--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing I wanted to focus on first was…" description: "\"The thing I wanted to focus on first was that I wanted to graduate, and (with me) coming back, I knew that I wanted another national championship. Anot..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/will-smith-1021_championship_the-thing-i-wanted-to-focus-on-first-was_1086870.jpg" --- # The thing I wanted to focus on first was that I wanted to… ![“The thing I wanted to focus on first was that I wanted to graduate, and (with me) coming back, I knew that I wanted another national championship. Another national championship is everyone's main goal, but we have to take it one game at a time. We can't get ahead of ourselves. We've got Washington…” quote by Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/will-smith-1021_championship_the-thing-i-wanted-to-focus-on-first-was_1086870.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/will-smith-1021_championship_the-thing-i-wanted-to-focus-on-first-was_1086870.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/070/will-smith-1021_championship_the-thing-i-wanted-to-focus-on-first-was_1086870.jpg) > “The thing I wanted to focus on first was that I wanted to graduate, and (with me) coming back, I knew that I wanted another national championship. Another national championship is everyone's main goal, but we have to take it one game at a time. We can't get ahead of ourselves. We've got Washington first, then we'll see what happens.” [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker emphasizes focusing on immediate goals, like graduating, while keeping long‑term championship aspirations in mind, taking each game step by step. **In simple terms:** Focus on short‑term tasks while keeping big goals in view, one step at a time. Key Takeaway Prioritize daily progress toward larger ambitions. Themes sports goal‑setting patience Mood inspirational determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - college athletics - professional sports - personal development Key Concepts team dynamics career planning Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay present yet plan ahead? - What strategies keep long‑term vision alive? A Different Perspective Balancing immediate and future goals can cause tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/games/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [National championships](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/national-championships/) ## Related quotes > [I've always won. I've won the state championship, national championship, all that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahlil-okafor/i-ve-always-won-i-ve-won-the-state-championship-national-championship/) [Jahlil Okafor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jahlil-okafor/) > [So, yeah, I'm going to try to win the national championship next year. But I'm not going to kill myself doing it. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geno-auriemma/so-yeah-i-m-going-to-try-to-win-the-national-championship-next-year/) [Geno Auriemma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geno-auriemma/) > [That's the whole goal, to win the national championship. You can't have a legacy without one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seimone-augustus/that-s-the-whole-goal-to-win-the-national-championship-you-can-t-have/) [Seimone Augustus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seimone-augustus/) > [Anyone who doesn't win their conference has no business playing in the national championship game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/anyone-who-doesn-t-win-their-conference-has-no-business-playing-in/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [If short hair and good manners won football games, Army and Navy would play for the national championship every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-bowden/if-short-hair-and-good-manners-won-football-games-army-and-navy-would/) [Bobby Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-bowden/) > [As good as we were, we didn’t win a National Championship until 1993, mainly because we kept losing to Miami on missed kicks. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-bowden/as-good-as-we-were-we-didn-t-win-a-national-championship-until-1993/) [Bobby Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-bowden/) > [Look, I won in high school, I won a national championship in college, I want to win one in the NBA. But winning a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmelo-anthony/look-i-won-in-high-school-i-won-a-national-championship-in-college-i/) [Carmelo Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmelo-anthony/) > [What are you doing here? Tell me why you are here. If you are not here to win a national championship, you're in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/what-are-you-doing-here-tell-me-why-you-are-here-if-you-are-not-here/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [Edwards said the greatest moment of his career was winning the national championship. The lowest moment (of my career) happens every time we lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lavell-edwards/edwards-said-the-greatest-moment-of-his-career-was-winning-the/) [LaVell Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lavell-edwards/) > [It’s easier to win the National Championship than the SEC, ask Nick Saban.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-spurrier/it-s-easier-to-win-the-national-championship-than-the-sec-ask-nick/) [Steve Spurrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-spurrier/) > [When you're are playing for the national championship, it's not a matter of life or death. Its more important than that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duffy-daugherty/when-you-re-are-playing-for-the-national-championship-it-s-not-a/) [Duffy Daugherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duffy-daugherty/) > [People want national championship banners. People want to talk about Indiana being competitive. How do we get there? We don't get there with milk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/people-want-national-championship-banners-people-want-to-talk-about/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Everything about my life is about winning a national championship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-dake/everything-about-my-life-is-about-winning-a-national-championship/) Kyle Dake > [There is not that many players that really can take over games, signed Candace Parker, I really felt like at that time that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/there-is-not-that-many-players-that-really-can-take-over-games-signed/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [Our dad made everything competitive for me and brother. It always was a world championship, a national championship, Big 10 championship. It was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-harbaugh/our-dad-made-everything-competitive-for-me-and-brother-it-always-was/) [John Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-harbaugh/) ## More by Will Smith > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Goofy was the word that was used most often by my sisters because I've been this tall ever since I was 12 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/goofy-was-the-word-that-was-used-most-often-by-my-sisters-because-i/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Everybody need a partner to stand right by their side. Not only down for the good times. But also down through the bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/everybody-need-a-partner-to-stand-right-by-their-side-not-only-down/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Thomas