We have recently lost a man who is a legend that will never die. There is so much more beyond the Olympic winner and the greatest athlete that changed the world. The power of sticking to his personal and religious beliefs, changing the lives of all future African Americans as well as fighting Parkinson’s disease, I am in awe of the human being we call Muhammad Ali.

On Sunday, I was sitting on the couch with my dad watching Sunday Morning on CBS. It’s been somewhat of a tradition over the years to watch together if we’re both home and awake, but we knew this week would feature Ali so we made a point to watch together. There are plenty of things to touch upon when talking about the great Ali, but there is one small phrase of the many intelligent ones that stood out to me more than the rest.

Muhammad Ali stated that, “he who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life”. This not only embodies the character Ali was, but this also is something everyone needs a reminder of. What does it mean to take a risk? It could mean going to jail because you will not participate in something you don’t believe in, which could potentially be a risk for missing out on years of a career. It could mean taking thousands of punches over a lifetime and potentially getting hurt in order gain the title of the greatest. Where these decisions worth it for Ali? Absolutely.

It’s so easy to overlook the importance of taking risks. You will not get anywhere in life without taking risks. There comes a point in everybody’s life where you have to make a decision to either take the safe route or the bumpy road to where you want to end up and I’ve recently been reminded that the easy way out is not necessarily the route I should have taken. The spirit and legacy of Muhammad Ali will live on forever and today I am certain that his life will serve as motivation for the rest of the world.