"I am overwhelmed by the strength of my body and the power of my mind. For one moment, just one second, I feel immortal."
About Diana Nyad
Diana Nyad — Life and Legacy
Diana Nyad is a renowned long-distance swimmer and motivational speaker, celebrated for her extraordinary achievement of swimming from Cuba to Florida at the age of 64. This remarkable feat not only showcased her physical endurance but also her unwavering spirit and determination to pursue her dreams despite numerous challenges. Nyad's philosophy centers around resilience, as reflected in her powerful quotes that inspire others to overcome obstacles. One of her most famous quotes, 'You are never too old to chase your dreams,' encapsulates her belief that age should not deter anyone from pursuing their passions. This perspective is rooted in her own life experiences, where she faced setbacks and failures yet continued to strive for her goals. Nyad's insistence on finding a way, regardless of the difficulties, challenges societal norms about aging and ambition. Nyad's words resonate deeply, especially in a world that often discourages risk-taking. Her quote, 'The only failure is not trying,' serves as a rallying cry for those hesitant to step outside their comfort zones. By emphasizing the journey over the destination, she encourages individuals to embrace their paths, learning and growing from each experience. Nyad's insights remain relevant today, inspiring countless individuals to pursue their dreams with courage and tenacity.
Quote collection
Diana Nyad quotes (page 1 of 2)
30 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"You have a dream and you have obstacles in front of you as we all do. None of us ever get through this life without heartache, without turmoil, and if you believe and you have faith and you can get knocked down and get back up again and you believe in perseverance as a great human quality, you find your way."
"This journey has always been about reaching your own other shore no matter what it is, and that dream continues."
"You're never too old to chase your dream."
"If you want to touch the other shore badly enough, barring an impossible situation, you will. If your desire is diluted for any reason, you'll never make it."
"Swimming is probably the ultimate of burnout sports. It's ironic because millions of people who swim as their regular exercise love the meditation aspect of it; you don't wind up with any orthopedic injuries. But when you swim at a world class level for hours and hours - the loneness of the long distance runner."
"I wanted to teach myself some life lessons at the age of 60 and one of them was that you don't give up."
"A lot of athletes have this sort of invincibility: [The jellyfish] should worry about me. I don't worry about them. I'll just swim right through them."
"I am willing to put myself through anything; temporary pain or discomfort means nothing to me as long as I can see that the experience will take me to a new level."
"Swimming is probably the ultimate of burnout sports."
"The spirit is larger than the body. The body is pathetic compared to what we have inside us"
"My mom just died. We blink and another decade passes. I don't want to reach the end of my life and regret not having given my days everything in me to make them worthwhile."
"But for each of us, isn't life about determining your own finish line?"
"When I walk up on that shore in Florida, I want millions of those AARP sisters and brothers to look at me and say, 'I'm going to go write that novel I thought it was too late to do. I'm going to go work in Africa on that farm that those people need help at. I'm going to adopt a child. It's not too late, I can still live my dreams.'"
"Every human being on this planet has their pain and their heartache and it's up to all of us to find our way back to the light."
"When you reach for the horizon, as I've proven, you may not get there, but what a tremendous build of character and spirit that you lay down. What a foundation you lay down in reaching for those horizons."
"It's all authentic. It's a great story. You have a dream 35 years ago - doesn't come to fruition, but you move on with life. But it's somewhere back there. Then you turn 60, and your mom just dies, and you're looking for something. And the dream comes waking out of your imagination."
"The integrity and self-esteem gained from winning the battle against extremity are the richest treasures in my life"
"I am interested in the unknown, and the only path to the unknown is through breaking barriers, an often painful process."
""I have three messages," said the breathless Nyad."One is we should never ever give up. Two is you are never too old to chase your dreams. And three is it looks like a solitary sport but it takes a team.""