was out doing back handsprings on the show, throwing dummies on the mat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/even-when-on-the-biggest-loser-i-was-out-doing-back-handsprings-on/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [I can freestyle for a while, but I'm not an Olympic swimmer who can go two or three miles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/i-can-freestyle-for-a-while-but-i-m-not-an-olympic-swimmer-who-can-go/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [Ultimately, I didn't look at 'The Biggest Loser' as being my defining moment. I wasn't there to compete and win the money. I wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/ultimately-i-didn-t-look-at-the-biggest-loser-as-being-my-defining/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [I look at what I have as compared to what I don't have. I have this, I have this, I have this. Thank God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/i-look-at-what-i-have-as-compared-to-what-i-don-t-have-i-have-this-i/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [I don't have all this money people think Olympic athletes have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/i-don-t-have-all-this-money-people-think-olympic-athletes-have/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [People consider me a hero, but I turn around and look at the military people overseas. They're the freaking heroes. They're the ones putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/people-consider-me-a-hero-but-i-turn-around-and-look-at-the-military/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [I grew up on a farm and I always learned when you work you go forward, you don't stop and say, well, I'll take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/i-grew-up-on-a-farm-and-i-always-learned-when-you-work-you-go-forward/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [There's no comparison to competition. You can't tell yourself truly where you're at unless you compete in competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/there-s-no-comparison-to-competition-you-can-t-tell-yourself-truly/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [That's why I kept wrestling - I'm too dumb to realize I can't win, so I keep wrestling until I ultimately succeed. I'm pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/that-s-why-i-kept-wrestling-i-m-too-dumb-to-realize-i-can-t-win-so-i/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [People in my life have either supported me or doubted me. The only people I hear are the doubters. So, for me, I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/people-in-my-life-have-either-supported-me-or-doubted-me-the-only/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [America's seen me go from Olympic glory to 'Biggest Loser'. I want to go back to Olympic glory again. It's kind of the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/america-s-seen-me-go-from-olympic-glory-to-biggest-loser-i-want-to-go/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) > [Every day I turned a 'you can't' into a 'you can.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rulon-gardner/every-day-i-turned-a-you-can-t-into-a-you-can/) [Rulon Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) [Explore all 36 Rulon Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rulon-gardner/) ## More Accountable quotes > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I don't have a boss or PR person, so I'm accountable to no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/i-don-t-have-a-boss-or-pr-person-so-i-m-accountable-to-no-one/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [Be aware and hold the government accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohit-chauhan/be-aware-and-hold-the-government-accountable/) [Mohit Chauhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohit-chauhan/) > [I'm against unanswerable concentrations of power, whether that be government or private industry or religious figures - anybody who is not accountable to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-m-against-unanswerable-concentrations-of-power-whether-that-be/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [I am formally accountable to the steering board of the PIC, and I meet with nine ambassadors from the PIC every week. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-ashdown/i-am-formally-accountable-to-the-steering-board-of-the-pic-and-i-meet/) [Paddy Ashdown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-ashdown/) > [When you're in a relationship, please believe that you are held accountable for every feeling felt, word spoken, and heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/when-you-re-in-a-relationship-please-believe-that-you-are-held/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [We will make government more accountable. We will cut fraud, waste and abuse in our budget. But we will not do it by leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-e-james/we-will-make-government-more-accountable-we-will-cut-fraud-waste-and/) [John E. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-e-james/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [If you can't hold yourself accountable and get your job done then you're not going to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-amendola/if-you-can-t-hold-yourself-accountable-and-get-your-job-done-then-you/) [Danny Amendola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-amendola/) > [There are multi-scatterings of various and associated issues and concerns, but it all boils down to accountable people versus those unwilling to be accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/there-are-multi-scatterings-of-various-and-associated-issues-and/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [If you're going to give people authority and hold them responsible and ultimately accountable for their performance, you've got to get out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-lerner/if-you-re-going-to-give-people-authority-and-hold-them-responsible/) [Randy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-lerner/) > [We all have to hold each other accountable and point that behavior out to each other in a kind way. I guess what I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elizabeth-ellis/we-all-have-to-hold-each-other-accountable-and-point-that-behavior/) [Mary Elizabeth Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elizabeth-ellis/) > [“The mistakes you make now count. Not for everything, and not forever. But they do matter, and they shape you...make your choices well. Because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/the-mistakes-you-make-now-count-not-for-everything-and-not-forever/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [In the church we have to deliberately let ourselves be transparent and accountable to others. We're a family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-the-church-we-have-to-deliberately-let-ourselves-be-transparent/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I feel like I'm held more accountable to stay healthy now because now I'm a role model to young girls to not have eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/i-feel-like-i-m-held-more-accountable-to-stay-healthy-now-because-now/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) Browse all 351 Accountable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wrestling pushes me, makes me accountable. It makes me who I am. I never felt I was just a normal person. 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