--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the greatest thing about playing…" description: "\"I think the greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with anything.\" — Wayne Gretzky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing_1353687.png" --- # I think the greatest thing about playing obviously is… ![“I think the greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with anything.” quote by Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing_1353687.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing_1353687.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing_1353687.png) > “I think the greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with anything.” [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Winning provides a unique thrill that cannot be replicated by any other experience. **In simple terms:** Winning feels irreplaceable. Key Takeaway Cherish and pursue victories. Themes competition achievement joy Mood exhilarated proud Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - team sports - personal goals - career milestones Key Concepts sports psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What does winning truly mean to you? - How can you find value beyond victory? A Different Perspective Winning alone doesn't guarantee lasting fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Obviously Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obviously-winning-3005318/) [Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing/) [Playing Obviously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-obviously-941363/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you-can-t/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [The confidence level that Steph is playing with now, obviously, you won't totally stop him. If I'm playing against him right now, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chauncey-billups/the-confidence-level-that-steph-is-playing-with-now-obviously-you-won/) [Chauncey Billups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chauncey-billups/) > [I mean, before this, I would have said playing Bill Gates, because I'm playing someone obviously who is alive and is the richest man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-michael-hall/i-mean-before-this-i-would-have-said-playing-bill-gates-because-i-m/) [Anthony Michael Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-michael-hall/) > [Obviously winning's important for me, star players are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-harris/obviously-winning-s-important-for-me-star-players-are-important/) [Tobias Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-harris/) > [Obviously winning is what's most important, but I need to show people that I've improved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chiesa/obviously-winning-is-what-s-most-important-but-i-need-to-show-people/) [Michael Chiesa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chiesa/) > [Obviously winning is a lot better than losing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/obviously-winning-is-a-lot-better-than-losing/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [Obviously, (winning the division) is big. To be No. 1 is always important..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-nowitzki/obviously-winning-the-division-is-big-to-be-no-1-is-always-important/) [Dirk Nowitzki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-nowitzki/) > [Obviously winning trophies is massive in football, no matter where you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burke/obviously-winning-trophies-is-massive-in-football-no-matter-where-you/) [Oliver Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burke/) > [When you're playing an exhibition, you're kind of letting everyone get an opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/when-you-re-playing-an-exhibition-you-re-kind-of-letting-everyone-get/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time. There's nothing like it. It's the greatest story. In my era, they used to say you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/lifting-the-stanley-cup-for-the-first-time-there-s-nothing-like-it-it/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [I thank my dad for the JBA Experience and playing overseas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamelo-ball/i-thank-my-dad-for-the-jba-experience-and-playing-overseas/) [LaMelo Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamelo-ball/) > [I don't see any point in playing the game if you don't win, do you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-didrikson-zaharias/i-don-t-see-any-point-in-playing-the-game-if-you-don-t-win-do-you/) [Babe Didrikson Zaharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-didrikson-zaharias/) > [Before I got addicted to comedy, I was seriously thinking about playing tennis full time. I joined the tennis team and played with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrot-top/before-i-got-addicted-to-comedy-i-was-seriously-thinking-about/) [Carrot Top](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrot-top/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [I think everybody needs to think about making plays for the team, making winning plays, before thinking about how many points we're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-gobert/i-think-everybody-needs-to-think-about-making-plays-for-the-team/) [Rudy Gobert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-gobert/) ## More by Wayne Gretzky > [“You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/you-miss-one-hundred-percent-of-the-shots-you-don-t-take/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/hockey-is-a-unique-sport-in-the-sense-that-you-need-each-and-every/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Sometimes people ask, 'Are hockey fights real?' I say, 'If they weren't, I'd get in more of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/sometimes-people-ask-are-hockey-fights-real-i-say-if-they-weren-t-i-d/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [The game is played out of instinct, but everyone on the ice has habits - good and bad. So the key to the game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/the-game-is-played-out-of-instinct-but-everyone-on-the-ice-has-habits/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Lifting the Stanley Cup for the first time. There's nothing like it. It's the greatest story. In my era, they used to say you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/lifting-the-stanley-cup-for-the-first-time-there-s-nothing-like-it-it/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Nothing can replace the Olympics. I love the Olympics. I was so proud when I played in '98 and I was so proud when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/nothing-can-replace-the-olympics-i-love-the-olympics-i-was-so-proud/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [It's really hard. And it's harder today because of the salary cap. It starts in September at training camp - getting every guy on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/it-s-really-hard-and-it-s-harder-today-because-of-the-salary-cap-it/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [When you're playing an exhibition, you're kind of letting everyone get an opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/when-you-re-playing-an-exhibition-you-re-kind-of-letting-everyone-get/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [I don't think any one person will ever be bigger than the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-don-t-think-any-one-person-will-ever-be-bigger-than-the-game/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [I have recall. I don't know why or how. I had a guy once who said he played against me in novice \[league, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-have-recall-i-don-t-know-why-or-how-i-had-a-guy-once-who-said-he/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Everything I did in hockey, I worked for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/everything-i-did-in-hockey-i-worked-for/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [In one sense we are a favorite because we won a gold medal in 2002.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/in-one-sense-we-are-a-favorite-because-we-won-a-gold-medal-in-2002/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [Most players go where the puck is. I go where the puck will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/most-players-go-where-the-puck-is-i-go-where-the-puck-will-be/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/the-highest-compliment-that-you-can-pay-me-is-to-say-that-i-work-hard/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [I just like to keep my money in the bank; I'm not a big risk-taker. I don't know anything about the stock market... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-just-like-to-keep-my-money-in-the-bank-i-m-not-a-big-risk-taker-i/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) [Explore all 117 Wayne Gretzky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) [Michael Bugeja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bugeja/) > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [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've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wayne Gretzky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing_1353687.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing_1353687.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing_1353687.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with…” — Wayne Gretzky", "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": "Wayne Gretzky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the greatest thing about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you/#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 } } ] } ```