My best year of track competition was the first year I ate a vegan diet.
Carl LewisRead
At the end of the day, if you're a professional athlete in track and field you are the CEO of your company.
Interpretation
Professional athletes must take ownership of their careers and strive for excellence.
This quote emphasizes that professional athletes, particularly those in track and field, should view themselves as the leaders of their own careers, akin to CEOs who manage their companies. It highlights the importance of personal responsibility, discipline, and strategic decision-making in achieving success in athletics.
In practice
In a motivational speech to young athletes, to inspire them to take charge of their training.
My best year of track competition was the first year I ate a vegan diet.
Whether I'm 40, 50 or 60, I'm going to be as physically strong as I am able.
I found the emotion that as an athlete you block out, and it really helped me to understand myself as a person. I'm a really emotional person and it helped make me a better person.
I never competed against athletes. I competed against perfection.
Track and field is the best way to reach out for kids. It doesn't matter how fast you are. You always want to beat someone.
Something greater than wealth, grander even than fame β that manhood, character, stand for success, and that nothing else really does.
You don't get this opportunity many times in life to compete against the best in the world every night. I certainly didn't expect to have 10 or 11 years of chances at it, so I don't want to take that for granted.
The truth is that intelligence, knowledge, and domain expertise are vastly overrated as the driving forces behind competitive advantage and sustainable success.
I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate.
One of the first things successful people realize is the old adage, βIf it is to be, it is up to me.β That is, for you, the fact that your success and your course is up to you. This doesnβt mean that you do it all alone. It simply means that you take responsibility for your life and your career.
I feel like I want to take care of everyone and I also feel this terrible guilt if I am unable to. And I have felt this way ever since all this success started.
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