RDNZ26_0607_MAIN BOOK

JEFF SPICER/GETTY IMAGES (JACINTO). RANDY HOLMES/GETTY IMAGES (DACUS). MARY DECICCO/GETTY IMAGES (SABATHIA) Sometimes you have to wear the costume before it becomes the clothes. —Lucy Dacus, musician, on the podcast las culturistas I always pitch to my strengths, right? I never pitch to your weakness. ... If a guy is good on cutters, then we’re going to see who’s better today. —CC Sabathia, baseball legend, in gq Go to couples therapy before you need it. —Manny Jacinto, actor, in cosmopolitan People used to say, “If I was a millionaire ...” Now they say, “If I was a billionaire ...” I always say to these people: “Do you know howmuch a billion is?” And they really don’t. A couple of years ago I heard the word trillion . No one should ever use that word unless they are an astronomer. —Fran Lebowitz, writer, in the guardian Obstacles are just the world’s way of asking “How much do you want this?” The greatest limits you’ll ever face are the ones you quietly agree to. —Fidji Simo, tech entrepreneur, to graduates of the hec paris business school reader ’ s digest 114 june/july 2026 | readersdigest.co.nz QUOTABLE QUOTES reader ’ s digest I beat some of the top players I really admired—by aiming right at their strengths. Before, I would run away from their strengths. If a guy had a strong forehand, I would try to hit to his backhand. But now … I would try to go after his forehand. I tried to beat baseliners from the baseline. I tried to beat the attackers by attacking. I tried to beat the net rushers from the net. I took a chance by doing that. So why did I do it? To amplify my game and expand my options. You need a whole arsenal of strengths, so if one of them breaks down, you’ve got some- thing left. When your game is clicking like that, winning is easy—relatively. Then there are days when you just feel broken. Your back hurts, your knee hurts. Maybe you’re a little sick, or scared. But you still find a way to win. And those are the victories we can be most proud of. Because they prove that you can win not just when you are at your best, but especially when you aren’t. POINT TO PONDER Roger Federer, tennis champ, to graduates of dartmouth college JULIEN M. HEKIMIAN/STRINGER/GETTY IMAGES readersdigest.co.nz 115