I want to surf better tomorrow. I want to surf better in 10 years. When I'm 50 I want to be a better surfer than I am now - for me it's a lifelong journey.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of continuous self-improvement and lifelong learning in any pursuit.
Kelly Slater expresses his desire for ongoing improvement in his surfing skills over time, highlighting that the journey of self-development is never-ending. This perspective encourages individuals to embrace the process of growth and mastery rather than fixating solely on immediate outcomes.
In practice
A coach might use this quote to inspire athletes to focus on long-term growth rather than just immediate results.
A lot of times I'll see guys who are nowhere near the level of the board they're riding. They might love surfing and love how it looks, but you really have to work your way up. It takes eating a little humble pie at first, and stepping back to equipment that might be a bit slow, but do it.
There are so many different elements to surfing. Small waves, big waves, long boards, short boards. This makes it a sport you can share with people. It's not just a solitary thing - it's become a family thing, too. It's about exercising and passing something on from father to son, and from mother to daughter.
I still feel like my best surfing is ahead of me.
It's a perfect wave when small and the most beautiful and scary wave on Earth when it's big, as the swell from deep water hits the shallow reef ledge. A ten-foot high wave and a 30-footer break in the same depth of water.
Winners never quit and quitters never win.
I accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. That is the timeless thing.
Today is an opportunity to do something positive. Today is your chance to add new value to your life and to your world. Make the commitment to fill this day with meaningful richness and purposeful effort. This is your day to live, so do so with vigor and enthusiasm.
We are told from childhood onward that everything we want to do is impossible. We grow up with this idea, and as the years accumulate, so too do the layers of prejudice, fear and guilt. There comes a time when our personal calling is so deeply buried in our soul as to be invisible. But know that it's still there.
Skills are cheap. Passion is priceless.
Mediocrity is my biggest fear. I'm not afraid of total failure because I don't think that will happen. I'm not afraid of success because that beats the hell out of failure. It's being in the middle that scares me.
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