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“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”, these golden words said by the great Muhammad Ali decades ago, still resonate in-ears for getting inspiration and encouragement to lead a better life. Muhammad Ali was not just an individual, a black man, a motivational speaker, a poet, an American, a professional boxer, or champion; he was and still in spirit, a global phenomenon. The thrill, the mental power, and an eloquent balance of spiritual and worldly education that Muhammad Ali 's character possessed are what each and every one of us needs right now. Now when the world around us is agitating with violence, intolerance, inequality, and injustice, we need the inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali to stay connected to our roots and follow the right path.
Muhammad Ali's personality was full of passion, intelligence, and every time he spoke, his words reflected his sheer love for his job and his passion for humanity. All of his media presence perfectly reflect his vision for not only the better future of America but of the whole world as well. He was excellent in his job and truly showed himself the greatest boxer of all time.
1. In Muhammad Ali's book of life, nothing was impossible. He believed that if one tries hard to achieve a goal, and show utter conviction in getting it, God will help him get it. As he said, “Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.” The impossible word was absent from his dictionary and advised everyone to do the same.
2. Muhammad Ali was not just a great boxer, rather with his excellent sills of choosing words, he also had described the importance of friends in one's life. He said, “Friendship … is not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.” If you do not have friends to cherish your success with, then your success will mean nothing. And making friends is the first and foremost rule of leading content and successful life.
3. “Friendship is a priceless gift that cannot be bought nor sold, but its value is far greater than a mountain made of gold.”
4. Muhammad Ali advocated that becoming a champion needs more than just physical fitness. To perform the best in the ring require internal strength, self-belief, greater vision than just an onetime win, and positivity. He said, “Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.” Physical fitness, along with mental health, and firm belief are some of the most important ingredients to be a champion.
5. Muhammad Ali explained his secret of being greatest by saying, “I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was. I figured that if I said it enough, I would convince the world that I really was the greatest.” This is one of those inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali which let us realize his self-belief and the resonance of his own words. By saying that he is great all the time on media, he convinced his followers in believing in his greatness.
6. This quote "It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am." expresses a glimpse of Muhammad Ali's confident, light and lovely personality. He showed himself as a tough, stern, and utterly strong human being, and that is exactly what these words are portraying him to be. Every aspect of his personality is awesome to know about.
7. Most of Muhammad Ali's quotes teach us the necessary lessons to live a happy and content life. Living a happy life is more important than being victorious in your life. He said, “Live every day as if it were your last because someday you’re going to be right.” Living each day like its last will allow you to live it to the fullest. And that is what will bring happiness to you.
8. Life is not fair. Unfair things happen to everyone, all the time, in every corner of the world. However, not thinking about the unfairness of life is the key to keep moving forward in the right direction. "Life is a gamble. You can get hurt, but people die in plane crashes, lose their arms and legs in car accidents; people die every day. Same with fighters: some die, some get hurt, some go on. You just don’t let yourself believe it will happen to you." If you keep on thinking about all the negative stuff happening around you, then it will be extremely difficult for you to get to your goal.
9. Muhammad Ali was a religious man. He understood the true essence of Islam that most of the Muslims around the world have forgotten. He respected all religions as he said, "Rivers, ponds, lakes, and streams – they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do – they all contain truths." Those who think that followers of a different religion then they are somehow lesser surely do not understand the teachings of their religion.
10. Most of the inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali are about moving forward towards your goal, without thinking of losing, but of winning only. “I never thought of losing, but now that it’ s happened, the only thing is to do it right. That’s my obligation to all the people who believe in me. We all have to take defeats in life.” The minute you start questioning yourself, you will lose all progress in the journey of your success.
11. Muhammad Ali was a Muslim and a black man. And being both was and still is no less than being a criminal. Muhammad Ali faced numerous negativities and injustices all his life, and that was not new for a black African American in that society. However, he was resilient, and the best in his craft, as he said, “You’re my opposer when I want freedom; You’re my opposer when I want justice; You’re my opposer when I want equality; You won’t even stand up for me in America for my religious beliefs and you want me to go somewhere and fight, but you won’t even stand up for me here at home!” All his life, he raised his voice for the rights of minorities in America and all over the world.
12. Muhammad Ali was not ashamed of anything he had, rather he was confident and charming. He was well aware of his worth and he knew how to project it perfectly. “Look at me. Look at my nose, perfect shape; lips, face. Now I’m not boasting, but it’s hard to be humble when you’re as pretty as I am.” (A half of this quote is written previously as well.)
13. Muhammad Ali was always in control, whether in the ring or outside. He even had calculated the punches he took in the ring. And not only that, he amalgamated his punches with his success, and the result was surely worth it. As he once said in an interview, “I calculate that I took 20,000 punches, but I earned millions and kept a lot of it. I may talk slow, but my mind is OK.” This is a great lesson for the youngsters of this field, especially those who find it hard to receive punches and always remain eager to attack the opponents.
14. Among all the inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali, this one will hit deep in the core of the heart of the Muslims. Muslims all around the globe are referred to as terrorists. However, no religion teaches terrorism, and surely not Islam teaches it as well. Muhammad Ali beautifully spoke the thoughts of every peaceful Muslim all around the globe by saying, “I am a Muslim and there is nothing Islamic about killing innocent people in Paris, San Bernardino, or anywhere else in the world.” Because of the wrongdoings of just a bunch of terrorists, all the Muslims are regarded as the terrorist and that is unjust on many levels.
15. It is hard to defend your country when your people within their own country are treated pathetically and are deprived of the necessities to live a life. Muhammad Ali refused to take part in any such war and throw bombs on people by saying, “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?” Human rights don't mean giving rights to just a bunch of people, rather it requires treating equally all the citizens of your country.
