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Three questions and a summary... Do you think all the hard work has paid off? Could you have won the 8 golds without the support of your coach and family? Who inspired you to become who you are today?



Hi, today I am going to talk about some obstacles that Michael has overcome in is Journey to 8 Olympic golds. I will tell you an interesting story that I have learned so far by reading No Limits. Michael has done some really great things in his life, but as you know everyone makes mistakes, even Michael Phelps. In November of 2004, Michael made one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He and a good friend decided to go visit another friend in a college town in Maryland. Michael says that the friend made sure to tell him before the party no drinking and driving. Michael even made the comment "come on that's not me". During the party he decided to go get some food. At this time he had already had three beers. While on his way to get food he made the mistake of rolling through a stop sign. A cop car happened to be behind him and pulled him over. The trooper gave him a breathalyzer test. His blood-alcohol reading measured o.o8, precisely the Maryland state standard for driving under the influence. Not only did he get a DUI, he also got ticketed for under age drinking because he wasn't 21 yet. Michael's consequences were to pay 305 dollars in fines and court costs. He also had to attend a meeting of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and to speak at a number of schools about drinking, driving, and decision making. Michael said to one of the high schools. " The night that I got behind the wheel after drinking I had lost sight of my goals." "I was not thinking, as I should have been, about Beijing and 2008." " "In order to make good decisions, you really have to see the whole picture." "I guess you could say my head wasn't really on straight.. my goals were not in order when I got behind the wheel." Phelps goes on to say that no way that he would wish the experience, any of it on anyone, but he says it changed his life. It reminded him in the most direct way possible that no one is so important that he deserves to be treated any differently than anybody else. He says the experience also led him in one of those connections in life that, after it happens, seems like one of those things that was all along somehow meant to be. After this experience Michael realised what he was doing to his future and that he needed to kick it in gear if he wanted any chance at all of getting his 8 golds. From there on out for the next three and a half years He worked his butt off. By reading about this I have actually learned from Michael's mistake and know not to make the same mistake.