I know what I want when I start a marathon: to win! But what do you want? Make sure you're clear in advance and don't go out too fast.
Haile GebrselassieRead
You need three things to win: discipline, hard work and, before everything maybe, commitment. No one will make it without those three. Sport teaches you that.
Interpretation
Success in any endeavor requires discipline, hard work, and commitment.
In his quote, Haile Gebrselassie emphasizes the fundamental qualities essential for achieving success, particularly in sports. He points out that discipline, hard work, and a strong commitment are vital ingredients that drive individuals towards their goals, suggesting that without these attributes, achieving success becomes nearly impossible.
In practice
In a motivational speech to young athletes, this quote could inspire them to remain dedicated to their training.
I know what I want when I start a marathon: to win! But what do you want? Make sure you're clear in advance and don't go out too fast.
You must do as your people do. If my people are poor, I must be poor. People ask me, 'Why don't you find a personal coach or a private car?' I can't. Then I won't be part of my people.
I will always listen to my coaches. But first I listen to my body. If what they tell me suits my body, great. If my body doesn't feel good with what they say, then always my body comes first.
You know the marathon in my country is just exceptional. It's like soccer in England. If England win the world cup and Ethiopia win the marathon - it's the same.
Once you have commitment, you need the discipline and hard work to get you there.
The marathon always starts after 30K. That's where the problems start. You start without any problems, without any pain. All the pain comes after 30K. Sometimes, it's possible to have pain even in the finger.
There were a lot of years that I was trying to do things that other people wanted me to do. But you have to follow your heart. Believe that you have a unique group of talents and abilities that are going to allow you to accomplish something in an area that interests you. Work at that and try to make some kind of contribution to your community.
Watch the film, not the stopwatch.
To do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in, and scramble through as well as we can.
If you will assume your desire and live there as though it were true, no power on earth can stop it from becoming a fact.
I have to believe that somebody up there thinks I've still got some work to do.
You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a valuable person. You become valuable because of the knowledge that you have. And that doesn't mean you won't fail sometimes. The important thing is to keep trying.
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