Michael Phelps Quotes

I knew I was not a failure in any way, and so did those close to me. It doesn't matter if you fall short; it is never a failure to go after your goals with everything you've got.

Every day after I wake up, I think, 'Wait ... this can't be real; I'm still going to wake up.'

I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.

If you say "can't" you're restricting what you can do or ever will do.

I consider myself normal. I've spent 20 years in the pool. I consider that something that's normal.

But a hero should be somebody who can lift up other people with his courage and dedication.

Yeah, my friends call me Mike, Michael or just my last name.

I want to change the sport of swimming. I want people to talk about it, think about it, and look forward to seeing it. I want them to want to jump in and do it. That's my goal." After

Dream as big as you can dream, and anything is possible.

I am excited to have the opportunity to help provide the same swim instruction that I received as a child when I was enrolled in a water safety class at five-years-old.

And, you know, being able to wear the stars and stripes, when you step up on one of the blocks or, you know, when you step off of an airplane or when you hear the national anthem play, you know, it's one of the greatest feelings in the world because you know that there are people at home who are supporting you and watching you.

My mom put me and my sisters in the water to feel comfortable, to have water safety.

In some sports, you can just get by on a lot of natural talent. In swimming, it helps to be long and lean, but you can't be good at it without putting in the work. There is a direct connection between what you put into it and what you get out of it. If you have big ears or trouble focusing, but you work harder than the guy in the lane next to you, you'll beat him." In

There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work ... THERE ARE NO LIMITS.

Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing exercises and visualization. And I think that that helped me to get a feel of what it was gonna be like when I got there. I knew that I had done everything that I could to get ready for that meet, both physically and mentally

Swimming is normal for me. I'm relaxed. I'm comfortable, and I know my surroundings. It's my home.

I don't want to be the next Mark Spitz; I want to be the first Michael Phelps

When I race, I don't think about it; it just happens.

I believe in God; I'm not saying I'm highly religious.

If you're not on your 'A' game in our workouts every day, you're going to get absolutely smoked.

It's tough to put into words right now, but I finished my career how I wanted to. Through the ups and downs of my career I've still been able to do everything that I've ever wanted to accomplish.

I can't remember the last day I didn't train.

I wanted to do something nobody ever did. This goes hand in hand with my goal of changing swimming.

I think the biggest things I am looking forward to is getting new faces into the sport. Getting kids who could be afraid of water to feel comfortable in the pool.

I am 26 and, and I don't recover as fast as I have in the past.

It doesn't matter what else is going on. When you walk into your arena or your - whatever you excel at, you're there to take care of the job that you have to do.

I wanted to get the fastest time in the world this year, but with everything going on, it's a pretty decent swim, ... I knew I was under world record pace. You could tell by the crowd. You can always tell at these meets when something good is going on because of the crowd.

I'm satisfied in a way because this is an eye opener for me, ... I didn't have the success I've always been able to have. I learned a lot.

Anything is possible as long as you want it, you work for it. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, the only person that can really put pressure on you is yourself

I like to just think of myself as a normal person who just has a passion, has a goal and a dream and goes out and does it. And that's really how I've always lived my life.

I love to race the best people in the world and the fastest people in the world.

no goal is too high if you put your mind to it.

It's the Olympics. If you can't get up to swim early in the morning, don't go.

The only reason I started swimming was for water safety. Then, once I started falling in love with sports, I got more comfortable with it.

Swimming is fun. It's a lot funner than golf.

There were times I wouldn't come to practice, because it didn't excite me. It wasn't interesting. I was kind of going through the motions.

Before, it came easy for me. I don't have two speeds anymore. I need to focus on the small things that I once took for granted.

I have had extreme ups and downs. The biggest thing I learned after I broke my wrist is to never give up. Nothing in life will ever come easy. It depends on how you deal with those obstacles and how you overcome those obstacles. If you can overcome them, you're a stronger person. If you make mistakes along the way, as long as you never make that same mistake again, you're a successful person.

If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren't willing to do.

I won't predict anything historic. But nothing is impossible.

If you put your mind to anything that you dream, you can achieve it.

Nobody is going to put a limit on what I'm doing.

I used to always go to church on holidays, but I don't go much any more.

Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it takes is an imagination.

I always have on my headphones to block out all of the other distractions and I'm just focused on doing the best that I can ... There a few of them ... DMX Party Up ... Mack 10 BC and Ice Cube Connected for Life. I also listen to the Eminem CD ... whichever song really gets me going that night

I feel like Aaron brings out the best in me

If I want to achieve the goals I've set, I've got to be in tip-top shape.

I want to go to the World Cup. I want to go to the Masters. I want to go ... anywhere.

You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.

Being able to do something that's never been done before, that's what I've always wanted to do ... There was nothing that was going to stand in my way of being the first.

I've been able to get an excitement back in the water.

You can make a million mistakes, just not the same one twice.

For recovery, I think it's a big deal to eat within a half-hour after you exercise. Otherwise I just try to put carbs into my system before I swim and then load up on the protein after. I don't count calories. Whether it's Sour Patch Kids or Reese's or a bag of chips, if I feel like eating it, I'm going to eat it.

I have reached a place in my life where I need to sit down and say, 'Well, what do I do? What's best for me?' I need to look into options for the future.

The one thing that's common to all successful people: They make a habit of doing things that unsuccessful people don't like to do.

Once I'm already in my room, I still have to open a door to get into my bed. It's like a giant box. It's like the boy in a bubble.

One thing with me, and every goal I've had - - in the sport of swimming, my mother didn't know my goals. The only person that knew my goals were my coaches.

I finished my career the way I wanted to.

What does God mean to me? I guess I was made the way I am for some reason, and I've been able to find the talent I have, and I've been able to use it, so I'm grateful for that. I believe in God; [but] I'm not saying I'm highly religious.

So, you know, if, if I wanted to get up and just play golf one day, I would just get up and play golf. If I wanted to go to Vegas, I would just get up and go to Vegas.

Eat, sleep and swim, that's all I can do,

If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.

Swimming is more than a once-every-four-years sport. My goal is to bring attention to swimming - to give it some personality.

This is my 20th year in the sport. I've known swimming and that's it. I don't want to swim past age 30; if I continue after this Olympics, and come back in 2016, I'll be 31. I'm looking forward to being able to see the other side of the fence.

I know it won't be eight medals again. If you want to compare me to that, that's your decision, not mine. I'm going out there to try to accomplish the things that I have in my mind and in my heart.

We wanted to see how close we could get to the world record. We'll take that for right now.

The problem with heart disease is the first symptom is often fatal.

I think to be - for me to be an American is - you know, it's one of the greatest things in the world for - you know, for me just because I've been able to grow up with everything. The freedom. You know, in my eyes this is the greatest country in the world.

Once I retire, I'm retiring. I'm done.

There is a one woman in China that claimed she paid $50 to get my e-mail address. It was pretty shocking. I got one this morning from Scotland. A girl's requesting a signed photo of me.

I try to separate my personal life from swimming.

I would visualize the best- and worst-case scenarios. Whether I get disqualified or my goggles fill up with water or I lose my goggles or I come in last, I'm ready for anything.

I learned how fast you can go from being an international hero to being a reference in a joke on a late night talk show.

My goal is one Olympic gold medal. Not many people in this world can say, 'I'm an Olympic gold medalist.'

It's cool just because I've had this dream of changing the sport of swimming and it's finally happening.

My strategy is that I actually have absolutely no strategy.

I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and you put the work and time into it. I think your mind really controls everything.