PENANG, December 2017 – It was reported in the news that the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk M. Saravanan has suggested for the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) to consider students’ involvement in sports and co-curricular activities as part of the qualification for places in public universities.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has always provided places for students through the Warga Sukan channel. It is one of the many channels through which talented students with potential could join the university and shine further, with some of them having competed and won medals at the recent SEA Games.

The suggestion was forwarded by the Deputy Minister at an event for the Tamil community in Terengganu recently. He said that sports also promises good income for the athletes and has brought glory to the country in the latest edition of the SEA Games.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who is recognized worldwide not only for his goals and skills, but also for his hard work and unending desire to win, views success as an important part of one’s life.

Here he shares 20 quotes to ensure success can be sustained throughout one’s life:

1. Your love makes me strong. Your hate makes me unstoppable.

Never listen to the haters around you. Instead, take their hate as motivation and prove them wrong. The same fire which burns one can become the fuel for another.

2. I’m living a dream I never want to wake up from.

You have the ability to live your dreams. But you have to call the shots. Make a plan and take massive action. The future favours the relentless.

3. We don’t want to tell our dreams. We want to show them.

Don’t just talk about what you want to do. Go out and do it. People love the sound of their dreams and keep talking about them. But only those who work hard ever taste greatness.

4. I’ve never tried to hide the fact that it is my intention to become the best.

You don’t become the best overnight. You need to set powerful intentions every day, every month, every year, to go beyond your own reach and to grow to the next level.

5. If we can’t help our family, who else is going to help them?

It’s good to desire success. But it’s equally important to care for your family. Without them, you won’t be where you are today.

6.  We should make the most of life, enjoy it because that’s the way it is.

Life is short. So don’t spend it focusing on negativity. Make the most of it by focusing on pleasure. Listen to music. Take long walks. Sing like a madman. Go crazy. What good is life without a hint of madness?

7. There’s no need to be compared to anyone – create your own style of play and do the best for yourself and for those concerned.

Your craft and your talent come from within you. They’re not dependent on what others are doing. Take inspiration but never get jealous.

8. Today there are opportunities that no one knows if they will come round again in the future.

If you want to succeed, you need to believe in opportunities. When you can see it and your mind can conceive it, you will achieve it.

9. Scoring goals is a great feeling, but the most important thing is that the team is successful – it doesn’t matter who scores the goals as long as we’re winning.

There must be a greater purpose to what you’re chasing. Don’t just chase money or fame. When your goals arouse terrifying longing, you’ll conquer all obstacles that come your way.

10. Be very proud if, one day, you’d be held in the same esteem as the best in the field or business. It’s what you should be working hard towards.

You should have role models to inspire you. There will always be people who have accomplished more than you with fewer resources than you have now. Take strength from it.

11. Be consistent in doing well and achieving success. Now it is only at the beginning.

Weak goals bring weak results. Always set ambitious goals which make you excited and put a fire in your belly. The only limit is the one which exists in your mind.

12. There is no harm in dreaming of becoming the world’s best (player). It is all about trying to be the best. I will keep working hard to achieve it but it is within my capabilities.

You must believe in your ability to become great. We are made up of the same matter and if we train ourselves every day, every minute to work hard, learn and evolve, nobody can stop us from becoming great.

13. When you lose a person you love so much, surviving the loss is difficult.

The hard truth in life is that you will lose everyone you will love. So are you going to make it count while it lasts? Give them your love, time and attention, because every good thing comes to an end.

14. After I joined, the manager asked me what number I’d like. I said 28. But Ferguson said ‘No, you’re going to have No. 7’ and the famous shirt was an extra source of motivation. I was forced to live up to such an honour.

Ronaldo had to wear the No. 7 jersey previously worn by the likes of George Best, Eric Cantona, and David Beckham. The lesson? Treat responsibilities with respect. They push you beyond your comfort zone and skyrocket you on the path to success.

15. It gives me the happiest feeling in the world. I just love scoring. It doesn’t matter if it’s a simple goal from close range, a long shot or a dribble around several players, I just love to score all goals.

It’s bad to have addictions. But it’s good to get addicted to progress. Get addicted to improvement and you’ll become unstoppable.

16. There’s no need to show anything to anyone. There is nothing to prove.

Your only competition is the person you were yesterday. Challenge yourself, not others.

17. I see football as an art and all players are the artists. If you are a top artist, the last thing you would do is paint a picture somebody else has already painted.

Treat your work like a craft. Don’t steal from others. Give it your vision, creativity, and dedication, and you’ll be able to build something unique.

18. I am not a perfectionist, but I like to feel that things are done well. More important than that, I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve.

It is innate in human nature to realize our greatest potential. So never stop learning and evolving.

19. When I win awards, I think of my father.

When you taste success, don’t feel entitled. There are people who work with you and push you in ways you have no idea about. Always be grateful for the people who support you.

20. Talent without working hard is nothing.

The world is full of talented people who turned into failures. Talent matters less. What really matters is how devoted you are to your craft. Being disciplined is one thing, but being devoted is a different game.

Lead the way, and be the best you can be!