--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not a young jitterbug anymore. When I…" description: "\"I'm not a young jitterbug anymore. When I was a young jitterbug, I never won. I didn't start winning until I got older. The older I get, the wiser I ge..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_i-m-not-a-young-jitterbug-anymore-when-i_2572277.jpg" --- # I'm not a young jitterbug anymore. When I was a young… ![“I'm not a young jitterbug anymore. When I was a young jitterbug, I never won. I didn't start winning until I got older. The older I get, the wiser I get. You just have to play it smart.” quote by Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_i-m-not-a-young-jitterbug-anymore-when-i_2572277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_i-m-not-a-young-jitterbug-anymore-when-i_2572277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/shaquille-o-neal-659_basketball_i-m-not-a-young-jitterbug-anymore-when-i_2572277.jpg) > “I'm not a young jitterbug anymore. When I was a young jitterbug, I never won. I didn't start winning until I got older. The older I get, the wiser I get. You just have to play it smart.” [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. Older age brought wisdom and smarter play, leading to wins after earlier losses. **In simple terms:** Experience and strategy improve performance over time. Key Takeaway Leverage experience to play smarter. Themes wisdom experience strategy Mood reflective motivational Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - coaching mentorship - career longevity planning - skill refinement workshops Key Concepts age-related learning skill adaptation competitive analysis Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply past lessons to current challenges? - What strategies help translate wisdom into wins? A Different Perspective Ageism may undervalue older contributors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Jitterbug Anymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jitterbug-anymore-1702506/) [Jitterbug Won](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jitterbug-won-1702505/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Start Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-winning-516032/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Wiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wiser/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young Jitterbug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-jitterbug-1702504/) ## Related quotes > [When people see you do alright, then you start winning their hearts. It's not going to come easy, though. It doesn't matter how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-newton/when-people-see-you-do-alright-then-you-start-winning-their-hearts-it/) [Cam Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-newton/) > [There's only one way to start a winning streak. That's winning the first one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-soto/there-s-only-one-way-to-start-a-winning-streak-that-s-winning-the/) [Juan Soto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-soto/) > [“When you hand over control, you start winning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-jarvis/when-you-hand-over-control-you-start-winning/) [Jeff Jarvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-jarvis/) > [I will never, ever let you down. America will start winning again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-never-ever-let-you-down-america-will-start-winning-again/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [There's nothing easy about running for president, I can tell you. It's tough, it's nasty, it's mean, it's vicious, it's beautiful. When you win,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/there-s-nothing-easy-about-running-for-president-i-can-tell-you-it-s/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [It is important to start winning international tournaments early and get that mentality into you. Then, hopefully, you can take it on to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-wilshere/it-is-important-to-start-winning-international-tournaments-early-and/) [Jack Wilshere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-wilshere/) > [We are going to start winning again. We don't win on trade, we can't beat Isil. We are going to win so much. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-are-going-to-start-winning-again-we-don-t-win-on-trade-we-can-t/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [At any given moment, it's not about where we are supposed to be. It's about what work, which relationship, what decision I take. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-berg/at-any-given-moment-it-s-not-about-where-we-are-supposed-to-be-it-s/) [Yehuda Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-berg/) > [The day you get angry at your failures is the day you start winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-day-you-get-angry-at-your-failures-is-the-day-you-start-winning/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [He's been a top player for the last 10 years, and we all work on our swings, we all change things. We keep working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-els/he-s-been-a-top-player-for-the-last-10-years-and-we-all-work-on-our/) [Ernie Els](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-els/) > [America will start winning again, winning like never before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/america-will-start-winning-again-winning-like-never-before/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Know sometimes you might have to sacrifice minutes or scoring opportunities just for the betterment of the team. And I think once everybody buys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-favors/know-sometimes-you-might-have-to-sacrifice-minutes-or-scoring/) [Derrick Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-favors/) > [Managers lose more than they win until they get to the big 10 clubs; then, they start winning a bit more than they lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-seedorf/managers-lose-more-than-they-win-until-they-get-to-the-big-10-clubs/) [Clarence Seedorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-seedorf/) > [I'm gonna have to start winning some of the matches to call it a rivalry!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-roddick/i-m-gonna-have-to-start-winning-some-of-the-matches-to-call-it-a/) [Andy Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-roddick/) > [You master Monday! You start winning the day! You start winning the week! Then the month! Then the year!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/you-master-monday-you-start-winning-the-day-you-start-winning-the/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) ## 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": "I'm not a young jitterbug anymore. 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