Al Oerter Quotes

The only thing I'm addicted to right now is winning.

Winning isn't getting ahead of others. It's getting ahead of yourself.

My old coach used to say that if you were in it for the match, if you were in it for the trophies, you were in it for the wrong reasons.

Like it or not, life is a series of competitions. You may be competing for a grade, a spot on a team, a job, or the largest account in town. The higher your self-esteem is, the better you get along with yourself, with others, and the more you'll accomplish.

I think life is sort of like a competition, whether it's in sports, or it's achieving in school, or it's achieving good relationships with people. And competition is a little bit of what it's all about.

I'm just here for this one purpose, and that's to try and get better each and every day and try and win as much as I can, while I can.

It's insane to have won all those things - not possible. But what I love is learning, which never stops and is nothing to do with the medals you've won.

I've never been here to simply compete.

I'm a competitor. I'm going to compete each and every day to get better.

What drives me is winning medals and going out there and enjoying it.

I want to jump far all the time and go out there and win medals.

My advice is that going to the Olympics and winning a gold medal are great goals, but the real goal should be to be the best that you can be.

Someone's always saying, "It's not whether you win or lose," but if you feel that way, you're as good as dead.

It's not so much what you accomplish in life that really matters, but what you overcome that proves who you are, what you are, and whether you are a champion.

Every win, regardless a good or bad one, gives you more confidence.

None of us really pushes hard enough. People always talk about playing over your head when you are up against someone really good. Maybe you don't play over your head at all. Maybe it's just potential you never knew you had.

Competing is exciting and winning is exhilarating, but the true prize will always be the self-knowledge and understanding that you have gained along the way.

If my dreams can happen to me, your dreams can happen to you. Champions are not made on the track or field; champions are made by the things you accomplish and the way you use your abilities in everyday life situations.

Strive to be the best and you may succeed: he may well win the race that runs by himself.

Winning doesn't always mean being first.

The principle is competing against yourself.

If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?

Athletes are moved - human beings are moved - by challenges.

Every time I go in, me and my time, we're 0-0, and we're looking to become 1-0.