---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've dated athletes before but it's too…"
description: "\"I've dated athletes before but it's too tough because we have the same job, we deal with the same problems and both do a very selfish sport,\" — Tyson Gay"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tyson-gay-31733_athlete_i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too_924765.png"
---

#  I've dated athletes before but it's too tough because we…

![“I've dated athletes before but it's too tough because we have the same job, we deal with the same problems and both do a very selfish sport,” quote by Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tyson-gay-31733_athlete_i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too_924765.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tyson-gay-31733_athlete_i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too_924765.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tyson-gay-31733_athlete_i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too_924765.png)

> “I've dated athletes before but it's too tough because we have the same job, we deal with the same problems and both do a very selfish sport,”

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

## About This Quote

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

Shared professions can create mutual understanding but also competition and self‑interest.

**In simple terms:** Working in the same field can be both bonding and selfish.

Key Takeaway

Balance collaboration with personal goals.

Themes

sports relationships competition selfishness

Mood

thoughtful realistic

Type

advice reflective

When to use this quote

- team projects
- dating
- networking
- co‑working

Key Concepts

team dynamics career overlap emotional intelligence

Questions to Reflect On

- Can you separate professional rivalry from personal affection?
- What boundaries help maintain healthy relationships?

A Different Perspective

Self‑interest may hinder genuine connection.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/)

## Related quotes

> [This is a selfish sport. I'm going out there and winning for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/this-is-a-selfish-sport-i-m-going-out-there-and-winning-for-myself/)

[T.J. Dillashaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-dillashaw/)

> [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/)

[Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/)

> [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/)

[Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/)

> [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/)

[Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/)

> [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/)

[Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/)

> [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/)

[Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/)

> [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/)

[Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/)

> [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/)

[Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/)

> [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/)

[Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/)

> [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/)

[Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/)

> [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/)

[Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/)

> [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/)

[Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

> [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/)

[Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/)

> [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/)

[Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/)

## More by Tyson Gay

> [When I grew up Carl Lewis was still running, Maurice Greene was running - he was that figure I see, like Michael Johnson. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/when-i-grew-up-carl-lewis-was-still-running-maurice-greene-was/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I want to run with the best, that's how I've always lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-want-to-run-with-the-best-that-s-how-i-ve-always-lived/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [But I believe the older I get, I'm wiser and I train smarter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/but-i-believe-the-older-i-get-i-m-wiser-and-i-train-smarter/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [It's all about training smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/it-s-all-about-training-smart/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I lift weights and I run, thats what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-lift-weights-and-i-run-thats-what-i-do/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [My daughter's mother and I are no longer dating, and the people I'm most likely to date are those around me, who are athletes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/my-daughter-s-mother-and-i-are-no-longer-dating-and-the-people-i-m/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I played football in high school, I played baseball when I was younger, things like that, but I think it was the passion I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-played-football-in-high-school-i-played-baseball-when-i-was-younger/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I save the race for the race and I don't let it all out in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-save-the-race-for-the-race-and-i-don-t-let-it-all-out-in-practice/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I basically put my trust in someone and I was let down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-basically-put-my-trust-in-someone-and-i-was-let-down/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I've really learned over the years how to control my adrenaline and let it all out when they shoot the gun versus letting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-ve-really-learned-over-the-years-how-to-control-my-adrenaline-and/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I eat 230 grams of protein daily, 308 grams of carbohydrates, maybe 70 grams of fat. I can have one cheat meal a week…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-eat-230-grams-of-protein-daily-308-grams-of-carbohydrates-maybe-70/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I'm 29 years-old and, sure, I'm looking to find a wife,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-m-29-years-old-and-sure-i-m-looking-to-find-a-wife/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I lift weights and I run, that's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-lift-weights-and-i-run-that-s-what-i-do/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I do a lotta trash talking to keep me motivated, to keep me to not want to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-do-a-lotta-trash-talking-to-keep-me-motivated-to-keep-me-to-not/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

> [I want to find that defining moment that you're satisfied and you've done what you want to do in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-want-to-find-that-defining-moment-that-you-re-satisfied-and-you-ve/)

[Tyson Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

[Explore all 16 Tyson Gay quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/)

## More Athlete quotes

> [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/)

[Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/)

> [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/)

[Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

> [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/)

[Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/)

> [I think what bothers us about fighting sports isn't the damage to the athlete but the fact that you win by doing more harm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-gottschall/i-think-what-bothers-us-about-fighting-sports-isn-t-the-damage-to-the/)

[Jonathan Gottschall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-gottschall/)

> [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/)

[Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/)

> [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/)

[Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/)

> [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/)

[Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/)

> [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/)

[Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/)

> [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/)

[Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/)

> [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/)

[Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/)

> [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/)

[Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/)

> [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/)

[Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/)

> [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/)

[Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/)

> [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/)

[Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/)

[Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I've dated athletes before but it's too tough because we have the same job, we deal with the same problems and both do a very selfish sport,",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tyson Gay"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too-tough-because-we-have-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Athlete"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too-tough-because-we-have-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tyson-gay-31733_athlete_i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too_924765.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tyson-gay-31733_athlete_i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too_924765.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4a/tyson-gay-31733_athlete_i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too_924765.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've dated athletes before but it's too tough because we have the same job, we deal with the same problems…” — Tyson Gay",
                "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": "Tyson Gay",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyson-gay/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've dated athletes before but it's...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too-tough-because-we-have-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyson-gay/i-ve-dated-athletes-before-but-it-s-too-tough-because-we-have-the/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```