What Michael Phelps Can Teach Teenagers

There is no debate about the awesome performance of swimmer Michael Phelps at the Beijing Olympics. Many people are in awe of the physical and personal strength Michael Phelps has displayed at these 2008 Olympic Games.

It's not hard to see why Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps, winner of eight gold medals and Usain Bolt, the Jamaican with three world records in Track and Field, have become big crowd favorites.

As we learn more about Michael Phelps and the discipline he developed as a teenager, his outstanding performance holds many lessons for high school students wishing to achieve equally successful careers.

- Teens should explore various extracurricular activities in high school since one never knows what their ultimate niche could become. Before swimming, Michael Phelps tried his hand at baseball, soccer and lacrosse, golf and even thought about trying out for football.

- Teens need to be flexible. Flexibility is a powerful life skill that will help teenagers well beyond graduation. If a teen's high school lacks the facilities or support the sport they love, they should find ways to participate elsewhere. Since his high school, Towson's Loyola High School, did not have a swim team, Michael Phelps joined and competed at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club in Maryland.

- Teens should be disciplined and willing to work hard. These two behaviors will help teenagers set and attain goals. As a high school junior, Michael Phelps worked out 10 times per week. In preparation for the Beijing Olympics he trained 2-5 hours every day in the pool.

- Be willing to challenge the established processes. At 15 years old, Michael Phelps became the youngest swimmer in almost 70 years to compete for the United States. To gain a spot on the team, Michael had to compete with swimmers many years his senior. High school students can also push the envelope to set new records as well.

- Find out how to use weaknesses to your advantage. Michael Phelp's mother, Debbie Phelps says that her son was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). "He was an energetic boy who drove his teachers crazy," says Debbie Phelps in an article for the Baltimore Sun. Michael's ability to single-mindedly focus on the task at hand would, at first glance, appear to contradict that. Here, ADDer World explains the concept of Hyper Focus Concentration and how that played a role in Phelp's winning streak.

- You are never too young to be outstanding. Michael Phelps was the youngest US male swimmer to turn professional and the only swimmer to break five world records in one meet, and qualify for the Olympics in six events.

- Be a team player. Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but not by winning only individual races. Three of his gold medals came because he worked with a team of US swimmers in the Men's 4x100 Freestyle Relay, Men's 4x200 Freestyle Relay and the Men's 4x100 Medley Relay.