--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We wanted to see how close we could get…" description: "\"We wanted to see how close we could get to the world record. We'll take that for right now.\" — Michael Phelps" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/michael-phelps-2388_records_we-wanted-to-see-how-close-we-could-get_1577336.jpg" --- # We wanted to see how close we could get to the world… ![“We wanted to see how close we could get to the world record. We'll take that for right now.” quote by Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/michael-phelps-2388_records_we-wanted-to-see-how-close-we-could-get_1577336.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/michael-phelps-2388_records_we-wanted-to-see-how-close-we-could-get_1577336.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e33/michael-phelps-2388_records_we-wanted-to-see-how-close-we-could-get_1577336.jpg) > “We wanted to see how close we could get to the world record. We'll take that for right now.” [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. The goal was to push limits by aiming for a world‑record level, then settle for the best achievable result at that moment. **In simple terms:** Aim high, accept the best you can achieve now. Key Takeaway Set ambitious goals, then be satisfied with the realistic outcome. Themes ambition goal‑setting acceptance Mood determined pragmatic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - training for elite sport - business product development - personal fitness milestones Key Concepts performance optimization benchmarking mindset Questions to Reflect On - What realistic benchmark can you set today? - How do you balance ambition with contentment? A Different Perspective May overlook incremental progress in favor of a single target. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record/) [Record Ll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-ll-3051715/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Swimming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimming/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Wanted Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-close-1232562/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-record/) [World records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-records/) ## Related quotes > [I can definitely take more off my world record - a lot more. I have no doubt about that. I'm by no means putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-hackett/i-can-definitely-take-more-off-my-world-record-a-lot-more-i-have-no/) [Grant Hackett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-hackett/) > [I wanted to get the fastest time in the world this year, but with everything going on, it's a pretty decent swim, ... I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phelps/i-wanted-to-get-the-fastest-time-in-the-world-this-year-but-with/) [Michael Phelps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phelps/) > [Going into that race I was going for the world record, just quietly, but I wasn't feeling at my best all week so it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leisel-jones/going-into-that-race-i-was-going-for-the-world-record-just-quietly/) [Leisel Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leisel-jones/) > [I'm really happy to have set the world record for the fastest disabled woman, but I think I can go much faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mills/i-m-really-happy-to-have-set-the-world-record-for-the-fastest/) [Heather Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mills/) > [The luge is the only Olympic event where you could have people competing in it against their will, and it would look exactly the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/the-luge-is-the-only-olympic-event-where-you-could-have-people/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [I leaned too early. I was running, I looked across, I realised I was going to win - the thought I was on for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/i-leaned-too-early-i-was-running-i-looked-across-i-realised-i-was/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [Well, it's such a record that you can only compare it with Bob Beamon's long-jump world record set in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-gavaskar/well-it-s-such-a-record-that-you-can-only-compare-it-with-bob-beamon/) [Sunil Gavaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-gavaskar/) > [In running, I know that I can train as much as I want and Im never going to break the world record for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-sagmeister/in-running-i-know-that-i-can-train-as-much-as-i-want-and-im-never/) [Stefan Sagmeister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-sagmeister/) > [Iceland sets a world-record. The United Nations asked people from all over the world a series of questions. Iceland stuck out on one thing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/iceland-sets-a-world-record-the-united-nations-asked-people-from-all/) [Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/) > [Doing justice to the work is your task, not setting a world record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/doing-justice-to-the-work-is-your-task-not-setting-a-world-record/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [That's the fastest time ever run - but it's not as fast as the world record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coleman/that-s-the-fastest-time-ever-run-but-it-s-not-as-fast-as-the-world/) [David Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coleman/) > [The old time strongmen used to lift huge weights just enough to clear a sheet of paperit is in this tradition that Sri Chinmoy's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zane/the-old-time-strongmen-used-to-lift-huge-weights-just-enough-to-clear/) [Frank Zane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zane/) > [Ingrid Kristiansen then has smashed the world record, running the 5000 metres in 14:58.89. Truly amazing. Incidentally, this is a personal best for Ingrid Kristiansen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-coleman/ingrid-kristiansen-then-has-smashed-the-world-record-running-the-5000/) [David Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-coleman/) > [President Obama broke a world record after he reached a million followers on Twitter in just five hours. The only guys not following Obama?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/president-obama-broke-a-world-record-after-he-reached-a-million/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [Ya'll know what you need to do? Get together, make a We Are The World record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/ya-ll-know-what-you-need-to-do-get-together-make-a-we-are-the-world/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) ## 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 Record quotes > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > ['Brace the Wave' is an acoustic-electric record recorded with electricity on analog-digital and digitally-analog equipment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/brace-the-wave-is-an-acoustic-electric-record-recorded-with/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [What I was concerned about when I wrote the 'Downward Spiral' record was being a self-centred destructive force. The point was tearing down everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/what-i-was-concerned-about-when-i-wrote-the-downward-spiral-record/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [I think my music has always been a mixture, depending on whom I'm working with - what band, what musicians, what producer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/i-think-my-music-has-always-been-a-mixture-depending-on-whom-i-m/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [I'm a horrible dancer, but I wanted to record songs that made me want to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lane/i-m-a-horrible-dancer-but-i-wanted-to-record-songs-that-made-me-want/) [Chris Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lane/) > [There are bands that I am friends with, who will invite me up on stage. Like Les Savy Fav, who have had me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/there-are-bands-that-i-am-friends-with-who-will-invite-me-up-on-stage/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [I have a platinum-selling record but I can walk around fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-howard/i-have-a-platinum-selling-record-but-i-can-walk-around-fine/) [Ben Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-howard/) > [Have I ever gone on record to say that I'm a member of QAnon? Because I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-stanton-king/have-i-ever-gone-on-record-to-say-that-i-m-a-member-of-qanon-because/) [Angela Stanton-King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-stanton-king/) > [There are a lot of stuff on the record that I am thinking is generic but actually it is just as good as everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/there-are-a-lot-of-stuff-on-the-record-that-i-am-thinking-is-generic/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [It's when someone has an agenda of their own for the record that it doesn't work for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/it-s-when-someone-has-an-agenda-of-their-own-for-the-record-that-it/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [I really didn't have any plans to record prior to doing My Own Best Enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marx/i-really-didn-t-have-any-plans-to-record-prior-to-doing-my-own-best/) [Richard Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marx/) > [I used to work in a record store. I'm kind of a record nerd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/i-used-to-work-in-a-record-store-i-m-kind-of-a-record-nerd/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [Creating a record on my own and deciding who plays and how the songs were structured, it was fun to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-skiba/creating-a-record-on-my-own-and-deciding-who-plays-and-how-the-songs/) [Matt Skiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-skiba/) > [If there is a record I don't have, I haven't heard it yet. My collection is always growing, but I can't really play it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grandmaster-flash/if-there-is-a-record-i-don-t-have-i-haven-t-heard-it-yet-my/) [Grandmaster Flash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grandmaster-flash/) [Browse all 1,986 Record quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We wanted to see how close we could get to the world record. 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