Athletics Quotes

• Nothing good comes in life or athletics unless a lot of hard work has preceded the effort. Only temporary success is achieved by taking short cuts.

  Roger Staubach

  Life, Basketball, Hard Work

  54 Copy quote

• One of the great lessons I've learned in athletics is that you've got to discipline your life. No matter how good you may be, you've got to be willing to cut out of your life those things that keep you from going to the top.

  Bob Richards

  Motivational, Life Lesson, Athlete

  Bob Richards (2009). “The Heart of a Champion: Inspiring True Stories of Challenge and Triumph”, p.74, Revell

  47 Copy quote

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• Scientists have proven that it's impossible to long-jump 30 feet, but I don't listen to that kind of talk. Thoughts like that have a way of sinking into your feet.

  Carl Lewis

  Motivational, Feet, Long

  77 Copy quote

• In running it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions.

  Glenn Cunningham

  Sports, Running, Lying

  88 Copy quote

• If the chi is being wasted by useless activities, emotions and associations that drain us, then we don't have enough power when it comes time to perform.

  Frederick Lenz

  Health, Buddhism, Useless

  7 Copy quote

• Teamwork - everything is one. You can connect with the emptiness of all things. All things are empty.

  Frederick Lenz

  Teamwork, Health, Buddhism

  7 Copy quote

• The emptiness of play is when there is no self present. There is no one playing - there is only play itself taking place, perfect fluid motion.

  Frederick Lenz

  Health, Buddhism, Self

  7 Copy quote

• Instead of your ego directing you and making countless mistakes, allow yourself to be guided by the invisible principles of the universe within your action.

  Frederick Lenz

  Mistake, Health, Buddhism

  Frederick Lenz (1994). “Surfing the Himalayas: conversations and travels with Master Fwap”, Interglobal Seminars

  7 Copy quote

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• If all the members of a team have synchronized their energy and they have all subordinated their egos to success of the team, then we have a functioning unit. If we have a lot of hotshots who want attention, you won't really play that well.

  Frederick Lenz

  Team, Health, Buddhism

  7 Copy quote

• The chi is the central energy or power that we use in physical expression. When the chi is flowing properly in our lives, we can be very adept athletically.

  Frederick Lenz

  Health, Buddhism, Expression

  7 Copy quote

• We must respect the rights and properties of our fellowman. And then learn to play the game of life, as well as the game of athletics, according to the rules of society. If you can take that and put it into practice in the community in which you live, then, to me you have won the greatest championship.

  Jesse Owens

  Games, Play, Rights

  91 Copy quote

• It is easier to develop the mind through meditation than it is just through athletic practice. If you put the two together, it will be unbelievable.

  Frederick Lenz

  Health, Buddhism, Practice

  7 Copy quote

• The most powerful force to maintaining a good immune system is the power of positive thinking and not allowing yourself to be unnecessarily drained emotionally by worries and fears.

  Frederick Lenz

  Powerful, Health, Positive Thinking

  11 Copy quote

• Use the practice of mind and body; in order to make those moves perfectly, you have to pull your mind out of its mundane thoughts and awarenesses and bring it into the body movement.

  Frederick Lenz

  Moving, Health, Buddhism

  7 Copy quote

• If you are serious about sports and athletics then you need to begin the discipline of mind. With the power of mind, almost anything can be accomplished.

  Frederick Lenz

  Sports, Health, Buddhism

  7 Copy quote

• Eternity becomes more beautiful as we age, if we age well. If we age poorly, then we don't improve our minds; we don't refine all the aspects of our being.

  Frederick Lenz

  Beautiful, Health, Buddhism

  7 Copy quote

• It is fun to be outside; it's good to move your body and there is just a joy in sports and athletics.

  Frederick Lenz

  Sports, Fun, Moving

  7 Copy quote

• In Zen we strive to bring both the mind and the body into perfect combination, so that there is no intrinsic difference between them.

  Frederick Lenz

  Health, Buddhism, Differences

  7 Copy quote

• As you gain more discipline over your body, you will find that a corollary discipline will develop in the mind because the two really go together.

  Frederick Lenz

  Health, Buddhism, Two

  7 Copy quote

• Winning has to do with gaining personal power through the practice of meditation and mindfulness; not draining your energy on ridiculous things and people.

  Frederick Lenz

  Health, Buddhism, Winning

  7 Copy quote

• When your spirit is free and your body is well developed, magic occurs. You are able to let go and become the play.

  Frederick Lenz

  Letting Go, Health, Buddhism

  7 Copy quote

• Sports and athletics can be a path in Zen, in concordance with daily practice of zazen meditation. You need to move with your spirit, not just with your body.

  Frederick Lenz

  Sports, Moving, Health

  7 Copy quote

• Physical perfection, working out, adds to your spiritual perfection if that is your intent.

  Frederick Lenz

  Spiritual, Health, Buddhism

  7 Copy quote

• If someone else runs faster than you or makes more money than you or is more adept at anything, that doesn't mean you have lost. You are measuring yourself only against yourself and your tendencies not to do all that you are capable of doing.

  Frederick Lenz

  Running, Health, Mean

  7 Copy quote

• I didn't get an athletics scholarship at a major school.

  Edwin Moses

  School, Scholarship, Majors

  7 Copy quote