--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being the best right now doesn't do…" description: "\"Being the best right now doesn't do anything for my feathers.\" — Shaquille O'Neal" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anyt_121316.jpg" --- # Being the best right now doesn't do anything for my… ![“Being the best right now doesn't do anything for my feathers.” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anyt_121316.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anyt_121316.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anyt_121316.jpg) > “Being the best right now doesn't do anything for my feathers.” [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Current excellence offers no lasting benefit if future growth or relevance is ignored. **In simple terms:** Being the best now doesn't secure future success. Key Takeaway Sustainable achievement requires ongoing development. Themes self-improvement achievement future planning Mood reflective motivational Type personal insight motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - skill maintenance Key Concepts impermanence of success continuous learning Practical Applications - set long‑term goals - invest in continual training Questions to Reflect On - What habits help maintain relevance after a peak? - How can one balance current success with future preparedness? A Different Perspective Success can be fleeting if not paired with adaptability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Being the best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-the-best/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-right-841120/) [Doesn Feathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-feathers-1414699/) [Feathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feathers/) [Right Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-doesn-408147/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) ## Related quotes > [I could not ask for a better GF! Because the best is right in front of me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-vigil/i-could-not-ask-for-a-better-gf-because-the-best-is-right-in-front-of/) [David Vigil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-vigil/) > [“He’s made me believe that I belong with him, with this kind of life, that this is the best that I can get.” “He’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/he-s-made-me-believe-that-i-belong-with-him-with-this-kind-of-life/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [If you are able to enjoy what you do and doing it the best that you can, then you're on the right track.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/if-you-are-able-to-enjoy-what-you-do-and-doing-it-the-best-that-you/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [Always do your best until it's right…if it's not right then it's not your best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfectionist/always-do-your-best-until-it-s-right-if-it-s-not-right-then-it-s-not/) [Perfectionist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfectionist/) > [I've tried my best to do what is right. I only want your love in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zion-y-lennox/i-ve-tried-my-best-to-do-what-is-right-i-only-want-your-love-in-my/) [Zion Y Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zion-y-lennox/) > [“The Best and Right thing to do in Life, is Give a Person a Chance to finish what they started.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-ambu/the-best-and-right-thing-to-do-in-life-is-give-a-person-a-chance-to/) [Joan Ambu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-ambu/) > [When I do something, I don't want to be second best. That's the right way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-cabrera/when-i-do-something-i-don-t-want-to-be-second-best-that-s-the-right/) [Miguel Cabrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-cabrera/) > [To be the best, you have to have the right equipment at your disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafthor-bjornsson/to-be-the-best-you-have-to-have-the-right-equipment-at-your-disposal/) [Hafthor Bjornsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafthor-bjornsson/) > [Hope for the best is what we do, right from the moment we're born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/hope-for-the-best-is-what-we-do-right-from-the-moment-we-re-born/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [“For some reason, my hair always looked best right before bed, and what good was that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruta-sepetys/for-some-reason-my-hair-always-looked-best-right-before-bed-and-what/) [Ruta Sepetys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruta-sepetys/) > [A hero is someone right who doesn't change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foreman/a-hero-is-someone-right-who-doesn-t-change/) [George Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foreman/) > [“It's all right. It doesn't matter what you do. We're dreaming, you know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/it-s-all-right-it-doesn-t-matter-what-you-do-we-re-dreaming-you-know/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/where-you-are-right-now-doesn-t-have-to-determine-where-you-ll-end-up/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Knowing what's right doesn't mean much unless you do what's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/knowing-what-s-right-doesn-t-mean-much-unless-you-do-what-s-right/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Just because you were not right for someone doesn't mean you will never be right for anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-you-were-not-right-for-someone-doesn-t-mean-you-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Shaquille O'Neal > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [And if the big dog ain't me, then the house won't get guarded - period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-if-the-big-dog-ain-t-me-then-the-house-won-t-get-guarded-period/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I don't send messages, I'm not a fax machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-don-t-send-messages-i-m-not-a-fax-machine/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told our guys they must not have cable because Antoine Walker knows how to play, Derek Anderson can play, Shandon Anderson knows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-our-guys-they-must-not-have-cable-because-antoine-walker-knows/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I was really upset. I felt like they tried to limit me, whoever 'they' may be. So I just said to myself third quarter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-was-really-upset-i-felt-like-they-tried-to-limit-me-whoever-they/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Keep in mind, I'm not allowed to be tough. I'm tamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/keep-in-mind-i-m-not-allowed-to-be-tough-i-m-tamed/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm still the baddest expletive in the world. Yeah, I'm getting older, but Kareem got older. Hakeem got older. I don't need Earthlings' respect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-m-still-the-baddest-expletive-in-the-world-yeah-i-m-getting-older/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Write this: Since my boy is the coach, I'm going to try out for the Dolphins next year. Tight end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/write-this-since-my-boy-is-the-coach-i-m-going-to-try-out-for-the/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Everybody talks about being a role model. But if you look up the word 'role' in a dictionary, it describes playing a part. Everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/everybody-talks-about-being-a-role-model-but-if-you-look-up-the-word/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Why don't you bring your face up here and let me punch it? Then you can tell me (if I'm stronger).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/why-don-t-you-bring-your-face-up-here-and-let-me-punch-it-then-you/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I'm known as The Big Baryshnikov.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-m-known-as-the-big-baryshnikov/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Enunciation, diction, all that stuff. None of that is in my personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/enunciation-diction-all-that-stuff-none-of-that-is-in-my-personality/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I told Leonard, in the immortal words of Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 2, 'I'm going on vacation. If I tell you where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-told-leonard-in-the-immortal-words-of-tom-cruise-in-mission/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Stats don't matter. I care about winning, not stats. If I score 0 points and we win I'm happy. If I score 50, 60…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/stats-don-t-matter-i-care-about-winning-not-stats-if-i-score-0-points/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) [Explore all 422 Shaquille O'Neal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Being the best right now doesn't do anything for my feathers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shaquille O'Neal" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anything-for-my-feathers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anything-for-my-feathers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anyt_121316.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anyt_121316.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b6/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anyt_121316.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Being the best right now doesn't do anything for my feathers.” — Shaquille O'Neal", "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": "Shaquille O'Neal", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Being the best right now doesn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anything-for-my-feathers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/being-the-best-right-now-doesn-t-do-anything-for-my-feathers/#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 } } ] } ```