Entrepreneurialism can often wreak havoc on your emotions. One minute you’re up in euphoria land, the next you’re down in the dumps and doubting your ability. Hearing an inspirational or funny quote from someone who has made it at the top level can make you feel less alone and more fired up for success in your field.
Here are eleven of the most inspirational quotes from the most elite soccer players and coaches around the world.
1. “Aim for the sky and you’ll reach the ceiling. Aim for the ceiling and you’ll stay on the floor.” – Bill Shankly
Bill Shankly is one of the most successful football managers of all time, he took charge of Liverpool FC in 1959 when they were in the second tier of English football. His creative style of football propelled the club to champions of both Europe and the English First Division multiple times. Shankly was an inspiration and this quote of his demonstrates the attitude that you need to have to be successful, always aim high.
2. “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pele
Far and away the world’s most famous footballer and considered by many as the best ever, Pele led the Brazilian national side to 3 World Cups and holds the record for most goals scored throughout his career. Pele’s quote about hard work is true in almost all disciplines and reminds us that you won’t gain anything in life unless you are prepared to work for it,
3. “The mistake is to imagine that perfection is possible when the very idea is unthinkable.” – Luis Figo
Once the world’s most expensive footballer, Luis Figo was a Portuguese footballer who played for giant clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan. This quote about perfection inspires us to continuously be creative, never accept anything as finished or the ‘perfect’ article, there is always room for improvement in everything that we do.
4. “When I was younger I was trying to do what I wanted to do, not what the game wanted me to do.” – Thierry Henry
One of the English Premier League’s most successful strikers, the man who holds the record for most goals scored at Arsenal FC, the club where he plied his trade for most of his career. Henry has a World Cup medal to his name as well as a Champions League medal amongst many other trophies and league championship medals. Whilst this is a quote about football, it inspires us to always seek to be creative and look for alternative ways of success, true success is shaping the industry you are in, not just following the trend.
5. “It is better to win ten times 1-0 than to win once 10-0.” – Vahid Halihodzic
Widely regarded as the best ever Yugoslavian footballer, Halidhodzic is currently manager of the Japanese national team. His quote about winning transcends football and serves as a reminder that one moment of great success pales in comparison to many smaller successes.
6. “It took me 17 years and 114 days to be an overnight success” – Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi, Barcelona’s star striker and arguably the best player in the world really strikes a chord with this quote. Very often the public believe something to be an overnight success and this often fools people into thinking that it is possible. What many don’t see are the hours and hours of hard work that take place behind the scenes before someone becomes successful, there is no such thing as an overnight success.
7. “Your love makes me strong, your hate makes me unstoppable.” – Cristiano Ronaldo
The man in direct competition with Messi for the ‘Best Player in the World’ tag is Cristiano Ronaldo, a man whose successes at Manchester United and Real Madrid have catapulted him to superstardom. Often considered as one of the hardest working men in football, Ronaldo’s sentiments about the opinion of others offer the perfect way to deal with negativity and how to use it to your advantage.
8. “Rocks on the road? Store them all, one day you will build a castle.” – Eric Abidal
Eric Abidal is an inspirational figure, the French defender twice overcame serious liver problems including a tumor and later a liver transplant. Despite his health problems, Abidal continued to hold a place at Spanish giants Barcelona and consistently returned from his health problems to play a vital role in the team. His inspirational quote encourages us to use obstacles to your advantage.
9. “I don’t have time for hobbies. At the end of the day, I treat my job as a hobby. It’s something I love doing.” – David Beckham
David Beckham has become an icon both on and off the football pitch, a man who has been decorated with honors for almost every team he played with, as well as by the British Government for his services to the public and for his charity work. This quote about loving what you do is important in all walks of life, if you want success then you have to enjoy what you do.
10. “I once cried because I had no shoes to play soccer, but one day, I met a man who had no feet.” – Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane’s remarkable career saw him win European trophies and a World Cup, a true magician with the ball and who is currently seeing success as coach of European giants Real Madrid. This emotional quote from Zidane encourages us to cherish what you have. And, be sure to be humble whilst you’re doing so.
11. “When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” – Diego Maradona
The enigmatic Maradona argued by many as the greatest footballer that the world has ever seen, single handedly lead the Argentina side to World Cup glory in 1986 and lead an otherwise weak Napoli side to glory in the Italian League. Maradona’s quote reminds us all that luck helps, but it is never responsible for true success, that can only come from you, and the work that you put in.
12. “You don’t have to have been a horse to be a jockey.” – Arrigo Sacchi
The incredibly successful Arrigo Sacchi lead Italian side AC Milan to back-to-back European titles in 1989 and 1990, the last team ever to do so. Sacchi also led the Italian national side to the World Cup final in 1994 and is widely regarded as one of the best managers that the game has ever seen. This succinct quote perfectly sums up the idea of transferable skills and that you don’t need to have worked in the field you are in, just have a strong understanding of it in order to achieve success.
Football and the skills needed within it to succeed are not unlike those needed to succeed in business. Hard work, patience, creativity, perseverance and a passion for what you do are characteristics that are necessary both in business and in football and these quotes serve perfectly to draw the parallels between the two.
Featured photo credit: Pixabay via pixabay.com
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