IF T-Shirt Inspired by Ali and Kipling

I just completed a t-shirt and design inspired by Ali and Kipling's IF poem. You can find it here at Soul Renaissance Tees.

Ali often used poetry to make predictions about his fights, to poke fun at his opponents or just highlight his sense of humor for the public and press. He was also inspired by poems, such as IF by Rudyard Kipling. IF was published in 1909 or 1910 and is meant to provide instruction through the illustration of the traits and characteristics of great leaders. It has become anthologized as a great inspirational poem that is a blueprint for integrity and self development.

Many of the maxims have been heralded by athletes and sports figures including Ali. Below is a reading of IF by tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

What could you do, IF...

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Typography: IF by Rudyard Kipling from George Horne on Vimeo.