Inspiring Quotes from Olympians

So, the Olympic Games, the major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes from different countries participate in variety of competitions has finally had their closing ceremonies at London on 12 August, 2012, yes, exactly last month.

Well, I am not going to share any articles about Olympic event here though, but the Olympians’ motivation which takes them to become the most decorated Olympian ever.

I bet you have had all the touching moment with the athletes when they made their very effort to the end. Ever wonder…What makes Olympic winners achieve their goals? How does their passion fuel them to scale new heights?

Well, if you want these questions to be answered, find out from my list of quotes then. Apply these to your writer’s goals and the challenging in your life; give it a deep thought while you read them through, they actually apply the same to us…yes, the writing dream we are pursuing always…

1. People ask me “what was going through your mind in the race? And I don’t know. I try…letting my body do what it knows. – Ian Thorpe (an Australian swimmer who specializes in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley.)

2. I would not say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it. - Michael Phelps (a retired American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time).

3. In training everyone focuses on 90% physical and 10% mental, but in the races its 90% mental because there’s very little that separate us physically at the elite level. – Elka Graham (a retired Australian swimmer who competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics)

4. I have been visualizing myself every night for the past four years standing on the podium having the gold placed around my neck. – Megan Quann (American female competition swimmer, record holder and fitness columnist.)

5. Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing exercises and visualization. And I think that that helped me to get a feel of what it was gonna be like when I got there. I knew that I had done everything that I could to get ready for that meet, both physically and mentally. – Michael Phelps (a retired American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time).

6. I was so surprised. Then again, I was so relaxed in the water, it felt amazing. – Pieter van den Hoogenband(Dutch former swimmer and a triple Olympic champion.)

7. The water is your friend, you don’t have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move. – Aleksandr Popov (Russian former Olympic gold-winning male swimmer,one of the greatest sprint freestyle swimmers of all time).

8. “Falling in life is inevitable, staying down is optional” - Carrie Johnson (an American sprint canoer).

9. “Never put an age limit on your dreams” - Dara Torres (American former competition female swimmer and world record-holder who is a twelve-time Olympic medalist.)

10. “When anyone tells me I can’t do anything, I’m just not listening anymore” - Florence Griffith Joyner (American athlete, 1988 Summer Olympics)

11. “The only way to overcome is to hang in” - Dan O’Brien ( American athlete, Olympic gold medal for decathlon).

12. “If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren’t willing to do” - Michael Phelps (American Swimmer, all-time records for Olympic gold medals.)

13. “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey” - Missy Franklin (an American competition swimmer and four-time Olympic gold medalist.)

14. “Nothing can substitute for just plain hard work” - Andre Agassi (American retired professional tennis player and former World No. 1)

15. “The potential for greatness lives within each of us” - Wilma Rudolph (Former American athelete, the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s)

16. Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination. – Michael Phelps (American Swimmer, all-time records for Olympic gold medals.)

17. If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win. – Carl Lewis ( American former track and field athlete)

18. I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself in the top. – Serena Williams (American professional tennis player who is currently ranked No.1 in women's singles tennis).

19. I love what I do and I love being an athlete, but I also love all the things that have come with it. I want to be better at the things I do. I’m never standing still and that makes my life pretty exciting. – Maria Sharapova (Top Russian professional tennis player).

20. "I've worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down." - Mia Hamm (retired American professional female soccer player).

21. "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life." -- Muhammad Ali, (gold medalist in boxing in 1960).

22. "You've got to look for tough competition. You've got to want to beat the best." - Grete Waitz (Norwegian talented marathon runner and former world record holder).

23. When I go out on the ice, I just think about my skating. I forget it is a competition. - Katarina Witt (retired German most successful figure skater and model).

24. And then in life, you always have to try, and today, I may not have succeeded, but I am happy to have tried to beat my record.- Noureddine Morceli (retired Algerian athlete, winner of the 1500 m run at the 1996 Summer Olympics).

25. The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.- Peggy Fleming (American figure skater, 1968 Winter Olympics)

26. There can be distractions, but if you're isolated from the heart of the Games, the Olympics become just another competition.- Mary Lou Retton (American gymnast, 1984 Summer Olympic Games)

27. The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.- Pierre de Coubertin (founder of modern Olympic Games)

28. "Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us." -- Wilma Rudolph ( Former American athlete and an Olympic champion, the fastest woman in the world in the 1960s)

29. "You have to believe in yourself when no one else does -- that makes you a winner right there." -- Venus Williams (Former American professional tennis player, The world No.1)

Well, we may not be the athletes yet these are the quotes that worth to be added to our daily life, and worth to be applied to our writing goals and challenges, what do you think?

Remember what Serena Williams has said? “I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best.”

Yes, why not us? We too need to believe that we can beat the best, achieve the best, whenever, wherever, whatever!

To our success…cheers!