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By being a racing driver you are under risk all the time. By being a racing driver means you are racing with other people. And if you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver because we are competing, competing to win. And the main motivation is to compete for victory, it's not to come 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th. I race to win as long as I feel it's possible. Sometimes you get it wrong? Sure, it's impossible to get it right all the time. But I race designed to win, as long as I feel I'm doing it right.

Ayrton Senna#9

RacingRiskMotivationCompetitionAmbitionWinning

About this quote

What does it mean?
Senna believes a racing driver must constantly seek gaps and compete to win, as finishing lower is not true racing. He accepts mistakes but races with the intent to win whenever possible.
In plain terms
To be a real racer, you must try to win every time, not just finish near the front.
What can you take from it?
Compete with the sole intention of victory, not just participation.

Where it applies

  • sports competition
  • business strategy
  • career goals

Putting it to work

  • set win goals
  • take calculated risks
  • focus on victory

Questions to consider

  • What defines true competition for you?
  • Is winning the only measure of success?

Another view

Focusing only on winning can lead to dangerous risk-taking.

More from Ayrton Senna

  1. My car reacts a bit nervously on this kind of surface. This stems from its special aerodynamics but it's also got to do with a difficulty in the suspension.

    Permalink to quote #8
  2. Accidents are unsuspected and hated, but they are part of life. When you are fitted in a racing car and you race to win, second or third place is not enough. Y…

    Permalink to quote #10
  3. Basically our championship starts here. Fourteen races, not sixteen. It's not a comfortable position to be in, but that's the reality. The team is conscious ab…

    Permalink to quote #7

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