“Go big or go home!”
I’ve been hearing this phrase a LOT lately, and was curious of its origin and context. As a huge fan (and author of 7 quotation books) of “meaningful,” “insightful” or “positive” quotations, this one got my attention and I needed to dig a little deeper…
“Go big or go home. Because it’s true. What do you have to lose?”
– Eliza Dushku
What does the phrase Go Big or Go Home mean?
From Answers.com: “Go Big or Go home” means do as much as you possibly can or try your hardest or you might as well just leave or stop what you’re doing.
Play to win or don’t get in the game.
Urban Dictionary: an expression the speaker says to the listener to encourage the listener to be extravagant, to go all the way, and do whatever you are doing to its fullest – and not flake out. It can be abbreviated: gbgh! You gotta go big or go home!
A phrase describing a Champion’s lifestyle. A way of life. An attitude. We never go home. A champion will live by this code, “Go big or go home.”
Other reference: “Go Big or Go Home” is the third season premiere of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation.
It’s a more “hip” version of another well-known phrase: If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
Sometimes it’s revealing of character to study that person being quoted.
Eliza Dushku is an American actress best known for starring on the television series ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, ‘Tru Calling’, and ‘Dollhouse’. She has also appeared in ‘True Lies’, ‘Angel’, ‘Bring It On’. She is the daughter of Philip R. Dushku, an administrator and teacher in the Boston Public Schools, and Judith “Judy” (née Rasmussen), a political science professor. Eliza is the CEO of her production company, Boston Diva Productions, and lives in Los Angeles with former Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Rick Fox.
She’s also been quoted for saying:
“There is definitely something sexy about a girl with an attitude and a pair of leather pants.”
“My parents divorced when I was born, and my mother is a political science professor, like a feminist Mormon, which is sort of an oxymoron.”
“I was raised in Boston by three older brothers and a very strong and empowering single mom.”
“My mother would take groups of students to different countries and always brought us along, so by the time I was 10, I had been to Russia, China, Nicaragua and several other countries.”
“We didn’t have a TV in the living room and all my friends thought we were kind of weird. When they’d come over, my mom wanted to talk to them about current events.”