The best athletes have uncommon mindsets.

20 quotes from the GOAT’s:

“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 isn’t a declaration. It’s a dare.”

-Muhammad Ali

“You are never really playing an opponent.

You are playing yourself, your own highest standards;

..and when you reach your limits...

That is real joy.”

-Arthur Ashe

“I start early and I stay late;

..day after day;

..year after year.

It took me 17 years and 144 days to become an overnight success.”

-Lionel Messi

“I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me;

..my desire to win is always stronger.”

- @serenawilliams

“Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad;

..and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time.”

-Lou Brock

“I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out;

..than the chances I didn’t take at all.”

- @Simone_Biles

“It is easy to choose a path of anonymity and lead an empty life.

But to strive hard, and lead an impactful life;

..one needs a burning desire to realize dreams.”

-MJ

“Success is not determined by how many times you win;

..but by how you play the week after you lose.”

-Pelé

“If you have everything under control;

..you’re not moving fast enough.”

-Mario Andretti

“Somebody may beat me;

..but they’re going to have to bleed to do it.”

-Steve Prefontaine

“The moment of victory is much too short;

..to live for that and nothing else.”

-Martina Navratilova

“We lay it all down—including what others call sanity—for a few moments on waves larger than life.

We do this ‘cause we know there’s still something greater than all of us.

Something that inspires us spiritually.

We start going downhill when we stop taking risks.

- @LairdLife

“I will do today what others won’t;

..so I can do tomorrow what others can’t.

-Jerry Rice

“I always believe that someone, somewhere is working harder than me;

..and that motivates me to work harder.

Give 100%”

-Sheryl Swoopes

“Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid.

Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.”

-Bethany Hamilton

“We all have dreams.

And, if you’re out there and you have a dream;

..and you want something.

You want something so bad...

You’ve got to risk everything.”

-Abby Wambach

“Champions keep playing until they get it right.”

-Billie Jean King

“Once you give them the power to tell you you’re great;

..you’ve also given them the power to tell you you’re unworthy.

Once you start caring about people’s opinions of you..

You give up control.”

-Ronda Rousey

“I can’t relate to lazy people.

We don’t speak the same language.

I can’t understand you.

I don’t want to understand you.”

-Kobe Bryant

And, one of my all time favorites that hung outside my office at the Bulls practice facility:

“To win takes a complete commitment of mind and body.

When you can’t make that commitment;

..they don’t call you a champion anymore.”

-Rocky Marciano

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I share insights on human performance, coaching, and leadership. https://twitter.com/jbonhotal/status/1444422654530768904

Here’s more from the greatest Coaches to ever do it that you might enjoy: https://twitter.com/jbonhotal/status/1528132368501903360