Jefferson was a real poet. He was slick with that 'pursuit' of happiness because the 'pursuit' puts it back on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/thomas-jefferson-was-a-real-poet-he-was-slick-with-that-pursuit-of/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I have fun. I enjoy my life. And I was hardwired for a deep connection between service, God, and happiness. You kind of need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/i-have-fun-i-enjoy-my-life-and-i-was-hardwired-for-a-deep-connection/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Believing in yourself is the first step to accomplishing any goal. If you think you're going to fail, you probably will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/believing-in-yourself-is-the-first-step-to-accomplishing-any-goal-if/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [ You might be \[outshining me in many ways\]. But if we get on a treadmill, there are two things: you're getting off first or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-might-be-outshining-me-in-many-ways-but-if-we-get-on-a-treadmill/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Black people playing tennis, next white people will be tap dancing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/black-people-playing-tennis-next-white-people-will-be-tap-dancing/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Anything can go away. There's no such thing as safety and security. You can do things that give you the illusion of safety and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/anything-can-go-away-there-s-no-such-thing-as-safety-and-security-you/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [You be as truthful as you can to a specific situation, and it will become universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-be-as-truthful-as-you-can-to-a-specific-situation-and-it-will/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Listen to these words, they are very inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/listen-to-these-words-they-are-very-inspirational/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [Life is lived on the edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/life-is-lived-on-the-edge/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [You dont try to build a well, you dont set out to build a wall, you dont say I am going to build the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/you-dont-try-to-build-a-well-you-dont-set-out-to-build-a-wall-you/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [While the other guy's sleeping? I'm working. While the other guy's eatin'? I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/while-the-other-guy-s-sleeping-i-m-working-while-the-other-guy-s/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [“Too many people are buying things they can't afford, with money that they don't have... to impress people that they don't like!" Nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/too-many-people-are-buying-things-they-can-t-afford-with-money-that/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) [Explore all 305 Will Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) ## More Championship quotes > [ 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 have wrestled in almost every tournament in the world. I've won the Olympics, NCAAs, and World Championships, but none of those can truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/i-have-wrestled-in-almost-every-tournament-in-the-world-i-ve-won-the/) [Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Generally speaking, ROH championship matches are hard fought and grueling, and the fans are really into it. The ROH Championship means a lot to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/generally-speaking-roh-championship-matches-are-hard-fought-and/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [My whole thing when I got in the NBA was I want to win a championship. The mindset hasn't changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bam-adebayo/my-whole-thing-when-i-got-in-the-nba-was-i-want-to-win-a-championship/) [Bam Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bam-adebayo/) > [In over 160 years of recorded baseball history, no team had ever won a championship this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thorn/in-over-160-years-of-recorded-baseball-history-no-team-had-ever-won-a/) [John Thorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thorn/) > [I probably should've listened to Michael a year ago when he said that Charles will never win a championship because he doesn't show any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-pippen/i-probably-should-ve-listened-to-michael-a-year-ago-when-he-said-that/) [Scottie Pippen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-pippen/) > [One day we'll have championship boxing in Cleveland and people will support it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-porter/one-day-we-ll-have-championship-boxing-in-cleveland-and-people-will/) [Shawn Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-porter/) > [My biggest regret is that I wasn't able to help give our fans a championship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/my-biggest-regret-is-that-i-wasn-t-able-to-help-give-our-fans-a/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [Two beautiful women crashing and burning for the sake of the Women's Championship!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ross/two-beautiful-women-crashing-and-burning-for-the-sake-of-the-women-s/) [Jim Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ross/) > [I got everything I wanted out of Texas. Obviously, you'd love to win more. You'd love to win a national championship and compete at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-bamba/i-got-everything-i-wanted-out-of-texas-obviously-you-d-love-to-win/) [Mohamed Bamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-bamba/) > [When I wrestled Randy Orton, that was probably the biggest match of my career at that point, because that was when I had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/when-i-wrestled-randy-orton-that-was-probably-the-biggest-match-of-my/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [The Russians have held my title for ten years and they're going to be in for it when I win the Championship. They're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-fischer/the-russians-have-held-my-title-for-ten-years-and-they-re-going-to-be/) [Bobby Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-fischer/) > [As you get older, every chance to win a championship is more crucial, because you are going to have less and less of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/as-you-get-older-every-chance-to-win-a-championship-is-more-crucial/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [It will be a hard game if you think about winning a championship. We need to think about our own game at the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-bergkamp/it-will-be-a-hard-game-if-you-think-about-winning-a-championship-we/) [Dennis Bergkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-bergkamp/) [Browse all 1,448 Championship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/championship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing I wanted to focus on first was that I wanted to graduate, and (with me) coming back, I knew that I wanted another national championship. Another national championship is everyone's main goal, but we have to take it one game at a time. We can't get ahead of ourselves. 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