Today, most celebrities avoid discussing their personal views about something, but one man was the opposite of this. He loved answering questions and being challenged by people. His honesty, the fact that he stood for something way bigger than his boxing career, along with his boldness and natural charm and his ring success, all connected to make him a superstar. Mohammed Ali, the man who was known for his incredible career, strength, bold moves and controversial statements is very famous around the world. His speeches, poems and quotes still motivate numerous people to do something big in life.

Mohammed Ali was born on 17 January 1942. As a professional, Mohammed Ali was the first person to win the world heavyweight championship on three separate occasions. He was also enlisted in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Muhammad Ali won numerous awards in his life for boxing but his speed, agility, footwork and general athleticism were among the qualities that distinguished him from his competitors. 

He was a passionate man that always spoke his mind and was full of wisdom. His words and quotes inspired many people and will continue to do so for generations. On his birthday today on 17 January, revive your inner champion with these motivational quotes that will encourage you to achieve greater things in life. Below are a few inspiring quotes by Mohammed Ali which you can read to burn the fire inside you.

15 best motivational Quotes by Mohammed Ali:

1. I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given. I believed in myself, and I believed in the goodness of others.

2. If my mind can convince it, and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.

3. Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they have 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.

4. I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion'.

5. 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 the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.

6. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

7. Friendship is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.

8. 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.

9. Often it isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out, its the little pebble in your shoe.

10. Wisdom is knowing when you can't be wise.

11. 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.

12. Rest but never quit. Even the sun has a sinking spell each evening. But it always rises the next morning.

13. The man with no imagination has no wings.

14. The service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.

15. I know where I am going and I know the truth, and I don't have to be what you want me to be. I am free to be what I want.

A true legend, Mohammed Ali's words are still just as motivational today as they were way back when he was prospering in his career. His influence was beyond sports. Many books have been written on Mohammed Ali's influence in the world. He was a leading figure during the uprisings in America in the 1960s. He was a prominent and outspoken critic of American society, an anti-war activist arrested for refusing the draft and denied his right to box during his leading years. Mohammad Ali became a world figure for becoming a Muslim and changing his name. For a young, prominent black man to change his name and religion and loudly proclaim his views, was a huge thing at that time. After his boxing career had ended he continued to be a force for social change as he advocated for reconciliation and cultural harmony, raised awareness for diseases and even rescued hostages. At the age of 74, the boxing legend died on June 3, 2016, and no other athlete has been so great in so many different ways since. Mohammed Ali was revolutionary in his own way, which explains why he was so forceful, controversial and magnetic, because he was fuelled by his beliefs, and that's the reason that he left an unforgettable legacy behind.

__________________________

Reference: 

• www.britannica.com
• www.wikipedia.org
• www.goodreads.com