Over the weekend, I visited the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky. It must have been my third or fourth time there, but I never grow tired of museums and an opportunity to learn something new or gain a fresh perspective on something I’ve previously known.
One of the things I enjoy most about the Muhammad Ali Center is the champ’s countless quotes on display throughout the facility. I love quotes because they not only grant me access into a person’s mindset, but quotes also allow me to have a broader viewpoint on various things – even the little simple things that we rarely dedicate much attention to. Much of my time at the Muhammad Ali Center was spent internalizing Ali’s statements. Since I believe the most profound declarations we make come from our own personal experiences, I often wondered what led Ali to make such comments. What was he going through or reminiscing about that triggered a specific thought?
Regardless of where the quotes derived from, Ali had some pretty awesome things to say throughout his life.
One of the quotes that really resonated with me at the center was from his 1975 book, The Greatest, My Own Story. In the book, Ali said “Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision.”
While the quote was rather simply stated, the depth of it was incredibly profound. I sincerely believe that if we have a deep desire for something and can visualize it in our lives, it will eventually be so by God’s grace. Ali’s comment reinforced my belief.
His words also made me think about some of the great things that have been happening in Indiana relative to sports.
Butler University came to my mind initially. While Butler didn’t win the championship, they are still champions. Under the leadership of Brad Stevens and his assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry, Butler was able to build a respectable program without “blue chip” players. (FYI: I’m not well-versed in sports lingo, but I learned what blue chip means from a friend who is an avid sports fan and a loyal Recorder reader. I have to give him credit or I’ll never hear the end of it.)
Typically Division 1 schools with big name players don’t go as far as Butler has gone for the past two years, but the system that Stevens implemented as well as his coaching style have taken moderate players and made them great. The Butler Bulldogs have gotten this far because of the coaching staff and everyone’s will to win. There was something deep inside each player and coaching staff member – it was what Ali spoke of: a desire, a dream, and a vision deep inside of them.
Congratulations to Butler for back-to-back Final Four appearances. Congratulations also to Butler’s Micah Shrewsberry who announced this week that he will be an assistant coach at Purdue University. While it’s sad to see him leave Butler, it’s refreshing to know he’s at another Indiana school – something that will surely keep Hoosiers happy.
The Indiana Pacers is another team that is doing well. With all that the Pacers have endured over the past five years, it is great to see them make the playoffs. Interim head coach Frank Vogel and the players should be commended for their efforts thus far. I’m sure deep down inside each of them, they all had a tremendous will to succeed and prove naysayers wrong.
We are definitely seeing a resurgence of Indiana basketball at the collegiate and professional levels.
Ali’s statement: “Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision” doesn’t just apply to athletics; it can also apply to anyone in any profession or situation. I interpret Ali’s words as a call to action of sorts. We should all desire to do more. We should also dream big, but more important is that we have a vision or plan to make our desires and dreams come true.
I’ll end with another Muhammad Ali quote that I believe can easily begin where the other quote left off: “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.”
