--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I bring back only one gold people are…" description: "\"If I bring back only one gold people are going to say it's a disappointment. But not too many of them own an Olympic gold medal so if I get one I'm goi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/michael-phelps-2388_disappointment_if-i-bring-back-only-one-gold-people-are_671358.jpg" --- # If I bring back only one gold people are going to say it's… ![“If I bring back only one gold people are going to say it's a disappointment. But not too many of them own an Olympic gold medal so if I get one I'm going to be happy.” quote by Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/michael-phelps-2388_disappointment_if-i-bring-back-only-one-gold-people-are_671358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/michael-phelps-2388_disappointment_if-i-bring-back-only-one-gold-people-are_671358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35c/michael-phelps-2388_disappointment_if-i-bring-back-only-one-gold-people-are_671358.jpg) > “If I bring back only one gold people are going to say it's a disappointment. But not too many of them own an Olympic gold medal so if I get one I'm going to be happy.” [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. Winning a single gold medal brings happiness, despite its rarity. **In simple terms:** One gold can make you happy. Key Takeaway Celebrate modest achievements. Themes achievement happiness expectations Mood joyful proud Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - personal milestones - team goals - career reflections Key Concepts Sports psychology Olympic narrative Questions to Reflect On - What single win means most to you? - How do you define success beyond medals? A Different Perspective Focusing on one medal may overlook broader success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Gold medal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold-medal/) [Medal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medal/) [Olympic gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympic-gold/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [We feel like we're the Olympic gold medallists and we have the opportunity to bring that gold home. That will be our goal and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-moir/we-feel-like-we-re-the-olympic-gold-medallists-and-we-have-the/) [Scott Moir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-moir/) > [The only thing better than winning a gold medal is going to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-henry/the-only-thing-better-than-winning-a-gold-medal-is-going-to-heaven/) [Mark Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-henry/) > [When you go to a shooting competition, you don't know what medal you're going to finish with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-bindra/when-you-go-to-a-shooting-competition-you-don-t-know-what-medal-you/) [Abhinav Bindra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-bindra/) > [I was a hangover of that era where they’d say “Take off that medal! Is that a St. Christopher medal? You’re going to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/i-was-a-hangover-of-that-era-where-they-d-say-take-off-that-medal-is/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Here were these college kids beating the Soviets and going on to the Olympic Gold Medal. To me, that's the greatest upset of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mckay/here-were-these-college-kids-beating-the-soviets-and-going-on-to-the/) [Jim McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mckay/) > [You don't win an Olympic gold medal with a few weeks of intensive training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-don-t-win-an-olympic-gold-medal-with-a-few-weeks-of-intensive/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I've been training super hard at the Lopez Taekwondo Academy in Houston, which belongs to my brother Jean. For me, I think confidence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-lopez/i-ve-been-training-super-hard-at-the-lopez-taekwondo-academy-in/) [Diana Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-lopez/) > [An Olympic gold medal is something that almost seems like a fantasy. Yes, of course I want it, since I was a little kid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-kearney/an-olympic-gold-medal-is-something-that-almost-seems-like-a-fantasy/) [Hannah Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-kearney/) > [Humility was a cult in my family. I only got it out of my father by accident when he was very old that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/humility-was-a-cult-in-my-family-i-only-got-it-out-of-my-father-by/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [When you're expected to win and you have the press saying that you are going to win the Olympic gold medal, and you're the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hamilton/when-you-re-expected-to-win-and-you-have-the-press-saying-that-you/) [Scott Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hamilton/) > [It took me time to realize that the men who won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon are just men, just like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-o-brien/it-took-me-time-to-realize-that-the-men-who-won-olympic-gold-medals/) [Dan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-o-brien/) > [Getting the Games for London has been the fulfilment of a dream. It is one which I truly believe can change the lives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-coe/getting-the-games-for-london-has-been-the-fulfilment-of-a-dream-it-is/) [Sebastian Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-coe/) > [I never won a Vezina Trophy until I won the Olympic gold medal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-brodeur/i-never-won-a-vezina-trophy-until-i-won-the-olympic-gold-medal/) [Martin Brodeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-brodeur/) > [The favorite to win the Olympic gold medal in archery is a legally blind athlete from South Korea, mainly because everyone else is too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/the-favorite-to-win-the-olympic-gold-medal-in-archery-is-a-legally/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [Going to the Olympics as a Maasai I want to make them proud because, after the warm welcome they gave me when I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/going-to-the-olympics-as-a-maasai-i-want-to-make-them-proud-because/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) ## 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. And I want to change the world of swimming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-want-to-test-my-maximum-and-see-how-much-i-can-do-and-i-want-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [You can't put a limit anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/you-can-t-put-a-limit-anything/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [I haven't swam in any of the rivers outside of Baltimore. I try to keep it in the pool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-haven-t-swam-in-any-of-the-rivers-outside-of-baltimore-i-try-to/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/this-is-my-20th-year-in-the-sport-i-ve-known-swimming-and-that-s-it-i/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Anything is possible as long as you want it, you work for it. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, the only person that can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/anything-is-possible-as-long-as-you-want-it-you-work-for-it-doesn-t/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Nothing is impossible. 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 Disappointment quotes > [Broken by hardships, disappointments and tragedy, people can become discouraged and cynical. But lives can also be mended. Put back together well, they won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/broken-by-hardships-disappointments-and-tragedy-people-can-become/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [“My earthly body has been a terrible disappointment to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/my-earthly-body-has-been-a-terrible-disappointment-to-me/) [Frédéric Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The fear of not being good enough, the fear of disappointing other people and the fear of failure can really hurt one's personality and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/the-fear-of-not-being-good-enough-the-fear-of-disappointing-other/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [In trying not to disappoint others; we disappoint ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-vermaak/in-trying-not-to-disappoint-others-we-disappoint-ourselves/) [Geraldine Vermaak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-vermaak/) > [Though there may be people in your life that support you and encourage you we have to realize that people are only human, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/though-there-may-be-people-in-your-life-that-support-you-and/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [There are still many more days of failure ahead, whole seasons of failure, things will go terribly wrong, you will have huge disappointments ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/there-are-still-many-more-days-of-failure-ahead-whole-seasons-of/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [It is sometimes said that because of our past we, as a people, expect too much and set our sights too high. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/it-is-sometimes-said-that-because-of-our-past-we-as-a-people-expect/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I'm talking to anyone who has been dumped - have not gotten the job you really wanted or have received those horrible rejection letters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/i-m-talking-to-anyone-who-has-been-dumped-have-not-gotten-the-job-you/) [Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/) > [Think of your mind, your emotions, and your spirit as the ultimate garden. The way to ensure a bountiful, nourishing harvest is to plant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/think-of-your-mind-your-emotions-and-your-spirit-as-the-ultimate/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Stop blaming others, whatever happens to you is nobody's fault if you get hurt because of disappointment is not the end of your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/stop-blaming-others-whatever-happens-to-you-is-nobody-s-fault-if-you/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [When disappointments knock you down, get back up and go again because out of our greatest rejection comes our greatest direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-disappointments-knock-you-down-get-back-up-and-go-again-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,467 Disappointment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I bring back only one gold people are going to say it's a disappointment. 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