I don’t know if I practiced more than anybody, but I sure practiced enough. I still wonder if somebody—somewhere—was practicing more than me.
—Larry Bird (b.1956) American Basketball Player
For every finish-line tape a runner breaks—complete with the cheers of the crowd and the clicking of hundreds of cameras—there are the hours of hard and often lonely work that rarely gets talked about.
—Grete Waitz (1953–2011) Norwegian Athlete
Most of us who aspire to be tops in our fields don’t really consider the amount of work required to stay tops.
—Althea Gibson (1927–2003) American Tennis Player
The real people nation have for centuries had the practice at birth of speaking the same first phrase to all newborns. Each person hears the same exact first human words: “We love you and support you on the journey”. At their final celebration, everyone hugs them and repeats the phrase again.
—Marlo Morgan (1937–98) American Novelist, Author
The only weapon that becomes sharper with constant use is the tongue.
—Unknown
Practice is the best of all instructors.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The discovery of what is true and the practice of that which is good, are the two most important aims of philosophy.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Practice is the best master.
—Latin Proverb
Losers have tons of variety. Champions take pride in just learning to hit the same old boring winners.
—Vic Braden (b.1929) American Sportsperson, Author
Everything is practice.
—Pele (1940–2022) Brazilian Soccer Player
If you want to move to a new level in your life, you must break through your comfort zone and practice doing things that are not comfortable.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might of the force of habit and must understand that practices are what create habits. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires.
—J. Paul Getty (1892–1976) American Art Collector, Philanthropist, Businessperson
The only way a kid is going to practice is if it’s total fun for him… and it was for me.
—Wayne Gretzky (b.1961) Canadian Hockey Player, Coach
The word mantra comes from two Sanskrit words man, (“to think”) and tra (“tool”). So the literal translation is “a tool of thought”. And that’s how mantras are used in Buddhist and Hindu practices, as tools that clear your mind of distractions. Because when you focus on repeating that mantra over and over again, soon the noise will die down and all you will hear is your inner voice.
—Russell Simmons (b.1957) American Music Promoter
Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.
—Vince Lombardi, Jr. (b.1942) American Lawyer, Politician, Motivational Speaker
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.
—Yogi Berra (1925–2015) American Sportsperson
When I was young, I never wanted to leave the court until I got things exactly correct. My dream was to become a pro.
—Larry Bird (b.1956) American Basketball Player
Practice, which some regard as a chore, should be approached as just about the most pleasant recreation ever devised.
—Babe Didrikson Zaharias (1914–56) American Athlete, Golfer
And because we are creatures of habit, we must practice. I urge you to practice acting in spite of fear, practice acting in spite of inconvenience, practice acting in spite of discomfort, and practice acting even when you’re not in the mood.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Fitness is something that happens to you while you practice good technique.
—Terry Laughlin (1951–2017) American Swim Coach
My father taught me that the only way you can make good at anything is to practice, and then practice some more.
—Pete Rose (1941–2024) American MLB Player, Manager, All-Time Hits Leader
I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Entrepreneurs are really con artists who get other people to pay them to practice getting better at what they love to do.
—Dan Sullivan (b.1944) Canadian Strategic Coach, Author
We all knew there was just one way to improve our odds for survival: train, train, train. Sometimes, if your training is properly intense it will kill you. More often—much, much more often—it will save your life.
—Richard Marcinko (1940–2021) American Navy Officer
If I miss one day of practice, I notice it. If I miss two days, the critics notice it. If I miss three days, the audience notices it.
—Ignacy Jan Paderewski (1860–1941) Polish Pianist, Composer, Politician
What I call “doing the dishes” is the practice of loving the task in front of you. Your inner voice guides you all day long to do simple things such as brush your teeth, drive to work, call your friend, or do the dishes. Even though it’s just another story, it’s a very short story, and when you follow the direction of the voice, the story ends. We are really alive when we live as simply as that—open, waiting, trusting, and loving to do what appears in front of us now…What we need to do unfolds before us, always—doing the dishes, paying the bills, picking up the children’s socks, brushing our teeth. We never receive more than we can handle, and there is always just one thing to do. Whether you have ten dollars or ten million dollars, life never gets more difficult than that.
—Byron Katie (b.1942) American Speaker, Author
Don’t do anything in practice that you wouldn’t do in the game.
—George Halas
I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before. But it’s true—hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don’t love something, then don’t do it.
—Ray Bradbury (b.1920) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
All the world’s a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.
—Sean O’Casey (1880–1964) Irish Dramatist, Memoirist
You can’t hire someone to practice for you.
—H. Jackson Brown, Jr. (1940–2021) American Author of “Life’s Little Instruction Book”
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