There are many things that inspire us to be the best version of ourselves, to move past limits, break down barriers, act toward our goals and strive to be what we always believed and imagined we could someday be. The athletes of our time remind us resoundingly of that spark within, that sense of possibility, the potential that lies in all of us -so we continue to look to them to witness courage, commitment, patience and perseverance towards fiercely determined goals and ambitions. Powerful quotes can become so etched into your mind as a picture-perfect memory of words infused with determination and hope that they help enlighten, enliven and empower our own special possibilities, dreams and goals. We all have a distinct inner strength and drive, hopefully these 5 Powerful Quotes from Inspirational Athletes will help you tap more deeply into yours!
1. Kelly Holmes: “I was 12 when I started and 34 before I achieved my dream, that should give people hope.”
Kelly achieved her dream of double gold at the Athens 2004 Olympics. A goal that she had only dreamed of as a young child that she would one day find her moment in time to shine was brought to fruition through her self-belief, passion and sheer hard work.
2. Usain Bolt: “Worrying gets you nowhere. If you turn up worrying about how you’re going to perform, you’ve already lost. Turn up, train hard, run your best and the rest will take care of itself.”
Usain, is a nine-time Olympic gold medallist (and eleven times World Champion) his surname ‘Bolt’ is truly definitive and fitting for the man that is officially the fastest human on earth! Usain currently holds both the 100 metre and 200 metre sprinting world records and has quite rightly earned the nickname of ‘Lightning Bolt’!
3. Daley Thompson: “What used to drive me was the fact that I wanted to be better than everybody at something. One of my best qualities is that I used whatever other people found to be an adverse thing to be a positive thing for myself.”
Daley is quite possibly one of the best ‘all round’ British athletes we’ve ever had, holding four world records and numerous other titles including two gold medals from the 1980 and 1984 Olympics for the Decathlon. During the 1980’s Daley also appeared in numerous Lucozade commercials -so many eighties’ children will recall those memorable, iconic ads!
4. Roger Bannister: “We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves…The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, ‘You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.’ The human spirit is indomitable.”
Roger is a British former middle-distance athlete; in 1954 he achieved an amazing accomplishment by running the first ever sub 4-minute mile. This must be seen to fully absorb the wonder of that race in Oxford on 6th May 1954…So if you didn’t click the video above already, do take a look!
5. Sebastian Coe: “Throughout my athletic career, the overall goal was always to be a better athlete than I was at the moment – whether next week, next month or next year. The improvement was the goal. The medal was simply the ultimate reward for achieving that goal.”
Sebastian is another former middle-distance athlete with an array of medals including two golds for the 1500 metres in the 1980 and 1984 Olympics. In 1979 he set a stunning three world records in the space of just 41 days! With so many fantastic sporting achievements it’s no surprise then why Seb is chairman of the British Olympic Association.
When you are challenged or lacking motivation to progress, wise verbal passages from people that have experienced the full spectrum of trials and triumphs can serve you with a burst of adrenalin and just the needed jolt and wake up call to adjust your perspective, assisting you to galvanize your intentions and take that one mighty step further!
These thoughtfully selected quotes from truly great and highly successful athletes have inspired us and we suspect they will work for you too. Keep reaching for your fitness aspirations and let us know which ones have moved you (inside and out) the most. Don’t forget to share these inspirational quotes with someone you know who could use them right now to blast out of the status quo!
