30 Athlete Quotes to Inspire Greatness

1. “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” – Tim Notke

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

3. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

4. “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” – Billie Jean King

5. “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden

6. “I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

7. “A champion is someone who gets up when they can’t.” – Jack Dempsey

8. “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan

9. “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing.” – Pelé

10. “The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.” – Les Brown

11. “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is.” – Vince Lombardi

12. “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” – Lance Armstrong

13. “You have to believe in yourself when no one else does.” – Serena Williams

14. “Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard to find alloy called guts.” – Dan Gable

15. “It’s not the will to win that matters everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” – Paul “Bear” Bryant

16. “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” – William Arthur Ward

17. “Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability.” – John Wooden

18. “You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.” – Michael Phelps

19. “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

20. “A trophy carries dust. Memories last forever.” – Mary Lou Retton

21. “The only way to prove you are a good sport is to lose.” – Ernie Banks

22. “If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.” – Mark Spitz

23. “Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.” – Dean Karnazes

24. “Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion.” – Michael Jordan

25. “Effort is the single most important key to success.” – John Wooden

26. “You’re never a loser until you quit trying.” – Mike Ditka

27. “Only the disciplined ones in life are free.” – Eliud Kipchoge

28. “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.” – Tommy Lasorda

29. “If you can believe it, the mind can achieve it.” – Ronnie Lott

30. “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” – Steve Prefontaine