Mary Lou Retton

“Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.”

“You have to be a little bit crazy to do what I do.”

“I'm a tough person. I'm a person who is not going to be knocked down.”

“I was a very, very shy, insecure little girl. But through gymnastics, I became a different person.”

“A trophy carries dust. Memories last forever.”

“As a competitor, you have to be there to win. That's who I am and how I am. I'm not apologetic for it at all.”

“Working hard becomes a habit, a serious kind of fun. You get self-satisfaction from pushing your body to the limit, knowing that all the effort is going to pay off.”

“I don't regret anything. I don't believe in regret. I think you have to learn from your mistakes.”

“For me, winning is not something that happens suddenly on the field when the whistle blows and the crowds roar. Winning is something that builds physically and mentally every day that you train and every night that you dream.”

“Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It's our goal in life to find it and keep it lit.”

“When you've got a great team, you can do anything.”

“It’s not about being perfect. It’s about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that’s where transformation happens.”