Mary Lou Retton Quotes

The big secret in life is there is no secret. Whatever your goal. You can get there if you're willing to work.

Leaders aren't born they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal.

What keeps so many people back is simply unwillingness to pay the price, to make the exertion, the effort to sacrifice their ease and comfort.

The only thing that separates successful people from the ones who aren't is the willingness to work very, very hard.

Hard work breeds self-respect.

I've always surrounded myself with people who are driven. You can be gorgeous, but if you don't want to work for it, nothing is not going to happen.

There was a moment in time where I was really focused on the Navy and I followed through with it - I passed the test. I was happy with myself because I was accomplishing something and I was really working towards a goal. That was the first true thing I invested my energy in.

One of my biggest influences of all time would probably be one of my soccer coaches, Coach Darlington, from high school. He was always trying to get me to push myself really hard. No excuses. I always hated him, but it paid off. I think that's what life is all about... when you push through the hard stuff and it pays off.

I'm a firm believer that you can only get better by working hard.

I think if you want to prove something to yourself and not fail there's only one choice and that's to work.

You have to work hard if you want something, and my parents instilled that into me when I was really young.

If you want to make something of yourself, you have to just do it relentlessly.

I'm in the pursuit of excellence. One foot at a time, one camp at a time.

Throughout COVID, I just consistently grinded at my craft. I didn't let COVID get in the way of my goal and the goal is to be the best me that I can be for the team.

Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to doDon't wish it were easier, wish you were better.

Focused, hard work is the real key to success.

I wasn't the biggest, the fastest, the strongest, and then I bought into something called work ethic.

Working really hard is what successful people do.

Hard work is the only way to go. Strive to be the best you can be and remember that when you try your best, you can't ask any more from yourself, and people can't ask any more from you.

Work hard at your job and you can make a living. Work hard on yourself and you can make a fortune.

I'm a little bit of a glutton for punishment, especially when it comes to work. I don't mind a bit of suffering. I think it's in suffering that we realize our best selves.

Many successful people are no more talented than unsuccessful people. The difference between them lies in the old axiom that successful people do those things that unsuccessful people don't like to do.

Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.

The question is not whether the formula for success will work, but rather whether the person will work the formula.

From the very start of my career, it was clear to me that achievement was built on discipline.