Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I listen to music before my competitions to get me pumped up. It helps me stay focused.
I haven't swam in any of the rivers outside of Baltimore. I try to keep it in the pool.
If you want to be the best you have to do things that other people aren't willing to do.
If you want to be the best, you have to do things that other people aren't willing to do.
I'm kind of a creature of habit. Once I get used to doing things, it's like second nature.
We wanted to see how close we could get to the world record. We'll take that for right now.
Every day after I wake up, I think, 'Wait... this can't be real; I'm still going to wake up.'
I want to test my maximum and see how much I can do. And I want to change the world of swimming.
If you're not on your 'A' game in our workouts every day, you're going to get absolutely smoked.
Things won’t go perfect. It’s all about how you adapt from those things and learn from mistakes.
Swimming is normal for me. I'm relaxed. I'm comfortable, and I know my surroundings. It's my home.
I wanted to do something nobody ever did. This goes hand in hand with my goal of changing swimming.
I treat every race the same. We all wanted to swim fast today and give something back to the crowd.
I consider myself normal. I've spent 20 years in the pool. I consider that something that's normal.
I can only control my own performance. If I do my best, then I can feel good at the end of the day.
Nothing is impossible. With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it takes is an imagination.
It's cool just because I've had this dream of changing the sport of swimming and it's finally happening.
My goal is one Olympic gold medal. Not many people in this world can say, 'I'm an Olympic gold medalist.'
If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.
I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.
Perseverance, determination, commitment, and courage-those things are real. The desire for redemption drives you.
Records are always made to be broken no matter what they are. Anybody can do anything that they set their mind to.
There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work... THERE ARE NO LIMITS.
I want to continue the sport of swimming. I'm not going to give up until I think it's reached where I want it to go.
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.
Swimming is more than a once-every-four-years sport. My goal is to bring attention to swimming - to give it some personality.
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 think with practice, you can being whatever you want to be, and with a goal you can go in any direction that you want to go in.
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.
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.
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'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
For the millionth time, I'm retired. I keep saying it, and people keep answering, 'Well, maybe he doesn't mean it this time.' But I do.
People say to me, 'You're so lucky. You get to see the world.' But I don't. I go to the hotel and to the pools and back again. That's it.
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.
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.
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.
I eat pretty much whatever I want. I don't have a strict diet. It's all about cramming in as many calories into my system as I possibly can.
I like to get in my own world. When I'm getting ready for a meet, I always have headphones on, listening to rap music to get myself fired up
[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.
There are too many kids who are drowning for lack of water safety. That's something I'd like to do. Teaching kids to live an active lifestyle.
I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it.
Being compared to Ian Thorpe, that could be one of the greatest compliments you could ever get in swimming - being compared to him and Mark Spitz.
I got a Cadillac Escalade. Put some rims on it, threw a couple TV's in there, and installed a system. I stuck my Xbox in there. I had to go for it.
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.
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.
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 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.
I have the opportunity to be part of swimming history. To take the sport to a new level would be an honor for me. There's no better time to try this than now.
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.