A great line about how success requires total commitment. Often used in athletics and the military, it applies to any endeavour. Every successful person puts everything they have into what they do.
This is the Olympic motto. Citius (Faster) Altius (Higher) Fortius (Stronger). The ultimate inspiration for athletes. According to the Olympic creed, ‘The important thing is not to win but to take part, just as the important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.’
This is something basketball legend Michael Jordan used to say. Champions have more than talent, they have a special inner drive. Many people possess natural skill, but you also need passion, mental toughness and an absolute refusal to quit when things get hard.
These are probably the most famous lines from 'If' – the poem by Rudyard Kipling. They are engraved above the players' entrance to Centre Court at Wimbledon as a reminder to the players to be graceful and sportsmanlike, whether they win or lose their match.
Originally said by American baseball legend Yogi Berra, this is the classic sporting reminder never to quit too early. Momentum changes. Games turn. Keep going until the final whistle.
The marathon derives from the story of the ancient Greek messenger Pheidippides, who is said to have run from the town of Marathon to Athens to bring news of a military victory. The original Olympic marathon distance was around 25 miles. At the 1908 Olympics in London, the distance was extended so the race could start at Windsor Castle and finish at White City Stadium. The distance was subsequently standardised at 26.2 miles.
Winston Churchill's words from a speech he gave to his old school, Harrow, in the context of the Blitz in WW2. The idea got famous again when online gamer Nick Eh 30 created a viral meme with 'Never back down, never what? Never give up!'
This is attributed to American baseball legend Babe Ruth. He struck out 1,330 times during his career, but said, ‘Never let the fear of striking out get in your way', and duly scored 714 home runs. Persistence is the key. It can be your greatest competitive advantage.
