Every day after I wake up, I think, 'Wait... this can't be real; I'm still going to wake up.'
Michael PhelpsThis is my 20th year in the sport. I've known swimming and that's it. I don't want to swim past age 30; if I continue after this Olympics, and come back in 2016, I'll be 31. I'm looking forward to being able to see the other side of the fence.
Michael PhelpsI knew I was not a failure in any way, and so did those close to me. It doesn't matter if you fall short; it is never a failure to go after your goals with everything you've got.
Michael PhelpsWe need to make seeing a therapist more accessible; we've got to crack down on this and allow people the opportunity to seek help. It's going to be a game-changer. I would love people to become more vulnerable and reach out and ask for help. I would never want somebody to go through the feelings I had, almost exactly three years ago, of not wanting to be alive. That's a scary thing, and to think of where I am today compared to that - that's way bigger than winning a gold medal.
Michael PhelpsEvery day, there's always something to be worried about; you turn on the news and see something different every day, and it's terrible. Hopefully, as Americans, and as the inhabitants of the world, we can come together. We need to change lives - whether that's conserving water, destigmatizing mental health treatment or something else. We can change lives.
Michael Phelps