How to be ‘The Greatest’ like Muhammad Ali

Although I was still a child when Muhammad Ali came to the Philippines for the spectacular “Thrilla in Manila” world championship boxing match against Joe Frazier in 1975, he and another icon, the late martial arts star Bruce Lee, were among the extraordinary persons whom I most admired for their excellence, discipline, and physical and moral courage.

Whether athletes, entrepreneurs, professionals, politicians, students or others, let us learn from Ali. Tenor Andrea Bocelli called Muhammad Ali his hero. Basketball great Michael Jordan said, “Muhammad Ali was bigger than sports and larger than life. He said he was ‘The Greatest,’ and he was right.”

Here are success lessons I culled from some of his quotes:

Delay self-gratification; sacrifice now for a better future. One of my favorite Ali quotes is, “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”

To succeed, we need to work hard and study well daily, often forgoing pleasures and desires now in order to attain our goals tomorrow.

2. Have the courage to take risks. Ali said, “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Not only is “no guts, no glory” true, I have always believed the worst risk in life is never daring to take a risk. Be sure to take calculated risks!

3. Don’t fear failure; defeat makes us better. Ali said: “Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.”

I believe that, and what I’m saying is not based on textbook theories. Failures can strengthen, ennoble and educate us in ways that mere studying or always winning can never approximate. The important thing is, fail or lose, with a positive attitude, fight back!

3. Believe in yourself. I think the world has rarely seen a man who so personified the world “self-confidence” as the supremely self-assured Ali. Let us heed his words of wisdom in building our own self-esteem: “It’s lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believed in myself.”

4. Be yourself. Ali asserted his freedom, saying: “I don’t have to be what you want me to be.” He even changed what he considered his “slave name,” Cassius Clay, given by his forebears’  white slave masters, to what he deemed was an African name of his choice: Muhammad Ali.

5. Age is only a number. Ali reminded us that age is mainly in our minds and attitudes. “Age is whatever you think it is,” he said. “You are as old as you think you are.”

6. Conquer yourself and break bad habits to conquer the world. Ali said, “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

We often think of external challenges and big tasks, but forget the little things within us or in our office or home. Ali was correct. To do well, I believe we should take care of the little details, whether it is in our business, work, schooling, or daily small personal habits that affect our success and overall well-being.

7. Nothing is impossible. Ali said, “Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

Ali meets Rustan’s founder Gliceria Tantoco and Hong Kong shipping taipan YK Pao after the Thrilla in Manila.

All my life, I have always believed that I can do anything as long as I work hard at it and never give up. In fact, my favorite Bible verse, which I learned as a kid in church, is Philippinans 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

8. Aspire to be the best and greatest at whatever you do. Ali revealed that greatness often begins in our minds and hearts. “I am the greatest,” he declared. “I said that even before I knew I was.”

This will to be great reminds me of a quote I read from self-made tycoon John D. Rockefeller in Grade 5: “The secret of success is doing common things uncommonly well.”

Whatever our vocation, let us do well. According to Ali, “I would have been the world’s greatest at whatever I did. If I were a garbage man, I’d be the world’s greatest garbage man! I’d pick up more garbage and faster than anyone has ever seen. To tell you the truth, I would have been the greatest at whatever I’d done!”

9. Set and be motivated by goals. “What keeps me going is goals,” admitted Ali.

I even recommend we go a bit further, by setting goals, writing them down on paper (or on your gadgets), and add target deadlines (because I believe goals without deadlines are just fantasies).

10. True wealth is not possession of money and material riches. Ali said, “To be able to give away riches is mandatory if you wish to possess them. This is the only way that you will be truly rich.” I love this quote, because I am a capitalist and entrepreneur who is a socialist at heart, and I believe that we human beings are mere stewards of material resources who should galvanize them for the greater good of mankind, not just for personal aggrandizement.

I also do not believe in bequeathing wealth to relatives or kids, not only because I had great fulfillment in earning every centavo that I have, but because I believe passing on too much wealth to kin can have a corrosive or destructive effect on their character, will and abilities.

11. Principles are more important than fame or wealth. Ali said, “My principles are more important than the money or my title.” He suffered a lot for going against his government’s Vietnam War, which he believed was immoral. Ali was eventually vindicated by history.

12. Be flexible, be nimble. The greatest boxing champion famously said, echoing philosopher and martial arts icon Bruce Lee: “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”

Whether doing business, professional work, salesmanship, or even politics, I think being gentle and flexible in our daily acts or words can often bring us success.

13. Competition brings the best out of us. Ali said, “I always bring out the best in men I fight, but Joe Frazier, I’ll tell the world right now, brings out the best in me. I’m gonna tell ya, that’s one helluva man, and God bless him.”

Most of us hate rivals or competitors, but we should actually be thankful they exist because they force us to become better. It is the same in business, where monopolistic situations are negative for all, even for the monopolists.

14. Live a life of meaning. “Don’t count the days. Make the days count.” We need not become celebrities like Ali, or a philanthropist or activist to live meaningfully on this earth. Whatever we do, let us be kind to others or help make our kin, friends, neighborhood and society better even by small acts or words.

15. Dream. Ali led an outstanding life built upon and inspired by his lofty dreams. “If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” Let us dream!

16. Service to others and to God should be our life goals. I like these statements of Ali on the purpose of our life: “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” More wise words: “We have one life, it soon will be past; what we do for God is all that will last.”

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