Quotes About Dedication

I embraced, I think, the process of becoming No. 1 of the world, which was long and difficult, but it's sweeter in the end.

There are some disheartening days where I don't get to eat my favourite sweets, but my diet has to be followed.

When I was a kid, when I was 16, 17, I'd come home from high school, and my dad collected all of Barbra Streisand's records. And she was very young then. I think she probably had three records out, and she was 21, and we had them all. And I knew every single song, every breath, every elision, every swell. And I sang along to it.

I lose my mind if I miss a swell that I want to be on and I have the ability to be on it.

Maybe it goes away, but this is the way I've chosen to live: I want to go down or rise up as an artist. I don't want to get swept up in lipstick or whatever the hell.

We don't get to get swept up, because we have to start over every day at 8 o'clock.

I ran spotlight. Swept up. Did box office. Ran the lighting board. But acting was the most fun.

I can be proud of every swim, every effort I put in the water, every mental approach to every single race.

The only routine I have is going for a run and a swim with the dog in the morning, between 8am and 9am - that is my head-clearing space. I am religious about holding on to that time: whatever happens, I don't want to know about it until after that.

I just always really wanted to swim. It was always a family thing: dad obviously swam, and my sister did, too. And mum used to come along to meets. They had to drag me out of the pool - so there was never any pressure on me to swim. It was just something I loved doing.

We don't swim for the attention. We don't swim to be rock stars. There is something beautiful about being in an anonymous sport and being fairly anonymous. It enables you do something you love without any of the other effects.

And I guess the thing that I really sort of rely on in me is that I love racing and I love competing and so I know that you know when the time comes and the pressure's on and I have to swim well, I'm sort of able to pull it out and sort of get the best out of myself.

Obviously, losing a parent is very difficult. I miss my dad every day, but I know he would be proud to see me continuing to swim and going for another shot at the Olympics.

Some people might go to the gym and swim laps, but I write songs. Every single day, I write something new and record it.

I swim more or less every day.

It's great to have an honest course where you can use your strength. I swim 10 hours a week, I bike 20 hours a week, and I want to be able to show that.

I swim for myself. I love it, I have fun, and just representing my country is the greatest honor I could ever have.

My swim coach was very tough on me, and I respond well to that training... being pushed to my limit.

I'm a good dad. I'm an evolved dad. You know, you see a lot of guys when they're in training camp, they go off, do their own thing. But I'm in the midst of it. Swim lessons? I'm there. Changing diapers, teething, doctor's appointments, I'm there 24/7.

I had always had the same pre-match routine that I went through every day - get up, go down for a swim and a stretch, back to the room for a shower, then down for brekkie - the same routine every game, and it got me ready.

It's never been just about me. It's about my grandparents who used to drive me to swim practice. My dad who - on his one day to sleep in - would take me to swim meets. My mom and my sisters who would massage my aching shoulders when I was little There have been so many people who have believed in me when I didn't believe in myself.

I love seeing other people swim quickly, it gives you a bit more motivation to keep pushing and get the best out of yourself.

I didn't just swim when I was younger. I did ballet, horse riding, everything. I was very active.

Everything I do in the gym translates to being a better swimmer.