--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In order to excel, you must be completely…" description: "\"In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/willie-mays-14362_able_in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely_2233026.jpg" --- # In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to… ![“In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this.” quote by Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/willie-mays-14362_able_in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely_2233026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/willie-mays-14362_able_in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely_2233026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/willie-mays-14362_able_in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely_2233026.jpg) > “In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this.” [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Total dedication and openness to feedback are essential for athletic excellence. **In simple terms:** Full commitment and listening to criticism lead to success. Key Takeaway Commit fully and seek constructive critique. Themes dedication hard work feedback athletics excellence Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - training sessions - team meetings - personal coaching - performance reviews Key Concepts growth mindset resilience skill development Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance dedication with rest? - What feedback has most improved your game? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on dedication can cause burnout if balance is ignored. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constructive criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constructive-criticism/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Dedicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dedicated/) [Dedication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dedication/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Work hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-hard/) ## Related quotes > [You must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard & accept constructive criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/you-must-be-completely-dedicated-to-your-chosen-sport-you-must-also/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-mizner/in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely-dedicated-to-your-chosen/) [Wilson Mizner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-mizner/) > [In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely-dedicated/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [You have to have a lot more dedication to what I'll call 'the machine,' ... I have 20 percent dedication. What's needed is 110…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/you-have-to-have-a-lot-more-dedication-to-what-i-ll-call-the-machine/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [A lot of people don't realize that about 98 percent of the running I put in is anything but glamorous: 2 percent joyful participation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-castella/a-lot-of-people-don-t-realize-that-about-98-percent-of-the-running-i/) [Robert de Castella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-castella/) > [Absolutely. I think that this is - politics is a tough business. I describe it as a full contact sport. You have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-thune/absolutely-i-think-that-this-is-politics-is-a-tough-business-i/) [John Thune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-thune/) > [This is a difficult sport and it's a sport where you have to be prepared for so many eventualities and possibilities. It takes so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-browne/this-is-a-difficult-sport-and-it-s-a-sport-where-you-have-to-be/) [Travis Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-browne/) > [There is no such thing as constructive criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/there-is-no-such-thing-as-constructive-criticism/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [I'm willing to sit down with anybody and have constructive criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/i-m-willing-to-sit-down-with-anybody-and-have-constructive-criticism/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [I love constructive criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-mendes/i-love-constructive-criticism/) [Eva Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-mendes/) > [Any government that has a sincere desire for reform and progress should understand the benefit of objective and constructive criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamad-bin-isa-al-khalifa/any-government-that-has-a-sincere-desire-for-reform-and-progress/) [Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamad-bin-isa-al-khalifa/) > [A mood of constructive criticism being upon me, I propose forthwith that the method of choosing legislators now prevailing in the United States be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/a-mood-of-constructive-criticism-being-upon-me-i-propose-forthwith/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [I suspect that most authors don't really want criticism, not even constructive criticism. They want straight-out, unabashed, unashamed, fulsome, informed, naked praise, arriving by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-suspect-that-most-authors-don-t-really-want-criticism-not-even/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Why are you a cheerleader if you can't take constructive criticism?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-are-you-a-cheerleader-if-you-can-t-take-constructive-criticism/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To improve your skills, you need to be receptive to constructive criticism and open to feeling uncomfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-s-kaplan/to-improve-your-skills-you-need-to-be-receptive-to-constructive/) [Robert S. Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-s-kaplan/) ## More by Willie Mays > [I'm not the type of guy to go out and just say, 'Hey, I'm raising my fist to do this and do that.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-m-not-the-type-of-guy-to-go-out-and-just-say-hey-i-m-raising-my/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I didn't say I was that smart, I said I went to class and I enjoyed what I was doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-didn-t-say-i-was-that-smart-i-said-i-went-to-class-and-i-enjoyed/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I don't mean to be bashful, but I was](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-don-t-mean-to-be-bashful-but-i-was/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [When I'm not hitting, I don't hit nobody. But, when I'm hitting, I hit anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/when-i-m-not-hitting-i-don-t-hit-nobody-but-when-i-m-hitting-i-hit/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [Youngsters of Little League can survive undercoaching a lot better than overcoaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/youngsters-of-little-league-can-survive-undercoaching-a-lot-better/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I was a baseball player, I taught baseball, and all of a sudden I was in the business world. Now I used the baseball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-was-a-baseball-player-i-taught-baseball-and-all-of-a-sudden-i-was/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [What you are thinking, what shape your mind is in, is what makes the biggest difference of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/what-you-are-thinking-what-shape-your-mind-is-in-is-what-makes-the/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-think-i-was-the-best-baseball-player-i-ever-saw/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I think I was programmed to do good things when I came into the majors. I knew how to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-think-i-was-programmed-to-do-good-things-when-i-came-into-the/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I always enjoyed playing ball, and it didn't matter to me whether I played with white kids or black. I never understood why an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-always-enjoyed-playing-ball-and-it-didn-t-matter-to-me-whether-i/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [And my father didn't have money for me to go to college. And at that particular time they didn't have black quarterbacks, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/and-my-father-didn-t-have-money-for-me-to-go-to-college-and-at-that/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [Congratulations to Alex Rodriguez on his 660th home run, milestones in baseball are meant to be broken and I wish him continued success throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/congratulations-to-alex-rodriguez-on-his-660th-home-run-milestones-in/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [At ten I was playing against 18-year-old guys. At 15 I was playing professional ball with the Birmingham Black Barons, so I really came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/at-ten-i-was-playing-against-18-year-old-guys-at-15-i-was-playing/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I don't know what Joe (DiMaggio) wanted (in regards to being called 'the greatest living ballplayer'), but I don't have a problem, if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-don-t-know-what-joe-dimaggio-wanted-in-regards-to-being-called-the/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) > [I didn't teach you that. Catch the ball with your glove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/i-didn-t-teach-you-that-catch-the-ball-with-your-glove/) [Willie Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) [Explore all 47 Willie Mays quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Willie Mays" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely-dedicated-to-your-chosen-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely-dedicated-to-your-chosen-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/willie-mays-14362_able_in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely_2233026.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/willie-mays-14362_able_in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely_2233026.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e64/willie-mays-14362_able_in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely_2233026.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work…” — Willie Mays", "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": "Willie Mays", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-mays/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In order to excel, you must...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely-dedicated-to-your-chosen-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-mays/in-order-to-excel-you-must-be-completely-dedicated-to-your-chosen-2/#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 } } ] } ```