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

Action

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Thematic Reflection

This quotation examines the core nature of Action as articulated by Michael Phelps. Within historical and literary traditions, reflections on Action provide actionable mental models, challenging individuals to evaluate personal ethics, self-discipline, and daily actions.

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About Michael Phelps

Michael Fred Phelps II is an American former competitive swimmer. He won more Olympic medals than any other athlete, a total of 28 medals across four Olympic Games. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold medals (23), Olympic gold medals in individual events (13), and Olympic medals in individual events (16). At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Phelps tied the record of eight medals of any color at a single Games, held by gymnast Alexander Dityatin, by winning six gold and two bronze medals. Four years later, when he won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games, he broke fellow American swimmer Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven first-place finishes at any single Olympic Games. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Phelps won four gold and two silver medals, and at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won five gold medals and one silver. This made him the most successful athlete of the Games for the fourth Olympics in a row.

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More by Michael Phelps

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

— Michael Phelps
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"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."

— Michael Phelps
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"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."

— Michael Phelps
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"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."

— Michael Phelps
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More about Action

"As long as I live, I will never forget that day 21 years ago when I raised my hand and took the oath of citizenship. Do you know how proud I was? I was so proud that I walked around with an American flag around my shoulders all day long."

— Arnold Schwarzenegger
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"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."

— E. F. Schumacher
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"The one thing we can do is invest in the quality of education, especially higher education."

— Ron Kind
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"There are about 700 flavors that you can smell, but only five you can taste. A lot of times what you're perceiving as flavor has nothing to do with palette, but it's more to do with scents."

— Grant Achatz
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