“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Widely attributed to Joseph P. Kennedy (1888-1969) American businessman and patriarch of the Kennedy clan Thousands of books and websites attribute this quote to Kennedy, though without any specific source. It has also been attributed to various other celebrities, such as football coach Vince Lombardi. My guess is that it’s a modern proverbial saying with no specific origin.
THE PANTLESS TOUGH GUY APPLICATION:
“WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH TAKE OFF THEIR PANTS.” Caption used for the photo at left when it was posted on the Feb. 2, 2015 “Day in Pictures” feature on the San Francisco Chronicle website. The rest of the caption explained: “A competitor runs through a puddle in the ‘Tough Guy’ adventure race near Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, West Midlands. The event challenges thousands of tough guys to run through a grueling 200 obstacles, including water, fire and tunnels after a lengthy run at the start.” (Photo: Oli Scarff, AFP/Getty Images)
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005) American “gonzo” journalist In his book Kingdom of Fear (2003)
LASORDA’S VARIATION:
“When the going gets easy, watch out! You may be going downhill.” Tommy Lasorda (b. 1927) American baseball pitcher and manager In the book Life Lessons from Little League Revisited(2005) by Vincent Fortanasce & Tommy Lasorda
ANIMAL POLITICS VARIATION:
“When the waterhole gets smaller, the animals get meaner.” African proverb
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” A saying popularized by American football coaches Red Sanders and Vince Lombardi There has been a longstanding debate over whether this saying was used first by UCLA football coach Henry “Red” Sanders or Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. According to the authoritative reference book The Quote Verifier by Ralph Keyes and other sources, Sanders probably said it first in 1950. However, Lombardi also used the saying and is the coach most often associated with it.
THE WORLD CUP COROLLARY:
“Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is. The World Cup athletes have a ‘Whatever it takes’ attitude. They've made the decision to pay any price and bear any burden in the name of victory.” Steve Siebold Author, blogger, Huffington Post columnist and “expert in the field of critical thinking and mental toughness training” In a June 2014 post about “Why Your Employees Should Watch the World Cup.”
A RACER’S VIEWPOINT:
“Winning is everything. The only ones who remember you when you come second are your wife and your dog.” Damon Hill British race car driver Quoted in the London Sunday Times, December 18, 1994
A POLITICIAN’S VIEWPOINT:
“Winning may not be everything, but losing has little to recommend it.” Dianne Feinstein U.S. Senator for California Quoted in Women Know Everything (2007) and other books
A PHILOSOPHY PROFESSOR’S COUNTERQUOTE:
“When winning is everything, then other values such as fair play, honesty, and human compassion are all thrown out in the face of winning.” Michael Boylan Professor of philosophy at Marymount University (Arlington, Virginia) In his book A Just Society (2004)
J-MO’S COUNTERQUOTE:
“Don’t we get enough ‘Winning Is Everything’ bullshit thrown at us from a zillion other sources? Are we really surprised that kids wind up on Lexapro at age 18 when they inevitably learn the Real-Life Lesson that you just can’t win all the time?” Online journalist J-Mo In a post on the TrashTalkTV site about the win-lose mentality of many reality TV shows, like Top Chef.
THE LOVE HANDLES COUNTERQUOTE:
“Losing is everything. Whoever said winning is everything never tried to lose their love handles.” Headline in an ad for NordicTrack (1994)
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” This line is most often associated with Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi (who did say it), but UCLA football coach Henry “Red” Sanders said it first.
THE CHARLIE SHEEN PRINCIPLE:
“Is there any better way to teach your children that ‘winning isn't everything’ than Charlie Sheen?” Blogger Jed Resnik Post on his Entertainment Weakly blog, March 7, 2011
THE CHARLIE SHEEN POWER PLAY:
KANSAS CITY (Sportsman’s Daily Wire Service) Look out green energy, you’ve got some serious competition. The unexplainable, frenzied voltage that has transmogrified a once bankable sitcom star into a bottomless source of unbridled and erratic kilowatts is exactly what the Kansas City Royals plan on powering Kauffman Stadium with this season. “Actor Charlie Sheen will act as the sole electrical source for the park,” said Keith Decker, Stadium Operations Director....Sheen will disconnect from the highly insulated cables that attach to his nose, penis, and anus once a day to give his motivational speech to members of the Royals. “I hope they’re ready,” said Sheen. “These guys are going to experience a level of freaked out paranoia and a buzz that’ll make a cocaine-HGH cocktail seem like fuckin’ mother’s milk brother…Wooooo! Winning isn’t everything, winning is me. Winning!” Faux news story posted on The Sportsman's Daily website, March 4, 2011
THE LEBRON JAMES VARIATION:
NANCY GRACE: “Because we couldn't get Charlie Sheen on the show, we have the next best thing: LeBron James...Mr. James, we've noticed a sudden change in your attitude. What gives?” LEBRON JAMES: “Right, Nancy. Look, for years people have shamed me into trying to be something I'm not – a winner. I'm fed up. Winning isn't everything. Yeah, I said it. I'm losing. Everything.” Faux news transcript posted on the CSNNE.com Wicked Good Sports blog, March 2, 2011
THE CANCER PATIENTS’ COUNTERQUOTE:
“Whoever said winning isn’t everything never had to fight cancer.” A popular saying among people who are trying to beat, or have beaten, cancer
VINCE LOMBARDI’S OWN COUNTERQUOTE:
“While winning is not everything, trying to win is everything.” Vince Lombardi In a speech at the American Dairy Association’s annual meeting in 1962 Quoted by Vince Lombard, Jr. in his bookWhat It Takes to Be #1: Vince Lombardi on Leadership (2003)
I'm editor of the blog www.MensPulpMags.com and co-editor of the Men's Adventure Library book series and the MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY magazine. I also write blogs about quotations, www.ThisDayinQuotes.com and www.QuoteCounterquote.com.
This site's editor, Robert Deis, is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
(2003) 
(2005) by Vincent Fortanasce & Tommy Lasorda 
