The desire definitely comes from within. There are only a few people who make it to this level and those are the ones who have that innate desire.

I won't back down. I get a satisfaction from being tested and defeating the test.

If you have done something once, you can do it again or you can do it better. The beauty is the pursuit of the limit, not the limit itself. At least that's what I hope people realize.

To do the best that I possibly could in my world makes me pretty happy.

Competition is pretty much the essence of everything, it gives humans drive.

It's important not to make the gold medal bigger than it is.

The thing I like about decathlon is also the thing I dislike: It's the maximum challenge, but also the maximum frustration.

I'm not maximized yet.

I think a challenge for myself is to see how many times I can get above 9,000. That would be a good challenge.

I wouldn't say there was a moment of realization when I wanted to be a runner; it was always just something I was.

I knew I could compete with most people in high school. It didn't quite give me an attitude, but it made me think I didn't have to try hard sometimes.

God, how I still love private readers. It’s what we all used to be.

For how long will insult hurt a person? For as long as he covets self-importance. For as long as one covets temporary [non eternal] things

If you don’t practice presence, you never learn how to have busyness facilitate accomplishment.

There is no victory without battles

Things live by moving and gain strength as they go.

I been a wanderin' Early and late, New York City To the Golden Gate An' it looks like I'm never gonna cease my Wanderin'.

Pumpkin pie is a living symbol of mediocrity. The best pumpkin pie you ever ate wasn't all that much different from the worst pumpkin pie you ever ate.

I have one main reader, Miriam Gomez, my wife. She reads everything I write - I have not finished writing something and she is already reading it.

We (San Francisco) have football weather during baseball season, and baseball weather during football season.

Autobiographies, for the most part, to me, are like writing a love letter to yourself.