Carl Lewis

“I'm not a coach and I know it. I'm too busy and it doesn't pay. I'm expensive. But I would always advise.”

“You have to free your mind to do things you wouldn't think of doing. Don't ever say no.”

“Scientists have proven that it's impossible to long-jump 30 feet, but I don't listen to that kind of talk. Thoughts like that have a way of sinking into your feet.”

“The best kids are going to become the best. But the best thing about it is that you're going to learn lessons in playing those sports about winning and losing and teamwork and teammates and arguments and everything else that are going to affect you positively for the rest of your life.”

“Any press is good press. So keep on ragging me.”

“We cannot rest until we make sure that our families can afford to live and raise their kids here, that our seniors can remain in their homes and afford their health and pharmaceutical costs.”

“I'm not Carl Lewis the athlete any more. I'm growing into a new person with new interests and new goals.”

“At the end of the day, if you're a professional athlete in track and field you are the CEO of your company.”

“I'm a fast learner. I may not run as fast as I used to, but I think I still learn as fast.”

“You can't live your life through your children.”

“When I run - you can see my record - I run to win.”

“'m so fortunate to have done what I love to do for so long, but the day I retired was one of the best days of my life. Not because I was happy to get away from the sport, but because it was clear in my mind that I had done all I possibly could, and that it was time to go.”

“People have a moral standard about what they will do and will not do. At the end of the day someone who cheats has a lower moral standard than someone who does not. And they will cheat in other areas of life as well.”

“When I run - as you see from my record - I run to win.”

“I tell you, it was kind of two-fold. I fortunately had a lot of support. My coach was amazing - he told me to focus on being prepared and that is what I did. Every athlete is nervous - any athlete who tells you they're not nervous isn't telling you the truth. I was as prepared as I could be.”

“Amateurism is the strongest form of discrimination in sports. Because it discriminates against the underprivileged, it discriminates against the poor. If we want sports to go back to the wealthy, let's make it amateur again.”

“I always wanted to be wealthy. I did.”

“I always separated sports and my personal life.”

“I'm very serious about becoming a dramatic actor. I don't want to play cameo parts walking on as Carl Lewis the athlete. I want to go on stage or screen and be taken seriously.”

“I know there are a lot of people out there who have the best intentions but not the voice, so it's about people like me to give them a voice and hear their ideas.”