The road to the Olympics, leads to no city, no country. It goes far beyond New York or Moscow, ancient Greece or Nazi Germany. The road to the Olympics leads — in the end — to the best within us.
Jesse OwensRead
If you don't try to win you might as well hold the Olympics in somebody's back yard. The thrill of competing carries with it the thrill of a gold medal. One wants to win to prove himself the best.
Interpretation
Winning requires effort and competition; without trying, one loses the opportunity for achievement.
This quote by Jesse Owens emphasizes the importance of striving for victory through competition. It conveys that merely participating without a goal to win diminishes the experience and significance of the effort, akin to holding an event in an inconsequential location. Competing not only provides a sense of challenge but also a chance to prove oneself and achieve greatness, likened to the excitement associated with winning a gold medal.
In practice
During a sports event, one might say this quote to encourage athletes to give their best.
The road to the Olympics, leads to no city, no country. It goes far beyond New York or Moscow, ancient Greece or Nazi Germany. The road to the Olympics leads — in the end — to the best within us.
A lifetime of training for just ten seconds.
In the end, it's extra effort that separates a winner from second place. But winning takes a lot more that that, too. It starts with complete command of the fundamentals. Then it takes desire, determination, discipline, and self-sacrifice. And finally, it takes a great deal of love, fairness and respect for your fellow man. Put all these together, and even if you don't win, how can you lose?
When I came back, after all those stories about Hitler and his snub, I came back to my native country, and I could not ride in the front of the bus. I had to go to the back door. I couldn't live where I wanted. Now what's the difference?
I wanted no part of politics. And I wasn't in Berlin to compete against any one athlete. The purpose of the Olympics, anyway, was to do your best. As I'd learned long ago from Charles Riley, the only victory that counts is the one over yourself.
Only by God?s grace have I made it to see today and only by God?s grace will I ever see tomorrow.
I am one of those who will go on doing till all doings are at an end.
You don't have to become something you're not to be better than you were.
Rather than having small smart tricks to get by, focus on holding on and persevering.
And when I was saying I want to become number one of the world and I was 7, 8 years old, most of the people were laughing to me. Because you know, it seemed like I have one percent chances to do that. And I've done it.
The world belongs to the energetic.
Every man's task [his 'great dream' and impassioned life-goal] is his life preserver.
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