Great Throughts Treasury

"We are each put on this earth to make a particular contribution to humanity... Although God, the Almighty, has a plan for every one of us, He gives us choices. It is our responsibility to make the best of those choices in order to achieve our ultimate purpose."

"Each one of us has a fire in our heart for something. It's our goal in life to find it and keep it lit."

"I'm not a politician and not a policeman, just a mother who wants her baby daughter to grow up in a world where fear doesn't rule."

"As simple as it sounds, we all must try to be the best person we can: by making the best choices, by making the most of the talents we've been given."

"At the funeral, Lewis placed his 1984 gold medal from the 100 meters in his father's hand before the casket was closed."

"Fragile egos are put on the line every day."

"For six years, I kept my five Olympic medals wrapped in a plastic bread bag beneath my bed."

"As for me, I'd love to be a cyclist."

"Companies that support sports developmental programs in our communities should also be applauded."

"Be cocky. Walk into the Georgia Dome like you own it."

"For athletes, the Olympics are the ultimate test of their worth."

"I can't justify taking money away from hungry kids and needy schools to pay for the Games when corporations are willing to write the checks."

"I know that if I wanted to have a chance at a medal in the Olympics, I was not going to do it if I stayed at home."

"I like added pressure. It makes me work harder."

"I love her attitude, but as much as I'd like to bring my medals to a speech or appearance, I never do."

"I usually don't mind giving autographs, but when hundreds of folks with paper and pen start coming at you, it's time to seek shelter."

"If I had a bad performance in a particular leotard, I threw it in the trash."

"Former Olympians also get paid to make appearances. Many of them won their medals in an era when Olympic success didn't go hand-in-hand with financial success."

"Getting to know athletes from all over the planet is a big part of the Olympic experience."

"Having a home away from the media glare is important to world-class athletes."

"I'm very determined and stubborn. There's a desire in me that makes me want to do more and more, and to do it right. Each one of us has a fire in our heart for something. It's our goal in life to find it and to keep it lit."

"In the dressing room, I always put on my right shoe first. Same thing for my right wristband."

"It's going to be really weird when I'm 80 years old, in a walker, and people are still calling me America's sweetheart. We need a new one."

"Many athletes competing in Atlanta wouldn't be here if it weren't for corporate support."

"Many medal winners dream of competing in a sport other than the one they're famous for."

"More than 10,000 athletes came to Atlanta seeking Olympic medals. Only a few of them will be lucky and skilled enough to claim one."

"Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you."

"Pay-per-view would deprive many kids of the delight of seeing the Olympics."

"That's because the International Olympic Committee has a policy of never replacing medals."

"The endorsement game has been very good to me."

"There can be distractions, but if you're isolated from the heart of the Games, the Olympics become just another competition."

"What is the fire that burns in your heart? If you are lucky enough to discover it, than by all means fan the flames and let the fire be the guiding light for a life worth living."

"When athletes accept money, they place themselves under more pressure to perform."

"You give up your childhood. You miss proms and games and high-school events, and people say it's awful... I say it was a good trade. You miss something but I think I gained more than I lost."