Famous Inspirational Quotes by Billie Jean King
Posted by Louise on Feb 3, 2010
For your pleasure and personal motivation, here is a selection of Billie Jean King’s famous inspirational quotes.
“A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.”
“I didn’t really care if I had a coach that much, me personally, because I was brought up to think for myself.”
“The trouble with being number one in the world – in anything- is that it takes a certain mentality to attain that position, and that is something of a driving, perfectionist attitude, so that once you do achieve number one, you don’t relax and enjoy it.”
“My ego operates this way – every time you tell me I can’t do something, that ego tells me I not only can, but must.”
“The main thing is to care. Care very hard, even if it is only a game you are playing.”
“No matter how tough, no matter what kind of outside pressure, no matter how many bad breaks along the way, I must keep my sights on the final goal, to win, win, win — and with more love and passion than the world has ever witnessed in any performance.”
“I have a lot to say, and if I’m not No. 1, I can’t say it.”
“Ever since that day when I was 11 years old, and I wasn’t allowed in a photo because I wasn’t wearing a tennis skirt, I knew that I wanted to change the sport. Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life.”
“Victory is fleeting. Losing is forever.”
“No one changes the world who isn’t obsessed.”
“Any therapist will tell you that when you’re ready, you will come out. To be outed means you weren’t ready.”
If the fierce determination and the single-minded focus on achieving ones’ fullest potential inspires you, then visit www.tennisquotes.com/quotes.htm by Paul Fein. You can find inspirational quotes and motivating words by 40 tennis champions past and present. Inspiring stuff and well worth bookmarking! If ever your flesh should turn weak, and you focus turn to mush, a few minutes spent on this site is like a shot of adrenalin in the arm.
Who is Billie Jean King?
In her time as legendary tennis champion, coach, business woman, Billie Jean King has produced some genuinely inspiring and motivational words. If you grew up in an environment where unshakable motivation, determination to succeed, and self-belief was not part of your culture or curriculum, then Billy Jean King is a perfect motivational role model. Learn the mindset of a champion.
Billie Jean Moffit was born on 22nd November 1943 in California. Her incredible success as a champion tennis player has only been matched by Martina Navratilova. Beginning in 1961 she won 20 Wimbledon titles, including singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles and nineteen other Grand Slam titles, 13 US titles (including four singles), four French titles (one singles), and two Australian titles (one singles).
Besides tennis excellence, Billie Jean pushed several other boundaries also, including the famous 1973 “Battle of the Sexes” in which she defeated tennis champion Bobby Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, in a televised match that was viewed by 50 million people. Understandably she campaigned for and won equal prize money for men and women players at the U.S. Open 1973.
She was married to Larry King from 1965 to 1987 and they founded World Team Tennis together. Her tradition-breaking streak continued and she became one of the first top athletes to admit to having had a gay relationship with her secretary, Marilyn Bennet.
Considered one of the most important 100 Americans of the 20th century, she continues to receive public recognition. In 2006 a major sports venue was named in her honour: the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre.
I borrowed this inspiring quotation from Billie Jean’s forward in Paul Fein’s book, “Ever since I first picked up a tennis racket as an eleven-year-old in Long Beach, California, I’ve crusaded to improve the sport I love. I battled country club elitism and snobbery, the reactionary establishment, “shamateurism,” racism, homophobia and sexism.” (visit http://www.tennisquotes.com/foreword.htm). She has been at the forefront of so much positive change since she was banned from playing in a tournament at Los Angeles Tennis Club in 1955 because she posed in tennis shorts rather than wear a tennis skirt.
For more information on this remarkable sportsperson visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Jean_King.
