Quotes from Michael Phelps

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 feel most at home in the water. I disappear. That's where I belong.

I still remember the days, not wanting to see anybody, not wanting to talk to anybody, really not wanting to live. I was on an express elevator to the bottom floor, wherever that might be.

The more you dream the more you achieve.

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

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

I don't have a strict diet. It's all about cramming in as many calories into my system as I possibly can. To be honest with you, I have a tough time keeping weight on.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

I want to test my maximum and see how much I can do. And I want to change the world of swimming.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

I can only control my own performance. If I do my best, then I can feel good at the end of the day.

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

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.