This week’s learning is part 2 from a 3 part from The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. (Parts 1, 2)
Back in Beijing, it was 9:56 A.M., 4 minutes before the Butterfly race’s start. Phelps stood behind his starting block, bouncing slightly on his toes. When the announcer said his name, Phelps stepped onto the block, then stepped down, then swung his arms three times, as he had before every race since he was twelve years old. He stepped up on the blocks again, got into his stance, and, when the gun sounded, leapt.
But, Phelps knew something was wrong as soon as he hit the water. There was moisture inside his goggles. By the second turn, everything was getting blurry and as he approached the third turn, the cups of his goggles were completely filled and he couldn’t see how many strokes were left!
For most swimmers, losing your sight in the middle of an Olympic final would be cause for panic. Phelps was calm. Everything else that day had gone according to plan. The leaking goggles were a minor deviation, but one for which he was prepared. Bowman had once made Phelps swim in a Michigan pool in the dark and some of the videotapes in Phelps’s mind had featured problems like this.
Most important, Phelps’s keystone habits had established a certainty within his mind: he could succeed, no matter the obstacles. After all, he had always succeeded before. His self-image, all of his habits, were built around the certainty of overcoming any problem.
As he started his last lap, Phelps estimated how many strokes the final push would require – 19 or 20, maybe 21 – and started counting. He felt totally relaxed as he swam at full strength. Midway through the lap he began to increase his effort, a final eruption that had become one of his main techniques in overwhelming opponents.
At 18 strokes, he started anticipating the wall. He could hear the crowd roaring, but since he was blind, he had no idea if they were cheering for him or someone else. 19 strokes, then 20. It felt like he needed one more. That’s what the videotape in his head said. He made a 21, huge stroke, glided with his arm outstretched, and touched the wall. He had timed it perfectly.
When he ripped off his goggles and looked up at the scoreboard, it said “WR” – world record – next to his name. He’d won another gold – swimming blind!
Sketch by EB
After the race, a reporter asked what it had felt like to swim blind.
“It felt like I imagined it would” Phelps said. It was one additional victory in a day full of small wins. It was a triumph of keystone habits, just another step in a lifetime of success.
I felt goose bumps as I read this. I hope you enjoyed this series on habits.
A Learning a Day 