Muhammad Ali's Best Quotes | Glamour

Muhammad Ali, widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight boxer, passed away at 74 at June 3 at a Phoenix-area hospital where he was receiving care for respiratory complications. The athlete, who was formerly known as Cassius Clay, had for 32 years battled Parkinson's disease, which slowly took away not just his physical strength but also his ability to throw shade at opponents and talk himself up to be the champ he was. (In a little bit of a Kanye moment, Ali once said, "I am the greatest; I said that even before I knew I was.").

His quotes are legendary, but they're also perfect to keep in your pocket (or, you know, on the bathroom mirror) for those times when you just need that extra boost to keep on taking over the world.

__1. For your lunch date with a potential future employer: "It's not bragging if you can back it up."

2. A little motivation for your after-work volunteering commitment: "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."

3. Some solid general life advice: "Don’t count the days; make the days count."

4. A reminder of what to focus on (and what to get off your plate) when life has you a little crazy. “It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

5. For a bad day at work—because you're going to come out on top next time: "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."

6. For when you know you're stuck in a rut: "A man who has no imagination has no wings."