There is a well known saying, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”. Nowhere is that sentiment more appropriate than in the field of sport
Sport represents the pinnacle of dedication and hard work. Even the most talented of athletes have to give all they can – and more. Sport is about those unique moments when we witness that element of the human spirit that can overcome all difficulties and achieve the seemingly impossible.
The Life Daily team has selected 15 of the most inspiring motivational quotes for athletes, coined by athletes themselves. After all, who better than they can comment on the skill, perseverance, and hard work necessary to succeed.
To get us started, here is a quote from Vince Lombardi, legendary football coach turned motivational writer:
It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.
That pretty much sums up the sporting spirit you will see in the following quotes:
- Ted Williams:
Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer.
- Knute Rockne:
One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than 50 preaching it.
- Emil Zatopek:
An athlete cannot run with money in his pockets. He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head.
- Mia Hamm:
Somewhere behind the athlete you’ve become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back… play for her.
- Laird Hamilton:
Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your own two ears.
- Mark Spitz:
If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.
- Paul Brown:
When you win, say nothing, when you lose, say less.
- Homer Rice:
You can motivate by fear, and you can motivate by reward. But both those methods are only temporary. The only lasting thing is self motivation.
- Carl Lewis:
If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win.
- Dean Smith:
What do do with a mistake: recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.
- Joe Namath:
If you aren’t going all the way, why go at all?
- Muhammad Ali:
I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.
- Jack Dempsey:
A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.
- Dan Gable:
Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard-to-find alloy called guts.
So, now you have an inkling of what it takes to make a great athlete. For our fifteenth quote we turn to that iconic baseball player, Yogi Berra, whose words are still used to give hope and inspiration even when all seems lost.
He said, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”
For motivational quotes about work go here
