“Go hard or go home” (motivational saying)

“Go hard or go home” is a motivational saying that has been printed on many images. “Go hard or go home—(be sure of what you say or be careful)” was printed in a “1942 College Slang Dictionary” printed in the Pittsburgh (PA) Courier on August 15, 1942.
     
However, “go hard or go home” wouldn’t be popular until 1988, when it was printed on T-shirts. “Shirt wars The two camps brought out the shirts Monday both given by students—Dan Quayle (top) on Ohio with ‘Go hard or go home’..” was printed in the Globe-Gazette (Mason City, IA) on November 2, 1988. “They’ve got T-shirts they wear that say ‘Go Hard or Go Home.’ That’s the attitude we want to have” was printed in The Advocate (Newark, OH) on November 8, 1988.
       
“Go big or go home” is a similar saying. “Never underestimate my desire at any given moment to go home” is a related saying.
   
       
Wiktionary: go hard or go home
Verb
go hard or go home

1. (often imperative, usually sports) To face a challenge by making a bold, superior effort, lest one give up and forgo the opportunity.
     
Wikipedia: Go Hard or Go Home (song)
“Go Hard or Go Home” is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa and Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. It appears on the Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (2015) and was available as an instant track upon pre-ordering the album via iTunes stores on February 17, 2015. The song was produced by The Featherstones. A second version entitled “Go Hard or Go Home Part 2” featuring Khalifa, French Montana, Trey Songz and Ty Dolla Sign was included as a bonus track on the deluxe version of the soundtrack.
     
15 August 1942, Pittsburgh (PA) Courier “Yes! We All Talk: 1942 College Slang Dictionary” by Marcus H. Boulware, pg. 14, col. 5:
Go hard or go home—(be sure of what you say or be careful)
     
1 August 1947, Alabama Tribune (Montgomery, AL), “The Phantom Reporter,” pg. 3, col. 2:
... but the BOSS thought it best for him to get out of town for a while, so he is now trying to go hard in fact he is in a place now where he will have to go hard or go home.
 
31 March 1958, St. Louis (MO) Post-Dispatch, “Small Town Saturday Night—Gone But Not Forgotten” by John Keasler, pg. 2D, col. 2:
At the citrus shed the big nailer (...) sounded his near-quitting-time battle cry, “Go hard or go home, hey roll ‘em here!”
 
7 December 1962, Tallahassee (FL) Democrat, “Hanway Gets Benson Award At Leon Banquet,” pg. 16, col. 7:
“‘Go hard or go home’ was our motto.”
(Spoken by J. Hall, a former football star.—ed.)
 
Google Books 
The Avenue, Clayton City
By Charles Eric Lincoln
New York, NY: William Morrow
1988
Pg. 19:
“Go hard, Jip! It’s your world! Go hard or go home!”
         
2 November 1988, Globe-Gazette (Mason City, IA), pg. B15, col. 5 photo caption:
Shirt wars
The two camps brought out the shirts Monday both given by students—Dan Quayle (top) on Ohio with “Go hard or go home,” and Jesse Jackson in New Orleans saying “Vote plus Unity equal Win.”
   
4 November 1988, The Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA), pg. D-9, col. 1:
“It’s time to go hard or go home,” according to Tarpons coach Al Levy.
 
8 November 1988, The Advocate (Newark, OH), “Green Wave pursues ‘icing’ at state” by Mark Naegele, pg. 9, col. 5:
“They’ve got T-shirts they wear that say ‘Go Hard or Go Home.’ That’s the attitude we want to have.”
(Spoken by Newark Catholic volleyball coach Beth Hill.—ed.)
 
29 August 1989, Daily Press (Newport News, VA) “Runners, line key to Rams’ improvement” by Mike Keech, pg. 34:
“The team is in much better shape this year and the attitude is greatly improved,” said (Lafayette Coach Mel—ed.) Jones, who had the slogan “Go hard or go home” emblazoned on the team bus.
 
Google Books
McHenry’s Quips, Quotes and Other Notes
By Raymond McHenry
Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC
1998
Pg. 70:
When Luis Gonzales played outfield for the Houston Astros, he told the press about his personal motto: “Go hard or go home!”
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Go hard or go home
Author: Fiend, (Rapper)
Publisher: [Louisiana] : Fiend Entertainment, ℗2004.
Edition/Format:   Music CD : CD audio : English
   
OCLC WorldCat record
Train tough : go hard or go home
Author: Jason Weber; Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Publisher: Sydney : ABC Books for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2005.
Edition/Format:   Print book : National government publication : English
   
OCLC WorldCat record
Go hard or go home : primary motivations for engagement at the elite level in one of the fastest extreme sports
Author: Jan Lewis; Shane Pegg; Central Queensland University. Faculty of Business and Informatics.; University of Queensland.
Publisher: Victoria. : Sports Medicine Australia, 2006.
Edition/Format:   Downloadable article : English
Publication: CISC2006 People, Participation and Performance : 13th Commonwealth International Sport Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 9-12 March, 2006. ACQUIRE [electronic resource] : Central Queensland University Institutional Repository. p. 1-15
Summary:
Organisers of extreme sports need to better understand the motivations of participants who are prepared to face significant injury and maybe even death on a regular basis
   
OCLC WorldCat record
Go hard or go home : the mixtape
Author: Jus Bleezy.
Publisher: St. Louis, MO : Jus Bleezy Entertainment, ℗2008.
Edition/Format:   Music CD : CD audio : DVD audio   Visual material : English : [Explicit version
 
Urban Dictionary
go hard or go home
To go all out at what ever your doing at that time and if you don’t you might as well pack it up and head home.
jim:r u ready to startvthe 2nd half of this scrimmage?
Sam: yea man, you better go hard or go home

#all out#extreme#go hard#best#do work
by HRM SMK April 05, 2008
 
OCLC WorldCat record
All the lovers Go hard or go home
Author: Kylie
Publisher: [Europe] : EMI records ; [France] : [Distrib. EMI music France], P 2010.
Edition/Format:   Music CD : CD audio : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Big Timer Nation : go hard or go home
Author: Nathan Williams, Jr.; Zydeco Big Timers (Musical group)
Publisher: [Lafayette, LA?] : Cha Cha Records, c2012.
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Go Hard or Go Home : the Little Book of Overlanding.
Author: Andy N Robinson; Kirsty McGregor
Publisher: Leicester : Black Frog Publishing, 2013.
Edition/Format:   eBook : Document : EnglishView all editions and formats
Summary:
Go Hard or Go Home really is written as a humorous yet factual guide, covering 160 nonsense tips that people need to be aware of while over landing. Its short, punchy style covers camping, cooking, group dynamics, when things go wrong, how to behave, how to blend in and countless other topics that will help people survive life on the road.
Edition/Format:   Music CD : CD audio : English
 
OCLC WorldCat record
Go hard or go home : 10 action movies.
Author: Echo Bridge Home Entertainment.
Publisher: [Place of publication not identified] : Maverick Entertainment, ©2016.
Edition/Format:   Video : Videodisc   Visual material : English
 
Google Books
Go Hard Or Go Home Motivational Workout Notebook: Motivational WORKOUT Notebook, WORKOUT PLAN
Jason MCLEISH
Independently Published, Dec 14, 2018 - 110 pages
Perfect for bodybuilders, trainers, fit person. You can note your workout plan, trening progress, diet. Get yours today!
Specifications: