Ray Lewis announced his retirement from the NFL, which means the 2013 season will be his last.

Ray Lewis is not only known for 17 years in the NFL, or for being a 13 time Pro Bowl linebacker, he has also become a powerful motivational speaker.  There are videos all over the web of his various appearances at high schools, colleges and charity events.

Like many people who have come from hard times, Ray has used his history to drive success in his life.  I was really moved by this video (at the bottom of this article) where Ray talks to a group of kids about doing more than what is asked of them. He talks about how this will set them apart and give them more opportunities than those who are satisfied with being average.

Here are 17 quotes from Ray Lewis that will get you hyped up and motivated to get after your workouts!

Best Ray Lewis Quotes:

Quote 1

“Whatever you want to do, go do it.”

Quote 2

“I figured something out.  And it is no secret what I figured out.  Whatever the majority of people were doing, I found myself doing the opposite.  I wanted to chase something great.”

Quote 3

“The only thing that could pull me away, was hard work.”

Quote 4

“The hardest thing to do is work hard when no one is watching.”

Quote 5

“You can’t take no breaks.”

Quote 6

“I didn’t like where I once was, so I promised myself I wouldn’t be back there.”

Quote 7

“All I know is GRIND.”

Quote 8

“What’s the difference between you and the man sitting beside you?  It’s 1%.  In my business, only 1% makes it. If everyone had the same dream, only 1 will make it from this crowd.  Who will be that one?”

Quote 9

“You gotta be hungry for it.  You’ve got to put everything you got on it.  EVERYTHING!  Every second.  You have to be the first one in line.  That’s how leaders are born.”

Quote 10

“The day you think you can beat me, show me.  Then move on to the next challenge.”

Quote 11

“Sports was a way out.  It taught me complete discipline.  It taught me how to dial-in.”

Quote 12

“Daddy wasn’t there for me, so I had to GRIND every day.”

Quote 13

“What makes you GRIND?  You have to always be chasing something.”

Quote 14

“You have to get back to being kids again.  You can’t never get tired.  I have something burning inside me.  I am a kid all over again.”

Quote 15

“The people I’ve met are willing to sacrifice for you.  You won’t find a lot of people in this world that will do that.”

Quote 16

“Outside of these doors, it is the real world.  Someone tries to get you to do something wrong, run.”

Quote 17

“Don’t waste talent.  No matter what you do, don’t waste talent.”

Even More Ray Lewis Quotes

“Greatness is a lot of small things done well, stacked up on each other.”

“You take five fingers. Individually, I can pin any one of them, but if I pin them together (makes a fist), it’s damn near impossible to turn this around.”

“With the mindset that I give everything I’ve got for the man that’s next to me, not me, cause I know what I got while I’m by myself, but when I step on the field, when I step on the turf, what am I willing to sacrifice?”

“That’s once again the same people who told me I was too small, the same people who said I couldn’t win a Super Bowl with our offense, the same people who said I couldn’t play in a 3-4, … Are they with me when I get up every morning at 6:30 am to go to work The day I lose a step is the day I lose love for the game.”

“My thing about camp is to come in and be who I am, which is the most dominant player in the game, … That’s who I am, and that’s what I’m here for.”

“I didn’t see it, not at all. Like I said, if you are going to play a football game, don’t be a coward and wait until you make one play and do something. Just play football. His celebration doesn’t mean anything.”

“To come into camp and have my defensive coordinator say you won’t be touched, I feel like a kid all over again.”

“Nobody’s more serious about health and fitness than me and staying fit is my top priority, … That’s why I’ve teamed up with Medifast … to bring my fans a line of products that are packed with everything the body needs to get in better shape and improve their health. I use the products every day as part of my training.”

“Effort is between you, and you, and nobody else. So that team that thinks it’s ready to see you, they think what they’ve seen on film, they ain’t saw what film shows, because every day is a new day. Every moment is a new moment. So now you’ve got to go out and show them that I’m a different creature now, then I was five minutes ago, cause I’m pissed off for greatness. Cause if you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre, and ain’t no man in here okay with just basic.”

“With the mindset that I give everything I’ve got for the man that’s next to me, not me, cause I know what I got while I’m by myself, but when I step on the field, when I step on the turf, what am I willing to sacrifice?”

“In any war, you put your back to mine, I put my back to yours, and let’s do what we gotta do.”

You take five fingers. Individually, I can pin any one of them, but if I pin them together (makes a fist), it’s damn near impossible to turn this around.

“There’s a spirit that grabs me, and it’s in every one of you guys, but the questions is, how much time are we wasting?”

“Let them see something they’ve never seen before, and when something goes wrong, smile, cause there’s always a next play.”

“Greatness is a lot of small things done well, stacked up on each other.”

“I just came out of the gym from three hours this morning. I got five hours of sleep. That’s it. Every day of my life, I’m trying to find a different way to get better.”

“I ride my bicycle all the time. There’s one thing about my bicycle. I’m riding, I’m riding, I’m riding. And no matter how tired I start to get, it’s never about this pedal I’m pedaling, it’s about the next pedal, and if you can get to that next one, your bike will keep moving.”

“We get one opportunity in life, one chance at life to do whatever you’re going to do, and lay your foundation and make whatever mark you’re going to make. Whatever legacy you’re going to leave; leave your legacy!”

Check out Ray Lewis Training

As you can see in Ray Lewis’ workouts, he incorporates a variety of different training protocols. Bodyweight training, medicine throws, sand agility drills, and dumbbell strength training.