Logo - Feel The Words

Hero Quotes

On heroes, idols, and who we choose to look up to.

These quotes look at what it means to have a hero, whether that's a musician admired from the audience or a childhood icon like Mickey Mouse who fits several roles at once. Explore more in Inspiration quotes.

I cannot believe I became some kind of hero. I'm just a common Korean woman.

Quotes by Yi So-Yeon

I don't feel like a hero.

Quotes by Yance Ford

Elton John is an absolute lad. He's a hero.

Quotes by Winston Marshall

My dad is now an incredibly important ally of mine. I'm so impressed with him. He's a hero to me because he put love and his family first.

Quotes by Wilson Cruz

Everyone deserves to be the hero of a novel.

Quotes by William Nicholson

I write novels with a lawyer as the hero, no matter how oxymoronic that might sound.

Quotes by William Lashner

Petraeus is the finest general I have ever worked for; Holly Petraeus is a great American hero.

Quotes by William H. McRaven

Will Rogers was an American hero - someone you could get your teeth into and love.

Quotes by Willard Scott

Muhammad Ali is a combination of personality and athlete who is probably better known around the world than any other. He became a great hero.

Quotes by Will McDonough

When I discovered Gil Scott-Heron, I discovered a musical hero, a man who spoke baritone truth to power over jazzy funk at a time when funky music was primarily about shake, shake, shaking your booty.

Quotes by Will Hermes

Herbert, my father, was born in Britain but went out to Africa in his teens to join his father and built up an 18,000-acre ranch in what was then Northern Rhodesia, providing work for the locals. He was my hero...

Quotes by Wilbur Smith

One night I went to see Bobby at the Flamingo. Because he was my hero, I would visit him for inspiration.

Quotes by Wayne Newton

Glenn Gould was my hero. Glenn Gould was my idol. I loved him.

Quotes by Warren Zevon

The idol of today pushes the hero of yesterday out of our recollection; and will, in turn, be supplanted by his successor of tomorrow.

Quotes by Washington Irving

My biggest hero was Roman Gabriel, who was the QB of the Rams, and Roger Staubach. Those were the two guys I tired to emulate when I was little.

Quotes by Warren Moon

Whether it's as the hero of an adventure story, as teacher and friend, as icon on watch, shirt or hat - everyone knows Mickey Mouse.

Quotes by Warren Spector

I remember seeing war hero Jimmy Doolittle fly a Gee Bee racer there. He was my childhood hero. Many years later, I was lucky enough to go hunting with him.

Quotes by Wally Schirra

And there is no trade or employment but the young man following it may become a hero.

Walt Whitman

I am not a hero, O.K.? I am not a hero. I am a very ordinary person.

Quotes by Wael Ghonim

No hero is mortal till he dies.

Quotes by W. H. Auden

Frequently Asked Questions

What do these hero quotes have in common?
These quotes explore how we relate to heroes and idols - real people, cultural icons, and even fictional characters. One captures pure personal admiration: "Because he was my hero, I would visit him for inspiration," describing visits to see a performer named Bobby. For more on that feeling of being personally inspired, see Inspiration quotes.
Is there a quote about a specific real hero?
Yes - one quote is direct and heartfelt: "Glenn Gould was my hero. Glenn Gould was my idol. I loved him." It's a simple, repeated declaration of admiration for a named figure.
Do any of these quotes mention fictional heroes?
Yes. One quote points out that a hero doesn't have to come from real life: "Whether it's as the hero of an adventure story, as teacher and friend, as icon on watch, shirt or hat - everyone knows Mickey Mouse," showing how a cartoon character can fill the same role as a real-life hero.
Do heroes stay heroes forever, according to these quotes?
Not necessarily - one quote takes a more cynical, cyclical view: "The idol of today pushes the hero of yesterday out of our recollection; and will, in turn, be supplanted by his successor of tomorrow." It suggests admiration is often temporary rather than permanent, which touches on ideas found in Legacy quotes too.
Where can I read more about what makes someone heroic?
For related themes, take a look at Courage quotes and Sacrifice quotes.

Others point out that admiration doesn't stay fixed - today's idol eventually gives way to someone new. See also Courage quotes and Legacy quotes.