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If you’re paid before you walk on the court, what’s the point in playing as if your life depended on it?

Arthur Ashe

In America you’re conditioned to regard everything as a contest. You have to make the Ten Best Dressed List, win this, win that. It drives me nuts sometimes. Who cares, for Christ’s sake?
ARTHUR ASHE

Care Competition Fashion Success Waste Yourself
Always have the situation under control, even if losing. Never betray an inward sense of defeat.
ARTHUR ASHE

Control Defeat Failure Lose
Trust has to be earned, and should come only after the passage of time.
ARTHUR ASHE

Earn Relationship Time Trust
Fear isn’t an excuse to come to a standstill. It’s the impetus to step up and strike.
ARTHUR ASHE

Action Fear Inspirational Motivational
If one’s reputation is a possession, then of all my possessions, my reputation means most to me.
ARTHUR ASHE

Appearance Mean Myself Oneself Reputation Respect
Sometimes, a defeat can be more beautiful and satisfying than certain victories. The English have a point in insisting that it matters not who won or lost, but how you played the game.
ARTHUR ASHE

Beautiful Defeat Game Lost Play Satisfaction Victory Win Yourself
Seven out of 10 black faces you see on television are athletes. The black athlete carries the image of the black community. He carries the cross, in a way, until blacks make inroads in other dimensions.
ARTHUR ASHE

Athlete Black Carry Community Face Himself See Sports Yourself
In America you’re conditioned to regard everything as a contest. You have to make the Ten Best Dressed List, win this, win that. It drives me nuts sometimes. Who cares, for Christ’s sake?
ARTHUR ASHE

Care Competition Fashion Success Waste Yourself
I accepted the face that as much as I want to lead others, and love to be around other people, in some essential way, I am something of a loner.
ARTHUR ASHE

Acceptance Alone Lonely Myself People Sports
Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.
ARTHUR ASHE

Destination Important Inspirational Journey Motivational Success
You’ve got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.
ARTHUR ASHE

Important Inspirational Life Lose Motivation Win Yourself
Every time you win, it diminishes the fear a little bit. You never really cancel the fear of losing; you keep challenging it.
ARTHUR ASHE

Challenge Fear Lose Time Win Yourself
I guess I started too early because I just thought it was something fun to do.
ARTHUR ASHE

Early Fun Myself Start
Let me put it this way: I think Republicans tend to keep the ball in play, Democrats go for broke.
ARTHUR ASHE

Democracy Play Politics Sports Thinking
If I don’t ask “Why me?” after my victories, I cannot ask “Why me?” after my setbacks and disasters.
ARTHUR ASHE

Failure Inspirational Myself Personality Success Victory
I know I could never forgive myself if I elected to live without humane purpose, without trying to help the poor and unfortunate, without recognizing that perhaps the purest joy in life comes with trying to help others.
ARTHUR ASHE

Election Forgiveness Generosity Help Human Joy Live Myself Poor Purpose Recognition Try Unfortunate

If you’re paid before you walk on the court, what’s the point in playing as if your life depended on it?

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If you’re paid before you walk on the court, what’s the point in playing as if your life depended on it?

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