Quote
“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.”
A psychologist's note: why this works
Pelé puts hard work and love of the game side by side, and that is not decoration. Intrinsic motivation — interest in the game itself — keeps an athlete going over the long haul, where extrinsic motivation (trophies, money) runs dry fast.
When results dip for a while, it is love of the process that stops someone walking away. That is why work with an athlete keeps returning to "what do you love about your sport", not only to "what do you want to achieve".
Themes of this quote
When a sports psychologist helps
If the theme lands, read the breakdowns of what athletes go through, take a test, or pick a sports psychologist.