3 Motivational Quotes From Athletes For Athletes

From weekender warrior to professional elites, being an athlete requires patience, sacrifice, endurance, discipline and no small amount of willpower. Ultimately, there will always come a point in time when everyone wants to throw in the towel and quit.

These defining moments are possibly what makes participation in sports so equally frustrating and alluring all at the same time. When those moments come — and they inevitably will — inspirational quotes can sometimes give us what we need to get back up and try again. Here are three great inspirational quotes for athletes.

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

It’s easy to only focus on the victories when looking at the career of a champion, but almost every great victory comes at the cost of a slew of defeat. If you’re struggling under the burden of a game-winning missed shot, a weight you just can’t seem to lift or a goal you just can’t seem to achieve, take inspiration from Micheal Jordan.

“Remember this. Hold on to this. This is the only perfection there is the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting meaning. This is why we’re here.” – Andre Agassi

When you think of sports like tennis and golf, you may think of them as solo endeavors, but nothing could actually be farther from the truth. No man (or woman) is an island. Even sports like tennis and golf are still team efforts. Your opponent on the field is still your compatriot in a very real way. Participation in sports should not just make you a better athlete, it should make you a better human being.

“It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.” – Vince Lombardi

Even Michael Jordan would not be Michael Jordan if he allowed his many failures to make him quit. Every champion is going to have a staggering number of losses. If you allow those losses to make you quit, you will never know the taste of victory.

this article was originally posted at judefabiano.org.