Basketball is one of those rare opportunities where you can make a difference, not only for yourself, but for other people as well.
Bill WaltonRead
At 49, I can say something I never would have said when I was a player. I am a better person because of my failures and disgraces.
Interpretation
Failures and mistakes contribute significantly to personal growth and character development.
In this quote, Bill Walton reflects on his personal journey, emphasizing that the challenges and setbacks he faced throughout his career have ultimately led to his growth as a person. He acknowledges that while he may not have recognized this truth during his playing days, the lessons learned from failure have enriched his life and shaped his character.
In practice
This quote is perfect for a graduation speech to encourage students to embrace failures.
Basketball is one of those rare opportunities where you can make a difference, not only for yourself, but for other people as well.
I was a skinny, scrawny guy. I stuttered horrendously, couldn't speak at all. I was a very shy, reserved player and a very shy, reserved person. I found a safe place in life in basketball.
Success at the highest level comes down to one question: Can you decide that your happiness can come from someone else's success?
Where else but the NBA could people like Bill Russell, Spencer Haywood, Ricky Barry, Dennis Rodman, and Allen Iverson come in and be allowed to be who they are?
I'm not putting any of this well. I am not and never have been an intellectual. I am not articulate, and the subjects that I am trying to describe and discuss are beyond my abilities. I am trying, however, the best I can, and will go back over this as carefully as possible when I am finished, and will make changes and corrections whenever I can see a way to make what I'm discussing clearer or more interesting without fabricating anything.
All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.
We human beings grow through our failures, not our virtues.
In solitude we become aware that our worth is not the same as our usefulness.
Trust who and what you are, and the universe will support you in miraculous ways.
Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness. And they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy... or they become legend.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.