When I was playing I never wished I was doing anything else. I think being a professional athlete is the read more

When I was playing I never wished I was doing anything else. I think being a professional athlete is the finest thing a man can do.

Waving the flag at the 1976 Olympics wasn't my idea. It was too much apple pie and ice cream. Not read more

Waving the flag at the 1976 Olympics wasn't my idea. It was too much apple pie and ice cream. Not that I don't love my country, but I felt it was my victory up there, I put all the time into it.

Struggle is the father of all things. It is not by the principles of humanity that man lives or is read more

Struggle is the father of all things. It is not by the principles of humanity that man lives or is able to preserve himself above the animal world, but solely by means of the most brutal struggle.

But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose read more

But there is suffering in life, and there are defeats. No one can avoid them. But it's better to lose some of the battles in the struggles for your dreams than to be defeated without ever knowing what you're fighting for.

For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to read more

For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.

Before I was ever in my teens, I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. My read more

Before I was ever in my teens, I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. My goal was to be the greatest athlete that ever lived.

Whatever the struggle, continue the climb. It may be only one step to the summit.

Whatever the struggle, continue the climb. It may be only one step to the summit.

Durability is part of what makes a great athlete.

Durability is part of what makes a great athlete.

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to read more

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.