16. Muhammad Ali judged others the way they treated the underprivileged. It is easy to give respect to the one successful, rich, or at a high post, but your true personality is depicted in your treatment with the lower class people. Muhammad Ali said, “I don’t trust anyone who’s nice to me but rude to the waiter. Because they would treat me the same way if I were in that position.” Surely, Muhammad Ali knew that it was not a star, then the same people would be treating him like trash.
17. Muhammad Ali did not get success overnight. He had to face numerous challenges all his life. And he talked about the reality of his life all the time. He said, “All through my life, I have been tested. My will has been tested, my courage has been tested, my strength has been tested. Now my patience and endurance are being tested.” If you are living through some gruesome and difficult times in your life, then you must not lose hope. There are numerous examples out there, like Muhammad Ali's, that inspire us to keep working hard and keep dreaming for better days. And one day, you will get there.
18. Making mistakes is what makes us human. None of us is perfect. However, the goal must be to give happiness to others throughout our life. "I’ve made my share of mistakes along the way, but if I have changed even one life for the better, I haven’t lived in vain.” This is one of the most inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali and is relatable to most of us. If we keep on living every day of our life, just for ourselves, then it will be in vain at the end. If you want to live a great life, then it is important to live it for others.
19. Believing in yourself is the key to success. If you are not self-aware of your worth then you can achieve anything. Muhammad Ali gives all the credit of his success to himself. He was aware of his talents and skills and also knew how to and where to project them. He said, “When you want to talk about who made me, you talk to me. Who made me is ME.” This is the sort of attitude that is necessary to get to success.
20. Keep reminding yourself and everyone around you that how special you are. Constant affirmation of self-worth will lead to conviction and this conviction will lead you to the final trophy. He said, “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” Good things happen to those who are true to their path no matter how many obstacles they had to face.
21. Muhammad Ali may seem a crazy person at times, but then it is that thrilling crazy attitude that gets him to the top. He was unlike others. His personality, his attitude, his manners were special, different, and exceptional. He once said, “I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale; handcuffed lightning, thrown thunder in jail; only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick; I’m so mean I make medicine sick.” His every word keeps us reminding to never give up on yourself, no matter how hard the times get. One person that will always be on your side is just you, and no one else.
22. Muhammad Ali observed and was right about it, that people do not kindhearted and soft man seriously. So, he always presented himself as a rugged, tough, and strong person, whenever in public. On the other hand, he was an exceptionally kind-hearted and loving person at home. As he described these two sides of his personality by saying, “At home, I am a nice guy: but I don’t want the world to know. Humble people, I’ve found, don’t get very far.” Well, there is surely a lesson in this quote for all of us, and that is to never show your soft side to people, as they will try to take advantage of it.
23. If you are blessed by God, then you must help others. Muhammad Ali said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” This is one of the most inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali that must be read and understood by each and every one of us. Most of us, when we get all the success we desired, often forget helping others. It is extremely important to keep balance in this world.
24. Muhammad Ali was not an ordinary person. He was self-assured. He knew his game and was best in it. He said, “My trainer don’t tell me nothing between rounds. I don’t allow him to. I fight the fight. All I want to know is did I win the round. It’s too late for advice.” When most, or rather all of the boxers need consistent coaching between the rounds, Muhammad Ali just needs to be focused on his game. And that mental strength won him his games.
25. Muhammad Ali believed that talent needs consistent physical training to sharpen the skill; set. As he said, “I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given. I believed in myself, and I believe in the goodness of others.”
26. Muhammad Ali was self-aware. He knew that his job is to beat people up, and he was best at it. There was nothing unusual about it for him, he said, “It’s just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up.”
27. He always remained all praise for him. Most of the quotes by Muhammad Ali are describing his worth and importance. And for that, he was special. He said, “I’m the greatest thing that ever lived! I’m the king of the world! I’m a bad man. I’m the prettiest thing that ever lived.” And it surely was true.
28. Muhammad Ali perfectly described that the long and tough routine of a sportsman is what prepares him/ her to perform excellently on the big day. He said, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” Among all the inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali, this one is especially important for all the athletes out there who find it hard to train for long hours.
29. Muhammad Ali seldom lost his games. However, he well knew the fact that to taste the true essence of a victory, one must understand the lessons learned from his defeat. Muhammad Ali described it eloquently by saying, “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.” And this spirit is most needed to win a tied match. One can only understand this tactic after experiencing it.
30. Muhammad Ali never compromised on his principles. He always preached his fans to not give up on your rules. He said, “My principles are more important than the money or my title.” If you want to achieve long-lasting success and content in your life, then follow your rules and never give up on them.
31. Often, we tend to ignore the blessings we have in our life until we lose them. Muhammad Ali tried to make people realize their blessings with a touch of his attractive touch by saying, “People don’t realize what they had until it’s gone. Like President Kennedy, there was no one like him, the Beatles, and my man Elvis Presley. I was the Elvis of boxing.” This quote lets us feel Muhammad Ali's wittiness, his charm, and his self-confidence.
32. Being smart and being great are two different things. You may have seen numerous people in your life who are smart, genius, and talented but just a handful of them would have achieved greatness in their life. Muhammad Ali was among the greatest men, as he said, “I said I was ‘The Greatest,’ I never said I was the smartest!” However, the way he projected his personality before the public is remarkable and certainly make him smart.
There you go! We hope that you must have enjoyed these inspirational and motivational quotes by Muhammad Ali. Pick your most favorites ones from the bunch and share them with your friends, and family. Share them especially with those friends who are in desperate need of motivation and inspiration. It will be a great gift.
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