5 Muhammad Ali Quotes to Live By

As well as being a star in the ring, Muhammad Ali was incredible with words, and a poet too. While I’m not a boxing fan, he is a inspiration to me. Not only did Ali stand up for what he believed in, no matter what the cost (such as his stance against the Vietnam war), but he also wasn’t afraid to talk the talk. Here’s 5 quotes to live by from the one and only Muhammad Ali.

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A lot of Ali’s quotes were about carrying on, this one in particular sticks with me. Struggling sucks but trying to remember why you’re struggling and what the end game is makes it a lot easier to deal with.

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Again, you fall down? You pick yourself back up again. I completely agree with this, everyone goes down sometimes but it’s picking yourself up that shows strength.

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Ali risked so much when he opposed the Vietnam war and stood up to racism. IT could have ended his career but he still stood up for what he believed in. If this isn’t a reason to see Ali as an inspiration, I don’t know what is.

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Who doesn’t know this phrase?!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc3kPvA_PQA

Right now Islam and the Muslim community need our support. We need to remember the peace that Ali reminded us of after 9/11 and people should know the ‘real truth about Islam’. One of the world’s greatest, and by all accounts nicest, men reminding us that it is extremism and hate of a minority that causes such devastation, not a book.

Rest in Peace Muhammad Ali.

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Being a ‘Game Changer’

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This is the face of someone who is considered a ‘game changer’. No it’s not a title that I’ve given myself, someone else actually thought I was pretty cool. I received an email a while ago asking if I’d be part of a 3rd year project on successful students at Kingston. I’ll be honest I thought it was a wind up at first, I don’t see myself as some really successful person, I just do what I need to do and work hard.

Apparently my shortlisting at the KU Talent awards last year was interesting enough. So I sat in a studio today (with the most horrendous cold) and spoke about my experiences and advice to other students. It was fun as well as a bit strange.

Sometimes I get really embarrassed as well as proud of what I’ve achieved. I’ve never felt like I’m better than other people or something extraordinary, I just get on with my work and that’s that really. I love what I do for the most part so that makes it easier. That said I’ve dealt with jealousy since I was little and it’s still something I really don’t get. I’m just me, I’m a sort of normal 20 year old, who struggles just as much as anyone else.

I’m really pleased that I got picked for the project and it was nice thing to do but I’m just me! Promise!

My Big Mouth: Zoella who? Ghost Writers should get credit!

Publishers Penguin has said Zoe 'Zoella' Sugg, 24, 'did not write the book Girl Online on her own,' but did not confirm that the sales success was ghostwritten

Teen Blogger Zoella with a copy of Girl online (photo belongs from Daily Mail Website).

 Teen blogger Zoella Sugg was in headline this week after her debut book had outsold J.K Rowling. For someone so young an inexperienced to beat a much loved author means this young girl must have some talent…except penguin have now announced that the novel was not written by Zoella, instead by a ghost writer, although jumping to Zoella’s defence her fans are content because she came up with the plot.

For a long time the thought of ghost writers have upset and angered me. The process of writing a book (especially one to sell this many copies upon release) makes me feel very disappointed as a writer.  I have hundreds of ideas in my head for plots, if someone managed to create that into an incredible novel, I’d be a little peeved but I wouldn’t say nope it’s all mine. The hours of writing it takes to create a novel (and believe me I’ve tried) is something that deserves recognition. While some fans claim she was honest about it the whole way through and that means it’s ok. What about the author! Could this not have been a collaborative effort? Instead of simply putting Zoella’s name on the cover why not the names of both of them?

In my opinion this sends out a bad message to kids, if you have an idea get someone else to do the hard work for you and then get all the attention and money from it. It’s not how the real world works, a world of hard work and determination and yet we are willing to look the other way, I for one am not. Another famous name to have her own novel is model Katie Price, a.k.a Jordan. Katie brings out a new book every few years and ,like Zoella, claims that she only comes up with the plot and lets someone else write if for her. We’re not talking about getting help on an autobiography but writing novel after novel and putting her own name on them as well as getting the profits for it.

Glamour model Katie Price has published numerous books under her name,

all of which have been ghostwritten (image from Daily Mail website). 

While many call on me for being too harsh on Zoella and can’t understand why I get irritated by this news I say to them take the best piece of work you’ve ever done, now imagine someone else gave you that idea and they get all the credit. Doesn’t feel too great does it? Writers don’t choose to have their own name abolished form a creation but they do it because they want their work out there and it’s damn hard for authors to do. I will say this though, to the real author of Girl Online, I hope you go on to get the recognition you deserve.