Inspiring Words from Diana Nyad

On Monday, 64-year-old Diana Nyad accomplished her 36-year old dream: to swim the 110 miles between Havana, Cuba and Key West, Florida without a shark cage. This was her fifth attempt and will remain in the history books as one of the most amazing moments in endurance sports.  Diana has done numerous interviews and has shared some inspirational messages with her listeners.

To the crowd on Smathers Beach in Key West,
"We should never, ever give up...You're never too old to chase your dreams."

In an interview with Diane Sawyer:
DS: Let me say for Baby Boomers everywhere, 'You rocked it'!
DN: Well, let me say back to all my fellow Baby Boomers, 'You can all rock it'! ...The clock is ticking fast and 60s is not too late to grasp on to even charished dreams. Dig down into that potential. I can't tell you how alive it makes you feel!

In an interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America
"I really do believe that endurance grows and we can never discount, in any sport, the mental. How many athletes do you know, John McEnroe is one for sure, who say that they wish they could have played at the world-class level in their 50s and their 60s? Because the powers of concentration and the perspective of what it all means and what you're capable of are infinitely higher at this age than when you're a young twenty-something..."

"...You know, I decided this year to use a mantra and I think a lot of people can relate to this in their own lives, whatever they're pushing through...the phrase I decided to use was, 'find a way.' If something is important to you, and it looks impossible and you're up against it, just step back for a minute and say, 'really, do I have the resolve to think of every nth degree to get through this?'  And most times we do. People give up too quickly--and I said that on the beach when I came out. I didn't have much energy for talking too long but the first thing I said, I looked around 'cuz those people weren't from the world of swimming, they didn't care about the world record, it wasn't an athletic event, it was a moment of human spirit and I said to people, 'never, ever give up.'"