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Motivation Quote by Nadia Comaneci

"I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet"

About this Quote

Comaneci’s line moves like a gymnast’s routine: crisp, forward-driving, no wasted motion. The first sentence sets up a familiar sports-movie choice - flee or face - but she sharpens it by naming the engine underneath: fear. That candor matters. Elite athletics is often sold as confidence theater, yet she admits the nerves upfront and then reframes courage as a decision, not a personality trait.

The subtext is control. “Run toward it” isn’t just motivational grit; it’s the logic of training, where repetition turns the terrifying into the rehearsed. Fear becomes something you can work on, like a dismount. Even the metaphor “trample it beneath your feet” is telling: it’s physical, aggressive, almost brutal. This isn’t about “making peace” with anxiety; it’s about overpowering it through motion. For an athlete whose legacy is literally measured in landings and foot placement, the image lands with extra force.

Context gives it bite. Comaneci became a global symbol as a teenager in a highly politicized environment, performing perfection under scrutiny that wasn’t optional. Her statement reads like a private survival rule turned public advice: when the world is watching and stakes are disproportionate, avoidance isn’t safety - it’s surrender. The intent is to sanctify forward momentum as the only real exit route, turning fear from an identity into an obstacle course you clear one step at a time.

Quote Details

TopicOvercoming Obstacles
SourceHelp us find the source
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Citation Formats

APA Style (7th ed.)
Comaneci, Nadia. (2026, January 15). I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-run-away-from-a-challenge-because-i-am-82710/

Chicago Style
Comaneci, Nadia. "I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-run-away-from-a-challenge-because-i-am-82710/.

MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-run-away-from-a-challenge-because-i-am-82710/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

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About the Author

Nadia Comaneci

Nadia Comaneci (born November 12, 1961) is a Athlete from Romania.

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