--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What I look for are guys that work hard…" description: "\"What I look for are guys that work hard, have a great work ethic and embrace that underdog mentality a little bit. And certainly there is no substitute..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/sean-mcdermott-14565_great_what-i-look-for-are-guys-that-work-hard_3057306.jpg" --- # What I look for are guys that work hard, have a great work… ![“What I look for are guys that work hard, have a great work ethic and embrace that underdog mentality a little bit. And certainly there is no substitute for toughness.” quote by Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/sean-mcdermott-14565_great_what-i-look-for-are-guys-that-work-hard_3057306.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/sean-mcdermott-14565_great_what-i-look-for-are-guys-that-work-hard_3057306.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/675/sean-mcdermott-14565_great_what-i-look-for-are-guys-that-work-hard_3057306.jpg) > “What I look for are guys that work hard, have a great work ethic and embrace that underdog mentality a little bit. And certainly there is no substitute for toughness.” [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success comes from hard work, strong ethic, and a resilient underdog mindset; toughness is irreplaceable. **In simple terms:** Hard work, ethic, and resilience drive success. Key Takeaway Cultivate toughness and a resilient mindset. Themes sports leadership resilience Mood motivational determined Type sports leadership When to use this quote - coaching - team building - career advancement - personal fitness Key Concepts Psychology of grit team dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance toughness with compassion? - When does resilience become stubbornness? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on toughness may neglect empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Substitute Toughness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substitute-toughness-5113202/) [Toughness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toughness/) [Underdog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog/) [Underdog Mentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underdog-mentality-3244289/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work ethic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-ethic/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [If I ever felt sorry for myself, my dad and I would have this two-hour talk. He bred an underdog mentality into me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xander-schauffele/if-i-ever-felt-sorry-for-myself-my-dad-and-i-would-have-this-two-hour/) [Xander Schauffele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xander-schauffele/) > [I think towards the end of my career, I'm the man. But right now, I've still got that underdog mentality to keep on proving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-joshua/i-think-towards-the-end-of-my-career-i-m-the-man-but-right-now-i-ve/) [Anthony Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-joshua/) > [I found that Toronto has a lot of my similar mindset, which is the underdog mentality and just feeling like you have a chip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-vanvleet/i-found-that-toronto-has-a-lot-of-my-similar-mindset-which-is-the/) [Fred VanVleet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-vanvleet/) > [The underdog mentality is an advantage for me, one that always helps me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-moreno/the-underdog-mentality-is-an-advantage-for-me-one-that-always-helps-me/) [Brandon Moreno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-moreno/) > [Pittsburgh is an underdog city because it's been in a recession for a really long time, since the steel industry collapsed, so it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/pittsburgh-is-an-underdog-city-because-it-s-been-in-a-recession-for-a/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) > [Good work habits help develop an internal toughness and a self-confident attitude that will sustain you through every adversity and temporary discouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-j-fleyer/good-work-habits-help-develop-an-internal-toughness-and-a-self/) [Paul J Fleyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-j-fleyer/) > [I wish I were brave, although I try. I work too hard and don't play enough. Too much work ethic, not enough 'fun'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-steel/i-wish-i-were-brave-although-i-try-i-work-too-hard-and-don-t-play/) [Danielle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-steel/) > [I want to have the strongest work ethic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-brunson/i-want-to-have-the-strongest-work-ethic/) [Jalen Brunson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-brunson/) > [Great readers, great listeners, and all have great work ethics. ... They work hard at what they do and they're devout to their reading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-wilkinson/great-readers-great-listeners-and-all-have-great-work-ethics-they/) [Andy Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-wilkinson/) > [“Work for what you want, the pursuit of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/work-for-what-you-want-the-pursuit-of-life/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“People frequently ask me why I work so hard - prolong hours, infrequent vacations, and never calling in sick or missing work for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/people-frequently-ask-me-why-i-work-so-hard-prolong-hours-infrequent/) [Kilroy J. Oldster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kilroy-j-oldster/) > [Bottom line is, work ethic equals dreams, and I am walking proof that that's a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diamond-dallas-page/bottom-line-is-work-ethic-equals-dreams-and-i-am-walking-proof-that/) [Diamond Dallas Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diamond-dallas-page/) > [All My Children taught me a great work ethic; you work so hard on a soap opera! It is a good way to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-larue/all-my-children-taught-me-a-great-work-ethic-you-work-so-hard-on-a/) [Eva LaRue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-larue/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) ## More by Sean McDermott > [It is unusual for a coach to call you, just from a fundamental standpoint and say 'hey we're watching what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/it-is-unusual-for-a-coach-to-call-you-just-from-a-fundamental/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [That's a sign of a good football team, where we can adjust and adapt to our surroundings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/that-s-a-sign-of-a-good-football-team-where-we-can-adjust-and-adapt/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [I've always had coaching in my blood. My dad was a college coach at West Chester and Ursinus so I had a feeling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/i-ve-always-had-coaching-in-my-blood-my-dad-was-a-college-coach-at/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Move the ball and score points. If we don't do that, I'm frustrated. Simply put.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/move-the-ball-and-score-points-if-we-don-t-do-that-i-m-frustrated/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [I was a tough player, but I wasn't the most talented player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/i-was-a-tough-player-but-i-wasn-t-the-most-talented-player/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [I used to go with my dad to wash windows at a grocery store on Sunday nights when it was closed because they didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/i-used-to-go-with-my-dad-to-wash-windows-at-a-grocery-store-on-sunday/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [In order to build chemistry you've got to really know one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/in-order-to-build-chemistry-you-ve-got-to-really-know-one-another/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [You've got to win close games in the NFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/you-ve-got-to-win-close-games-in-the-nfl/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [There's a lot of 'who you know' in this business, and I don't think I skipped a step on the journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/there-s-a-lot-of-who-you-know-in-this-business-and-i-don-t-think-i/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Super Bowl parties are not my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/super-bowl-parties-are-not-my-thing/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [There's a reason the Panthers have been successful over the years and Cam Newton's a big factor in that equation. He does a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/there-s-a-reason-the-panthers-have-been-successful-over-the-years-and/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Being around a couple good tight ends in my history, both in Philadelphia and Carolina, namely in Chad Lewis and then in Greg Olsen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/being-around-a-couple-good-tight-ends-in-my-history-both-in/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [It's a life lesson that translates beyond football. You can share these things with your kids: Work hard, do things the right way and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/it-s-a-life-lesson-that-translates-beyond-football-you-can-share/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Regardless of what you do, or who you have, at the end of the day you have to be able to execute better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/regardless-of-what-you-do-or-who-you-have-at-the-end-of-the-day-you/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [Josh Allen has a strong arm, we all know that... 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