Emmitt Smith Quotes

Powerful Emmitt Smith for Daily Growth

About Emmitt Smith

Emmitt James Smith III, born on May 15, 1969, in Pensacola, Florida, is a renowned American football player, entrepreneur, and television personality who has left an indelible mark on the sport of football. Known as 'Emperor Emmitt' or simply 'Emmitt,' he is a three-time Super Bowl champion and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. Growing up in a military family, Smith developed a passion for football at an early age. He attended Florida's Palm Beach Senior High School, where his exceptional talent earned him a scholarship to the University of Florida. In college, he set numerous records, including most rushing touchdowns and most points scored in a single season. Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1990, Smith spent his entire professional career with the team. He led the NFL in rushing yards three times, was named the league's Most Valuable Player in 1993, and was selected to eight Pro Bowls. His impressive performance culminated in three Super Bowl championships (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX). Post-retirement, Smith ventured into business, launching Emmitt Smith Enterprises. He also delved into reality television, participating in the popular show 'Dancing with the Stars,' where he won the competition in 2006. Smith's quotable quotes encapsulate his tenacity and drive. Some of his most famous include: "I attribute my success to this: I never gave up on myself. There were too many rejections, too many failures along the way. People don't understand what it's like." And "Don't let your dreams be just dreams; chase after them." Smith's life story exemplifies resilience, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Everything that I have is because of the willpower and the determination that I've had throughout my entire life."

This quote emphasizes that Emmitt Smith attributes his achievements to his own internal drive (willpower) and determination, suggesting that personal resolve has been instrumental in accumulating his successes throughout his life. It underscores the importance of mental fortitude and perseverance as key factors contributing to one's accomplishments.


"I believe in hard work, dedication, and overcoming challenges. Those three things can help you achieve anything."

Emmitt Smith's quote underscores the importance of persistence, commitment, and resilience as key ingredients for achieving success. The idea is that through consistent hard work and dedication to one's goals, individuals can not only surmount obstacles but also realize their full potential. In other words, these qualities serve as the cornerstones for turning aspirations into reality.


"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come."

This quote by Emmitt Smith emphasizes that while exceptional talent or "greatness" can contribute to success, it is consistent effort and hard work that truly paves the way. In other words, persistently applying oneself day after day is a more reliable path to achievement than relying solely on innate abilities. The idea is that if you consistently put in the necessary work, over time greatness will naturally follow. This perspective underscores the importance of dedication and perseverance in one's pursuit of success.


"Life is like a wheel. You have got to keep it moving forward."

Emmitt Smith's quote suggests that life is a continuous process, much like a spinning wheel. Just as a wheel must never stop turning or it will lose momentum and fall, we should continuously move forward in our lives, lest we risk stagnation or regression. The implication is to keep progressing, learning, growing, and adapting to overcome challenges and seize opportunities.


"I think the key thing that people miss when they don't achieve something is that you have to put in the time and effort before you expect results."

This quote emphasizes the importance of investment, both in time and effort, as a prerequisite for achieving desired outcomes or goals. In essence, it suggests that expecting results without putting in the necessary hard work and consistent dedication is unrealistic. Instead, success requires perseverance and commitment over an extended period, even if immediate results are not yet visible.


Vision gets the dreams started. Dreaming employs your God-given imagination to reinforce the vision. Both are part of something I believe is absolutely necessary to building the life of a champion, a winner, a person of high character who is consistently at the top of whatever game he or she is in.

- Emmitt Smith

Dreams, Game, Part, Winner

I'm an enigma, an unknown. You can't really figure out what I'm going to do next. I like it like that.

- Emmitt Smith

Next, Enigma, Figure, Unknown

I was going through a little bit of turbulence in my career. And so, it's funny how turbulence itself will make you hold onto something for security. And so the only thing I knew is trust in the Lord and lean not unto your own heart, in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy path.

- Emmitt Smith

Trust, Career, Through, Turbulence

For me, winning isn't something that happens suddenly on the field when the whistle blows and the crowds roar. Winning is something that builds physically and mentally every day that you train and every night that you dream.

- Emmitt Smith

Winning, Night, Every Day, Whistle

Dreaming means 'rehearsing' what you see, playing it over and over in your mind until it becomes as real to you as your life right now.

- Emmitt Smith

Dreaming, Over, Means, Rehearsing

I don't have to put on shoulder pads and run out there and let somebody hit on me a little bit.

- Emmitt Smith

Run, Little Bit, Bit, Shoulder

My mom said, 'Don't get married. You're too young. Go out there and experience what life has to offer.' And I did.

