--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always thought, 'That's just the way…" description: "\"I always thought, 'That's just the way you do it.' You work as hard as you can for as long as you can, and the small gains you make will eventually pay..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/walter-payton-16378_gains_i-always-thought-that-s-just-the-way-you_1698601.png" --- # I always thought, 'That's just the way you do it.' You… ![“I always thought, 'That's just the way you do it.' You work as hard as you can for as long as you can, and the small gains you make will eventually pay off.” quote by Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/walter-payton-16378_gains_i-always-thought-that-s-just-the-way-you_1698601.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/walter-payton-16378_gains_i-always-thought-that-s-just-the-way-you_1698601.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/walter-payton-16378_gains_i-always-thought-that-s-just-the-way-you_1698601.png) > “I always thought, 'That's just the way you do it.' You work as hard as you can for as long as you can, and the small gains you make will eventually pay off.” [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hard work and persistence eventually yield results, even if progress seems slow. **In simple terms:** Consistent effort leads to eventual payoff. Key Takeaway Keep working steadily. Themes perseverance effort reward Mood determined optimistic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career development - sports training - personal projects - long‑term goals Key Concepts growth mindset delayed gratification Questions to Reflect On - What small habit can you maintain daily? - How do you stay motivated during slow periods? A Different Perspective Progress may be delayed and not immediately visible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [If there is such a thing as saintly renunciation, it is renouncing small gains for better gains; not for no gains, but seeing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/if-there-is-such-a-thing-as-saintly-renunciation-it-is-renouncing/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [“losses hurt about twice as much as gains make you feel good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-h-thaler/losses-hurt-about-twice-as-much-as-gains-make-you-feel-good/) [Richard H. 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Eventually, pay-per-view public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/anything-in-this-culture-that-stands-still-long-enough-eventually/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“Those is seek to profit from the torment of others will eventually pay the piper”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-alleyne/those-is-seek-to-profit-from-the-torment-of-others-will-eventually/) Tony Alleyne > [Your hard work might not pay off today or tomorrow, but it will eventually pay off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/your-hard-work-might-not-pay-off-today-or-tomorrow-but-it-will/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [“Whenever someone brings up the traits associated with being a functional human otherwise known as an "adult," I think, is this even possible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alida-nugent/whenever-someone-brings-up-the-traits-associated-with-being-a/) [Alida Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alida-nugent/) > [“At all times we have to stand alone with only hope as our companion. 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That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## More by Walter Payton > [Do anything that might make the world a better place for someone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/do-anything-that-might-make-the-world-a-better-place-for-someone/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [If you start something, you shouldn't quit; that is what we were taught. If you're going to play, you might as well play to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/if-you-start-something-you-shouldn-t-quit-that-is-what-we-were-taught/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [Running alone is the toughest. You get to the point where you have to keep pushing yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/running-alone-is-the-toughest-you-get-to-the-point-where-you-have-to/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [If you ask me how I want to be remembered, it is as a winner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/if-you-ask-me-how-i-want-to-be-remembered-it-is-as-a-winner/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [During the off-season when you see other people playing in the Super Bowl, you wonder, and you say to yourself, 'Are you ever gonna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/during-the-off-season-when-you-see-other-people-playing-in-the-super/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [No matter what the game was or how much older and stronger the other kids were, we were taught to give it everything we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/no-matter-what-the-game-was-or-how-much-older-and-stronger-the-other/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [If you could go back and change things, you might not be the person you are right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/if-you-could-go-back-and-change-things-you-might-not-be-the-person/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [Never die easy. Why run out of bounds and die easy? Make that linebacker pay. It carries into all facets of your life. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/never-die-easy-why-run-out-of-bounds-and-die-easy-make-that/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [“Never Die Easy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/never-die-easy/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [I try to run on the hottest days, at the hottest time, because that's the most difficult time. 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And when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/there-were-high-school-coaches-such-as-charles-boston-that-took-me/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [I am happy to say that everyone that I have met in my life, I have gained something from them; be it negative or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/i-am-happy-to-say-that-everyone-that-i-have-met-in-my-life-i-have/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [Work hard or don't work at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/work-hard-or-don-t-work-at-all/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) > [Most important thought, if you love someone, tell him or her, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-payton/most-important-thought-if-you-love-someone-tell-him-or-her-for-you/) [Walter Payton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) [Explore all 40 Walter Payton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-payton/) ## More Gains quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. 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Believe me, you'll love it up here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/change-your-attitude-and-gain-some-altitude-believe-me-you-ll-love-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If China someday gains a more fair, just, and accountable system of government, it will be due to the hard work and efforts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/if-china-someday-gains-a-more-fair-just-and-accountable-system-of/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-lose-yet-gain-others-gain-and-yet-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some people enjoy taking a light stroll in the morning and that gives them relief and that sort of feeling. 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