Sharing four (4) excellent, inspirational, and motivational life quotes from two (2) incomparable sports legends: Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973) AND Muhammad Ali (1942 – 2016). They may be gone but their words live on.
Most people who know me know that I am not really into sports. There are certain Olympic competitions that I like to watch such as gymnastics, figure skating, and swimming. And two other sports competitions that I did not mind watching were martial arts and boxing.
That's my introduction for this article. I have selected quotes from 2 legends in the sports world of martial arts and boxing whose powerful words influenced and impressed much more than their fighting skills.
Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973) AND Muhammad Ali (1942 – 2016)
They may no longer be with us but their words live on.
I picked just 2 quotes from each man, to extract their wisdom and also to contrast and compare them to each other. The quotes are sensible and can serve as guiding steps for life, whether or not you are in the field of sports.
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BRUCE LEE: “Adapt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own.”
MUHAMMAD ALI: "Don't count the days. Make the days count."
Having followed the careers of both of these men, I can clearly see that they practiced what they preached.
Though Ali's quote does not talk about adapting, his fights in the boxing ring proved that he knew very well how to adapt. If a method he used didn't work, then he would change his style to beat the opponent. He also fought in a way that was like no other. His way of boxing was specifically his own.
The same goes for Bruce Lee. Many people can only try to emulate or imitate him. They can try. His style was specifically his own. To this day he set the “MMA standard” for all other martial artists and everybody else only hopes that they can come close to achieving it.
As far as counting the days, each one of them, in their prime, made sure that not a minute was wasted when pursuing their objectives.
* As for my own personal life application? Early in my life I accepted that I am a unique individual. I'm unlike anybody else and I'm not supposed to be. That rule applies to everyone. We're not supposed to be like another person. But I also recognized my environment and the people around me and adapted to every situation without sacrificing what makes me unique. My late mother used to say: “Each person has their own gifts and they should use them for good.” Also, I realized that time or tomorrow is not promised to me. So I definitely understand the practicality and the value of making each day count. I determine to spend each day being engaged in fruitful activity. Because I know once that time is expended, I won't get it back.
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BRUCE LEE: “You just wait. I’m going to be the biggest Chinese Star in the world!”
MUHAMMAD ALI: "It's not bragging if you can back it up."
Others may have interpreted their words as self-aggrandizement or conceit. But both of these men proved that they were just stating the facts.
As for my own personal life application? I prefer not to draw attention to myself. So even though I had “gifts”, my mother never said it was necessary to announce that LOUDLY to everyone. I have always worked quietly to accomplish my goals. As long as I knew within myself that if I needed to say something out loud I really could back it up … that was good enough! LOL.
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Did you enjoy these quotes?
Did they contain wisdom that you can personally apply?
If you want to read more quotes from these 2 sports legends here are the references:
The 101 Ultimate Bruce Lee Quotes | Lifehack.org
11 Super Inspiring Muhammad Ali Quotes | Inc.com
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NOTE: My Original content previously published via Forum Coin
