--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that to be a competitive athlete…" description: "\"I think that to be a competitive athlete, you have to be goal-oriented.\" — Shannon Miller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/shannon-miller-12422_athlete_i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete_824708.png" --- # I think that to be a competitive athlete, you have to be… ![“I think that to be a competitive athlete, you have to be goal-oriented.” quote by Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/shannon-miller-12422_athlete_i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete_824708.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/shannon-miller-12422_athlete_i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete_824708.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/shannon-miller-12422_athlete_i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete_824708.png) > “I think that to be a competitive athlete, you have to be goal-oriented.” [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being competitive requires clear, measurable objectives that drive training and performance. **In simple terms:** Goal focus fuels athletic success. Key Takeaway Set specific targets. Themes competition goal-orientation performance Mood determined focused Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - training regimens - team sports - personal records - career planning Key Concepts Motivation strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - What goals guide your daily actions? - How do you balance ambition with well‑being? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on goals can neglect enjoyment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Competitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competitive/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goal oriented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal-oriented/) [Gymnastics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gymnastics/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [As a competitive athlete, you always want to come out on top and give your best work. So whether it's my sister or any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-bella/as-a-competitive-athlete-you-always-want-to-come-out-on-top-and-give/) [Brie Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-bella/) > [Being competitive is in my nature. I actually think being competitive saved my life. It's given me the constant drive to be better, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-arlen/being-competitive-is-in-my-nature-i-actually-think-being-competitive/) [Victoria Arlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-arlen/) > [I think I can be competitive. Heck, anybody who can walk to the first tee here has a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fuzzy-zoeller/i-think-i-can-be-competitive-heck-anybody-who-can-walk-to-the-first/) [Fuzzy Zoeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fuzzy-zoeller/) > [I don't believe that there's anyone in the world without a competitive bone in their body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-don-t-believe-that-there-s-anyone-in-the-world-without-a/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [A competitive athlete is painful to look at; trying hard to become an animal rather than a man, he will never be as fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/a-competitive-athlete-is-painful-to-look-at-trying-hard-to-become-an/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [My background is that of a competitive athlete and a fighter, and I'm bringing something totally different to 'The Biggest Loser' that wasn't there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-castronuova/my-background-is-that-of-a-competitive-athlete-and-a-fighter-and-i-m/) [Cara Castronuova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-castronuova/) > [I'm very competitive both as an athlete and person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-bautista-agut/i-m-very-competitive-both-as-an-athlete-and-person/) [Roberto Bautista Agut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-bautista-agut/) > [Growing up as a competitive athlete and playing Division 1 soccer, my entire life was based around hydration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-cooper/growing-up-as-a-competitive-athlete-and-playing-division-1-soccer-my/) [Alex Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-cooper/) > [I was an extreme tomboy. I did competitive gymnastics for over 10 years. I cut my hair like Winona Ryder, with that little pixie cut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serinda-swan/i-was-an-extreme-tomboy-i-did-competitive-gymnastics-for-over-10/) [Serinda Swan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serinda-swan/) > [I was a gymnast when I was younger. My parents put me in gymnastics, and I was actually only good at the floor. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-gymnast-when-i-was-younger-my-parents-put-me-in-gymnastics/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [I think many people think competitive eating is a really disgusting sport, so people think they look bad normally. But I care about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takeru-kobayashi/i-think-many-people-think-competitive-eating-is-a-really-disgusting/) [Takeru Kobayashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takeru-kobayashi/) > [I haven't slept properly for 12 years because of this bloody game. I don't think you do in a competitive game. You toss and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-montgomerie/i-haven-t-slept-properly-for-12-years-because-of-this-bloody-game-i/) [Colin Montgomerie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-montgomerie/) > [I'm not a competitive person, and I think women like me because they don't think I'm competitive, just nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bush/i-m-not-a-competitive-person-and-i-think-women-like-me-because-they/) [Barbara Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bush/) > [There's a layer of satisfaction that I get from cooking that is more than the work itself. I think when you're too competitive sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rankin/there-s-a-layer-of-satisfaction-that-i-get-from-cooking-that-is-more/) [Paul Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rankin/) > [We have some states that I think are very competitive in that no Republican has ever been competitive in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-have-some-states-that-i-think-are-very-competitive-in-that-no/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by Shannon Miller > [Goals have to be realistic and flexible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/goals-have-to-be-realistic-and-flexible/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [It's important to have a plan, a big picture. You can deviate from it or change it completely, but it gives you something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/it-s-important-to-have-a-plan-a-big-picture-you-can-deviate-from-it/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [It's amazing to me that they're cutting physical education programs in the school systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/it-s-amazing-to-me-that-they-re-cutting-physical-education-programs/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [I want to bring more gymnastics on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-want-to-bring-more-gymnastics-on-television/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [I thought about running a marathon a long time ago, but I'm just not a runner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-thought-about-running-a-marathon-a-long-time-ago-but-i-m-just-not-a/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [I'm a competitor. I really enjoyed the race more than just going out and running to run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-m-a-competitor-i-really-enjoyed-the-race-more-than-just-going-out/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [If you want to take it up a step and aim to become a competitive gymnast, you have to be mentally strong and prepared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/if-you-want-to-take-it-up-a-step-and-aim-to-become-a-competitive/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [When you grow up on camera and in the public eye, you feel you have to put forth this image. I just took that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/when-you-grow-up-on-camera-and-in-the-public-eye-you-feel-you-have-to/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [It's been really good to have a goal and go after it. That feels good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/it-s-been-really-good-to-have-a-goal-and-go-after-it-that-feels-good/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [I don't believe that there's anyone in the world without a competitive bone in their body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-don-t-believe-that-there-s-anyone-in-the-world-without-a/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [If you can't handle all the injuries and scars, choose a less demanding sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/if-you-can-t-handle-all-the-injuries-and-scars-choose-a-less/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [There is always going to be a reason why you can't do something; your job is to constantly look for the reasons why you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/there-is-always-going-to-be-a-reason-why-you-can-t-do-something-your/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [In gymnastics, the longest routine you do is a minute and a half, and that's pretty tough to get through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/in-gymnastics-the-longest-routine-you-do-is-a-minute-and-a-half-and/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [Charles Barkley, I used to watch him growing up. Then I met him. He was a big teddy bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/charles-barkley-i-used-to-watch-him-growing-up-then-i-met-him-he-was/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [So if you think being thin is enough to succeed in gymnastics, you're wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/so-if-you-think-being-thin-is-enough-to-succeed-in-gymnastics-you-re/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) [Explore all 55 Shannon Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [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/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/) [Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think that to be a competitive athlete, you have to be goal-oriented.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shannon Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete-you-have-to-be-goal-oriented/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete-you-have-to-be-goal-oriented/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/shannon-miller-12422_athlete_i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete_824708.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/shannon-miller-12422_athlete_i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete_824708.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/shannon-miller-12422_athlete_i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete_824708.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think that to be a competitive athlete, you have to be goal-oriented.” — Shannon Miller", "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": "Shannon Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think that to be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete-you-have-to-be-goal-oriented/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-think-that-to-be-a-competitive-athlete-you-have-to-be-goal-oriented/#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 } } ] } ```