70 Quotes by Christopher Reeve

Christopher Reeve was a charismatic and versatile actor best known for his iconic portrayal of Superman in the original film series. His embodiment of the Man of Steel made him a symbol of hope and heroism for generations of moviegoers. Reeve's charming charisma and dedication to his craft extended well beyond the superhero role, as he tackled a diverse range of characters in both film and stage productions. However, his life took a profound turn when a tragic horse-riding accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. Despite facing unimaginable challenges, Reeve displayed immense courage and determination, becoming a leading advocate for spinal cord injury research and treatment.

His unwavering advocacy and efforts to raise awareness about disabilities earned him admiration worldwide. Beyond his activism, Reeve's resilience and positive spirit inspired countless individuals facing adversity. He demonstrated that even in the face of insurmountable odds, the human spirit can endure and triumph. Christopher Reeve's legacy extends far beyond the silver screen; he remains a beacon of hope, reminding us of the power of compassion, determination, and the ability to soar above life's obstacles.

ELEVATE
Free Resource: A step-by-step blueprint to realize your dreams

Christopher Reeve Quotes


A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

Once you choose hope, anything's possible

At some time, often when we least expect it, we all have to face overwhelming challenges. When the unthinkable happens, the lighthouse is hope. Once we find it, we must cling to it with absolute determination. When we have hope, we discover powers within ourselves we may have never known- the power to make sacrifices, to endure, to heal, and to love. Once we choose hope, everything is possible.

Don't give up. Don't lose hope. Don't sell out.

Either you decide to stay in the shallow end of the pool or you go out in the ocean.

What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely. From an acting point of view, that's how I approached the part.

So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable.

Misfortune can force you into doing things you should be doing anyway. Lessons come from adversity. Anything can happen to anyone... You can find a new lease on life - more meaning than you thought possible in simple things... Let go. Live in the moment. Go forward.

I'm not living the life I thought I would lead, but it does have meaning, purpose. There is love... there is joy... there is laughter.

ELEVATE
Free Resource: Over 1000 smart goal ideas to inspire your life

The key to success is letting the relationships in your life grow to the highest levels they possibly can . . . not putting yourself first in life and remembering that the more you give away, the more you have.

Never accept ultimatums, conventional wisdom, or absolutes.

In the face of adversity, hope often comes in the form of a friend who reaches out to us.

A hero is someone who, in spite of weakness, doubt or not always knowing the answers, goes ahead and overcomes anyway.

We can either watch life from the sidelines, or actively participate... Either we let self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy prevent us from realising our potential, or embrace the fact that when we turn our attention away from ourselves, our potential is limitless.

Some people are walking around with full use of their bodies and they're more paralyzed than I am.

We live in a time when the words impossible and unsolvable are no longer part of the scientific community's vocabulary. Each day we move closer to trials that will not just minimize the symptoms of disease and injury but eliminate them.

You've got to give more than you take.

Pain is inevitable. Misery is a choice.

ELEVATE
Free Resource: A step-by-step process for healthier social media use

Success is finding satisfaction in giving a little more than you take.

When I first began acting, I assumed an intellectual responsibility attached to my profession, which I had accepted for a long time. My father taught me that an actor had to have a social and political conscience, and that the work that he does has to reflect from that.

Your body is not who you are. The mind and spirit transcend the body.

Even if your body doesn't work the way it used to, the heart and the mind and the spirit are not diminished.

What I do is based on powers we all have inside us; the ability to endure; the ability to love, to carry on, to make the best of what we have - and you don't have to be a 'Superman' to do it.

When we turn our attention away from ourselves, our potential is limitless.

Once we choose hope, everything is possible.

To be able to feel the lightest touch really is a gift.

I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think that if we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do.

I remember telling a neurosurgeon, "Don't give me too much information, because at the moment my ignorance is my best asset."

I have never been disabled in my dreams.

If you don't have a vision, nothing happens.

Success is not about money and power. Real success is about relationships. There's no point in making $50 million a year if your teenager thinks you're a jerk and you spend no time with your wife.

I have more awareness of other people and, I hope, more sensitivity to their needs. I also find that I'm more direct and outspoken.

Don't put a limit on what can be accomplished.

"If we don't dream of the possible, the possible never happens."

Either you vegetate and look out a window, or activate and try to effect change.

You can do anything you think you can.

In the second half of the 20th century, people are becoming more limited: Vocabularies are smaller, thoughts are smaller, aspirations are smaller, everything is very scaled down. Everyone is typecast.

I gradually stopped wondering, ‘What life do I have?' and began to consider, ‘What life can I build?

