A biography for Rudy Ruettigerhasn’t been written yet.
“You become what people say you are.”
“We accomplish what we do in our lives in spite of the joy stealers.”
“When you're focused, you don't hear the crowd noises, you only hear what you need to hear.”
“My father became the man he wanted to be by allowing dreams and supporting his family's dreams.”
“You're never, ever too old to catch your dream.”
“My friends always told me I was short, dumb and ugly. And you know what, I believed them. But when you change your friends, you change your attitude.”
“Never give up on what you can do.”
“When you believe in yourself, you'll believe in all the signs the good Lord is telling us. You expect yourself to do well, and you expect to do something great.”
“You don't quit just because the odds are against you.”
“When you have a big vision, if you focus on that vision, you'll get it. But most people quit because it gets too hard.”
“You want people to have a positive outlook on life. No matter what they go through, there's hope. I represent that message.”
“Don't let people tell you who you are or what you're going to be!”
“There's a price to pay for greatness. The price to pay is doing the right thing.”
“You see, my movie isn't about football, or about Notre Dame. It's about hope, about the human spirit.”
“If you want to go after something, just do it.”
“If you try to beat the other guy, you probably won't win. But if you try to be the best you can be and compete against yourself, you'll win every time.”
“Too many of us let others' wrong perceptions of us influence how we see ourselves.”
“When you focus on your dreams, great things happen.”
“I'm 5-foot-6.”
“Don't let people steal your confidence and tell you what you can't do because I'm living proof that you can overcome all the obstacles.”