“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, you’ll be successful” is a saying that has appeared on many posters and has been popularzed by Eric Thomas, author of The Secret to Success: When You Want to Succeed as Bad as You Want to Breathe (2011). The saying has also been credited to Sean Walker.
 
”“When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe, then you will succeed” has been cited in print since at least 2009 and involves a story of a wise man named Socrates and another man who asks him how to succeed. Socrates holds the man’s head under water until the man can hardly breathe, and then lets him up and tells him the saying. An Eric Thomas video from at least 2010 tells a similar story.
 
 
Socyberty
When Will You Succeed?
by intheknow in Advice, April 16, 2009
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The young man struggled to free himself, but Socrates overpowered him and continued holding him under the water. The young man grew frantic – but Socrates still held him under. After a long time the young man, desperate for air, shoved with all his strength and broke free finally able to come up for air. It was then Socrates spoke these words:
 
“When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe…
then – you will succeed.”
     
Jeca85’s blog
If you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful!
Feb 17, 2010 11:33:46 PM
   
Shake Something
How Bad Do YOU Want to Be Successful?
Posted by: Nadia // inspiration, life, sean walker, video // August 27, 2010
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“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.” –Sean Walker
   
GoErie.com
PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER 5, 2010 12:01 AM EST
UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 11:59 AM EST
Liz Allen: Mom’s labors pay off
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A three-time NCAA All-American, Brice says his strength-and-conditioning coach shared a quote that pushes him to the next level: “If you want to succeed, you have to want to succeed as much as you want to breathe.”
 
Marketing Happiness
“If You Want to Succeed as Badly As You Want to Breathe”
by CHARLES SIPE on OCTOBER 20, 2010
Great motivational speech. I like the line “Some people like sleep more than they like success”.
(An Eric Thomas video is shown—ed.)
 
OCLC WorldCat record
The secret to success : when you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe
Author: Eric Thomas
Publisher: Goldsboro, N.C. : Spirit Reign Pub., 2011.
Edition/Format:   eBook : English
     
Donaldsonville (LA) Chief
Resolve the resolution
By DERON TALLEY, EDITOR
Dec. 26, 2012 11:00 pm
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This year the way I’m approaching it is this though; this is something I want to do, not just a need. There is a guy named Eric Thomas who gives motivational speeches. His most famous one is of him telling a group, “When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.” Apply that quote to your resolution.