It was so sad to hear of the passing this week of Muhammad Ali, the three-time world heavyweight boxing champion who was not just a champion in the ring – he was a champion of civil rights, and a role model for so many people. His poignant sayings about sports and life, figure to remain iconic for generations to come alongside the lore of his historic fights. This week, in memory of this Extraordinary man, here are some Muhammad Ali quotes – in no particular order.
Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.
I don’t count the sit-ups. I only start counting when it starts hurting because they’re the only ones that count. That’s what makes you a champion.
Silence is golden when you can’t think of a good answer.
The will must be stronger than the skill.
Don’t count the days; make the days count.
The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.
If my mind can conceive it, and my heart can believe it—then I can achieve it.
Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.
He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
A man who views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.
I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.
A man who has no imagination has no wings.
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. His hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see. Â
I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I was really the greatest.
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RIP – The greatest – Muhammad Ali 1942-2016
