once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit

Attributed to NFL coach Vince Lombardi, the line warns that giving up is not a one-off act but a behavior that can quickly become self-reinforcing. The phrasing treats quitting like any other learned routine: once it is practiced, it becomes easier to repeat, shaping character and expectations. In Lombardi’s broader ethos of discipline and competitive toughness, the quote functions as a motivational maxim—urging persistence under pressure and framing resilience as a habit to cultivate, just as one might cultivate physical conditioning or technical skill.