I think skating helped me find myself.

The ultimate goal should be doing your best and enjoying it.

Skating was the vessel into which I could pour my heart and soul

Skating was the vessel into which I could pour my heart and soul.

As a young child, I played the violin. I think that that started the spark

As a young child, I played the violin. I think that that started the spark.

Giving life to music through skating was something I wanted to be known for

We wanted to be achievers, but being an achiever didn't mean that you stopped being a woman.

We Wanted to be Achievers, But Being an Achievers didn't Mean That You Stopped Being a Woman.

The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours.

My sport taught me what I could do with my talents, whether in the rink or in the rest of my life

In 1968, in the midst of the tumultuous 1960s, the Olympics were much more than just another event

My sport taught me what I could do with my talents, whether in the rink or in the rest of my life.

In 1968, in the midst of the tumultuous 1960s, the Olympics were much more than just another event.

I really loved what the guys were doing more than anything, how high they jumped, how effortless it was.

This is another kind of competition, but I'm being coached by an excellent team, and I've got a real strong competitive spirit.

Then came the choreography... the impact of music and choreography tends to really emphasize an overall feeling of what you really want out of the program.

When I was on the ice, in the lights, with the music and the motion, there was a certain kind of flirtation that gave great energy and expressiveness to my performance.

When the going got tough, I really had to draw on many of the same competitive instincts I did when I was skating. I really had to put my head down and stay positive. I had to fight.

It's a level of strength and character that few of us can imagine; a grace under pressure that few of us will ever attain. It's why an Olympic gold medal would not have made us love or admire her more.

Love your sport. Never do it to please someone else; it has to be yours. That is all that will justify the hard work. Compete against yourself, not others, for that is who is truly your best competition.

The world went by, and we didn't get caught up in all the other things, because we didn't have time. We had no spare time. It was always thinking about training and focusing on what we wanted, our goals.

I think exercise tests us in so many ways, our skills, our hearts, our ability to bounce back after setbacks. This is the inner beauty of sports and competition, and it can serve us all well as adult athletes.

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