A true inspiration, Michael Strahan wants to teach us how to be content.
By Hayley Small — Written on Feb 29, 2020
Michael Anthony Strahan is a former professional football player who was a defensive end for the New York Giants in the NFL. In 2014, he was elected to be in the Professional Football Hall of Fame after his retirement in 2008. Strahan used the next few years to became a media personality, hosting hit morning and afternoon talk shows like Good Morning America and Strahan, Sara and Keke, and is currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday.
Strahan recently talked about his new book, Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life and life motto on Good Morning America — he teaches America to ‘wake up happy’. In his book, Strahan provides a list of rules that are his key to waking up happy and staying that way with that attitude throughout the day. He suggests things like finding help in the most unexpected places, hitting pause before you quit, as well as how to be fearless.
Strahan is a philanthropist as well. He has a multi-million dollar renovated home that he let the Junior League of Montclair-Newark use for a charity fundraiser. They charged for tours of the house and raise funds for the Junior League programs, Children At Risk and HomeCorp. Strahan partnered with Nike to design an exclusive sneaker for ID studio in New York City. All the proceeds made from the brand-new sneaker design were donated to Nike’s Let Me Play global campaign.
Strahan is an active part of the media industry and a true inspiration to people all around the world, so we've compiled a list of the best Michael Strahan quotes from his book, interviews and comments from the shows he's been featured in.
1. You have to believe.
"Believe it and it will happen." — Michael Strahan
2. Don't give up.
"Finish everything you start! Put your mind to everything you do and get it done!" — Michael Strahan
3. Nobody is perfect, stop trying."
"This is who I am. I'm not perfect. I don't want to try to be perfect." — Michael Strahan
4. It seems incredible.
"I love the game of football because there's nothing like it. I mean the challenge, the discipline, the teamwork...incredible game." — Michael Strahan
5. It's good to have goals.
"My goal had been to win a championship, work toward the Hall of Fame, have my jersey retired by the team and I'd go in as lifelong New York Giant, but I'm no resigned to the fact that this won't happen." — Michael Strahan
6. Set your mind to something.
"When we make our minds up, we can play with anybody." — Michael Strahan
7. Set a good example.
"Even though I'm not with their mother, it's important for my kids to see adults in a committed and happy relationship. They need to see a strong relationship. You don't have to settle." — Michael Strahan
8. Injuries are never easy.
"I remember it ended [former Giants center] Brian Williams' career in training camp. Initially, it scared the heck out of me. But my vision started to come back. People were talking about how bad it looked." — Michael Strahan
9. Everything takes time.
"You have to know that things won't happen overnight. Make small changes every day and give yourself room to make mistakes." — Michael Strahan
10. Let them do their thing.
"If you’re not the one cooking stay out of the way and compliment the chef." — Michael Strahan
11. Acting is harder than people think.
"This acting's serious! And I really respect those actors. It's a tough business to be able to be something you're not and be natural and convince people on camera." — Michael Strahan
12. You have to work for it.
"If you can get past that, you can be successful." — Michael Strahan
13. Such a classic movie.
"'The Notebook' gets me every time. It's a great love story. Boy from the wrong side of the tracks. They get on each other's nerves, but they can't live without each other. It almost makes me shed a tear." — Michael Strahan
14. Nothing is ever easy.
"It's gonna physical, it's gonna be tough, you gonna be tired... all that bullsh*t. Get that out your mind." — Michael Strahan
15. Don't doubt, doubt your doubts.
"We're our own worst enemy. You doubt yourself more than anybody else ever will." — Michael Strahan
16. There is no I in team.
"The great thing coming from sports is you understand the concept of a team. It leaves no room for being selfish, and that's something picked up from home." — Michael Strahan
17. It's good to have confidence.
"Today's performance was absolutely amazing." — Michael Strahan
18. Stick to your goals.
"I always have a lot of personal goals, but primarily my main goal each year is to obviously win a Super Bowl." — Michael Strahan
19. Family trips are the best.
"I grew up mostly in Germany, but my favorite summer trip was driving from North Carolina to Texas in a camper with my parents and us six kids." — Michael Strahan
20. Just try.
"You won't know how good you can feel every day until you try." — Michael Strahan
21. Sometimes it's good to push your limits.
"All camps are hard, that's what they're intended to be. They make you focus when you're tired, when you don't feel like doing things, and to see how long you can retain and pay attention." — Michael Strahan
22. Marriage is so amazing when done right.
"I definitely believe in marriage." — Michael Strahan
23. The fans make the game.
"The game gets bigger for the fans; it gets bigger for the players." — Michael Strahan
24. Gotta stay focused.
"We're sympathetic, but once you step on the field, football's football." — Michael Strahan
25. Business is business.
"Camp is always all business" — Michael Strahan
26. The unknown.
"You never know who will win and I think that is the great thing about this league (as a player) because it gives you a lot of hope that this could be your year." — Michael Strahan
27. You have to be able to feel comfortable playing your part.
"So, I'd rather have a defense that's successful where everyone's comfortable in their positions." — Michael Strahan
28. Ambition can be good.
"My craziest ambition is to take John Madden's job and salary." — Michael Strahan
29. Pressure can help someone do better.
"The team that is the most focused and executes the best is the team that wins. That's usually the team that can handle the pressure of the situation." — Michael Strahan
30. Have confidence.
"I believe in my kids 100%. When you have confidence in them, they have confidence in themselves." — Michael Strahan
31. It's hard to adjust on the spot.
"Memorizing a playbook is like memorizing a script. When they change the script at the last minute, it's like changing a play in a game." — Michael Strahan
32. Leave a legacy.
"My ultimate goal is for that next generation coming up, who didn't see me play, go, 'oh, he used to play football?'" — Michael Strahan
33. Be yourself.
"You've got to be very conscious of what people see. If I saw somebody every day, I would get sick of them. Most guys think, 'if I can get on TV every day and give that quote, I'm going to be golden.' It's not about that. It's about showing people you can be yourself." — Michael Strahan
34. A solid combination of characteristics.
"I've always been the locker-room jokester, the fun guy, the guy who keeps it loose and easy. But also, on Sundays, the guy in that huddle jumping up and down, telling guys, 'Hey, get it going. Let's go.' Firing everybody up. So, I'm part relaxation therapist and part Red Bull." — Michael Strahan
35. Don't underestimate someone else.
"People are always warning me that I'm going to burn out. But the truth is, the only thing that tires me out is hearing people tell me that. Opposite shows, opposite coasts, opposite demographics, opposite everything - I love it, man!" — Michael Strahan
36. Suppress the nerves.
"When it comes to the camera, I can do my thing. But I'm bashful." — Michael Strahan
37. Nothing else matters in that moment.
"No matter how loud the stadium is, once you're on that filed and that offense walks up to the line, it's silent. You can only hear the guys on the field. It's amazing how much concentration you can have when it's required and how powerful your mind is to give it to you." — Michael Strahan
38. Set the example that you want for yourself.
"I love being the person my kids depend on for learning. Everything they learn, for the most part, comes from you - how they treat people, how they look at the world, how they process things. I love being that example for them, just like my parents were for me." — Michael Strahan
39. Building relationships.
"I started working out with my father the summer I was 13, which was incredible for relationship." — Michael Strahan
40. Stay busy.
"The second I feel like I don't have the time to give something my all, I'll have to rethink this busy life!" — Michael Strahan
41. It's not necessary.
"Thing is, I don't really like free time." — Michael Strahan
42. You can never go wrong with ice cream.
"I have the best memories as a kid eating ice cream. It was a family tradition that I had with my father. It was nice." — Michael Strahan
43. Dancing is so fun.
"I'm an excellent dancer. I keep up with whatever's hot. I've been break-dancing and pop-locking since back in the day." — Michael Strahan
44. Good memories.
"Those were my summers; working out with my dad, hanging out with my brothers, riding my bike. Pretty simple." — Michael Strahan
45. Takes time to heal.
"It is something like basically getting stabbed in the heart. These are the type of games you look back on at the end of the season and just hope they don't hurt you." — Michael Strahan
46. Live every moment to the fullest.
"Every time I step on the field, every play, I look at it as it could be my last. The realization of that definitely has me feeling that I'd better take advantage of every snap that I can." — Michael Strahan
47. Yes, it definitely is.
"Is it possible to respect someone and hate their guts...it is then, we've accepted it." — Michael Strahan
48. They're civil.
"Everybody's professional. Nobody's an idiot. Nobody's a jerk. We all know each other. So, it's not like we see each other in the city, and we run over and bust the window out of their car with a baseball bat or nothing." — Michael Strahan
49. Stay civil and kind and loving.
"We're all friends." — Michael Strahan
50. One game at a time.
"I think this can be a championship team. But we do have to take it one game at a time. You can't look at the end of the road before you get the next foot in." — Michael Strahan
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Hayley Small is a writer who focuses on pop culture, religion and relationship topics.