Phil Knight, the visionary co-founder of Nike, transformed a small startup selling running shoes into one of the most iconic sports brands in the world. His memoir Shoe Dog and countless interviews reveal not just his entrepreneurial journey, but also his philosophy on risk, resilience, and passion.
- “The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way. That leaves us.”
- “Don’t tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”
- “Business is no more about making money than the human body is about making blood.”
- “Don’t stop. Don’t even think about stopping until you get there.”
- “Play by the rules, but be ferocious.”
- “The single easiest way to find out how you feel about someone: say goodbye.”
- “The trouble in America isn’t that we don’t have enough entrepreneurs. It’s that we don’t have enough dreamers.”
- “Life is growth. You grow or you die.”
- “Sometimes, you have to give up something you love, to chase a dream.”
- “Seek a calling. Even if you don’t know what it is, seek it.”
- “It’s not about the shoes. It’s about what you do in them.”
- “You are remembered for the rules you break.”
- “Hire only people who you think are better than you.”
- “Great leaders are willing to sacrifice numbers to save people. Poor leaders sacrifice people to save numbers.”
- “There comes a time in every life when the past recedes and the future opens. It’s that moment when you turn to face the unknown.”
- “Respect your team, but push them to see beyond what they think is possible.”
- “Don’t just build a business, build a brand that inspires.”
- “Every great team is built on trust, not fear.”
- “Belief in people comes before belief in profits.”
- “Leadership is about setting the vision and then trusting people to get there.”
- “Life is a game. Business is a game. If you play not to lose, you’ll always lose.”
- “History is one long processional of crazy ideas.”
- “Sometimes you have to fail forward.”
- “If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing your limits, and if you’re not pushing your limits, you’re not maximizing your potential.”
- “Fear of failure is the great killer of creativity.”
- “The art of competing, I’ve always believed, is the art of forgetting.”
- “You have to forget your limits.”
- “Don’t go for small dreams. Go for broke.”
- “When you see only problems, you’re missing the opportunities.”
- “The best ideas often look impossible at first.”
- “The best advice I can give is don’t settle.”
- “There is no finish line.”
- “At some point, life becomes less about what you want and more about what you’ve given.”
- “Dream audaciously. Have the courage to fail forward.”
- “If you want to spend your whole life being understood, you’ll have to give up on adventure.”
- “Don’t settle for a job. Find a calling.”
- “Be on the offense, not the defense, in everything you do.”
- “You either define the moment or the moment defines you.”
- “Seek a life that makes you feel alive.”
- “A brand is not just a product, it’s a story.”
- “When you see only problems, you’re not seeing clearly.”
- “I’d tell men and women in their mid-twenties not to settle for a job or a profession or even a career. Seek a calling.”
- “The best brands are built on great stories.”
- “Don’t tell people what to do. Tell them why it matters.”
- “Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.”
- “The road to success is paved with failures well handled.”
- “Luck plays a part, but so does hard work and grit.”
- “Dream crazy. Then double it.”
- “Life is about making your mark, not following someone else’s.”
- “Have faith in yourself, but also have faith in something greater than yourself.”
Phil Knight’s journey shows that success is more than profit, it’s about vision, resilience, and daring to dream big. His words remind us that failure, risk, and persistence are part of the path to greatness.
