--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you play, play hard; when you work…" description: "\"When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all.\" — Theodore Roosevelt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/698/theodore-roosevelt-218_hard_when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-do_491165.jpg" --- # When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all. ![“When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all.” quote by Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/698/theodore-roosevelt-218_hard_when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-do_491165.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/698/theodore-roosevelt-218_hard_when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-do_491165.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/698/theodore-roosevelt-218_hard_when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-do_491165.jpg) > “When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all.” [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates full commitment to leisure and total dedication to work, separating play from labor. **In simple terms:** Play hard, work harder. Key Takeaway Separate play from work. Themes discipline focus leisure Mood determined serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - sports training - professional projects - creative pursuits - personal hobbies Key Concepts Work ethic play ethic Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance enjoyment and duty? - What risks arise from extreme separation? A Different Perspective May neglect balance, leading to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-play/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-hard/) [Play Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-play/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Don't play what's there, play what's not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/don-t-play-what-s-there-play-what-s-not-there-3/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [“Don t play what's there, play what's not there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/don-t-play-what-s-there-play-what-s-not-there-2/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [“If you're gonna play, play. Don't play!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-kaufman/if-you-re-gonna-play-play-don-t-play/) [Stephen F. Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-kaufman/) > [“Don't play what s there play what's not there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/don-t-play-what-s-there-play-what-s-not-there/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [I don't care where I play, and wherever I do play, I'll play hard and give everything I got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-bregman/i-don-t-care-where-i-play-and-wherever-i-do-play-i-ll-play-hard-and/) [Alex Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-bregman/) > [Don't PLAY hard to get. BE hard to get!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-play-hard-to-get-be-hard-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you don't play hard enough, you don't win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-oden/when-you-don-t-play-hard-enough-you-don-t-win/) [Greg Oden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-oden/) > [You have to play hard every night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauri-markkanen/you-have-to-play-hard-every-night/) [Lauri Markkanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauri-markkanen/) > [You know me, I work hard, but I play hard, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-gordon/you-know-me-i-work-hard-but-i-play-hard-too/) [Aaron Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-gordon/) > [By working hard, you get to play hard guilt-free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/by-working-hard-you-get-to-play-hard-guilt-free/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“play stages: parallel (“I play this while you play that”), cooperative or crossover (“If we use your bricks and mine we can build a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-m-ross/play-stages-parallel-i-play-this-while-you-play-that-cooperative-or/) [Lisa M. Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-m-ross/) > [I just always been if I could play, I could play. That's kind of how I was brought up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-minshew/i-just-always-been-if-i-could-play-i-could-play-that-s-kind-of-how-i/) [Gardner Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-minshew/) > [I have to continue to train hard and when I have time to play I have to play well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willian/i-have-to-continue-to-train-hard-and-when-i-have-time-to-play-i-have/) [Willian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willian/) > [There is a vast difference between games and play. Play is played for fun, but games are deadly serious and you do not play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-baring/there-is-a-vast-difference-between-games-and-play-play-is-played-for/) [Maurice Baring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-baring/) > [I do not live to play, but I play in order that I may live, and return with greater zest to the labors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-live-to-play-but-i-play-in-order-that-i-may-live-and-return/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More by Theodore Roosevelt > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Get action. Seize the moment. Man was never intended to become an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/get-action-seize-the-moment-man-was-never-intended-to-become-an-oyster/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Argument weak; speak loudly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/argument-weak-speak-loudly/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Let the watchwords of all our people be the old familiar watchwords of honesty, decency, fair-dealing, and commonsense."... "We must treat each man on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/let-the-watchwords-of-all-our-people-be-the-old-familiar-watchwords/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The forces that tend for evil are great and terrible, but the forces of truth and love and courage and honesty and generosity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-forces-that-tend-for-evil-are-great-and-terrible-but-the-forces/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Every reform movement has a lunatic fringe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/every-reform-movement-has-a-lunatic-fringe/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at the bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/conservation-and-rural-life-policies-are-really-two-sides-of-the-same/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [It is a great mistake to think that the extremist is a better man than the moderate. Usually the difference is not that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-is-a-great-mistake-to-think-that-the-extremist-is-a-better-man/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I am a strong individualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction; but it is a mere matter of common sense to recognize that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-am-a-strong-individualist-by-personal-habit-inheritance-and/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Alone of human beings the good and wise mother stands on a plane of equal honor with the bravest soldier; for she has gladly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/alone-of-human-beings-the-good-and-wise-mother-stands-on-a-plane-of/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The greatest privilege and greatest duty for any man is to be happily married, and no other form of success or service, for either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-greatest-privilege-and-greatest-duty-for-any-man-is-to-be-happily/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [There can be no effective control of corporations while their political activity remains. To put an end to it will be neither a short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/there-can-be-no-effective-control-of-corporations-while-their-2/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [If elected, I shall see to it that every man has a square deal, no less and no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/if-elected-i-shall-see-to-it-that-every-man-has-a-square-deal-no-less/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Explore all 876 Theodore Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More Hard quotes > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is hard to admit to someone that you love him..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misherie/it-is-hard-to-admit-to-someone-that-you-love-him/) [Misherie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misherie/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [There Was Many Time I Had Wanted To Give Up In Life On So Many Things…But Naw F\*\*\* That...I'm Not Going To Never Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/out-spoken/there-was-many-time-i-had-wanted-to-give-up-in-life-on-so-many-things/) [Out Spoken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/out-spoken/) > [I think you can get, as a player, stuck in the mindset of trying too hard to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/i-think-you-can-get-as-a-player-stuck-in-the-mindset-of-trying-too/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [One of the worst things to come out of the Consumer Protection Board's misleading claims is the impression that government resources are to hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lesko/one-of-the-worst-things-to-come-out-of-the-consumer-protection-board/) [Matthew Lesko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lesko/) > [In our society we have hard nerds and soft nerds. The hard nerds are the ones who used to have the slide rules at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/in-our-society-we-have-hard-nerds-and-soft-nerds-the-hard-nerds-are/) [Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/) > [I think the next 50 years are going to present the human race with challenges that so far exceed the limitations of geopolitical boundaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/i-think-the-next-50-years-are-going-to-present-the-human-race-with/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [High school, going into my junior year, I kind of had the idea I was going to be the starting running back. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/high-school-going-into-my-junior-year-i-kind-of-had-the-idea-i-was/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) [Browse all 29,826 Hard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodore Roosevelt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-don-t-play-at-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hard" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-don-t-play-at-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/698/theodore-roosevelt-218_hard_when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-do_491165.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/698/theodore-roosevelt-218_hard_when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-do_491165.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/698/theodore-roosevelt-218_hard_when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-do_491165.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you play, play hard; when you work, don't play at all.” — Theodore Roosevelt", "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": "Theodore Roosevelt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you play, play hard; when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-don-t-play-at-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/when-you-play-play-hard-when-you-work-don-t-play-at-all/#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 } } ] } ```