Quotes by Dan O'Brien

About Dan O'Brien:

Daniel Dion "Dan" O'Brien is an American athlete. A decathlete, his 1990s achievements in the decathlon included the winning of an Olympic gold medal in 1996, and, previous to that, three consecutive titles at the World Championships in Athletics.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

You can only look forward to a South Dakota winter if, as with childbirth, remodeling a house, or writing a novel, you're able to forget how bad it was the last time.

Dan O'Brien

I got interested in decathlon because a coach that I had was a big fan of Bruce Jenner, and he just saw the ability in me - but when it came down to it, I knew my best chance at a college scholarship would be in track and field.

Dan O'Brien

When first starting to work with someone you try to get them in the same mindset that you were in when you were successful, and I realized the best thing you can ever do is realize that they are not you. They have a different persona and mindset, and...

Dan O'Brien

I didn't get a ton of interest from colleges in baseball and football, but I was outstanding in track and had the sense that this would be my meal ticket... Track was a sport where I saw immediate improvement, and I had a lot of good support behind m...

Dan O'Brien

I've always had to have some kind of failure before I was successful.

Dan O'Brien

After the failure in '92, my goal was to be a good pole vaulter. I used that as motivation.

Dan O'Brien

Try everything, because you're never sure what you're going to be great at.

Dan O'Brien

You have to be able to be a good loser. You have to be okay knowing you're going to fail every day in something without getting mad and upset.

Dan O'Brien

I was a good decathlete until I got with a coach that really knew how to train specifically for the event... I'd really describe it as like being a juggler; you have ten balls and you're trying to get them all in the air at the same time.

Dan O'Brien

Nowadays, to be a good world-ranked decathlete, you need to be good at everything.

Dan O'Brien

I just love playing so much, competing so much. You're able to put your losses behind you. One of the greatest attributes a decathlete can have is the ability to forget... to look ahead, not behind.

Dan O'Brien

Through everything I've gone through- and I've been everywhere, at the top of the world, in jail, hung over drunk - I never gave up my dream of winning a gold medal in the Olympics.

Dan O'Brien

As a young child, I was never a crier. I never cried to get my way, or even when I was in pain.

Dan O'Brien

If you never give up, you'll be successful.

Dan O'Brien

Take pride in exactly what it is you do and remember it's okay to fail as long as you don't give up.

Dan O'Brien

I think what my parents did was perfect. They were strict, concerned about my safety and held me back just a little.

Dan O'Brien

When I was little, I wasn't allowed to put sugar on my breakfast cereal because it made me so hyper.

Dan O'Brien

As a young athlete, it was first about having fun; then it was about winning.

Dan O'Brien

You need to become more than one type of athlete. You have to be a sprinter, a weight man and a distance guy all in one.

Dan O'Brien

And there is such a thing as a decathlon high. It's like a rock rolling down hill, picking up momentum. You get better and better.

Dan O'Brien

Author Bio

  • NameDan O'Brien
  • DescriptionAmerican athlete
  • BornJuly 18, 1966
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionDecathlete