At 27 years old, Michael Phelps has earned a "career legacy", as he is set to retire from his "career" of professional, competitive swimming after his final race with his USA Teammates on Saturday, August 4. How has he earned a legacy after 12 years? It's not because of his record haul of Olympic medals (22nd and final one Saturday--the 18 gold are twice as many as any other Olympian in history). It is because he set out to be an example and mentored others in the process.
Though the 2012 London Olympics will not bring the personal medals and accolades of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, there are others accomplishing great things at these games because of Michael Phelps, which is all the more satisfying for him personally as he steps away from the competitive pools.
According to this ESPN article by Wayne Drehs, when Michael Phelps started training with his coach Bob Bowman before the 2000 Olympics, his agent Peter Carlisle asked Phelps what his goals were for swimming. At age 15, Phelps answered that he wanted to change the sport, motivating and inspiring people to chase their dreams.
Phelps didn't medal in the 2000 Olympics, but at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, a 12-year old boy watched the 19-year old Phelps swim his way to 6 gold medals--but more importantly to Phelps goals, he began to inspire people like that 12-year old to pursue their dreams. That 12-year old boy said that moment inspired him to pursue a dream of competitive swimming; he recorded every race Phelps ever swam and watched them tirelessly as well as applying hours in the pool. This week, 8 years later, that 12-year old boy is now 20-years and the last man to beat Michael Phelps in an individual competition: Chad le Clos of South Africa.
Swimming in the same pool as his idol was surreal enough--beating him to the wall by fractions of a second were beyond his wildest dreams. Phelps couldn't believe it--he was beaten in the same way he beat Milorad Cavic in the 2008 games. Phelps, after cooling down, came back to earth and at the medals podium, graciously congratulated le Clos and helped him as a guide through the receiving of the medals, how to hold he medal, where to stand and how long for photographers, and into the press room. At this point, Phelps didn't even know the inspiration he had been to this fellow competitor.
At the 100 meter butterfly two nights later, there was le Clos again on the pool deck with his hero--this race saw Phelps and le Clos finish 1-2 after making the turn at 7-8 respectively. In an interview after the swim le Clos said, "I just kept thinking I wanted to be up there on that podium," he said. "I wanted to be in that race with him. I wanted to give him a run for his money. I wanted to make him proud. ...I told myself I would tell him he was my hero."
When le Clos made the gesture, Phelps put his arm around him, encouraged him and wished him luck in the future. This moment was not missed by le Clos' father who was overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude, telling reporters of the "gentlemanly" Phelps and all that he did for his family.
In all the excitement after his last individual race, Phelps took time that evening to also send a text to teammate Missy Franklin (17 years old) and give a high five on the deck to Katie Ledecky (15) -- both gestures were quoted by the teen girls as firing them up on their way to separate victories.
Ledecky also said that Phelps is the first Olympic swimmer to make an impression on her--six years ago, when she was 9. And what amazing bit of wisdom did Phelps pass along to inspire the 9-year old? No wisdom--just time: when the giddy school girl recognized and ran up to Phelps (21 at the time), he didn't try to run in the other direction. He greeted her, listened as he took time to sign an autograph, and patted her on the back with a bit of encouragement. Six years later, they're teammates, making parody videos together, and earning gold medals.
Legacy and Mentoring are a pair of buzz words that get tossed around often. Yet, how does one leave one and do the other? Phelps is not without flaws himself, but he gives a couple examples on both:
1) be the best you can be, and
2) take time for others
Phelps pursued excellence first individually--you can not inspire and mentor others with your good intentions. I'm proud of my father's example, Bill, to follow the Lord faithfully within his own life--he wanted to disciple us as kids, but it was his moments of faithfully following and taking risks for the Kingdom that were the greatest moments of impact on my life. In fact, as the time of our departure for the Middle East drew closer, I told my parents that had he not followed the Lord so faithfully in his life I wouldn't be getting ready to take his grandkids across the world--but because he was faithful, so we would be. Now, dad continues to set the example as he is fighting prostate cancer and recovering from difficult surgery.
Phelps didn't owe le Clos anything, especially after a difficult loss--and there were people who would have helped le Clos fumble his way through the process. But Phelps could tell this competitor was different--in fact, when le Clos makes the "you're my hero" confession, he followed that up with "I think he knew". Phelps swallows his pride and not only accepts his silver medal, but goes around escorting the gold medalist while smiling and taking pictures, too. Celebs love fans, but fanatical kids can turn into demanding mobs--when Phelps sees 9 year old with a smile as wide as Texas and eyes the size of saucers, he doesn't jet--he takes time and is sincere with the youngster, not knowing whether or not that would ever amount to anything. One of my mentors, Jim Lyon, took time from his own ministry to regularly welcome me into his office, answer my questions, and give me just general life feedback--and years later, when we needed to connect with his friends and peers, he calls me to learn my schedule and then personally emails and calls his peers to encourage them to welcome me to share the vision of our current ministry. Jim turned 60 this week, and his reflections through Twitter were very inspiring.
Keli and I have tried to employ the same efforts in our own lives and ministry--our hope is that the Kingdom will be brought closer, not just because of our lives, but through the lives that are inspired and motivated through our example.
Though the 2012 London Olympics will not bring the personal medals and accolades of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, there are others accomplishing great things at these games because of Michael Phelps, which is all the more satisfying for him personally as he steps away from the competitive pools.
According to this ESPN article by Wayne Drehs, when Michael Phelps started training with his coach Bob Bowman before the 2000 Olympics, his agent Peter Carlisle asked Phelps what his goals were for swimming. At age 15, Phelps answered that he wanted to change the sport, motivating and inspiring people to chase their dreams.
Phelps didn't medal in the 2000 Olympics, but at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, a 12-year old boy watched the 19-year old Phelps swim his way to 6 gold medals--but more importantly to Phelps goals, he began to inspire people like that 12-year old to pursue their dreams. That 12-year old boy said that moment inspired him to pursue a dream of competitive swimming; he recorded every race Phelps ever swam and watched them tirelessly as well as applying hours in the pool. This week, 8 years later, that 12-year old boy is now 20-years and the last man to beat Michael Phelps in an individual competition: Chad le Clos of South Africa.
At the 100 meter butterfly two nights later, there was le Clos again on the pool deck with his hero--this race saw Phelps and le Clos finish 1-2 after making the turn at 7-8 respectively. In an interview after the swim le Clos said, "I just kept thinking I wanted to be up there on that podium," he said. "I wanted to be in that race with him. I wanted to give him a run for his money. I wanted to make him proud. ...I told myself I would tell him he was my hero."
Ledecky also said that Phelps is the first Olympic swimmer to make an impression on her--six years ago, when she was 9. And what amazing bit of wisdom did Phelps pass along to inspire the 9-year old? No wisdom--just time: when the giddy school girl recognized and ran up to Phelps (21 at the time), he didn't try to run in the other direction. He greeted her, listened as he took time to sign an autograph, and patted her on the back with a bit of encouragement. Six years later, they're teammates, making parody videos together, and earning gold medals.
Legacy and Mentoring are a pair of buzz words that get tossed around often. Yet, how does one leave one and do the other? Phelps is not without flaws himself, but he gives a couple examples on both:
1) be the best you can be, and
2) take time for others
Phelps pursued excellence first individually--you can not inspire and mentor others with your good intentions. I'm proud of my father's example, Bill, to follow the Lord faithfully within his own life--he wanted to disciple us as kids, but it was his moments of faithfully following and taking risks for the Kingdom that were the greatest moments of impact on my life. In fact, as the time of our departure for the Middle East drew closer, I told my parents that had he not followed the Lord so faithfully in his life I wouldn't be getting ready to take his grandkids across the world--but because he was faithful, so we would be. Now, dad continues to set the example as he is fighting prostate cancer and recovering from difficult surgery.
Phelps didn't owe le Clos anything, especially after a difficult loss--and there were people who would have helped le Clos fumble his way through the process. But Phelps could tell this competitor was different--in fact, when le Clos makes the "you're my hero" confession, he followed that up with "I think he knew". Phelps swallows his pride and not only accepts his silver medal, but goes around escorting the gold medalist while smiling and taking pictures, too. Celebs love fans, but fanatical kids can turn into demanding mobs--when Phelps sees 9 year old with a smile as wide as Texas and eyes the size of saucers, he doesn't jet--he takes time and is sincere with the youngster, not knowing whether or not that would ever amount to anything. One of my mentors, Jim Lyon, took time from his own ministry to regularly welcome me into his office, answer my questions, and give me just general life feedback--and years later, when we needed to connect with his friends and peers, he calls me to learn my schedule and then personally emails and calls his peers to encourage them to welcome me to share the vision of our current ministry. Jim turned 60 this week, and his reflections through Twitter were very inspiring.
Keli and I have tried to employ the same efforts in our own lives and ministry--our hope is that the Kingdom will be brought closer, not just because of our lives, but through the lives that are inspired and motivated through our example.
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