Michael Phelps Quotes

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

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

Even in high school, I'd tell my mom I was sick of swimming and wanted to try to play golf. She wasn't too happy. She'd say, 'Think about this.' And I'd always end up getting back in the pool.

When I'm focused, there is not one single thing, person, anything that can stand in the way of my doing something. There is not. If I want something bad enough, I feel I'm gonna get there.

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

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 finished my career the way I wanted to.

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

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've always been fortunate in that I've been able to put myself in my own zone and relax. It comes naturally. I'm lucky to be that way

I feel like Aaron brings out the best in me

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

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

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're all a little tired.

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

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

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.

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 try to separate my personal life from swimming.

I live a pretty conservative life, so I probably really haven't done anything crazy.

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

Why is it such a big deal what I'm swimming?

I treat every race the same. We all wanted to swim fast today and give something back to the crowd.

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

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

Not having to travel and being able to settle in has helped me in training life and school life. I've learned to get a grip and take care of myself.

Records are made to be broken.

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.

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.

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

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.

[Phelps] firmly denies that he takes drugs, suggesting that the notorious photo of him smoking from a bong was a one-time lapse of judgment.

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

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.

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

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.

I don't like to be second in anything. I was trying, I just wasn't going anywhere.

This is the first medal I've ever won in an international meet. For it to be gold is incredible. It feels great. I can't explain it.

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

I'm the same kind of guy before all this happened.

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

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

I'm kind of a creature of habit. Once I get used to doing things, it's like second nature.

My strategy is that I actually have absolutely no strategy.

I see my goals as personal and I always have. That's just been how I've worked.

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

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