"And my father didn't have money for me to go to college. And at that particular time they didn't have black quarterbacks, and I don't think I could have made it in basketball, because I was only 5β² 11". So I just picked baseball."
Willie MaysRead
In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated.
Interpretation
Success requires full commitment and hard work.
Willie Mays emphasizes that excellence is not achieved by mere talent or luck; it requires total dedication and commitment to one's goals. This dedication fuels the hard work and perseverance necessary to reach a high level of achievement in any field.
In practice
In a motivational speech about achieving goals, one might start with this quote to underline the importance of commitment.
"And my father didn't have money for me to go to college. And at that particular time they didn't have black quarterbacks, and I don't think I could have made it in basketball, because I was only 5β² 11". So I just picked baseball."
I remember the last season I played. I went home after a ballgame one day, lay down on my bed, and tears came to my eyes. How can you explain that? It's like crying for your mother after she's gone. You cry because you love her. I cried, I guess, because I loved baseball, and I knew I had to leave it.
Robinson was important to all blacks. To make it into the majors and to take all the name calling, he had to be something special. He had to take all this for years, not just for Jackie Robinson, but for the nation.
I was very fortunate to play sports. All the anger in me went out. I had to do what I had to do. If you stay angry all the time, then you really don't have a good life.
I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.
In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated to your chosen sport. You must also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism. Without one-hundred percent dedication, you won't be able to do this.
I set out very calculatedly to become known. The only thing I maybe miscalculated was how easy it would be.
Thereβs nobody taking center from me until I give it up.
The man who has done his best has done everything.
There is no victory at bargain basement prices.
When I was 20, the idea of having a play on anywhere was just beyond my dreams.
When I started skating, it was such a small community. You didn't aspire to be rich or famous or make a career out of it because that wasn't something anyone had done yet.
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