I'd like to say to all my fans out there, thanks for the

Hear, O seekers of strength, the words of the swift-footed champion Usain Bolt, who declared: “I’d like to say to all my fans out there, thanks for the support. And to all my doubters, thank you very much because you guys have also pushed me.” These words, though simple in sound, resound like the echo of a drum across the mountains of time. For here lies the wisdom of a warrior who understands that both praise and doubt, both support and opposition, are sacred fires that forge greatness. To receive only applause is to grow complacent; to endure only resistance is to be crushed. But to embrace both with gratitude is to rise beyond limits and run with the speed of gods.

The ancients, too, honored both friend and foe. Alexander the Great thanked his allies for their loyalty, but also his enemies, for they sharpened his cunning and strengthened his resolve. The philosopher Epictetus taught that hardship and criticism were teachers, shaping the soul into virtue. And so Bolt, though speaking in the realm of sport, carries forward this timeless truth: the fan who cheers and the doubter who sneers are both instruments of destiny, guiding the soul toward excellence.

Why should one give thanks to fans? Because their love and support are like the wind at a runner’s back. They lift the spirit when fatigue presses in. They remind the soul that its labor is not in vain, that its gifts are seen and cherished. A warrior fights with fiercer courage when he knows his people watch with hope in their eyes. So too, the support of those who believe in us becomes a source of energy that carries us beyond our ordinary strength.

Yet even more profound is the giving of thanks to the doubters. For what is doubt but the spur in the horse’s side, driving it to run faster? What is skepticism but the whetstone upon which determination sharpens its edge? Bolt understood this well: every mocking word, every sneer of disbelief, every voice that whispered “you cannot” became fuel for his fire. Thus, the doubter is as necessary as the believer, for without resistance there can be no triumph. Iron is hardened only when struck; the spirit is strengthened only when tested.

Consider the story of Thomas Edison, who failed thousands of times before bringing forth the electric light. His doubters laughed, mocked, and dismissed him. Yet he turned their scorn into determination, saying, “I have not failed. I have found ten thousand ways that do not work.” Each doubt became a stepping-stone toward his invention. Like Bolt, Edison gave thanks not only for those who supported him, but for those who sought to hold him down—for their disbelief became his ladder to the stars.

So let us take the lesson: embrace both your supporters and your doubters. Do not grow arrogant with praise, nor bitter with criticism. Instead, transform both into strength. Let love inspire you, and let doubt ignite you. For every soul who cheers you on, let your heart swell with gratitude. For every soul who resists you, let your will grow sharper, your stride stronger, your vision clearer. In this way, all forces of life—whether soft or harsh—conspire to raise you higher.

Practical action is clear: each day, give thanks aloud for those who believe in you, for they are your strength. Then, give thanks also for those who oppose or question you, for they are your teachers. Do not waste energy in complaint or revenge; instead, turn their words into fuel for your journey. When criticized, ask yourself, “How can this make me stronger?” When praised, ask yourself, “How can I remain humble?” In this way, both praise and doubt will serve you, and you will walk the path of greatness.

Thus remember Usain Bolt’s teaching: thank your fans, and thank your doubters. For both are threads in the fabric of destiny, both are winds that shape the soul’s flight. The one lifts you gently, the other drives you fiercely—but together, they make you soar. If you learn to give thanks for both, then no force on earth can hinder you, and your life, like the runner’s sprint, will blaze across the world with unquenchable fire.