---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Winning had become kind of automatic, but…"
description: "\"Winning had become kind of automatic, but I realized in 2008 that at any moment that could be taken away from me.\" — Steven Lopez"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/steven-lopez-61603_any_winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but_663770.png"
---

#  Winning had become kind of automatic, but I realized in…

![“Winning had become kind of automatic, but I realized in 2008 that at any moment that could be taken away from me.” quote by Steven Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/steven-lopez-61603_any_winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but_663770.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/steven-lopez-61603_any_winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but_663770.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/steven-lopez-61603_any_winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but_663770.png)

> “Winning had become kind of automatic, but I realized in 2008 that at any moment that could be taken away from me.”

[Steven Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-lopez/)

## About This Quote

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

Success felt automatic, but he realized it could be lost at any time, prompting vigilance.

**In simple terms:** Winning seemed easy until he saw its fragility.

Key Takeaway

Stay vigilant and keep improving.

Themes

success vulnerability mindset

Mood

determined cautious

Type

motivational practical

When to use this quote

- athletic training
- career planning
- risk management

Key Concepts

impermanence focus resilience

Questions to Reflect On

- What safeguards your achievements?
- How do you prepare for sudden change?

A Different Perspective

May cause anxiety over uncertainty.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/)

## Related quotes

> [I saw an Emmy ad that AMC took out with all the 'Breaking Bad' nominees' photos, and there's my picture from the show. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-margolis/i-saw-an-emmy-ad-that-amc-took-out-with-all-the-breaking-bad-nominees/)

[Mark Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-margolis/)

> [To ordinary folks, conversion is not always automatic. It's something that may or may not require explicit assistance. See Billy Graham.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/to-ordinary-folks-conversion-is-not-always-automatic-it-s-something/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [Resolution 1441 does not give anyone the right to an automatic use of force. Russia believes that the Iraqi problem should be regulated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-ivanov/resolution-1441-does-not-give-anyone-the-right-to-an-automatic-use-of/)

Igor Ivanov

> [Everyone has a subconscious and automatic preference of this over that. Once you're aware of that, you can take steps to change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kapor/everyone-has-a-subconscious-and-automatic-preference-of-this-over/)

[Mitch Kapor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kapor/)

> [Somehow, someway, for some people there's an automatic assumption that a mayor who is African-American or some other elected official has to support another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nutter/somehow-someway-for-some-people-there-s-an-automatic-assumption-that/)

[Michael Nutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nutter/)

> [Almost everything we do is automatic, yet we're not aware of that. We feel like there's a circle of light. We're like the drunk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-haidt/almost-everything-we-do-is-automatic-yet-we-re-not-aware-of-that-we/)

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

> [We must make automatic and habitual, as early as possible, as many useful actions as we can. . . . The more of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-must-make-automatic-and-habitual-as-early-as-possible-as-many/)

[William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/)

> [“„We didn’t anticipate that the formula would trigger such a violent response. In the future, you’ll only receive the unprocessed raw materials.” “So it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/we-didn-t-anticipate-that-the-formula-would-trigger-such-a-violent/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [For imagination sets the goal picture which our automatic mechanism works on. We act, or fail to act, not because of will, as is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-maltz/for-imagination-sets-the-goal-picture-which-our-automatic-mechanism/)

[Maxwell Maltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-maltz/)

> [The automatic things you do are basically those things that keep you from doing the better things you need to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/the-automatic-things-you-do-are-basically-those-things-that-keep-you/)

[Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/)

> [The 'OK Plateau' is that place we all get to where we just stop getting better at something. Take typing, for example. You might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/the-ok-plateau-is-that-place-we-all-get-to-where-we-just-stop-getting/)

[Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/)

> [“Being happy has -huge- advantages. One, you smile more. Training of facial muscles. Automatic! But did you know that the risible muscle, the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ren-friedrich/being-happy-has-huge-advantages-one-you-smile-more-training-of-facial/)

René Friedrich

> [The thing that strikes you most about being a soldier in a war zone and in action to the small extent that I was,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/the-thing-that-strikes-you-most-about-being-a-soldier-in-a-war-zone/)

[Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/)

> [Windows Updates have sometimes been a pain point for users. The update pop-ups can interrupt a movie or a video game, and the automatic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-parr/windows-updates-have-sometimes-been-a-pain-point-for-users-the-update/)

[Ben Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-parr/)

> [Minimize your therbligs until it becomes automatic; this doubles your effective lifetime - and thereby gives time to enjoy butterflies and kittens and rainbows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/minimize-your-therbligs-until-it-becomes-automatic-this-doubles-your/)

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/)

## More by Steven Lopez

> [The statistics show that when you've done something for so long, it'll either be, yeah, you're slowing down, or someone's doing it better. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/the-statistics-show-that-when-you-ve-done-something-for-so-long-it-ll/)

[Steven Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-lopez/)

> [People in the U.S. didn't know what taekwondo was. But they saw what the Lopezes were able to do with all the love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/people-in-the-u-s-didn-t-know-what-taekwondo-was-but-they-saw-what/)

[Steven Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-lopez/)

> [It's torturous what my siblings put me through. I can take any Olympic final, I can fight in a world championship and fall behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/it-s-torturous-what-my-siblings-put-me-through-i-can-take-any-olympic/)

[Steven Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-lopez/)

> [As people get older, they get married, have kids. I'm not married. I don't have kids, so I'm able to focus 100 percent on this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/as-people-get-older-they-get-married-have-kids-i-m-not-married-i-don/)

[Steven Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-lopez/)

[Explore all 5 Steven Lopez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-lopez/)

## More Any quotes

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/)

[Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/)

> [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/)

[Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/)

[Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/)

> [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/)

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

> [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/)

[Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/)

> [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/)

[Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/)

> [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/)

[Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/)

> [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/)

[Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/)

> [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/)

[Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/)

> [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/)

[Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/)

> [I love the sea, but I avoid any sort of seaside resort that has skyscrapers or seaside entertainments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-blake/i-love-the-sea-but-i-avoid-any-sort-of-seaside-resort-that-has/)

[Quentin Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-blake/)

Browse all 6,938 Any quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Winning had become kind of automatic, but I realized in 2008 that at any moment that could be taken away from me.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Steven Lopez"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but-i-realized-in-2008-that-at/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Any"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but-i-realized-in-2008-that-at/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/steven-lopez-61603_any_winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but_663770.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/steven-lopez-61603_any_winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but_663770.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/steven-lopez-61603_any_winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but_663770.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Winning had become kind of automatic, but I realized in 2008 that at any moment that could be taken away…” — Steven Lopez",
                "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": "Steven Lopez",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-lopez/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Winning had become kind of automatic,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but-i-realized-in-2008-that-at/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-lopez/winning-had-become-kind-of-automatic-but-i-realized-in-2008-that-at/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
