Jackie Joyner-Kersee Quotes

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.

Don't follow in any footprints, make your own prints. Because, you are the future of tomorrow.

The only person who can stop you from reaching your goals is you.

The glory of sport comes from dedication, determination and desire. Achieving success and personal glory in athletics has less to do with wins and losses than it does with learning how to prepare yourself so that at the end of the day, whether on the track or in the office, you know that there was nothing more you could have done to reach your ultimate goal.

Age is no barrier. It's a limitation you put on your mind.

I maintained my edge by always being a student; you will always have something new to learn.

Girls playing sports is not about winning gold medals. It's about self-esteem, learning to compete and learning how hard you have to work in order to achieve your goals.

If I stop to kick every barking dog I am not going to get where I'm going.

Give back in some way. Always be thoughtful of others.

For me it's the challenge -- the challenge to try to beat myself or do better than I did in the past. I try to keep in mind not what I have accomplished but what I have to try to accomplish in the future.

The person who talks a lot or talks over people misses out because they weren't listening.

All I ever wanted really, and continue to want out of life, is to give 100 percent to whatever I'm doing and to be committed to whatever I'm doing and then let the results speak for themselves. Also to never take myself or people for granted and always be thankful and grateful to the people who helped me.

We live in a world where sports have the potential to bridge the gap between racism, sexism and discrimination. The 2012 Olympic Games was a great start but hopefully what these games taught us is that if women are given an opportunity on an equal playing field the possibilities for women are endless.

My passion for giving is no different than yours. I give because it's in my heart to give. I give because I was taught to give at a very early age. This is how I developed my passion for giving.

I don't have to be enemies with someone to be competitors with them.

There are many women who came before me who didn't really have the same opportunities that I have had. That's why I always wanted to be a great ambassador - not only today's generation - but for the women who really didn't have a voice, but who paved the way for me.

I don't think being an athlete is unfeminine. I think of it as a kind of grace.

There is something about seeing myself improve that motivates and excites me.

The rewards are going to come, but my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing.

Teaching kids about health and fitness is important to me. It's about being fit for life.

I always keep myself in a position of being a student.

It wasn't until I was 14 and watched the 1976 Olympic games on television that I really started to dream about the big time. I remember seeing Evelyn Ashford in the 100 meters, and she was going to UCLA.

Once I leave this earth, I know I've done something that will continue to help others.

Ask any athlete: We all hurt at times. I'm asking my body to go through seven different tasks. To ask it not to ache would be too much.

As you grow older and young people come up to you with their history books, you realize that some of the things I have been able to do have been impactful. But for me, I try to keep everything in perspective and stay humble.