Carl Lewis

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Life is about timing.

If you don't have confidence, you'll always find a way not to win.

People have always thought of me as being something, but I'm just a human being like everyone else.

'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.

The trials on the road to world harmony are no greater than the courage of those who accept the challenge.

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.

I don't intend to stay around any longer than I feel I can be No. 1.

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

If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win.

Whether I'm 40, 50 or 60, I'm going to be as physically strong as I am able.

I don't feel I'm qualified to be a coach outside the high school level. I think I would need to do more education to really be a good coach.

I work with the Carl Lewis Foundation focusing on youth from high school down.

My thoughts before a big race are usually pretty simple. I tell myself: 'Get out of the blocks, run your race, stay relaxed. If you run your race, you'll win... channel your energy. Focus.

There is no correlation between a childhood success and a professional athlete.

The people are fed up with their elected officials playing the blame game and treating their political counterparts as enemies.

Track and field is the best way to reach out for kids. It doesn't matter how fast you are. You always want to beat someone.

Channel your energy. Focus.

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

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.

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.

To this day, most people think of me as the fastest human. They don't really think me as a long jumper, although that's the event I had more success in.

You're not going to get a chance to vote for me on the ballot, but you can actually vote for what I believe in.

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.

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

Most people want to become movie stars and I just want to be in the business. I already was a star. If I get the part of a lifetime and it blows up, then that's wonderful. But if the acting doesn't work, fine. I'll just be a producer. And if the producing doesn't work, fine. I've got a lot of other stuff.

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.

I found the emotion that as an athlete you block out, and it really helped me to understand myself as a person. I'm a really emotional person and it helped make me a better person.

When I decided to go for four gold medals I planned it out over a few years. It was in four different events and there was a lot to it.

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