Once you are labeled 'the best' you want to stay up there, and you can't do it by loafing around. Larry Bird More Quotes by Larry Bird More Quotes From Larry Bird Don't let winning make you soft. Don't let losing make you quit. Don't let your teammates down in any situation. Larry Bird basketballwinningsports A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals. Larry Bird basketballsuccessinspirational Push yourself again and again. Don't give an inch until the final buzzer sounds. Larry Bird basketballmotivationalsports I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end. Larry Bird basketballmotivationalsports Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It's being able to take it as well as dish it out. That's the only way you're going to get respect from the players. Larry Bird basketballleadershipmotivational I learned what my weaknesses were and I went out the next day to turn those weaknesses intro strengths. Larry Bird next-daynextweakness My coach told me, "Larry, no matter how much you work at it, there's always someone out there who's working just a little harder - if you take 150 practice shots, he's taking 200." And that drove me. Larry Bird motivationsoftballsports You can make all the excuses you want, but if you're not mentally tough and you're not prepared to play every night, you're not going to win. Larry Bird basketballwinningnight I wasn't real quick, and I wasn't real strong. Some guys will just take off and it's like, whoa. So I beat them with my mind and my fundamentals. Larry Bird basketballstrongreal Practice habits were crucial to my development in basketball. I didn't play against the toughest competition in high school, but one reason I was able to do well in college was that I mastered the fundamentals. You've got to have them down before you can even think about playing. Larry Bird basketballschoolthinking You're all playin' for second place. Larry Bird second-place There are many times when you are better off practicing than playing; but most people just don't understand that Larry Bird nbabasketballpeople You never make any of the shots you never take. 87% of the ones you do take, you'll miss too. I make 110% of my shots. Larry Bird shotsbasketballmissing I hate to lose more than I like to win. Larry Bird hatebasketballwinning Leadership is getting players to believe in you. If you tell a teammate you're ready to play as tough as you're able to, you'd better go out there and do it. Players will see right through a phony. And they can tell when you're not giving it all you've got. Larry Bird basketballleadershipbelieve I don't think that once you get to one level, you can relax. You've got to keep pushing. Larry Bird motivationalsportsthinking It makes me sick when I see a guy just stare at a loose ball and watch it go out of bounds. Larry Bird sickguywatches It doesn't matter who scores the points, it's who can get the ball to the scorer. Larry Bird ballsbasketballwinning The one thing that always bothered me when I played in the NBA was I really got irritated when they put a white guy on me. Larry Bird nbabasketballwhite Strength is not nearly as important as desire. I don't think you can teach anyone desire. I think it's a gift. I don't know why I have it, but I do. Larry Bird importantdesirethinking
