Kelly Slater Quotes

A lot of times I’ll see guys who are nowhere near the level of the board they’re riding. They might love surfing and love how it looks, but you really have to work your way up. It takes eating a little humble pie at first, and stepping back to equipment that might be a bit slow, but do it.

I wanted to be a comedian.

I think when a surfer becomes a surfer, it’s almost like an obligation to be an environmentalist at the same time.

There are so many different elements to surfing. Small waves, big waves, long boards, short boards. This makes it a sport you can share with people. It’s not just a solitary thing – it’s become a family thing, too. It’s about exercising and passing something on from father to son, and from mother to daughter.

Everything started coming into my head, … I was the youngest world champ and now I’m the oldest world champ; it’s been seven years since I won my last title and this is my seventh one … but all those numbers and things are not as important as the feeling.

I feel like an ambassador for surfing at this point. I’m happy to go and play that role and share that where I can in certain areas of the mainstream media that doesn’t get the surfing attention.

Motivation is temporary. Inspiration is permanent.

I’ve been in a poor physical shape many times in my career and I’ve had some of my best results. My best performances happened because my mind was in the right place. The mind is definitely stronger than the body.

Most of what Hawaii has to offer is no secret. Pipeline is probably the most famous wave in the world.

I still feel like my best surfing is ahead of me.

I’m the competitor, I’m the one who has to wear the brunt of that being a good or bad score. And I’m not too worried about it. I don’t know why so many are to be honest with you.

Big waves are a whole different ball game. You’re riding a wave with an immense amount of speed and power, generally over 10 meters. On the face of the wave, obviously life and death thoughts start to happen.

My belief is that ‘heaven’ and ‘hell’ are metaphorical terms for what you make of your life. In any instant, you have the ability to make your life total pleasure or total hell.

For a surfer, it’s never-ending. There’s always some wave you want to surf.

Not to sound too deep or weird, but I think that the times when you really appreciate surfing are the times you’re really sort of becoming one with nature. Surfing’s as raw of a sport as it gets.

I’ve always thought surfing is a reflection of who you are.

This was the most emotional title of my career. I was the youngest champion, and now I’m the oldest.

When I’m 50 I want to be a better surfer than I am now – for me it’s a lifelong journey.

It’s all about where your mind’s at

It’s a perfect wave when small and the most beautiful and scary wave on Earth when it’s big, as the swell from deep water hits the shallow reef ledge. A ten-foot high wave and a 30-footer break in the same depth of water.

Well I’m always working on constantly everything. I never take the approach that I’m doing as well as I possibly can… I always think there’s more and I think if you don’t have that, you are not driven to be better.

Surfing is my religion, if I have one.

It’s like the mafia. Once you’re in – your in. There’s no getting out.

Your surfing can get better on every turn, on every wave you catch. Learn to read the ocean better. A big part of my success has been wave knowledge.

Fatherhood isn’t always a planned thing, but when it happens you just do it. It’s very natural and in that sense it’s not really difficult.

A wave isn’t like a skate ramp or mountain; everything’s moving around, and you have to time how to move along with it. That’s easier with a slow wave.

Maintaining marriage seems to be tougher than fatherhood: apparently its the most difficult thing in the world.

A wave isn’t like a skate ramp or mountain; everything’s moving around and you have to time how to move along with it. That’s easier with a slow wave.

Most anything I’ve ever set my mind to, I could accomplish.

I surf more now for other people than myself. I feel a lot of support from people wanting me to do well, and I feed off that. I can send a positive message to people from what I do.

The joy of surfing is so many things combined, from the physical exertion of it, to the challenge of it, to the mental side of the sport.

I want to surf better tomorrow. I want to surf better in 10 years. When I’m 50 I want to be a better surfer than I am now – for me it’s a lifelong journey.