---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In all the years I've been playing, I've…"
description: "\"In all the years I've been playing, I've never considered changing my cue. It was the first cue I ever bought, aged 13, picked from a cabinet in a Dunf..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/stephen-hendry-5581_butt_in-all-the-years-i-ve-been-playing-i-ve_2076515.jpg"
---

#  In all the years I've been playing, I've never considered…

![“In all the years I've been playing, I've never considered changing my cue. It was the first cue I ever bought, aged 13, picked from a cabinet in a Dunfermline snooker centre just because I liked the Rex Williams signature on it. I saved £40 to buy it. It's a cheap bit of wood, and it's been the…” quote by Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/stephen-hendry-5581_butt_in-all-the-years-i-ve-been-playing-i-ve_2076515.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/stephen-hendry-5581_butt_in-all-the-years-i-ve-been-playing-i-ve_2076515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/stephen-hendry-5581_butt_in-all-the-years-i-ve-been-playing-i-ve_2076515.jpg)

> “In all the years I've been playing, I've never considered changing my cue. It was the first cue I ever bought, aged 13, picked from a cabinet in a Dunfermline snooker centre just because I liked the Rex Williams signature on it. I saved £40 to buy it. It's a cheap bit of wood, and it's been the butt of other players' jokes for ages.”

[Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He reflects on loyalty to his first cue, valuing sentimental attachment despite its modest quality and others' jokes

**In simple terms:** He keeps his first cue out of sentiment, not performance

Key Takeaway

Cherish personal history, not just utility

Themes

nostalgia identity sportsmanship

Mood

conversational personal

Type

reflective inspirational

When to use this quote

- snooker practice
- collecting sports equipment
- personal storytelling
- team bonding

Key Concepts

Attachment personal narrative material value

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you hold onto items for sentiment?
- How does nostalgia affect your decisions?

A Different Perspective

Sentimental value may hinder performance improvement

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Bought Aged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bought-aged-4034371/) [Butt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butt/) [Changing Cue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-cue-4034369/) [Cheap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cheap/) [Cue Bought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cue-bought-4034368/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Signature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signature/) [Snooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snooker/) [Snooker Centre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snooker-centre-4034370/) [Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wood/)

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> [Snooker is my sanctuary and always has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/snooker-is-my-sanctuary-and-always-has-been/)

[Stephen Hendry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hendry/)

> [It's the worst feeling in the world - to lose in the first round at Sheffield and then have to go home - because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/it-s-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world-to-lose-in-the-first-round-at/)

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> [With snooker, having three months off could have a huge long-term effect on your game. It's not like football, where there's a huge margin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-robertson/with-snooker-having-three-months-off-could-have-a-huge-long-term/)

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> [I have always loved playing snooker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/i-have-always-loved-playing-snooker/)

[Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/)

> [I like to play snooker, golf as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-terry/i-like-to-play-snooker-golf-as-well/)

[John Terry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-terry/)

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[Ronnie O'Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-o-sullivan/)

## More by Stephen Hendry

> [When you have a big lead, you relax and don't concentrate as much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/when-you-have-a-big-lead-you-relax-and-don-t-concentrate-as-much/)

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> [When I'm practising on my own, my game feels great, but there's a big difference between practising on your own and playing against people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/when-i-m-practising-on-my-own-my-game-feels-great-but-there-s-a-big/)

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> [Ever since I was a kid, I'd imagine that I was making a break to win the world championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hendry/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-d-imagine-that-i-was-making-a-break-to-win/)

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