--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a…" description: "\"Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing exercises and visualization. And I think that that helped me to get a feel of what it was gon..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/michael-phelps-2388_done_before-the-olympic-trials-i-was-doing-a_1224003.jpg" --- # Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing… ![“Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing exercises and visualization. And I think that that helped me to get a feel of what it was gonna be like when I got there. I knew that I had done everything that I could to get ready for that meet, both physically and mentally” quote by Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/michael-phelps-2388_done_before-the-olympic-trials-i-was-doing-a_1224003.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/michael-phelps-2388_done_before-the-olympic-trials-i-was-doing-a_1224003.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/334/michael-phelps-2388_done_before-the-olympic-trials-i-was-doing-a_1224003.jpg) > “Before the (Olympic) trials I was doing a lot of relaxing exercises and visualization. And I think that that helped me to get a feel of what it was gonna be like when I got there. I knew that I had done everything that I could to get ready for that meet, both physically and mentally” [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes using relaxation and visualization before Olympic trials to mentally and physically prepare, boosting confidence and performance. **In simple terms:** Mental rehearsal helped him feel ready for competition. Key Takeaway Practice visualization to improve performance. Themes mental training confidence athletics Mood motivational focused Type psychological practical When to use this quote - pre‑competition routine - coaching sessions - sports psychology workshops Key Concepts visualization relaxation techniques performance psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate visualization into your routine? - What limits might visualization have? A Different Perspective Visualization alone may not replace physical training. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Motivational sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-sports/) [Olympic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympic/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) [Visualization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visualization/) ## Related quotes > [Anyone who's been the Olympic trials before is a veteran.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-aaron/anyone-who-s-been-the-olympic-trials-before-is-a-veteran/) [Max Aaron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-aaron/) > [I got an invitation to go to the Olympic trials. And in the same week, I got a telegram from a... big executive at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/i-got-an-invitation-to-go-to-the-olympic-trials-and-in-the-same-week/) [Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/) > [I hate how late we have our Olympic Trials, always have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-coughlin/i-hate-how-late-we-have-our-olympic-trials-always-have/) [Natalie Coughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-coughlin/) > [You work for years and years to make the Olympics, then something goes wrong and it's all gone. But that doesn't mean you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-garcia/you-work-for-years-and-years-to-make-the-olympics-then-something-goes/) [Danny Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-garcia/) > [In 2007, I dreamed of Olympic gold but got outpointed in the Olympic trials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jacobs/in-2007-i-dreamed-of-olympic-gold-but-got-outpointed-in-the-olympic/) [Daniel Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jacobs/) > [I got injured at the Olympic Trials in 2000. I could not jump. I could not walk on my leg properly. I couldn't bend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominique-moceanu/i-got-injured-at-the-olympic-trials-in-2000-i-could-not-jump-i-could/) [Dominique Moceanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominique-moceanu/) > [At the 2012 Olympic Trials, I wanted to make a second Olympic team. I fell face first, and in a blink of an eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastia-liukin/at-the-2012-olympic-trials-i-wanted-to-make-a-second-olympic-team-i/) [Nastia Liukin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastia-liukin/) > [It's kind of nice in some ways having an Olympic Trials where I finished second. You can kind of go in more under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-hall/it-s-kind-of-nice-in-some-ways-having-an-olympic-trials-where-i/) [Ryan Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-hall/) > [On the weekend of the Olympic trials, I lashed out at someone I'm really close to. I've lashed out at my mum, my siblings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadeena-cox/on-the-weekend-of-the-olympic-trials-i-lashed-out-at-someone-i-m/) [Kadeena Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadeena-cox/) > [So far the biggest accomplishment I give myself is getting the silver in the Olympic Trials. Even though it's kind of a defeat. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-thurman/so-far-the-biggest-accomplishment-i-give-myself-is-getting-the-silver/) [Keith Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-thurman/) > [I did get to go to the Olympic trials in '88 and '92. I was 7th and 11th, so I didn't place high enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dot-jones/i-did-get-to-go-to-the-olympic-trials-in-88-and-92-i-was-7th-and-11th/) [Dot Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dot-jones/) > [It's been strange and weird watching the other girls at the U.S. Olympic trials just because I was training to be out there myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-johnson/it-s-been-strange-and-weird-watching-the-other-girls-at-the-u-s/) [Shawn Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-johnson/) > [I'm just maintaining the same mindset that I had going into the 2012 Olympics and Olympic trials, which is just, whatever happens, happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-ledecky/i-m-just-maintaining-the-same-mindset-that-i-had-going-into-the-2012/) [Katie Ledecky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-ledecky/) > [Far from 'rotting my brain,' as I was often told would happen, TV helped me feel less alone at a time when I spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-v-gordon/far-from-rotting-my-brain-as-i-was-often-told-would-happen-tv-helped/) [Emily V. Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-v-gordon/) > [I'm not really a Sundance baby, but they helped me so much I feel I have to acknowledge it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-thomas-anderson/i-m-not-really-a-sundance-baby-but-they-helped-me-so-much-i-feel-i/) [Paul Thomas Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-thomas-anderson/) ## More by Michael Phelps > [The support I've received from my sponsors has enabled me to raise the bar in swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/the-support-i-ve-received-from-my-sponsors-has-enabled-me-to-raise/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I'm definitely ahead of the schedule where I thought I was going to be at. I'm really happy. I was excited to race and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-m-definitely-ahead-of-the-schedule-where-i-thought-i-was-going-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/you-can-t-put-a-limit-on-anything-the-more-you-dream-the-farther-you/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I think with practice, you can being whatever you want to be, and with a goal you can go in any direction that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-think-with-practice-you-can-being-whatever-you-want-to-be-and-with/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I learned how fast you can go from being an international hero to being a reference in a joke on a late night talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-learned-how-fast-you-can-go-from-being-an-international-hero-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I'm the same kind of guy before all this happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-m-the-same-kind-of-guy-before-all-this-happened/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [The only reason I started swimming was for water safety. Then, once I started falling in love with sports, I got more comfortable with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/the-only-reason-i-started-swimming-was-for-water-safety-then-once-i/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I don't like to be second in anything. I was trying, I just wasn't going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-don-t-like-to-be-second-in-anything-i-was-trying-i-just-wasn-t/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Every 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,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/every-day-there-s-always-something-to-be-worried-about-you-turn-on/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I want to test my maximum and see how much I can do. 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With so many people saying it couldn't be done, all it takes is an imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/nothing-is-impossible-with-so-many-people-saying-it-couldn-t-be-done/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) [Explore all 169 Michael Phelps quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) ## More Done quotes > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. 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