This quote means that success for an athlete is not easy to achieve and usually only comes after a long period of time. This time is usually filled with lots of hard work and an uncompromising commitment to the craft. Athletes often have to sacrifice a lot of their time, energy, and resources to be successful. This can mean giving up other roles and opportunities in order to train, compete and perform at a high level consistently. This commitment, hard work and dedication can eventually provide an athlete with the success that they are striving for.