Once I'm already in my room, I still have to open a door to get into my bed. It's like a giant box. It's like the boy in a bubble. Michael Phelps
This 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 Phelps
There is a one woman in China that claimed she paid $50 to get my e-mail address. It was pretty shocking. I got one this morning from Scotland. A girl's requesting a signed photo of me. Michael Phelps
So, you know, if, if I wanted to get up and just play golf one day, I would just get up and play golf. If I wanted to go to Vegas, I would just get up and go to Vegas. Michael Phelps
And, you know, being able to wear the stars and stripes, when you step up on one of the blocks or, you know, when you step off of an airplane or when you hear the national anthem play, you know, it's one of the greatest feelings in the world because you know that there are people at home who are supporting you and watching you. Michael Phelps
I like to just think of myself as a normal person who just has a passion, has a goal and a dream and goes out and does it. And that's really how I've always lived my life. Michael Phelps
I consider myself normal. I've spent 20 years in the pool. I consider that something that's normal. Michael Phelps
If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy. Michael Phelps
It's cool just because I've had this dream of changing the sport of swimming and it's finally happening. Michael Phelps
Every day after I wake up, I think, 'Wait... this can't be real; I'm still going to wake up.' Michael Phelps
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
I think the biggest things I am looking forward to is getting new faces into the sport. Getting kids who could be afraid of water to feel comfortable in the pool. Michael Phelps
It doesn't matter what else is going on. When you walk into your arena or your - whatever you excel at, you're there to take care of the job that you have to do. Michael Phelps
There were times I wouldn't come to practice, because it didn't excite me. It wasn't interesting. I was kind of going through the motions. Michael Phelps
Being compared to Ian Thorpe, that could be one of the greatest compliments you could ever get in swimming - being compared to him and Mark Spitz. Michael Phelps
People say to me, 'You're so lucky. You get to see the world.' But I don't. I go to the hotel and to the pools and back again. That's it. Michael Phelps