She is a professional tennis superstar and she made her mark as one of the greatest athletes of all time by nabbing the 22nd Grand Slam title at the Wimbledon final on Saturday. Now, Serena Williams is tied with Steffi Graf for capturing the most championships in the Open. But she is only human after all.
But what makes Serena Williams tick? What makes her pumped up to achieve her career goal as a professional tennis player? She has served and still continues to serve as an inspiration to women and athletes everywhere. In her tenure as a professional athlete, she is bound to have a few things up her sleeve to keep her going.
Serena Williams reveals the nine mental secrets that urge her to keep on winning.
1. What does Williams think about being a champion? "I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall."
2. Does she believe in luck? "Luck has nothing to do with it, because I have spent many, many hours, countless hours, on the court working for my one moment in time, not knowing when it would come."
3. Does she believe that it is every woman for herself? "The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you're very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble."
4. Does she ever surrender when the going gets tough? "I just never give up. I fight to the end. You can't go out and say, 'I want a bag of never say die spirit.' It's not for sale. It has to be innate."
5. Is she afraid of anything? "I am lucky that whatever fear I have inside me, my desire to win is always stronger."
6. What if people doubt her? "You have to believe in yourself when no one else does."
7. How does she reflect on her failures? "When I'm down, I talk to myself a lot. I look crazy because I'm constantly having an argument with myself."
8. On priorities: "Tennis just a game, family is forever."
9. Where does she always see herself? "I always believe I can beat the best, achieve the best. I always see myself in the top position."
Did any of Serena Williams' quotes inspire you today?
