Fame, Fortune and Michael Phelps

Courtesy of Pete Thompson. Pete has worked in the sport psychology and human development fields with Fortune 500 companies, Division I,II, and III collegiate athletes. He was a swimming coach at the club, high school and collegiate level for 30 years. Pete runs a private Sport Psychology and Adolescent Life Coaching practice, working with student-athletes nationwide.

As we are all aware by now, Michael Phelps has been charged with DUI, his second offense. In learning of this, perhaps we are also reminded of his infamous bong incident and have begun to paint a picture of Mr. Phelps in unflattering terms. Certainly, he has provided fodder to the swimming community and country at large for casting a negative light on himself, and by extension, USA Swimming. Mr. Phelps must account for these transgressions. However, before we go too far down the path of judgment I would like to offer some cautionary insights into this behavior in the hope that it encourages us to grapple with the nuances of fame and fortune, and perhaps feel the inclination to support (while simultaneously feeling disappointment and anger), rather than to simply condemn.

First and foremost, Michael Phelps is a person, and this person serves in a professional role. He too suffers from the imperfections of humanity. Unfortunately in our society we often idealize the rich, famous, and accomplished and in so doing inadvertently begin to see them as objects that represent our ideal, and not as the human beings that they are. For USA Swimming, this is heady stuff. Our community has always espoused the ideals of hard work, perseverance, integrity, and competitive honesty. It is what has made our sport so successful over the years, has led our country to feel tremendous pride in all of our Olympians, and inspired countless children to join in the pursuit of excellence. So, when one of our own falls down, or lets us down, we tend to react with recrimination. This is understandable.

If, however, we stop and consider the enormous pressures elite athletes face, particularly our superstars, and how potentially vulnerable this makes them feel, we might see things a bit differently. To be clear, in no way am I excusing drunk driving. It has caused irreparable harm and heartache for too many people (as has alcohol abuse in general). Again, Mr. Phelps needs to account for himself. What I am suggesting is that we also recognize Mr. Phelps as a human being, perhaps carrying too much stress and pressure for the role he plays for both our country, and our entire swimming community. The pressures of being cast as a role model are daunting, and can leave these folks feeling lonely and alone. Let us also consider his documented ADHD diagnosis, largely a genetic manifestation, that brings with it brain-based tendencies toward impulsivity, anxiety, boredom, and, yes, substance abuse. I would imagine that for the the 8 million adults diagnosed with this reality, the challenges are multi-faceted.

While we can safely assume that USA Swimming and the State of Maryland will be holding Mr. Phelps accountable, we can also acknowledge our disappointment and anger at his behavior. Given this, we can, and should, hold the mindset of inquiry (as opposed to judgment) into the reasons behind Michael’s most recent behavior. The life coaching questions that might be asked of him include;

1. How did you get here?

2. What’s changed?

3. What do you want for yourself?

4. What resources will support you?

5. Do you have the courage to utilize them?

In answering these questions perhaps Mr. Phelps will be truly supported and challenged to make changes. Ultimately, he is the one responsible for doing so. Perhaps, as a swimming community, we can support this process by seeing him, and all that are celebrated for their high accomplishment, as a person first, and therefore deserving of our compassionate perspective. After all, it is only through support, compassion, and challenge that any of us can grow.

ABOUT PETE THOMPSON

Pete has worked in the sport psychology and human development fields with Fortune 500 companies, Division I,II, and III collegiate athletes, as well as high school and middle school staff and students. He was a swimming coach at the club, high school and collegiate level for 30 years. Pete now runs a private Sport Psychology and Adolescent Life Coaching practice, working with student-athletes nationwide. His life coaching sessions for adolescents are designed to create challenge, teach resilience, and instill self-esteem. You can visit his website here.