- Emmitt Smith

Mom, Young, Go, Get Married

I used to send Tony Romo texts throughout the season just to encourage him, just to wish him luck and just to tell him to get on his offensive line. I hated watching this young man get sacked as much as he did, especially when it came down to big games.

- Emmitt Smith

Luck, Young, Big, Season

There's a lot of dancing in football. You can see Victor Cruz doing a little bit of a cha-cha or samba move in the end zone. You can see Terrell Owens getting his popcorn ready. You can see Ochocinco doing the riverdance. But not so much when it comes to ballroom.

- Emmitt Smith

Dancing, Doing, Popcorn, Cruz

We are all born naked into this world, but each of us is fully clothed in potential.

- Emmitt Smith

World, Born, Naked, Fully

I enjoyed being a teammate of Deion Sanders. He brings different elements to the game that many people would not even realize, and to watch and witness a superior talent like him and watch him prepare and train, and study the game is truly amazing.

- Emmitt Smith

Game, Study, Prepare, Train

If you're not settled spiritually, things can be a little bit more chaotic than normal.

- Emmitt Smith

Normal, More, Settled, Chaotic

My father is Emmit and my grandfather is Emmit, but I wanted something extra so I could separate my Emmitt from the rest of them. Even though on my birth certificate it has one T, I just added the extra T for me.

- Emmitt Smith

Birth Certificate, Added, Extra

Sixteen games, to me, is a long enough schedule for anybody. We're already concerning ourselves with head injuries and bodily harm to all of the professional athletes. Add to extra games to it, (and) you are just increasing those risks.

- Emmitt Smith

Injuries, Anybody, Harm, Extra

If I didn't have a scholarship to go to the University of Florida or any school, I probably would have considered the military because my family could not afford to send me to college.

- Emmitt Smith

College, Florida, University, Send

Charles Haley changed the way the Cowboys played football in the 90s. And the reason why I say that is because he was such a dominant force coming off the edge, where it took two and three to block him.

- Emmitt Smith

Reason, Why, Charles, Block

I used to imagine what it would be like to do what Jim Brown was doing. I used to imagine what it would be like to be like a Tony Dorsett. I used to imagine what it would be like to be like a Walter Payton. I was imagining Emmitt Smith doing exactly what they were doing.

- Emmitt Smith

Doing, Imagine, Smith, Tony

I know how important it is to have your quarterback standing upright. Matter of fact, I know how important it is not to allow someone hit on him period because I want him to think that this pocket is completely safe, no one is going to get to me and I got all the time in the world to make whatever decisions I need to make.

- Emmitt Smith

Fact, Allow, Your, Pocket

One thing I can say about the Dallas Cowboys: They have always had talent around them. They have been one of the most talented football teams in all of football.

- Emmitt Smith

Dallas, Always, Been, Talented

As a former football player who has carried a football more than 4,000 times, trust me, I did not go into ballroom dancing with my body being 100 percent, with no aches or pains or ailments coming with me. When you're dancing, you're doing stuff that your body's not used to, and so you start to aggravate those old injuries.

- Emmitt Smith

Trust, Dancing, Doing, Ballroom

I've learned that football sometimes was an outlet. It was a way for me to release anger, release frustration.

- Emmitt Smith

Sometimes, Release, Learned, Outlet

Consistency is one of the hallmarks of my career. You knew what you were going to get out of E-Smith every game, every year, no matter if I was 22, 21 or 35 years old.

- Emmitt Smith

Game, Career, Going, Consistency

If you know anything about me, I've never been a trash-talker. That's not even part of my DNA.

- Emmitt Smith

Been, Part, About, DNA

I've given everything I can possible to the game, on and off the field.

- Emmitt Smith

Game, Field, Given, On And Off

It's been a tremendous ride. My 15 years, my 15 minutes of fame, is up.

- Emmitt Smith

Been, Minutes, Up, 15 Minutes

Do not compare yourself. Find out what God has placed in your ability.

- Emmitt Smith

Find, Compare, Placed, Ability

I don't have to get up in the morning and go beat up my body like I used to. I don't have to be out there in August in 108 degree weather down in Texas.

- Emmitt Smith

Degree, Go, Like, August

I was actually looking for answers where I kept asking myself - what am I doing?

- Emmitt Smith

Doing, Asking, Actually, Kept

I have been a Cowboys fan since I was a little bitty boy. And my dream has finally become a reality, of not only just playing a professional, becoming a professional athlete, but playing for the team that I always wanted to play for.

- Emmitt Smith

Play, Always, Been, Professional

Always, through my whole life, I've had a thirst for knowledge.

- Emmitt Smith

Through, Always, Whole, Thirst

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