--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest thing about playing…" description: "\"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/cc0/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obvious_1492485.png" --- # The greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and… ![“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/cc0/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obvious_1492485.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obvious_1492485.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obvious_1492485.png) > “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 is the ultimate reward of playing, an experience unmatched by anything else. **In simple terms:** Winning feels incomparable. Key Takeaway Value effort and celebrate success. Themes sports competition achievement Mood proud determined Type sports motivational When to use this quote - team sports - career goals - personal milestones Key Concepts motivation excellence Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond winning? - How do you handle loss? A Different Perspective Winning may not be sustainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [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/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [I think the greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you/) [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/) > [I've been playing football all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amari-cooper/i-ve-been-playing-football-all-my-life/) [Amari Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amari-cooper/) > [All I'm focused on is playing my game. Everything else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/all-i-m-focused-on-is-playing-my-game-everything-else-will-take-care/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) ## 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": "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/the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you-can-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you-can-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obvious_1492485.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obvious_1492485.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc0/wayne-gretzky-4019_experience_the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obvious_1492485.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greatest thing about playing obviously is winning, and you can't replace that experience with anything.” — 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": "The greatest thing about playing obviously...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you-can-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/the-greatest-thing-about-playing-obviously-is-winning-and-you-can-t/#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 } } ] } ```