If I can laugh, I can live.

You play the hand you're dealt. I think the game's worthwhile.

Even though I don't personally believe in the Lord, I try to behave as though He was watching.

And if you can channel the truth of your own experience onto the stage, that's what the audience wants to see.

I am a very lucky guy. I can testify before Congress. I can raise funds. I can raise awareness.

It's important to me to say what I really mean.

My father is an intellectual and physical man, which is a rather unusual combination. He's great. As he brought up me and my brothers and sisters, he ingrained in us that your appearance is not your responsibility, other than that you should not be a slob.

I did my first apprenticeship when I was 15, then joined the union when I was 17. I worked every summer in high school and college.

Maybe one way I am original is that at heart I really am a classical actor. I haven't had my chance yet in the commercial world to show that. Movies aren't really made about classical people so much any more.

America is better when all of us take care of all of us.

We all have many more abilities and internal resources than we know. My advice is that you don't need to break your neck to find out about them.

You should take some responsibility for the way you present yourself. But you should not be hung up on your looks, whether you are ugly or handsome, because it isn't an achievement.

I don't think actors are to blame for poor writing. The culture changes first, and the theater follows it. In the case of the movies, it's the same thing.

there is a relationship between the mind and the body that can both create a physical condition and enable us to recover from it

I refuse to allow a disability to determine how I live my life. There is only one way to go in life and that is forward.

I have no bones to pick and no fight with society. And I'm willing to be and interested in being in the mainstream of society.

You should have a dream and absolutely go for it. Don't let anybody say you can't do it.

A hero is an ordinary person doing things in an extra ordinary way.

By reaching out, more comes back than you can possibly imagine.

There is no such thing as can't.

Every scientist should remove the word 'impossible' from their lexicon.

I get pretty impatient with people who are able-bodied but are somehow paralyzed for other reasons.

What can I do today to take a step forward?

Living a life with meaning means spreading the word. Even if you can't move, you can have a powerful effect with what you say.

Nothing of any consequence happens unless people get behind an idea. It begins with an individual and they share the idea with more individuals-and eventually it becomes a movement.

It's defeatist to harp on what might have been, and yet, it's hard to resist considering what might have been.

Having that college-town atmosphere with a live repertory company available was a real gift. I found myself gravitating toward the theater from about the age of nine. I guess it was the environment that got me started.

The character is a piece of fiction. You are yourself, however, and that makes you interesting, because you're alive and you're a human being.

The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.

I never said I will stand, I said I hoped to stand. It wasn't a prediction.

I don't have to prove anything to anyone. As a result, I am ready to take up again the characters who are closer to what I really am.

People may never understand this - and perhaps I should give up caring whether they do or not - but the idea of me playing Superman is so far away from what I was brought up to aspire to.

I've still never had a dream that I'm disabled. Never.

― Christopher Reeve Quotes

Reading is Smart. Applying is Smarter:  Apply
Subscribe on YouTube to get more wisdom:  

Chief Editor

Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.

 
Actualize Your Potential
Get my simplified process for realizing dreams (The exact process that enabled me to achieve 100 life goals in 10 years)
GET IT FREE:
Access my Start With WHY workbook for free, designed to guide you toward your purpose and the person you are meant to become
expert_advice
Align With Your Why
Elevate In Your Inbox
Get actionable insights, best practices, and wisdom you can apply — No hype, No fluff. Just practical ideas that might change your life.

Read The Art of Fully Living

There's no going back-once you embark on the journey you're meant to live, it's impossible to settle for anything less than your dreams.

Click here to learn more

Set Better Goals

Learn a better and smarter approach to setting and achieving goals. It's not just about what you want to achieve, but who you must become in the process.

Click here to learn more
Take The Free Test
Discover your areas for growth in just 5 minutes. Take the FREE self-evaluation test and pinpoint where to focus your efforts

Uplevel Your Game

Explore The Roadmaps

Access a self-paced online roadmap that turns big goals into realities, complete with daily study guides, actionable steps, and proven practices from the world's best minds
Reclaim your freedom, escape 9-5, and live the life you were meant to live — A self-paced roadmap with daily study guides, actionable steps, and proven practices

Explore The All-Access

Unlock unlimited, lifetime access to a growing library of actionable knowledge and study guides from the world's top minds.
Join The Accelerator
Join a 10-week, personalized immersion that will accelerate your goal-attainment, elevate you to your next level, and turn your big dreams into reality.
Learn More
Contact
Thanks for reading. It makes a difference. A portion of all proceeds from our endeavors supports entrepreneurs in the developing world. View Impact...