Michael Phelps stands in a league of his own, having conquered unprecedented peaks in the swimming world. With a record 28 medals to his name, the American swimmer combined, natural talent with hard work and dedication to win it all.
However, success did not come overnight to the now 39-year-old. It was an exercise in patience and self-belief that allowed him to be what he is. And in his latest message to everyone out there who is trying to achieve greatness, Phelps doled out the same lesson.
He claimed that no one will be able to see the work that they’re doing, instantly. However, over time, things will start working out the way they want, as long as one keeps doing it.
“You’re not going to be able to see the work you’re doing, instantly. But over time, if you keep doing it, it will pay off and things will start falling into place as you want them to.”
The Baltimore Bullet’s history in the Olympic games serves as the perfect example for his own words. When he made his debut in Sydney in 2000, Phelps went home with only the experience of competing in the Olympic games.
Four years later, he flew to Athens, hoping to improve on his previous showing. The then 19-year-old Phelps took home six gold and two bronze medals, announcing his arrival at the biggest stage of them all.
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But he wasn’t done yet. The swimmer continued practicing according to his routine and went to Beijing to script history. At 23 years old, Michael Phelps became the first-ever athlete to win eight gold medals at a single Olympic meet.
The next two Olympic games saw the record-breaking athlete add 12 more medals to his tally, before calling it quits. Now, he stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration to the newer generations who are looking to make it big in the field of sports.
