There is... nothing greater than touching the shore after crossing some great body of water knowing that I've done it with my own two arms and legs.
Interpretation
The quote expresses the satisfaction and pride of achieving a significant challenge through personal effort.
Diana Nyad's quote reflects the profound sense of accomplishment that comes from overcoming a great challenge, such as swimming across a vast body of water. It emphasizes the importance of hard work, determination, and resilience, showcasing the joy and fulfillment that arise when one reaches their goal using their own strength and capabilities, ultimately highlighting the journey as much as the destination.
In practice
During a graduation speech to inspire students to follow their dreams.
You have a dream and you have obstacles in front of you as we all do. None of us ever get through this life without heartache, without turmoil, and if you believe and you have faith and you can get knocked down and get back up again and you believe in perseverance as a great human quality, you find your way.
In swimming, especially training out in the ocean and open water, you got fogged-over goggles, you're stuck with your own thoughts - there's great benefits to that, deep thinking like that after many hours, but there's also tremendous loneliness. You burn out. You want to run, jump, ski, do anything. So at age 30, I was finished.
Every human being on this planet has their pain and their heartache and it's up to all of us to find our way back to the light.
I am willing to put myself through anything; temporary pain or discomfort means nothing to me as long as I can see that the experience will take me to a new level.
I swam. We made it, our team, from the rocks of Cuba to the beach of Florida, in squeaky-clean, ethical fashion.
I grew up in Florida, so you start swimming at the age of 1, really. By 10, I was competitive swimming, and by 12, I had aspirations to be the best in the world.
One of the speakers asked how many women had been harassed or abused sexually in their life? There were thousands of women in the audience, and almost every one of them raised her hand.
I guess the worst day I have had was when I had to stand up in rehab in front of my wife and daughter and say 'Hi, my name is Sam and I am an addict.'
Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.
You have to run risks. There are no certainties in war. There is a precipice on either side of you - a precipice of caution and a precipice of over-daring.
Refugees don't make our country less safe. But xenophobia, fear and hate do.
In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want β not only you, your whole family and all people like you.
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